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TOBIT CHAPTERS 1-10

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11

ΒΙΒΛΟΣ λόγων Τωβίτ, τοῦ Τωβιήλ, τοῦ ᾿Ανανιήλ, τοῦ ᾿Αδουήλ, τοῦ Γαβαήλ, ἐκ τοῦ σπέρματος ᾿Ασιήλ, ἐκ τῆς φυλῆς Νεφθαλίμ,

2 ὃς ᾐχμαλωτεύθη ἐν ἡμέραις ᾿Ενεμεσσάρου τοῦ βασιλέως ᾿Ασσυρίων ἐκ Θίσβης, ἥ ἐστιν ἐκ δεξιῶν Κυδίως τῆς Νεφθαλὶ ἐν τῇ Γαλιλαίᾳ ὑπεράνω ᾿Ασήρ. - ἐγὼ Τωβὶτ ὁδοῖς ἀληθείας ἐπορευόμην καὶ δικαιοσύνης πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς μου

3 καὶ ἐλεημοσύνας πολλὰς ἐποίησα τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου καὶ τῷ ἔθνει, τοῖς προπορευθεῖσι μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ εἰς χώραν ᾿Ασσυρίων εἰς Νινευῆ.

4 καὶ ὅτε ἤμην ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ μου ἐν τῇ γῇ ᾿Ισραὴλ νεωτέρου μου ὄντος, πᾶσα φυλὴ τοῦ Νεφθαλὶμ τοῦ πατρός μου ἀπέστη ἀπὸ τοῦ οἴκου ῾Ιερουσολύμων, τῆς ἐκλεγείσης ἀπὸ πασῶν τῶν φυλῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ εἰς τὸ θυσιάζειν πάσας τὰς φυλάς· καὶ ἡγιάσθη ὁ ναὸς τῆς κατασκηνώσεως τοῦ ῾Υψίστου καὶ ᾠκοδομήθη εἰς πάσας τὰς γενεὰς τοῦ αἰῶνος.

5 καὶ πᾶσαι αἱ φυλαὶ αἱ συναποστᾶσαι ἔθυον τῇ Βάαλ τῇ δαμάλει καὶ ὁ οἶκος Νεφθαλὶμ τοῦ πατρός μου.

6 κἀγὼ μόνος ἐπορευόμην πλεονάκις εἰς ῾Ιεροσόλυμα ἐν ταῖς ἑορταῖς, καθὼς γέγραπται παντὶ τῷ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐν προστάγματι αἰωνίῳ, τὰς ἀπαρχὰς καὶ τὰς δεκάτας τῶν γεννημάτων καὶ τὰς πρωτοκουρίας ἔχων·

7 καὶ ἐδίδουν αὐτὰς τοῖς ἱερεῦσι τοῖς υἱοῖς ᾿Ααρὼν πρὸς τὸ θυσιαστήριον πάντων τῶν γεννημάτων. τὴν δεκάτην ἐδίδουν τοῖς υἱοῖς Λευὶ τοῖς θεραπεύουσιν εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, καὶ τὴν δευτέραν δεκάτην ἀπεπρατιζόμην καὶ ἐπορευόμην καὶ ἐδαπάνων αὐτὰ ἐν ῾Ιεροσολύμοις καθ᾿ ἕκαστον ἐνιαυτόν.

8 καὶ τὴν τρίτην ἐδίδουν οἷς καθήκει, καθὼς ἐνετείλατο Δεββώρα ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ πατρός μου, διότι ὀρφανὸς κατελείφθην ὑπὸ τοῦ πατρός μου.

9 καὶ ὅτε ἐγενόμην ἀνήρ, ἔλαβον ῎Ανναν γυναῖκα ἐκ τοῦ σπέρματος τῆς πατριᾶς ἡμῶν καὶ ἐγέννησα ἐξ αὐτῆς Τωβίαν.

10 καὶ ὅτε ᾐχμαλωτίσθημεν εἰς Νινευῆ, πάντες οἱ ἀδελφοί μου καὶ οἱ ἐκ τοῦ γένους μου ἤσθιον ἐκ τῶν ἄρτων τῶν ἐθνῶν·

11 ἐγὼ δὲ συνετήρησα τὴν ψυχήν μου μὴ φαγεῖν,

12 καθότι ἐμεμνήμην τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ ψυχῇ μου.

13 καὶ ἔδωκεν ὁ ῞Υψιστος χάριν καὶ μορφὴν ἐνώπιον ᾿Ενεμεσσάρου, καὶ ἤμην αὐτοῦ ἀγοραστής·

14 καὶ ἐπορευόμην εἰς τὴν Μηδίαν καὶ παρεθέμην Γαβαήλῳ τῷ ἀδελφῷ Γαβρία ἐν Ράγοις τῆς Μηδίας ἀργυρίου τάλαντα δέκα.

15 Καὶ ὅτε ἀπέθανεν Ἐνεμεσσάρ, ἐβασίλευσε Σενναχηρὶμ ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἀντ᾿ αὐτοῦ, καὶ αἱ ὁδοὶ αὐτοῦ ἠκαταστάθησαν, καὶ οὐκ ἔτι ἠδυνάσθην πορευθῆναι εἰς τὴν Μηδίαν.

16 καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις Ἐνεμεσσάρου ἐλεημοσύνας πολλὰς ἐποίουν τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου·

17 τοὺς ἄρτους μου ἐδίδουν τοῖς πεινῶσι καὶ ἱμάτια τοῖς γυμνοῖς, καὶ εἴ τινα ἐκ τοῦ γένους μου ἐθεώρουν τεθνηκότα καὶ ἐρριμμένον ὀπίσω τοῦ τείχους Νινευῆ, ἔθαπτον αὐτόν.

18 καὶ εἴ τινα ἀπέκτεινε Σενναχηρὶμ ὁ βασιλεύς, ὅτε ἦλθε φεύγων ἐκ τῆς Ἰουδαίας, ἔθαψα αὐτοὺς κλέπτων· πολλοὺς γὰρ ἀπέκτεινεν ἐν τῷ θυμῷ αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐζητήθη ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως τὰ σώματα, καὶ οὐχ εὑρέθη.

19 πορευθεὶς δὲ εἷς τῶν ἐν Νινευῆ, ὑπέδειξε τῷ βασιλεῖ περὶ ἐμοῦ ὅτι θάπτω αὐτούς, καὶ ἐκρύβην· ἐπιγνοὺς δὲ ὅτι ζητοῦμαι ἀποθανεῖν, φοβηθεὶς ἀνεχώρησα.

20 καὶ διηρπάγη πάντα τὰ ὑπάρχοντά μου, καὶ οὐ κατελείφθη μοι οὐδὲν πλὴν Ἄννας τῆς γυναικός μου καὶ Τωβίου τοῦ υἱοῦ μου.

21 καὶ οὐ διῆλθον ἡμέρας πεντήκοντα, ἕως οὗ ἀπέκτειναν αὐτὸν οἱ δύο υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔφυγον εἰς τὰ ὄρη Ἀραράθ, καὶ ἐβασίλευσε Σαχερδονὸς υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἀντ᾿ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔταξεν Ἀχιάχαρον τὸν Ἀναὴλ υἱὸν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ μου ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν ἐκλογιστίαν τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τήν διοίκησιν.

22 καὶ ἠξίωσεν Ἀχιάχαρος περὶ ἐμοῦ, καὶ ἦλθον εἰς Νινευῆ. Ἀχιάχαρος δὲ ἦν ὁ οἰνοχόος καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ δακτυλίου καὶ διοικητὴς καὶ ἐκλογιστής, καὶ κατέστησεν αὐτὸν ὁ Σαχερδονὸς ἐκ δευτέρας· ἦν δὲ ἐξάδελφός μου.


2

ΟΤΕ δὲ κατῆλθον εἰς τὸν οἶκόν μου καὶ ἀπεδόθη μοι ῎Αννα ἡ γυνή μου, καὶ Τωβίας ὁ υἱός μου, ἐν τῇ πεντηκοστῇ ἑορτῇ, ἥ ἐστιν ἁγία ἑπτὰ ἑβδομάδων, ἐγενήθη ἄριστον καλόν μοι, καὶ ἀνέπεσα τοῦ φαγεῖν.

2 καὶ ἐθεασάμην ὄψα πολλὰ καὶ εἶπα τῷ υἱῷ μου· βάδισον καὶ ἄγαγε ὃν ἂν εὕρῃς τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἡμῶν ἐνδεῆ, ὃς μέμνηται τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ ἰδοὺ μένω σε.

3 καὶ ἐλθὼν εἶπε· πάτερ, εἷς ἐκ τοῦ γένους ἡμῶν ἐστραγγαλωμένος ἔρριπται ἐν τῇ ἀγορᾷ.

4 κἀγὼ πρὶν ἢ γεύσασθαί με, ἀναπηδήσας ἀνειλόμην αὐτὸν εἴς τι οἴκημα, ἕως οὗ ἔδυ ὁ ἥλιος.

 

5 καὶ ἐπιστρέψας ἐλουσάμην καὶ ἤσθιον τὸν ἄρτον μου ἐν λύπῃ·

6 καὶ ἐμνήσθην τῆς προφητείας ᾿Αμώς, καθὼς εἶπε· στραφήσονται αἱ ἑορταὶ ὑμῶν εἰς πένθος καὶ πᾶσαι αἱ εὐφροσύναι ὑμῶν εἰς θρῆνον,

7 καὶ ἔκλαυσα. καὶ ὅτε ἔδυ ὁ ἥλιος, ᾠχόμην καὶ ὀρύξας ἔθαψα αὐτόν.

8 καὶ οἱ πλησίον ἐπεγέλων λέγοντες· οὐκ ἔτι φοβεῖται φονευθῆναι περὶ τοῦ πράγματος τούτου, καὶ ἀπέδρα, καὶ ἰδοὺ πάλιν θάπτει τοὺς νεκρούς.

9 καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ νυκτὶ ἀνέλυσα θάψας καὶ ἐκοιμήθην μεμιαμμένος παρὰ τὸν τοῖχον τῆς αὐλῆς, καὶ τὸ πρόσωπόν μου ἀκάλυπτον ἦν.

10 καὶ οὐκ ᾔδειν ὅτι στρουθία ἐν τῷ τοίχῳ ἐστί, καὶ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν μου ἀνεῳγότων, ἀφώδευσαν τὰ στρουθία θερμὸν εἰς τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου, καὶ ἐγενήθη λευκώματα ἐν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς μου. καὶ ἐπορεύθην πρὸς ἰατρούς, καὶ οὐκ ὠφέλησάν με· ᾿Αχιάχαρος δὲ ἔτρεφέ με, ἕως οὗ ἐπορεύθην εἰς τὴν ᾿Ελυμαΐδα.

11 καὶ ἡ γυνή μου ῎Αννα ἠριθεύετο ἐν τοῖς γυναικείοις·

12 καὶ ἀπέστελλε τοῖς κυρίοις, καὶ ἀπέδωκαν αὐτῇ καὶ αὐτοὶ τὸν μισθὸν προσδόντες καὶ ἔριφον.

13 ὅτε δὲ ἦλθε πρός με, ἤρξατο κράζειν· καὶ εἶπα αὐτῇ· πόθεν τὸ ἐρίφιον; μὴ κλεψιμαῖόν ἐστιν; ἀπόδος αὐτὸ τοῖς κυρίοις· οὐ γὰρ θεμιτόν ἐστι φαγεῖν κλεψιμαῖον.

14 ἡ δὲ εἶπε· δῶρον δέδοταί μοι ἐπὶ τῷ μισθῷ. καὶ οὐκ ἐπίστευον αὐτῇ καὶ ἔλεγον ἀποδιδόναι αὐτὸ τοῖς κυρίοις καί ἠρυθρίων πρὸς αὐτήν· ἡ δὲ ἀποκριθεῖσα εἶπέ μοι· ποῦ εἰσιν αἱ ἐλεημοσύναι σου καὶ αἱ δικαιοσύναι σου; ἰδοὺ γνωστὰ πάντα μετὰ σοῦ.


3

ΚΑΙ λυπηθεὶς ἔκλαυσα καὶ προσευξάμην μετ᾿ ὀδύνης λέγων·

2 δίκαιος εἶ, Κύριε, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἔργα σου καὶ πᾶσαι αἱ ὁδοί σου ἐλεημοσύναι καὶ ἀλήθεια, καὶ κρίσιν ἀληθινὴν καὶ δικαίαν σὺ κρίνεις εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.

3 μνήσθητί μου καὶ ἐπίβλεψον ἐπ᾿ ἐμέ· μή με ἐκδικήσῃς ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις μου καὶ τοῖς ἀγνοήμασί μου καὶ τῶν πατέρων μου, ἃ ἥμαρτον ἐνώπιόν σου·

4 παρήκουσαν γὰρ τῶν ἐντολῶν σου, καὶ ἔδωκας ἡμᾶς εἰς διαρπαγὴνκαὶ αἰχμαλωσίαν καὶ θάνατον καὶ παραβολὴν ὀνειδισμοῦ πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, ἐν οἷς ἐσκορπίσμεθα.

5 καὶ νῦν πολλαὶ αἱ κρίσεις σού εἰσι καὶ ἀληθιναὶ ἐξ ἐμοῦ ποιῆσαι περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν μου καὶ τῶν πατέρων μου, ὅτι οὐκ ἐποιήσαμεν τὰς ἐντολάς σου· οὐ γὰρ ἐπορεύθημεν ἐν ἀληθείᾳ ἐνώπιόν σου.

6 καὶ νῦν κατὰ τὸ ἀρεστὸν ἐνώπιόν σου ποίησον μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ· ἐπίταξον ἀναλαβεῖν τὸ πνεῦμά μου, ὅπως ἀπολυθῶ καὶ γένωμαι γῆ· διότι λυσιτελεῖ μοι ἀποθανεῖν ἢ ζῆν, ὅτι ὀνειδισμοὺς ψευδεῖς ἤκουσα, καὶ λύπη ἐστὶ πολλὴ ἐν ἐμοί· ἐπίταξον ἀπολυθῆναί με τῆς ἀνάγκης ἤδη εἰς τὸν αἰώνιον τόπον, μὴ ἀποστρέψῃς τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἀπ᾿ἐμοῦ.

 

7 ᾿Εν τῇ αὐτῇ ἡμέρᾳ συνέβη τῇ θυγατρὶ Ραγουὴλ Σάρρᾳ ἐν ᾿Εκβατάνοις τῆς Μηδίας καὶ ταύτην ὀνειδισθῆναι ὑπὸ παιδισκῶν πατρὸς αὐτῆς,

8 ὅτι ἦν δεδομένη ἀνδράσιν ἑπτά, καὶ ᾿Ασμοδαῖος τὸ πονηρὸν δαιμόνιον ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτοὺς πρὶν ἢ γενέσθαι αὐτοὺς μετ᾿ αὐτῆς ὡς ἐν γυναιξί. καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῇ· οὐ συνιεῖς ἀποπνίγουσά σου τοὺς ἄνδρας; ἤδη ἑπτὰ ἔσχες καὶ ἑνὸς αὐτῶν οὐκ ὠνομάσθης·

9 τί ἡμᾶς μαστιγοῖς; εἰ ἀπέθαναν, βάδιζε μετ᾿ αὐτῶν· μὴ ἴδοιμέν σου υἱὸν ἢ θυγατέρα εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.

10 ταῦτα ἀκούσασα ἐλυπήθη σφόδρα ὥστε ἀπάγξασθαι. καὶ εἶπε· μία μέν εἰμι τῷ πατρί μου· ἐὰν ποιήσω τοῦτο, ὄνειδος αὐτῷ ἔσται, καὶ τὸ γῆρας αὐτοῦ κατάξω μετ᾿ ὀδύνης εἰς ᾅδου.

 

 

11 καὶ ἐδεήθη πρὸς τῇ θυρίδι καὶ εἶπεν· εὐλογητὸς εἶ, Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου, καὶ εὐλογητὸν τὸ ὄνομά σου τὸ ἅγιον καὶ ἔντιμον εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας· εὐλογήσαισάν σε πάντα τὰ ἔργα σου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.

12 καὶ νῦν, Κύριε, τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου καὶ τὸ πρόσωπόν μου εἰς σὲ δέδωκα·

13 εἰπὸν ἀπολῦσαί με ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς καὶ μὴ ἀκοῦσαί με μηκέτι ὀνειδισμόν.

14 σὺ γινώσκεις, Κύριε, ὅτι καθαρά εἰμι ἀπὸ πάσης ἁμαρτίας ἀνδρὸς

15 καὶ οὐκ ἐμόλυνα τὸ ὄνομά μου οὐδὲ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ πατρός μου ἐν τῇ γῇ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας μου. μονογενής εἰμι τῷ πατρί μου, καὶ οὐχ ὑπάρχει αὐτῷ παιδίον, ὃ κληρονομήσει αὐτόν, οὐδὲ ἀδελφὸς ἐγγὺς οὐδὲ ὑπάρχων αὐτῷ υἱός, ἵνα συντηρήσω ἐμαυτὴν αὐτῷ γυναῖκα. ἤδη ἀπώλοντό μοι ἑπτά· ἵνα τί μοι ζῆν; καὶ εἰ μὴ δοκεῖ σοι ἀποκτεῖναί με, ἐπίταξον ἐπιβλέψαι ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ καὶ ἐλεῆσαί με καὶ μηκέτι ἀκοῦσαί με ὀνειδισμόν.

16 Καὶ εἰσηκούσθη προσευχὴ ἀμφοτέρων ἐνώπιον τῆς δόξης τοῦ μεγάλου Ραφαήλ,

17 καὶ ἀπεστάλη ἰάσασθαι τοὺς δύο, τοῦ Τωβὶτ λεπίσαι τὰ λευκώματα καὶ Σάρραν τὴν τοῦ Ραγουὴλ δοῦναι Τωβίᾳ τῷ υἱῷ Τωβὶτ γυναῖκα καὶ δῆσαι ᾿Ασμοδαῖον τὸ πονηρὸν δαιμόνιον, διότι Τωβίᾳ ἐπιβάλλει κληρονομῆσαι αὐτήν. ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ καιρῷ ἐπιστρέψας Τωβὶτ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ καὶ Σάρρα ἡ τοῦ Ραγουὴλ κατέβη ἐκ τοῦ ὑπερῴου αὐτῆς.


4

ΕΝ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνη ἐμνήσθη Τωβὶτ περὶ τοῦ ἀργυρίου, οὗ παρέθετο Γαβαὴλ ἐν Ράγοις τῆς Μηδίας,

2 καὶ εἶπεν ἐν ἑαυτῷ· ἐγὼ ᾐτησάμην θάνατον, τί οὐ καλῶ Τωβίαν τὸν υἱόν μου, ἵνα αὐτῷ ὑποδείξω πρὶν ἀποθανεῖν με;

3 καὶ καλέσας αὐτὸν εἶπε· παιδίον, ἐὰν ἀποθάνω, θάψον με, καὶ μὴ ὑπερίδῃς τὴν μητέρα σου· τίμα αὐτὴν πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς σου καὶ ποίει τὸ ἀρεστὸν αὐτῇ καὶ μὴ λυπήσῃς αὐτήν.

4 μνήσθητι, παιδίον, ὅτι πολλοὺς κινδύνους ἑώρακεν ἐπὶ σοὶ ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ· ὅταν ἀποθάνῃ, θάψον αὐτὴν παρ᾿ ἐμοὶ ἐν ἑνὶ τάφῳ.

5 πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας, παιδίον, Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν μνημόνευε καὶ μὴ θελήσῃς ἁμαρτάνειν καὶ παραβῆναι τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ. δικαιοσύνην ποίει πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς σου καὶ μὴ πορευθῇς ταῖς ὁδοῖς τῆς ἀδικίας·

6 διότι ποιοῦντός σου τὴν ἀλήθειαν, εὐοδίαι ἔσονται ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις σου καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ποιοῦσι τὴν δικαιοσύνην.

7 ἐκ τῶν ὑπαρχόντων σοι ποίει ἐλεημοσύνην, καὶ μὴ φθονεσάτω σου ὁ ὀφθαλμὸς ἐν τῷ ποιεῖν σε ἐλεημοσύνην· μὴ ἀποστρέψῃς τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἀπὸ παντὸς πτωχοῦ, καὶ ἀπὸ σοῦ οὐ μὴ ἀποστραφῇ τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ Θεοῦ.

8 ὡς σοὶ ὑπάρχει κατὰ τὸ πλῆθος, ποίησον ἐξ αὐτῶν ἐλεημοσύνην· ἐὰν ὀλίγον σοι ὑπάρχῃ, κατὰ τὸ ὀλίγον μὴ φοβοῦ ποιεῖν ἐλεημοσύνην·

9 θέμα γὰρ ἀγαθὸν θησαυρίζεις σεαυτῷ εἰς ἡμέραν ἀνάγκης·

10 διότι ἐλεημοσύνη ἐκ θανάτου ρύεται καὶ οὐκ ἐᾷ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὸ σκότος·

11 δῶρον γὰρ ἀγαθόν ἐστιν ἐλεημοσύνη πᾶσι τοῖς ποιοῦσιν αὐτὴν ἐνώπιον τοῦ ῾Υψίστου.

12 πρόσεχε σεαυτῷ, παιδίον, ἀπὸ πάσης πορνείας καὶ γυναῖκα πρῶτον λάβε ἀπὸ τοῦ σπέρματος τῶν πατέρων σου· μὴ λάβῃς γυναῖκα ἀλλοτρίαν, ἣ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τῆς φυλῆς τοῦ πατρός σου, διότι υἱοὶ προφητῶν ἐσμεν. Νῶε, ῾Αβραάμ, ᾿Ισαάκ, ᾿Ιακώβ, οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος· μνήσθητι, παιδίον, ὅτι αὐτοὶ πάντες ἔλαβον γυναῖκας ἐκ τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτῶν καὶ εὐλογήθησαν ἐν τοῖς τέκνοις αὐτῶν, καὶ τὸ σπέρμα αὐτῶν κληρονομήσει γῆν.

13 καὶ νῦν, παιδίον, ἀγάπα τοὺς ἀδελφούς σου καὶ μὴ ὑπερηφανεύου τῇ καρδίᾳ σου ἀπὸ τῶν ἀδελφῶν σου καὶ τῶν υἱῶν καὶ θυγατέρων τοῦ λαοῦ σου λαβεῖν σεαυτῷ ἐξ αὐτῶν γυναῖκα· διότι ἐν τῇ ὑπερηφανίᾳ ἀπώλεια καὶ ἀκαταστασία πολλή, καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀχρειότητι ἐλάττωσις καὶ ἔνδεια μεγάλη· ἡ γὰρ ἀχρειότης μήτηρ ἐστὶ τοῦ λιμοῦ.

14 μισθὸς παντὸς ἀνθρώπου, ὃς ἐὰν ἐργάσηται παρὰ σοί, μὴ αὐλισθήτω, ἀλλ᾿ ἀπόδος αὐτῷ παραυτίκα, καὶ ἐὰν δουλεύσῃς τῷ Θεῷ, ἀποδοθήσεταί σοι. πρόσεχε σεαυτῷ, παιδίον, ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἔργοις σου καὶ ἴσθι πεπαιδευμένος ἐν πάσῃ ἀναστροφῇ σου.

15 καὶ ὃ μισεῖς, μηδενὶ ποιήσῃς. οἶνον εἰς μέθην μὴ πίῃς, καὶ μὴ πορευθήτω μετὰ σοῦ μέθη ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ σου.

16 ἐκ τοῦ ἄρτου σου δίδου πεινῶντι καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἱματίων σου τοῖς γυμνοῖς· πᾶν, ὃ ἐὰν περισσεύσῃ σοι, ποίει ἐλεημοσύνην, καὶ μὴ φθονεσάτω σου ὁ ὀφθαλμὸς ἐν τῷ ποιεῖν σε ἐλεημοσύνην.

17 ἔκχεον τοὺς ἄρτους σου ἐπὶ τὸν τάφον τῶν δικαίων καὶ μὴ δῷς τοῖς ἁμαρτωλοῖς.

18 συμβουλίαν παρὰ παντὸς φρονίμου ζήτησον καὶ μὴ καταφρονήσῃς ἐπί πάσης συμβουλίας χρησίμης.

19 καὶ ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ εὐλόγει Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν καὶ παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ αἴτησον, ὅπως αἱ ὁδοί σου εὐθεῖαι γένωνται, καὶ πᾶσαι αἱ τρίβοι καὶ βουλαί σου εὐοδωθῶσι· διότι πᾶν ἔθνος οὐκ ἔχει βουλήν, ἀλλ᾿ αὐτὸς ὁ Κύριος δίδωσι πάντα τὰ ἀγαθὰ καὶ ὃν ἐὰν θέλῃ, ταπεινοῖ, καθὼς βούλεται. καὶ νῦν, παιδίον, μνημόνευε τῶν ἐντολῶν μου, καὶ μὴ ἐξαλειφθήτωσαν ἐκ τῆς καρδίας σου.

20 καὶ νῦν ὑποδεικνύω σοι τὰ δέκα τάλαντα τοῦ ἀργυρίου, ἃ παρεθέμην Γαβαήλῳ τῷ τοῦ Γαβρία ἐν Ράγοις τῆς Μηδίας.

21 καὶ μὴ φοβοῦ, παιδίον, ὅτι ἐπτωχεύσαμεν· ὑπάρχει σοι πολλά, ἐὰν φοβηθῇς τὸν Θεόν, καὶ ἀποστῇς ἀπὸ πάσης ἁμαρτίας καὶ ποιήσῃς τὸ ἀρεστὸν ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ.


5

ΚΑΙ ἀποκριθεὶς Τωβίας εἶπεν αὐτῷ· πάτερ, ποιήσω πάντα, ὅσα ἐντέταλσαί μοι·

2 ἀλλὰ πῶς δυνήσομαι λαβεῖν τὸ ἀργύριον καὶ οὐ γινώσκω αὐτόν;

3 καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ τὸ χειρόγραφον καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ζήτησον σεαυτῷ ἄνθρωπον, ὃς συμπορεύσεταί σοι, καὶ δώσω αὐτῷ μισθὸν ἕως ζῶ· καὶ λαβὲ πορευθεὶς τὸ ἀργύριον.

4 καὶ ἐπορεύθη ζητῆσαι ἄνθρωπον καὶ εὗρε τὸν Ραφαήλ, ὃς ἦν ἄγγελος, καὶ οὐκ ᾔδει·

5 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· εἰ δύναμαι πορευθῆναι μετὰ σοῦ ἐν Ράγοις τῆς Μηδίας, καὶ εἰ ἔμπειρος εἶ τῶν τόπων;

6 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ ἄγγελος· πορεύσομαι μετὰ σοῦ καὶ τῆς ὁδοῦ ἐμπειρῶ καὶ παρὰ Γαβαὴλ τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶν ηὐλίσθην.

7 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Τωβίας· ὑπόμεινόν με, καὶ ἐρῶ τῷ πατρί.

8 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· πορεύου καὶ μὴ χρονίσῃς.

9 καὶ εἰσελθὼν εἶπε τῷ πατρί· ἰδοὺ εὕρηκα ὃς συμπορεύσεταί μοι. ὁ δὲ εἶπε· φώνησον αὐτὸν πρός με, ἵνα ἐπιγνῶ ποίας φυλῆς ἐστι καὶ εἰ πιστὸς τοῦ πορευθῆναι μετὰ σοῦ.

10 καὶ ἐκάλεσεν αὐτόν, καὶ εἰσῆλθε, καὶ ἠσπάσαντο ἀλλήλους.

11 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Τωβίτ· ἀδελφέ, ἐκ ποίας φυλῆς καὶ ἐκ ποίας πατριᾶς εἶ σύ; ὑπόδειξόν μοι.

12 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· φυλὴν καὶ πατριὰν σὺ ζητεῖς ἢ μίσθιον, ὃς συμπορεύσεται μετὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ σου; καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Τωβίτ· βούλομαι, ἀδελφέ, ἐπιγνῶναι τὸ γένος σου καὶ τὸ ὄνομα.

13 ὃς δὲ εἶπεν· ἐγὼ ᾿Αζαρίας ᾿Ανανίου τοῦ μεγάλου, τῶν ἀδελφῶν σου.

14 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ὑγιαίνων ἔλθοις, ἀδελφέ, καὶ μή μοι ὀργισθῇς, ὅτι ἐζήτησα τὴν φυλήν σου καὶ τὴν πατριάν σου ἐπιγνῶναι. καὶ σὺ τυγχάνεις ἀδελφός μου ἐκ τῆς καλῆς καὶ ἀγαθῆς γενεᾶς· ἐπεγίνωσκον γὰρ ἐγὼ ᾿Ανανίαν καὶ ᾿Ιωνάθαν τοὺς υἱοὺς Σεμεΐ τοῦ μεγάλου, ὡς ἐπορευόμεθα κοινῶς εἰς ῾Ιεροσόλυμα προσκυνεῖν, ἀναφέροντες τὰ πρωτότοκα καὶ τὰς δεκάτας τῶν γεννημάτων, καὶ οὐκ ἐπλανήθησαν ἐν τῇ πλάνῃ τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἡμῶν. ἐκ ρίζης καλῆς εἶ, ἀδελφέ,

15 ἀλλὰ εἰπόν μοι τίνα σοι ἔσομαι μισθὸν διδόναι· δραχμὴν τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ τὰ δέοντά σοι ὡς καὶ τῷ υἱῷ μου.

16 καὶ ἔτι προσθήσω σοι ἐπὶ τὸν μισθόν, ἐὰν ὑγιαίνοντες ἐπιστρέψητε.

17 καὶ εὐδόκησαν οὕτως. καὶ εἶπε πρὸς Τωβίαν· ἕτοιμος γίνου πρὸς τὴν ὁδόν· καὶ εὐοδωθείητε. καὶ ἡτοίμασεν ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ τὰ πρὸς τὴν ὁδόν. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ· πορεύου μετὰ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τούτου, ὁ δὲ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ οἰκῶν Θεὸς εὐοδώσει τὴν ὁδὸν ὑμῶν, καὶ ὁ ἄγγελος αὐτοῦ συμπορευθήτω ὑμῖν. καὶ ἐξῆλθαν ἀμφότεροι ἀπελθεῖν καὶ ὁ κύων τοῦ παιδαρίου μετ᾿ αὐτῶν.

18 ἔκλαυσε δὲ ῎Αννα ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπε πρὸς Τωβίτ· τί ἐξαπέστειλας τὸ παιδίον ἡμῶν; ἢ οὐχὶ ἡ ράβδος τῆς χειρὸς ἡμῶν ἐστιν ἐν τῷ εἰσπορεύεσθαι αὐτὸν καὶ ἐκπορεύεσθαι ἐνώπιον ἡμῶν;

19 ἀργύριον τῷ ἀργυρίῳ μὴ φθάσαι, ἀλλὰ περίψημα τοῦ παιδίου ἡμῶν γένοιτο·

20 ὡς γὰρ δέδοται ἡμῖν ζῆν παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου, τοῦτο ἱκανὸν ἡμῖν ὑπάρχει.

21 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ Τωβίτ· μὴ λόγον ἔχε, ἀδελφή· ὑγιαίνων ἐλεύσεται, καὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοί σου ὄψονται αὐτόν·

22 ἄγγελος γὰρ ἀγαθὸς συμπορεύσεται αὐτῷ, καὶ εὐοδωθήσεται ἡ ὁδὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὑποστρέψει ὑγιαίνων. καὶ ἐπαύσατο κλαίουσα.


6

ΟΙ δὲ πορευόμενοι τὴν ὁδὸν ἦλθον ἑσπέρας ἐπὶ τὸν Τίγριν ποταμόν, καὶ ηὐλίζοντο ἐκεῖ.

2 τὸ δὲ παιδάριον κατέβη περικλύσασθαι, καὶ ἀνεπήδησεν ἰχθὺς ἀπὸ τοῦ ποταμοῦ καὶ ἐβουλήθη καταπιεῖν τὸ παιδάριον.

3 ὁ δὲ ἄγγελος εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἐπιλαβοῦ τοῦ ἰχθύος. καὶ ἐκράτησε τὸν ἰχθὺν τὸ παιδάριον καὶ ἀνέβαλεν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν.

4 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ ἄγγελος· ἀνάτεμε τὸν ἰχθὺν καὶ λαβὼν τὴν καρδίαν καὶ τὸ ἧπαρ καὶ τὴν χολὴν θὲς ἀσφαλῶς.

5 καὶ ἐποίησε τὸ παιδάριον ὡς εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ ἄγγελος, τὸν δὲ ἰχθὺν ὀπτήσαντες ἔφαγον.

 

6 καὶ ὥδευον ἀμφότεροι, ἕως οὗ ἤγγισαν ἐν ᾿Εκβατάνοις.

7 καὶ εἶπε τὸ παιδάριον τῷ ἀγγέλῳ· ᾿Αζαρία ἀδελφέ, τί ἐστιν ἡ καρδία καὶ τὸ ἧπαρ καὶ ἡ χολὴ τοῦ ἰχθύος;

8 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἡ καρδία καὶ τὸ ἧπαρ, ἐάν τινα ὀχλῇ δαιμόνιον ἢ πνεῦμα πονηρόν, ταῦτα δεῖ καπνίσαι ἐνώπιον ἀνθρώπου ἢ γυναικός, καὶ οὐκέτι οὐ μὴ ὀχληθῇ·

9 ἡ δὲ χολή, ἐγχρῖσαι ἄνθρωπον, ὃς ἔχει λευκώματα ἐν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς, καὶ ἰαθήσεται.

10 ὡς δὲ προσήγγισαν τῇ Ράγῃ,

11 εἶπεν ὁ ἄγγελος τῷ παιδαρίῳ· ἀδελφέ, σήμερον αὐλισθησόμεθα παρὰ Ραγουήλ, καὶ αὐτὸς συγγενής σού ἐστι, καὶ ἔστιν αὐτῷ θυγάτηρ ὀνόματι Σάρρα·

12 λαλήσω περὶ αὐτῆς τοῦ δοθῆναί σοι αὐτὴν εἰς γυναῖκα, ὅτι σοι ἐπιβάλλει ἡ κληρονομία αὐτῆς, καὶ σὺ μόνος εἶ ἐκ τοῦ γένους αὐτῆς, καὶ τὸ κοράσιον καλὸν καὶ φρόνιμόν ἐστι.

13 καὶ νῦν ἄκουσόν μου καὶ λαλήσω τῷ πατρὶ αὐτῆς, καὶ ὅταν ὑποστρέψωμεν ἐκ Ραγῶν, ποιήσομεν τὸν γάμον· διότι ἐπίσταμαι Ραγουὴλ ὅτι οὐ μὴ δῷ αὐτὴν ἀνδρὶ ἑτέρῳ κατὰ τὸν νόμον Μωυσῆ ἢ ὀφειλήσει θάνατον, ὅτι τὴν κληρονομίαν σοὶ καθήκει λαβεῖν ἢ πάντα ἄνθρωπον.

 

14 τότε εἶπε τὸ παιδάριον τῷ ἀγγέλῳ· ᾿Αζαρία ἀδελφέ, ἀκήκοα ἐγὼ τὸ κοράσιον δεδόσθαι ἑπτὰ ἀνδράσι καὶ πάντας ἐν τῷ νυμφῶνι ἀπολωλότας.

15 καὶ νῦν ἐγὼ μόνος εἰμὶ τῷ πατρὶ καὶ φοβοῦμαι μὴ εἰσελθὼν ἀποθάνω καθὼς καὶ οἱ πρότεροι, ὅτι δαιμόνιον φιλεῖ αὐτήν, ὃ οὐκ ἀδικεῖ οὐδένα πλὴν τῶν προσαγόντων αὐτῇ. καὶ νῦν ἐγὼ φοβοῦμαι μὴ ἀποθάνω καὶ κατάξω τὴν ζωὴν τοῦ πατρός μου καὶ τῆς μητρός μου μετ᾿ ὀδύνης ἐπ᾿ ἐμοὶ εἰς τὸν τάφον αὐτῶν· καὶ υἱὸς ἕτερος οὐχ ὑπάρχει αὐτοῖς, ὃς θάψει αὐτούς.

16 εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ ἄγγελος· οὐ μέμνησαι τῶν λόγων, ὧν ἐνετείλατό σοι ὁ πατήρ σου, ὑπὲρ τοῦ λαβεῖν σε γυναῖκα ἐκ τοῦ γένους σου; καὶ νῦν ἄκουσόν μου, ἀδελφέ, διότι σοὶ ἔσται εἰς γυναῖκα, καὶ τοῦ δαιμονίου μηδένα λόγον ἔχε, ὅτι τὴν νύκτα ταύτην δοθήσεταί σοι αὕτη εἰς γυναῖκα.

 

17 καὶ ἐὰν εἰσέλθῃς εἰς τὸν νυμφῶνα, λήψῃ τέφραν θυμιαμάτων καὶ ἐπιθήσεις ἀπὸ τῆς καρδίας καὶ τοῦ ἥπατος τοῦ ἰχθύος καὶ καπνίσεις,

 

18 καὶ ὀσφρανθήσεται τὸ δαιμόνιον καὶ φεύξεται καὶ οὐκ ἐπανελεύσεται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος. ὅταν δὲ προσπορεύῃ αὐτῇ, ἐγέρθητε ἀμφότεροι καὶ βοήσατε πρὸς τὸν ἐλεήμονα Θεόν, καὶ σώσει ὑμᾶς καὶ ἐλεήσει. μὴ φοβοῦ, ὅτι σοὶ αὐτὴ ἡτοιμασμένη ἦν ἀπὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος, καὶ σὺ αὐτὴν σώσεις, καὶ πορεύσεται μετὰ σοῦ, καὶ ὑπολαμβάνω ὅτι σοι ἔσται ἐξ αὐτῆς παιδία.

19 καὶ ὡς ἤκουσε Τωβίας ταῦτα, ἐφίλησεν αὐτήν, καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ ἐκολλήθη σφόδρα αὐτῇ.


7

ΚΑΙ ἦλθον εἰς ᾿Εκβάτανα καὶ παρεγένοντο εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν Ραγουήλ, Σάρρα δὲ ὑπήντησεν αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐχαιρέτισεν αὐτοὺς καὶ αὐτοὶ αὐτήν, καὶ εἰσήγαγεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν.

2 καὶ εἶπε Ραγουὴλ ῎Εδνᾳ τῇ γυναικὶ αὐτοῦ· ὡς ὅμοιος ὁ νεανίσκος Τωβὶτ τῷ ἀνεψιῷ μου;

3 καὶ ἠρώτησεν αὐτούς Ραγουήλ· πόθεν ἐστέ, ἀδελφοί; καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ· ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν Νεφθαλὶμ τῶν αἰχμαλώτων ἐκ Νινευῆ.

4 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· γινώσκετε Τωβὶτ τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶν; οἱ δὲ εἶπον· γινώσκομεν. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· ὑγιαίνει;

5 οἱ δὲ εἶπαν· καὶ ζῇ καὶ ὑγιαίνει. καὶ εἶπε Τωβίας· πατήρ μού ἐστι.

6 καὶ ἀνεπήδησε Ραγουὴλ καὶ κατεφίλησεν αὐτὸν καὶ ἔκλαυσε

7 καὶ εὐλόγησεν αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ὁ τοῦ καλοῦ καὶ ἀγαθοῦ ἀνθρώπου υἱός· καὶ ἀκούσας ὅτι Τωβὶτ ἀπώλεσε τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἑαυτοῦ, ἐλυπήθη καὶ ἔκλαυσε.

8 καὶ ῎Εδνα ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ καὶ Σάρρα ἡ θυγάτηρ αὐτοῦ ἔκλαυσαν καὶ ὑπεδέξαντο αὐτοὺς προθύμως·

9 καὶ ἔθυσαν κριὸν προβάτων καὶ παρέθηκαν ὄψα πλείονα. εἶπε δὲ Τωβίας τῷ Ραφαήλ· ᾿Αζαρία ἀδελφέ, λάλησον ὑπὲρ ὧν ἔλεγες ἐν τῇ πορείᾳ, καὶ τελεσθήτω τὸ πρᾶγμα.

 

10 καὶ μετέδωκε τὸν λόγον τῷ Ραγουήλ· καὶ εἶπε Ραγουὴλ πρὸς Τωβίαν· φάγε, πίε καὶ ἡδέως γίνου, σοὶ γὰρ καθήκει τὸ παιδίον μου λαβεῖν· πλὴν ὑποδείξω σοι τὴν ἀλήθειαν.

 

11 ἔδωκα τὸ παιδίον μου ἑπτὰ ἀνδράσι, καὶ ὁπότε ἐὰν εἰσεπορεύοντο πρὸς αὐτήν, ἀπέθνησκον ὑπὸ τὴν νύκτα. ἀλλὰ τὸ νῦν ἔχον, ἡδέως γίνου. καὶ εἶπε Τωβίας· οὐ γεύομαι οὐδὲν ὧδε, ἕως ἂν στήσητε καὶ σταθῆτε πρός με. καὶ εἶπε Ραγουήλ· κομίζου αὐτὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν κατὰ τὴν κρίσιν· σὺ δέ ἀδελφὸς εἶ αὐτῆς, καὶ αὐτὴ σού ἐστιν· ὁ δὲ ἐλεήμων Θεὸς εὐοδώσει ὑμῖν τὰ κάλλιστα.

12 καὶ ἐκάλεσε Σάρραν τὴν θυγατέρα αὐτοῦ, καὶ λαβὼν τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῆς παρέδωκεν αὐτὴν Τωβία γυναῖκα καὶ εἶπεν· ἰδοὺ κατὰ τὸν νόμον Μωυσέως κομίζου αὐτὴν καὶ ἄπαγε πρὸς τὸν πατέρα σου· καὶ εὐλόγησεν αὐτούς.

13 καὶ ἐκάλεσεν ῎Εδναν τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ· καὶ λαβὼν βιβλίον ἔγραψε συγγραφήν, καὶ ἐσφραγίσατο.

14 καὶ ἤρξαντο ἐσθίειν.

15 καὶ ἐκάλεσε Ραγουὴλ ῎Εδναν τήν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπε αὐτῇ· ἀδελφή, ἑτοίμασον τὸ ἕτερον ταμιεῖον καὶ εἰσάγαγε αὐτήν.

16 καὶ ἐποίησεν ὡς εἶπε καὶ εἰσήγαγεν αὐτὴν ἐκεῖ, καὶ ἔκλαυσε· καὶ ἀπεδέξατο τὰ δάκρυα τῆς θυγατρὸς αὐτῆς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ·

17 θάρσει, τέκνον, ὁ Κύριος τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς δῴη σοι χάριν ἀντὶ τῆς λύπης σου ταύτης· θάρσει, θύγατερ.


8

ΟΤΕ δὲ συνετέλεσαν δειπνοῦντες, εἰσήγαγον Τωβίαν πρὸς αὐτήν.

2 ὁ δὲ πορευόμενος ἐμνήσθη τῶν λόγων Ραφαὴλ καὶ ἔλαβε τὴν τέφραν τῶν θυμιαμάτων καὶ ἐπέθηκε τὴν καρδίαν τοῦ ἰχθύος καὶ τὸ ἧπαρ καὶ ἐκάπνισεν.

3 ὅτε δὲ ὠσφράνθη τὸ δαιμόνιον τῆς ὀσμῆς, ἔφυγεν εἰς τὰ ἀνώτατα Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἔδησεν αὐτὸ ὁ ἄγγελος.

4 ὡς δὲ συνεκλείσθησαν ἀμφότεροι, ἀνέστη Τωβίας ἀπὸ τῆς κλίνης καὶ εἶπεν· ἀνάστηθι, ἀδελφή, καὶ προσευξώμεθα, ἵνα ἐλεήσῃ ἡμᾶς ὁ Κύριος.

5 καὶ ἤρξατο Τωβίας λέγειν· εὐλογητὸς εἶ, ὁ Θεὸς τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν, καὶ εὐλογητὸν τὸ ὄνομά σου τὸ ἅγιον καὶ ἔνδοξον εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας· εὐλογησάτωσάν σε οἱ οὐρανοὶ καὶ πᾶσαι αἱ κτίσεις σου.

6 σὺ ἐποίησας ᾿Αδὰμ καὶ ἔδωκας αὐτῷ βοηθὸν Εὔαν στήριγμα τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ· ἐκ τούτων ἐγεννήθη τὸ ἀνθρώπων σπέρμα. σὺ εἶπας· οὐ καλὸν εἶναι τὸν ἄνθρωπον μόνον, ποιήσωμεν αὐτῷ βοηθὸν ὅμοιον αὐτῷ.

7 καὶ νῦν, Κύριε, οὐ διά πορνείαν ἐγὼ λαμβάνω τὴν ἀδελφήν μου ταύτην, ἀλλὰ ἐπ᾿ ἀληθείας ἐπίταξον ἐλεῆσαί με καὶ αὐτῇ συγκαταγηρᾶσαι.

8 καὶ εἶπε μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ· ἀμήν.

9 καὶ ἐκοιμήθησαν ἀμφότεροι τὴν νύκτα. καὶ ἀναστὰς Ραγουὴλ ἐπορεύθη καὶ ὤρυξε τάφον

10 λέγων· μὴ καὶ οὗτος ἀποθάνῃ;

11 καὶ ἦλθε Ραγουὴλ εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν ἑαυτοῦ

12 καὶ εἶπεν ῎Εδνᾳ τῇ γυναικὶ αὐτοῦ· ἀπόστειλον μίαν τῶν παιδισκῶν, καὶ ἰδέτωσαν εἰ ζῇ· εἰ δὲ μή, ἵνα θάψωμεν αὐτόν, καὶ μηδεὶς γνῷ.

13 καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ἡ παιδίσκη ἀνοίξασα τὴν θύραν καὶ εὗρε τοὺς δύο καθεύδοντας.

14 καὶ ἐξελθοῦσα ἀπήγγειλεν αὐτοῖς, ὅτι ζῇ.

15 καὶ εὐλόγησε Ραγουὴλ τὸν Θεὸν λέγων· εὐλογητὸς εἶ σύ, ὁ Θεός, ἐν πάσῃ εὐλογίᾳ καθαρᾷ καὶ ἁγίᾳ, καὶ εὐλογείτωσάν σε οἱ ἅγιοί σου καὶ πᾶσαι αἱ κτίσεις σου, καὶ πάντες οἱ ἄγγελοί σου καὶ οἱ ἐκλεκτοί σου εὐλογείτωσάν σε εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας.

16 εὐλογητὸς εἶ ὅτι ηὔφρανάς με, καὶ οὐκ ἐγένετό μοι καθὼς ὑπενόουν, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸ πολὺ ἔλεός σου ἐποίησας μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν.

 

17 εὐλογητὸς εἶ ὅτι ἠλέησας δύο μονογενεῖς· ποίησον αὐτοῖς, δέσποτα, ἔλεος, συντέλεσον τὴν ζωὴν αὐτῶν ἐν ὑγιείᾳ μετ᾿ εὐφροσύνης καὶ ἐλέους.

18 ἐκέλευσε δὲ τοῖς οἰκέταις χῶσαι τὸν τάφον.

19 καὶ ἐποίησεν αὐτοῖς γάμον ἡμερῶν δεκατεσσάρων.

20 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ραγουὴλ πρὶν ἢ συντελεσθῆναι τὰς ἡμέρας τοῦ γάμου ἐνόρκως μὴ ἐξελθεῖν αὐτὸν ἐὰν μὴ πληρωθῶσιν αἱ δεκατέσσαρες ἡμέραι τοῦ γάμου.

21 καὶ τότε λαβόντα τὸ ἥμισυ τῶν ὑπαρχόντων αὐτοῦ πορεύεσθαι μεθ᾿ ὑγιείας πρὸς τὸν πατέρα· καὶ τὰ λοιπά, ὅταν ἀποθάνω καὶ ἡ γυνή μου.


9

ΚΑΙ ἐκάλεσε Τωβίας τὸν Ραφαὴλ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ·

2 ᾿Αζαρία ἀδελφέ, λάβε μετὰ σεαυτοῦ παῖδα καὶ δύο καμήλους καὶ πορεύθητι ἐν Ράγοις τῆς Μηδίας παρὰ Γαβαὴλ καὶ κόμισαί μοι τὸ ἀργύριον καὶ αὐτὸν ἄγε μοι εἰς τὸν γάμον·

3 διότι ὠμόμοκε Ραγουὴλ μὴ ἐξελθεῖν με,

4 καὶ ὁ πατήρ μου ἀριθμεῖ τὰς ἡμέρας, καὶ ἐὰν χρονίσω μέγα, ὀδυνηθήσεται λίαν.

5 καὶ ἐπορεύθη Ραφαὴλ καὶ ηὐλίσθη παρὰ Γαβαήλ, καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ τὸ χειρόγραφον· ὃς δὲ προήνεγκε τὰ θυλάκια ἐν ταῖς σφαγῖσι καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ.

6 καὶ ὤρθρευσαν κοινῶς καὶ ἦλθον εἰς τὸν γάμον. καὶ εὐλόγησε Τωβίας τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ.

 

 
10

ΚΑΙ Τωβὶτ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ ἐλογίσατο ἑκάστης ἡμέρας· καὶ ὡς ἐπληρώθησαν αἱ ἡμέραι τῆς πορείας καὶ οὐκ ἤρχοντο,

2 εἶπε· μήποτε κατῄσχυνται; ἢ μήποτε ἀπέθανε Γαβαὴλ καὶ οὐδεὶς αὐτῷ δίδωσι τὸ ἀργύριον;

3 καὶ ἐλυπεῖτο λίαν.

4 εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ ἡ γυνή· ἀπώλετο τὸ παιδίον, διότι κεχρόνικε· καὶ ἤρξατο θρηνεῖν αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπεν·

5 οὐ μέλοι μοι, τέκνον, ὅτι ἀφῆκά σε τὸ φῶς τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν μου;

6 καὶ Τωβὶτ λέγει αὐτῇ· σίγα, μὴ λόγον ἔχει, ὑγιαίνει.

7 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· σίγα, μὴ πλάνα με, ἀπώλετο τὸ παιδίον μου. καὶ ἐπορεύετο καθ᾿ ἡμέραν εἰς τὴν ὁδὸν ἔξω, οἵας ἀπῆλθεν, ἡμέρας τε ἄρτον οὐκ ἤσθιε, τὰς δέ νύκτας οὐ διελίμπανε θρηνοῦσα Τωβίαν τὸν υἱὸν αὐτῆς, ἕως οὗ συνετελέσθησαν αἱ δεκατέσσαρες ἡμέραι τοῦ γάμου, ἃς ὤμοσε Ραγουὴλ ποιῆσαι αὐτὸν ἐκεῖ· εἶπε δὲ Τωβίας τῷ Ραγουήλ· ἐξαπόστειλόν με, ὅτι ὁ πατήρ μου καὶ ἡ μήτηρ μου οὐκέτι ἐλπίζουσιν ὄψεσθαί με.

8 εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ πενθερός· μεῖνον παρ᾿ ἐμοί, κἀγὼ ἐξαποστελῶ πρὸς τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ δηλώσουσιν αὐτῷ τὰ κατὰ σέ.

9 καὶ Τωβίας λέγει· ἐξαπόστειλόν με πρὸς τὸν πατέρα μου.

10 ἀναστὰς δὲ Ραγουὴλ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ Σάρραν τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ ἥμισυ τῶν ὑπαρχόντων, σώματα καὶ κτήνη καὶ ἀργύριον,

11 καὶ εὐλογήσας αὐτοὺς ἐξαπέστειλε λέγων· εὐοδώσει ὑμᾶς, τέκνα, ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ πρὸ τοῦ με ἀποθανεῖν.

12 καὶ εἶπε τῇ θυγατρὶ αὐτοῦ· τίμα τοὺς πενθερούς σου, αὐτοὶ νῦν γονεῖς σού εἰσιν· ἀκούσαιμί σου ἀκοὴν καλήν, καὶ ἐφίλησεν αὐτήν. καὶ ῎Εδνα εἶπε πρὸς Τωβίαν· ἀδελφὲ ἀγαπητέ, ἀποκαταστήσαι σε ὁ Κύριος τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ δῴη μοι ἰδεῖν σου παιδία ἐκ Σάρρας τῆς θυγατρός μου, ἵνα εὐφρανθῶ ἐνώπιον τοῦ Κυρίου· καὶ ἰδοὺ παρατίθεμαί σοι τὴν θυγατέρα μου ἐν παρακαταθήκῃ, μὴ λυπήσῃς αὐτήν.

13 μετὰ ταῦτα ἐπορεύετο καὶ Τωβίας εὐλογῶν τὸν Θεόν, ὅτι εὐώδωσε τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ κατευλόγει Ραγουὴλ καὶ ῎Εδναν τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ.
 


 

 

 

    

 

    

       

TOBIT

11

The book of the words of Tobit, son of Tobiel, the son of Ananiel, the son of Aduel, the son of Gabael, of the seed of Asael, of the tribe of Nephthali;

2 Who in the time of Enemessar king of the Assyrians was led captive out of Thisbe, which is at the right hand of that city, which is called properly Nephthali in Galilee above Aser. - I Tobit have walked all the days of my life in the ways of truth and justice,

3  and I did many almsdeeds to my brethren, and my nation, who came with me to Nineve, into the land of the Assyrians.

4 And when I was in mine own country, in the land of Israel being but young, all the tribe of Nephthali my father fell from the house of Jerusalem, which was chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, that all the tribes should sacrifice there, where the temple of the habitation of the most High was consecrated and built for all ages.

 

5 Now all the tribes which together revolted, and the house of my father Nephthali, sacrificed unto the heifer Baal.

6 But I alone went often to Jerusalem at the feasts, as it was ordained unto all the people of Israel by an everlasting decree, having the firstfruits and tenths of increase, with that which was first shorn;

 

7 and them gave I at the altar to the priests the children of Aaron. The first tenth part of all increase I gave to the sons of Levi who ministered at Jerusalem: another tenth part I sold away, and went, and spent it every year at Jerusalem:

 

 

8 And the third I gave unto them to whom it was meet, as Debora my father’s mother had commanded me, because I was left an orphan by my father.

9 Furthermore, when I was come to the age of a man, I married Anna of mine own kindred, and of her I begat Tobias.

10 And when we were carried away captives to Nineve, all my brethren and those that were of my kindred did eat of the bread of the Gentiles.

11 But I kept myself from eating;

12 Because I remembered God with all my heart.

 

13 And the most High gave me grace and favour before Enemessar, so that I was his purveyor.

 

14 And I went into Media, and left in trust with Gabael, the brother of Gabrias, at Rages a city of Media ten talents of silver.

15 Now when Enemessar was dead, Sennacherib his son reigned in his stead; whose estate was troubled, that I could not go into Media.

 

16 And in the time of Enemessar I gave many alms to my brethren,

17 and gave my bread to the hungry, And my clothes to the naked: and if I saw any of my nation dead, or cast about the walls of Nineve, I buried him.

 

18 And if the king Sennacherib had slain any, when he was come, and fled from Judea, I buried them privily; for in his wrath he killed many; but the bodies were not found, when they were sought for of the king.
19 And when one of the Ninevites went and complained of me to the king, that I buried them, and hid myself; understanding that I was sought for to be put to death, I withdrew myself for fear.

20 Then all my goods were forcibly taken away, neither was there any thing left me, beside my wife Anna and my son Tobias.

21 And there passed not fifty days, before two of his sons killed him, and they fled into the mountains of Ararath; and Sarchedonus his son reigned in his stead; who appointed over his father’s accounts, and over all his affairs, Achiacharus my brother Anael’s son.

 

 

22 And Achiacharus intreating for me, I returned to Nineve. Now Achiacharus was cupbearer, and keeper of the signet, and steward, and overseer of the accounts: and Sarchedonus appointed him next unto him: and he was my brother’s son.


2

Now when I was come home again, and my wife Anna was restored unto me, with my son Tobias, in the feast of Pentecost, which is the holy feast of the seven weeks, there was a good dinner prepared me, in the which I sat down to eat.

2 And when I saw abundance of meat, I said to my son, Go and bring what poor man soever thou shalt find out of our brethren, who is mindful of the Lord; and, lo, I tarry for thee.

3 But he came again, and said, Father, one of our nation is strangled, and is cast out in the marketplace.

4 Then before I had tasted of any meat, I started up, and took him up into a room until the going down of the sun.

5 Then I returned, and washed myself, and ate my meat in heaviness,

6 Remembering that prophecy of Amos, as he said, Your feasts shall be turned into mourning, and all your mirth into lamentation.

7 Therefore I wept: and after the going down of the sun I went and made a grave, and buried him.

8 But my neighbours mocked me, and said, This man is not yet afraid to be put to death for this matter: who fled away; and yet, lo, he burieth the dead again.

9 The same night also I returned from the burial, and slept by the wall of my courtyard, being polluted and my face was uncovered:

10 And I knew not that there were sparrows in the wall, and mine eyes being open, the sparrows muted warm dung into mine eyes, and a whiteness came in mine eyes: and I went to the physicians, but they helped me not: moreover Achiacharus did nourish me, until I went into Elymais.

 

11 And my wife Anna did take women’s works to do.

 

12 And when she had sent them home to the owners, they paid her wages, and gave her also besides a kid.

13 And when it was in my house, and began to cry, I said unto her, From whence is this kid? is it not stolen? render it to the owners; for it is not lawful to eat any thing that is stolen.

14 But she replied upon me, It was given for a gift more than the wages. Howbeit I did not believe her, but bade her render it to the owners: and I was abashed at her. But she replied upon me, Where are thine alms and thy righteous deeds? behold, thou and all thy works are known.


3

Then I being grieved did weep, and in my sorrow prayed, saying,

2 O Lord, thou art just, and all thy works and all thy ways are mercy and truth, and thou judgest truly and justly for ever.

 

3 Remember me, and look on me, punish me not for my sins and ignorances, and the sins of my fathers, who have sinned before thee:

 

4 For they obeyed not thy commandments: wherefore thou hast delivered us for a spoil, and unto captivity, and unto death, and for a proverb of reproach to all the nations among whom we are dispersed.

5 And now thy judgments are many and true: deal with me according to my sins and my fathers’: because we have not kept thy commandments, neither have walked in truth before thee.

 

6 Now therefore deal with me as seemeth best unto thee, and command my spirit to be taken from me, that I may be dissolved, and become earth: for it is profitable for me to die rather than to live, because I have heard false reproaches, and have much sorrow: command therefore that I may now be delivered out of this distress, and go into the everlasting place: turn not thy face away from me.

7 It came to pass the same day, that in Ecbatane a city of Media Sara the daughter of Raguel was also reproached by her father’s maids;

8 Because that she had been married to seven husbands, whom Asmodeus the evil spirit had killed, before they had lain with her. Dost thou not know, said they, that thou hast strangled thine husbands? thou hast had already seven husbands, neither wast thou named after any of them.

9 Wherefore dost thou beat us for them? if they be dead, go thy ways after them, let us never see of thee either son or daughter.

10 When she heard these things, she was very sorrowful, so that she thought to have strangled herself; and she said, I am the only daughter of my father, and if I do this, it shall be a reproach unto him, and I shall bring his old age with sorrow unto the grave.

11 Then she prayed toward the window, and said, Blessed art thou, O Lord my God, and thine holy and glorious name is blessed and honourable for ever: let all thy works praise thee for ever.

 

12 And now, O Lord, I set I mine eyes and my face toward thee,

13 And say, Take me out of the earth, that I may hear no more the reproach.

14 Thou knowest, Lord, that I am pure from all sin with man,

15 And that I never polluted my name, nor the name of my father, in the land of my captivity: I am the only daughter of my father, neither hath he any child to be his heir, neither any near kinsman, nor any son of his alive, to whom I may keep myself for a wife: my seven husbands are already dead; and why should I live? but if it please not thee that I should die, command some regard to be had of me, and pity taken of me, that I hear no more reproach.

16 So the prayers of them both were heard before the majesty of the great Raphael.

17 And he was sent to heal them both, that is, to scale away the whiteness of Tobit’s eyes, and to give Sara the daughter of Raguel for a wife to Tobias the son of Tobit; and to bind Asmodeus the evil spirit; because she belonged to Tobias by right of inheritance. The selfsame time came Tobit home, and entered into his house, and Sara the daughter of Raguel came down from her upper chamber.


4

In that day Tobit remembered the money which he had committed to Gabael in Rages of Media,

 

2 And said with himself, I have wished for death; wherefore do I not call for my son Tobias that I may signify to him of the money before I die?

3 And when he had called him, he said, My son, when I am dead, bury me; and despise not thy mother, but honour her all the days of thy life, and do that which shall please her, and grieve her not.

4 Remember, my son, that she saw many dangers for thee, when thou wast in her womb: and when she is dead, bury her by me in one grave.

5 My son, be mindful of the Lord our God all thy days, and let not thy will be set to sin, or to transgress his commandments: do uprightly all thy life long, and follow not the ways of unrighteousness.

 

6 For if thou deal truly, thy doings shall prosperously succeed to thee, and to all them that live justly.

 

7 Give alms of thy substance; and when thou givest alms, let not thine eye be envious, neither turn thy face from any poor, and the face of God shall not be turned away from thee.

 

8 If thou hast abundance give alms accordingly: if thou have but a little, be not afraid to give according to that little:

9 For thou layest up a good treasure for thyself against the day of necessity.

10 Because that alms do deliver from death, and suffereth not to come into darkness.

11 For alms is a good gift unto all that give it in the sight of the most High.

12 Beware of all whoredom, my son, and chiefly take a wife of the seed of thy fathers, and take not a strange woman to wife, which is not of thy father’s tribe: for we are the children of the prophets, Noe, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: remember, my son, that our fathers from the beginning, even that they all married wives of their own kindred, and were blessed in their children, and their seed shall inherit the land.

 

13 Now therefore, my son, love thy brethren, and despise not in thy heart thy brethren, the sons and daughters of thy people, in not taking a wife of them: for in pride is destruction and much trouble, and in lewdness is decay and great want: for lewdness is the mother of famine.

 

14 Let not the wages of any man, which hath wrought for thee, tarry with thee, but give him it out of hand: for if thou serve God, he will also repay thee: be circumspect my son, in all things thou doest, and be wise in all thy conversation.

 

15 Do that to no man which thou hatest: drink not wine to make thee drunken: neither let drunkenness go with thee in thy journey.

16 Give of thy bread to the hungry, and of thy garments to them that are naked; and according to thine abundance give alms: and let not thine eye be envious, when thou givest alms.

17 Pour out thy bread on the burial of the just, but give nothing to the wicked.

18 Ask counsel of all that are wise, and despise not any counsel that is profitable.

 

19 Bless the Lord thy God alway, and desire of him that thy ways may be directed, and that all thy paths and counsels may prosper: for every nation hath not counsel; but the Lord himself giveth all good things, and he humbleth whom he will, as he will; now therefore, my son, remember my commandments, neither let them be put out of thy mind.

 

20 And now I signify this to they that I committed ten talents to Gabael the son of Gabrias at Rages in Media.

 

21 And fear not, my son, that we are made poor: for thou hast much wealth, if thou fear God, and depart from all sin, and do that which is pleasing in his sight.

 

 

 5

Tobias then answered and said, Father, I will do all things which thou hast commanded me:

2 But how can I receive the money, seeing I know him not?

3 Then he gave him the handwriting, and said unto him, Seek thee a man which may go with thee, whiles I yet live, and I will give him wages: and go and receive the money.

4 Therefore when he went to seek a man, he found Raphael that was an angel.

5 But he knew not; and he said unto him, Canst thou go with me to Rages of  Media? and knowest thou those places well?

6 To whom the angel said, I will go with thee, and I know the way well: for I have lodged with our brother Gabael.

7 Then Tobias said unto him, Tarry for me, till I tell my father.

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

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

10 Then Tobit said unto him, Brother, shew me of what tribe and family thou art.

11 To whom he said, Dost thou seek for a tribe or family, or an hired man to go with thy son? Then Tobit said unto him, I would know, brother, thy kindred and name.

12 Then he said, I am Azarias, the son of Ananias the great, and of thy brethren.

13 Then Tobit said, Thou art welcome, brother; be not now angry with me, because I have enquired to know thy tribe and thy family; for thou art my brother, of an honest and good stock: for I know Ananias and Jonathas, sons of that great Samaias, as we went together to Jerusalem to worship, and offered the firstborn, and the tenths of the fruits; and they were not seduced with the error of our brethren: my brother, thou art of a good stock.

 

14 But tell me, what wages shall I give thee? wilt thou a drachm a day, and things necessary, as to mine own son?

15 Yea, moreover, if ye return safe, I will add something to thy wages.

16 So they were well pleased. Then said he to Tobias, Prepare thyself for the journey, and God send you a good journey. And when his son had prepared all things far the journey, his father said, Go thou with this man, and God, which dwelleth in heaven, prosper your journey, and the angel of God keep you company. So they went forth both, and the young man’s dog with them.

17 But Anna his mother wept, and said to Tobit, Why hast thou sent away our son? 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 that which the Lord hath given us to live with doth suffice us.

20 Then said Tobit to her, Take no care, my sister; he shall return in safety, and thine eyes shall see him.

 

21 For the good angel will keep him company, and his journey shall be prosperous, and he shall return safe.

22 Then she made an end of weeping.


6

And as they went on their journey, they came in the evening to the river Tigris, and they lodged there.

2 And when the young man went down to wash himself, a fish leaped out of the river, and would have devoured him.

3 Then the angel said unto him, Take the fish. And the young man laid hold of the fish, and drew it to land.

4 To whom the angel said, Open the fish, and take the heart and the liver and the gall, and put them up safely.

5 So the young man did as the angel commanded him; and when they had roasted the fish, they did eat it:

6 then they both went on their way, till they drew near to Ecbatane.

7 Then the young man said to the angel, Brother Azarias, to what use is the heart and the liver and the gal of the fish?

8 And he said unto him, Touching the heart and the liver, if a devil 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.

9 As for the gall, it is good to anoint a man that hath whiteness in his eyes, and he shall be healed.

10 And when they were come near to Rages,

11 The angel said to the young man, Brother, to day we shall lodge with Raguel, who is thy cousin; he also hath one only daughter, named Sara;

 

12 I will speak for her, that she may be given thee for a wife. For to thee doth the right of her appertain, seeing thou only art of her kindred. And the maid is fair and wise:

13  now therefore 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 cannot marry her to another according to the law of Moses, but he shall be guilty of death, because the right of inheritance doth rather appertain to thee than to any other.

14 Then the young man answered the angel, I have heard, brother Azarias that this maid hath been given to seven men, who all died in the marriage chamber.

15 And now I am the only son of my father, and I am afraid, lest if I go in unto her, I die, as the other before: for a wicked spirit loveth her, which hurteth no body, but those which come unto her; wherefore I also fear lest I die, and bring my father’s and my mother’s life because of me to the grave with sorrow: for they have no other son to bury them.

 

16 Then the angel said unto him, Dost thou not remember the precepts which thy father gave thee, that thou shouldest marry a wife of thine own kindred? wherefore hear me, O my brother; for she shall be given thee to wife; and make thou no reckoning of the evil spirit; for this same night shall she be given thee in marriage.

17 And when thou shalt come into the marriage chamber, thou shalt take the ashes of perfume, and shalt lay upon them some of the heart and liver of the fish, and shalt make a smoke with it:

18 And the devil shall smell it, and flee away, and never come again any more: but when thou shalt come to her, rise up both of you, and pray to God which is merciful, who will have pity on you, and save you: fear not, for she is appointed unto thee from the beginning; and thou shalt preserve her, and she shall go with thee. Moreover I suppose that she shall bear thee children.

19 Now when Tobias had heard these things, he loved her, and his heart was effectually joined to her.


7

And when they were come to Ecbatane, they came to the house of Raguel, and Sara met them: and after they had saluted one another, she brought them into the house.

2 Then said Raguel to Edna his wife, How like is this young man to Tobit my cousin!

3 And Raguel asked them, From whence are ye, brethren? To whom they said, We are of the sons of Nephthalim, which are captives in Nineve.

4 Then he said to them, Do ye know Tobit our kinsman? And they said, We know him. Then said he, Is he in good health?

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

6 Then Raguel leaped up, and kissed him, and wept,

 

7 And blessed him, and said unto him, Thou art the son of an honest and good man. But when he had heard that Tobit was blind, he was sorrowful, and wept.

8 And likewise Edna his wife and Sara his daughter wept. Moreover they entertained them cheerfully;

 

9 and after that they had killed a ram of the flock, they set store of meat on the table. Then said Tobias to Raphael, Brother Azarias, speak of those things of which thou didst talk in the way, and let this business be dispatched.

10 So he communicated the matter with Raguel: and Raguel said to Tobias, Eat and drink, and make merry: For it is meet that thou shouldest marry my daughter: nevertheless I will declare unto thee the truth. 

11 I have given my daughter in marriage to seven men, who died that night they came in unto her: nevertheless for the present be merry. But Tobias said, I will eat nothing here, till we agree and swear one to another. Raguel said, Then take her from henceforth according to the manner, for thou art her cousin, and she is thine, and the merciful God give you good success in all things. 

12 Then he called his daughter Sara, and she came to her father, and he took her by the hand, and gave her to be wife to Tobias, saying, Behold, take her after the law of Moses, and lead her away to thy father. And he blessed them;

13 And called Edna his wife, and took paper, and did write an instrument of covenants, and sealed it.

 

14 Then they began to eat.

15 After Raguel called his wife Edna, and said unto her, Sister, prepare another chamber, and bring her in thither.

16 Which when she had done as he had bidden her, she brought her thither: and she wept, and she received the tears of her daughter, and said unto her,

17 Be of good comfort, my daughter; the Lord of heaven and earth give thee joy for this thy sorrow: be of good comfort, my daughter.


8

And when they had supped, they brought Tobias in unto her.

2 And as he went, he remembered the words of Raphael, and took the ashes of the perfumes, and put the heart and the liver of the fish thereupon, and made a smoke therewith.

3 The which smell when the evil spirit had smelled, he fled into the utmost parts of Egypt, and the angel bound him.

4 And after that they were both shut in together, Tobias rose out of the bed, and said, Sister, arise, and let us pray that God would have pity on us.

 

5 Then began Tobias to say, Blessed art thou, O God of our fathers, and blessed is thy holy and glorious name for ever; let the heavens bless thee, and all thy creatures.

 

6 Thou madest Adam, and gavest him Eve his wife for an helper and stay: of them came mankind: thou hast said, It is not good that man should be alone; let us make unto him an aid like unto himself.

 

7 And now, O Lord, I take not this my sister for lush but uprightly: therefore mercifully ordain that we may become aged together.

8 And she said with him, Amen.

9 So they slept both that night. And Raguel arose, and went and made a grave,

10 Saying, I fear lest he also be dead.

11 But when Raguel was come into his house,

12 He said unto his wife Edna. Send one of the maids, and let her see whether he be alive: if he be not, that we may bury him, and no man know it.

13 So the maid opened the door, and went in, and found them both asleep,

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

15 Then Raguel praised God, and said, O God, thou art worthy to be praised with all pure and holy praise; therefore let thy saints praise thee with all thy creatures; and let all thine angels and thine elect praise thee for ever.

 

16 Thou art to be praised, for thou hast made me joyful; and that is not come to me which I suspected; but thou hast dealt with us according to thy great mercy.

17 Thou art to be praised because thou hast had mercy of two that were the only begotten children of their fathers: grant them mercy, O Lord, and finish their life in health with joy and mercy.

18 Then Raguel bade his servants to fill the grave.

19 And he kept the wedding feast fourteen days.

 

20 For before the days of the marriage were finished, Raguel had said unto him by an oath, that he should not depart till the fourteen days of the marriage were expired;

21 And then he should take the half of his goods, and go in safety to his father; and should have the rest when I and my wife be dead.


9

Then Tobias called Raphael, and said unto him,

2 Brother Azarias, take with thee a servant, and two camels, and go to Rages of Media to Gabael, and bring me the money, and bring him to the wedding.

 

3 For Raguel hath sworn that I shall not depart.

4 But my father counteth the days; and if I tarry long, he will be very sorry.

5 So Raphael went out, and lodged with Gabael, and gave him the handwriting: who brought forth bags which were sealed up, and gave them to him.

 

6 And early in the morning they went forth both together, and came to the wedding: and Tobias blessed his wife.


10

Now Tobit his father counted every day: and when the days of the journey were expired, and they came not,

2 Then Tobit said, Are they detained? or is Gabael dead, and there is no man to give him the money?

3 Therefore he was very sorry.

4 Then his wife said unto him, My son is dead, seeing he stayeth long; and she began to wail him, and said,

5 Now I care for nothing, my son, since I have let thee go, the light of mine eyes.

6 To whom Tobit said, Hold thy peace, take no care, for he is safe.

7 But she said, Hold thy peace, and deceive me not; my son is dead. And she went out every day into the way which they went, and did eat no meat on the daytime, and ceased not whole nights to bewail her son Tobias, until the fourteen days of the wedding were expired, which Raguel had sworn that he should spend there. Then Tobias said to Raguel, Let me go, for my father and my mother look no more to see me.

 

8 But his father in law said unto him, Tarry with me, and I will send to thy father, and they shall declare unto him how things go with thee.

9 But Tobias said, No; but let me go to my father.

 

10 Then Raguel arose, and gave him Sara his wife, and half his goods, servants, and cattle, and money:

 

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

12 And he said to his daughter, Honour thy father and thy mother in law, which are now thy parents, that I may hear good report of thee. And he kissed her. Edna also said to Tobias, The Lord of heaven restore thee, my dear brother, and grant that I may see thy children of my daughter Sara before I die, that I may rejoice before the Lord: behold, I commit my daughter unto thee of special trust; where are do not entreat her evil.
13 After these things Tobias went his way, praising God that he had given him a prosperous journey, and blessed Raguel and Edna his wife. 


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