World English Bible

1 In that day Tobit remembered concerning the money which he had left in trust with Gabael in Rages of Media,

2 and he said in himself, I have asked for death; why do I not call my son Tobias, that I may show to himof the moneybefore I die?

3 And he called him, and said,

My child,when I die, bury me: and despise not your mother; honor her all the days of your life, and do that which is pleasing to her, and grieve her not.

4 Remember, my child, that she has seen many dangers for you,when you werein her womb. When she is dead, bury her by me in one grave.

5 My child, be mindful of the Lord our God all your days, and let not your will be set to sin and to transgress his commandments: do righteousness all the days of your life, and follow not the ways of unrighteousness.

6 For if you do the truth, your doings shall prosperously succeed to you, and to all them that do righteousness.

7 Give alms of your substance; and when you give alms, let not your eye be envious: turn not away your face from any poor man, and the face of God shall not be turned away from you.

8 As your substance is, give alms of it according to your abundance: if you have little, be not afraid to give alms according to that little:

9 for you lay up a good treasure for yourself against the day of necessity:

10 because alms delivers from death, and suffers not to come into darkness.

11 Alms is a good gift in the sight of the Most High for all that give it.

12 Beware, my child, of all whoredom, and take first a wife of the seed of your fathers, and take not a strange wife, which is not of your father’s tribe: for we are the sons of the prophets. Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, our fathers of old time, remember, my child, that they all took wives of their brethren, and were blessed in their children, and their seed shall inherit the land.

13 And now, my child, love your brethren, and scorn not in your heart your brethren, and the sons and the daughters of your people, to take a wife of them: for in scornfulness is destruction and much trouble, and in naughtiness is decay and great lack: for naughtiness is the mother of famine.

14 Let not the wages of any man, which shall work for you, wait with you, but render it to him out of hand: and if you serve God, recompense shall be made to you. Take heed to yourself, my child, in all your works, and be discreet in all your behavior.

15 And what you yourself hate, do to no man. Drink not wine to drunkenness, and let not drunkenness go with you on your way.

16 Give of your bread to the hungry, and of your garments to them that are naked: of all your abundance give alms; and let not your eye be envious when you give alms.

17 Pour out your bread on theburial of the just, and give nothing to sinners.

18 Ask counsel of every man that is wise, and despise not any counsel that is profitable.

19 And bless the Lord your God at all times, and ask of him that your ways may be made straight, and that all your paths and counsels may prosper: for every nation has not counsel; but the Lord himself gives all good things, and he humbles whom he will, as he will. And now, my child, remember my commandments, and let them not be blotted out of your mind.

20 And now I show you of the ten talents of silver, which I left in trust with Gabael the son of Gabrias at Rages of Media.

21 And fear not, my child, because we are made poor: you have much wealth, if you fear God, and depart from all sin, and do that which is pleasing in his sight.

1 And Tobias answered and said to him, Father, I will do all things, whatever you have commanded me:

2 but how shall I be able to receive the money, seeing I know him not?

3 And he gave him the handwriting, and said to him, Seek you a man which shall go with you, and I will give him wages, whiles I yet live: and go and receive the money.

4 And he went to seek a man, and found Raphael which was an angel;

5 and he knew it not; and he said to him, Can I go with you to Rages of Media? and know you the places well?

6 And the angel said to him, I will go with you, and I know the way well: and I have lodged with our brother Gabael.

7 And Tobias said to him, Wait for me, and I will tell my father.

8 And he said to him, Go, and wait not. And he went in and said to his father, Behold, I have found one which will go with me. But he said, Call him to me, that I may know of what tribe he is, and whether he be a trusty man to go with you.

9 And he called him, and he came in, and they saluted one another.

10 And Tobit said to him, Brother, of what tribe and of what family are you? Show me.

11 And he said to him, Seek you a tribe and a family, or a hired man which shall go with your son? And Tobit said to him, I would know, brother, your kindred and your name.

12 And he said, I am Azarias, the son of Ananias the great, of your brethren.

13 And he said to him, Welcome, brother; and be not angry with me, because I sought to know your tribe and family: and you are my brother, of an honest and good lineage: for I knew Ananias and Jathan, the sons of Shemaiah the great, when we went together to Jerusalem to worship, and offered the firstborn, and the tenths of our increase; and they went not astray in the error of our brethren: my brother, you are of a great stock.

14 But tell me, what wages shall I give you? a drachma a day, and those things that be necessary for you, as to my son?

15 And moreover, if you⌃ return safe and sound, I will add something to your wages.

16 And so they consented. And he said to Tobias, Prepare yourself for the journey, and God prosper you. And his son prepared what was needful for the journey, and his father said to him, Go you with this man; but God, which dwells in heaven, shall prosper your journey; and may his angel go with you. And they both went forth to depart, and the young man’s dog with them.

17 But Anna his mother wept, and said to Tobit, Why have you sent away our child? is he not the staff of our hand, in going in and out before us?

18 Be not greedy to add money to money: but let it be as refuse in respect of our child.

19 For as the Lord has given us to live, so does it suffice us.

20 And Tobit said to her, Take no care, my sister; he shall return safe and sound, and your eyes shall see him.

21 For a good angel shall go with him, and his journey shall be prospered, and he shall return safe and sound.

22 And she made an end of weeping.

1 Now as they went on their journey, they came at eventide to the river Tigris, and they lodged there.

2 But the young man went down to wash himself, and a fish leaped out of the river, and would have swallowed up the young man.

3 But the angel said to him, Take hold on the fish. And the young man caught hold of the fish, and cast it up on the land.

4 And the angel said to him, Cut the fish open, and take the heart and the liver and the gall, and put them up safely.

5 And the young man did as the angel commanded him; but they roasted the fish, and ate it. And they both went on their way, till they drew near to Ecbatana.

6 And the young man said to the angel, Brother Azarias, to what use is the heart and the liver and the gall of the fish?

7 And he said to him, Touching the heart and the liver, if adevil or an evil spirit trouble any, we must make a smoke thereof before the man or the woman, and the party shall be no more vexed.

8 But as for the gall,it is goodto anoint a man that has white films in his eyes, and he shall be healed.

9 But when they drew near to Rages,

10 the angel said to the young man, Brother, today we shall lodge with Raguel, and he is your kinsman; and he has an only daughter, named Sarah. I will speak for her, that she should be given you for a wife.

11 For to you does the inheritance of her appertain, and you only are of her kindred:

12 and the maid is fair and wise. And now hear me, and I will speak to her father; and when we return from Rages we will celebrate the marriage: for I know that Raguel may in no wise marry her to another according to the law of Moses, or else he shall be liable to death, because it appertains to you to take the inheritance, rather than any other.

13 Then the young man said to the angel, Brother Azarias, I have heard that this maid has been given to seven men, and that they all perished in the bride-chamber.

14 And now I am the only son of my father, and I am afraid, lest I go in and die, even as those before me: for adevil loves her, which hurts no man, but those which come to her: and now I fear lest I die, and bring my father’s and my mother’s life to the grave with sorrow because of me: and they have no other son to bury them.

15 But the angel said to him, Do you not remember the words which your father commanded you, that you should take a wife of your own kindred? and now hear me, brother; for she shall be your wife; and make you no reckoning of the devil; for this night shall she be given you to wife.

16 Andwhen you shall come into the bride-chamber, you shall take the ashes of incense, and shall lay upon them some of the heart and liver of the fish, and shall make a smoketherewith:

17 and the devil shall smell it, and flee away, and never come again any more. But when you go near to her, rise up both of you, and cry to God which is merciful, and he shall save you, and have mercy on you. Fear not, for she was prepared for you from the beginning; and you shall save her, and she shall go with you. And I suppose that you shall have children of her. And when Tobias heard these things, he loved her, and his soul clave to her exceedingly.

1 And they came to Ecbatana, and arrived at the house of Raguel. But Sarah met them; and she saluted them, and they her; and she brought them into the house.

2 And he said to Edna his wife, How like is the young man to Tobit my cousin.

3 And Raguel asked them, From whence are you⌃, brethren? And they said to him, We are of the sons of Naphtali, which are captives in Nineveh.

4 And he said to them, Know you⌃ Tobit our brother? But they said, We know him. And he said to them, Is he in good health?

5 But they said, He is both alive, and in good health: and Tobias said, He is my father.

6 And Raguel sprang up, and kissed him, and wept,

7 and blessed him, and said to him, You are the son of an honest and good man. And when he had heard that Tobit had lost his sight, he was grieved, and wept;

8 and Edna his wife and Sarah his daughter wept. And they received them gladly; and they killed a ram of the flock, and set store of meat before them.

But Tobias said to Raphael, Brother Azarias, speak of those things of which you did talk in the way, and let the matter be finished.

9 And he communicated the thing to Raguel: and Raguel said to Tobias, Eat and drink, and make merry:

10 for it appertains to you to take my child. Howbeit I will show you the truth.

11 I have given my child to seven men, and whenever they came in to her, they died in the night. But for the present be merry. And Tobias said, I will taste nothing here, until you⌃ make covenant and enter into covenant with me.

12 And Raguel said, Take her to yourself from henceforth according to the manner: you are her brother, and she is your: but the merciful God shall give all good success to you.

13 And he called his daughter Sarah, and took her by the hand, and gave her to be wife to Tobias, and said, Behold, take her to yourself after the law of Moses, and lead her away to your father. And he blessed them;

14 And he called Edna his wife, and took a book, and wrote an instrument, and sealed it.

15 And they began to eat.

16 And Raguel called his wife Edna, and said to her, Sister, prepare the other chamber, and bring her in there.

17 And she did as he bade her, and brought her in there: and she wept, and she received the tears of her daughter, and said to her,

18 Be of good comfort, my child; the Lord of heaven and earth give youfavor for this your sorrow: be of good comfort, my daughter.

1 And when they had finished their supper, they brought Tobias in to her.

2 But as he went, he remembered the words of Raphael, and took the ashes of the incense, and put the heart and the liver of the fish thereupon, and made a smoketherewith.

3 But when thedevil smelled the smell, he fled into the uppermost parts of Egypt, and the angel bound him.

4 But after they were both shut in together, Tobias rose up from the bed, and said, Sister, arise, and let us pray that the Lord may have mercy on us.

5 And Tobias began to say, Blessed are you, O God of our fathers, and blessed is your holy and glorious name for ever; let the heavens bless you, and all your creatures.

6 You made Adam, and gave him Eve his wife for a helper and a stay: of them came the seed of men: you did say, it is not good that the man should be alone; let us make him a helper like to him.

7 And now, O Lord, I take not this my sister for lust, but in truth: command that I may find mercy and grow old with her.

8 And she said with him, Amen. And they slept both that night.

9 And Raguel arose, and went and digged a grave,

10 saying, Lest he also should die.

11 And Raguel came into his house,

12 and said to Edna his wife, Send one of the maidservants, and let them see whether he be alive: but if not, that we may bury him, and no man know it.

13 So the maidservant opened the door, and went in, and found them both sleeping,

14 and came forth, and told them that he was alive.

15 And Raguel blessed God, saying,

Blessed are you, O God, with all pure and holy blessing; and let your saints bless you, and all your creatures; and let all your angels and your elect bless you for ever.

16 Blessed are you, because you have made me glad; and it has not befallen me as I suspected; but you have dealt with us according to your great mercy.

17 Blessed are you, because you have had mercy on two that were the only begotten children of their parents: show them mercy, O Lord; accomplish their life in health with gladness and mercy.

18 But he commanded his servants to fill the grave.

19 And he kept the wedding feast for them fourteen days.

20 And before the days of the wedding feast were finished, Raguel sware to him, that he should not depart till the fourteen days of the wedding feast were fulfilled;

21 and that then he should take the half of his goods, and go in safety to his father; and the rest,said he,when I and my wife shall die.

1 And Tobias called Raphael, and said to him,

2 Brother Azarias, take with you a servant, and two camels, and go to Rages of Media to Gabael, and receive the money for me, and bring him to the wedding feast:

3 because Raguel has sworn that I shall not depart;

4 and my father counts the days; and if I wait long, he will be sorely grieved.

5 And Raphael went on his way, and lodged with Gabael, and gave him the handwriting: but he brought forth the bags with their seals, and gave them to him.

6 And they rose up early in the morning together, and came to the wedding feast: and Tobias blessed his wife.

1 And Tobit his father made his count every day: and when the days of the journey were expired, and they came not,

2 he said,Is he perchance detained? or is Gabael perchance dead, and there is no man to give him the money?

3 And he was sorely grieved.

4 But his wife said to him, The child has perished, seeing he waits long; and she began to bewail him, and said,

5 I care for nothing, my child, since I have let you go, the light of mine eyes.

6 And Tobit says to her, Hold your peace, take no care; he is in good health.

7 And she said to him, Hold your peace, deceive me not; my child has perished. And she went out every day into the way by which they went, and did eat no bread in the day-time, and ceased not whole nights to bewail her son Tobias, until the fourteen days of the wedding feast were expired, which Raguel had sworn that he should spend there.

But Tobias said to Raguel, Send me away, for my father and my mother look no more to see me.

8 But his father in law said to him, Abide with me, and I will send to your father, and they shall declare to him how things go with you.

9 And Tobias says, No; but send me away to my father.

10 But Raguel arose, and gave him Sarah his wife, and half his goods, servants and cattle and money;

11 and he blessed them, and sent them away, saying, The God of heaven shall prosper you, my children, before I die.

12 And he said to his daughter, Honor your father and your mother in law; they are now your parents; let me hear a good report of you. And he kissed her. And Edna said to Tobias, The Lord of heaven restore you, dear brother, and grant to me that I may see your children of my daughter Sarah, that I may rejoice before the Lord: and, behold, I commit my daughter to you in special trust: vex her not.

1 After these things Tobias also went his way, blessing God because he had prospered his journey; and he blessed Raguel and Edna his wife. And he went on his way till they drew near to Nineveh.

2 And Raphael said to Tobias, Know you not, brother, how you did leave your father?

3 Let us run forward before your wife, and prepare the house.

4 But take in your hand the gall of the fish. And they went their way, and the dog went after them.

5 And Anna sat looking about toward the way for her son.

6 And she espied him coming, and said to his father, Behold, your son comes, and the man that went with him.

7 And Raphael said, I know, Tobias, that your father will open his eyes.

8 Do you therefore anoint his eyes with the gall, and being pricked therewith, he shall rub, and shall make the white films to fall away, and he shall see you.

9 And Anna ran to him, and fell upon the neck of her son, and said to him, I have seen you, my child; from henceforth I will die. And they wept both.

10 And Tobit went forth toward the door, and stumbled: but his son ran to him,

11 and took hold of his father: and he struck the gall on his father’s eyes, saying, Be of good cheer, my father.

12 But when his eyes began to hurt, he rubbed them;

13 and the white films scaled away from the corners of his eyes; and he saw his son, and fell upon his neck.

14 And he wept, and said, Blessed are you, O God, and blessed is your name for ever, and blessed are all your holy angels;

15 for you did scourge, and did have mercy on me: behold, I see my son Tobias. And his son went in rejoicing, and told his father the great things that had happened to him in Media.

16 And Tobit went out to meet his daughter in law at the gate of Nineveh, rejoicing, and blessing God: and they which saw him go marveled, because he had received his sight.

17 And Tobit gave thanks before them, because God had showed mercy on him. And when Tobit came near to Sarah his daughter in law, he blessed her, saying, Welcome, daughter: blessed is God which has brought you to us, andblessed areyour father and your mother. And there was joy to all his brethren which were at Nineveh.

18 And Achiacharus, and Nasbas his brother’s son, came:

19 and Tobias’ wedding feast was kept seven days with great gladness.

1 And Tobit called his son Tobias, and said to him, See, my child, that the man which went with you have his wages, and you must give him more.

2 And he said to him, Father, it is no harm to me to give him the half of those things which I have brought:

3 for he has led me for you in safety, and he cured my wife, and brought my money, and likewise cured you.

4 And the old man said, It is due to him.

5 And he called the angel, and said to him, Take the half of all that you⌃ have brought.

6 Then he called them both privily, and said to them,

Bless God, and give him thanks, and magnify him, and give him thanks in the sight of all that live, for the things which he has done with you. It is good to bless God and exalt his name, showing forth with honor the works of God; and be not slack to give him thanks.

7 It is good to keep close the secret of a king, but to reveal gloriously the works of God. Do good, and evil shall not find you.

8 Good is prayer with fasting and alms and righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than much with unrighteousness. It is better to give alms than to lay up gold:

9 alms does deliver from death, and it shall purge away all sin. They that do alms and righteousness shall be filled with life;

10 but they that sin are enemies to their own life.

11 Surely I will keep close nothing from you. I have said, It is good to keep close the secret of a king, but to reveal gloriously the works of God.

12 And now, when you did pray, and Sarah your daughter in law, I did bring the memorial of your prayer before the Holy One: and when you did bury the dead, I was with you likewise.

13 And when you did not delay to rise up, and leave your dinner, that you might go and cover the dead, your good deed was not hid from me: but I was with you.

14 And now God did send me to heal you and Sarah your daughter in law.

15 I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels, which present the prayers of the saints, and go in before the glory of the Holy One.

16 And they were both troubled, and fell upon their faces; for they were afraid.

17 And he said to them, Be not afraid, you⌃ shall have peace; but bless God for ever.

18 For not of any favor of mine, but by the will of your God I came; wherefore bless him for ever.

19 All these days did I appear to you; and I did neither eat nor drink, but you⌃ saw a vision.

20 And now give God thanks: because I ascend to him that sent me: and write in a book all the things which have been done.

21 And they rose up, and saw him no more.

22 And they confessed the great and wonderful works of God, and how the angel of the Lord had appeared to them.

1 And Tobit wrote a prayer for rejoicing, and said,

Blessed is God that lives for ever,

Andblessed ishis kingdom.

2 For he scourges, and shows mercy:

He leads down tothe grave, and brings up again:

And there is none that shall escape his hand.

3 Give thanks to him before the Gentiles, you⌃ children of Israel:

For he has scattered us among them.

4 There declare his greatness,

And extol him before all the living:

Because he is our Lord,

And God is our Father for ever.

5 And he will scourge us for our iniquities, and will again show mercy,

And will gather us out of all the nations among whom you⌃ are scattered.

6 If you⌃ turn to him with your whole heart and with your whole soul,

To do truth before him,

Then will he turn to you,

And will not hide his face from you.

And see what he will do with you,

And give him thanks with your whole mouth,

And bless the Lord of righteousness,

And exalt the everlasting King.

I in the land of my captivity give him thanks,

And show his strength and majesty to a nation of sinners.

Turn, you⌃ sinners, and do righteousness before him:

Who can tell if he will accept you and have mercy on you?

7 I exalt my God,

And my souldoes exaltthe King of heaven,

And it shall rejoice in his greatness.

8 Let all men speak, and let them give him thanks in Jerusalem.

9 O Jerusalem, the holy city,

He will scourge you for the works of your sons,

And will again have mercy on the sons of the righteous.

10 Give thanks to the Lord with goodness,

And bless the everlasting King,

That his tabernacle may be builded in you again with joy,

And that he may make glad in you those that are captives,

And love in you for ever those that are miserable.

11 Many nations shall come from far to the name of the Lord God

With gifts in their hands, even gifts to the King of heaven;

Generations of generations shall praise you,

And sing songs of rejoicing.

12 Cursed are all they that hate you;

Blessed shall be all they that love you for ever.

13 Rejoice and be exceeding glad for the sons of the righteous:

For they shall be gathered together and shall bless the Lord of the righteous.

14 O blessed are they that love you;

They shall rejoice for your peace:

Blessed are all they that sorrowed for all your scourges:

Because they shall rejoice for you,

When they have seen all your glory;

And they shall be made glad for ever.

15 Let my soul bless God the great King.

16 For Jerusalem shall be builded with sapphires and emeralds and precious stones;

Your walls and towers and battlements with pure gold.

17 And the streets of Jerusalem shall be paved with beryl and carbuncle and stones of Ophir.

18 And all her streets shall say, Hallelujah, and give praise,

Saying, Blessed is God, which has exaltedyoufor ever.