The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

So when the sun was down, he went and buried him.

Now all his neighbours blamed him, saying: once already commandment was given for thee to be slain because of this matter, and thou didst scarce escape the sentence of death, and dost thou again bury the dead?

But Tobias fearing God more than the king, carried off the bodies of them that were slain, and hid them in his house, and at midnight buried them.

Now it happened one day that being wearied with burying, he came to his house, and cast himself down by the wall and slept,

And as he was sleeping, hot dung out of a swallow's nest fell upon his eyes, and he was made blind.

Now this trial the Lord therefore permitted to happen to him, that an example might be given to posterity of his patience, as also of holy Job.

For whereas he had always feared God from his infancy, and kept his commandments, he repined not against God because the evil of blindness had befallen him,

But continued immoveable in the fear of God, giving thanks to God all the days of his life.

For as the kings insulted over holy Job: so his relations and kinsmen mocked at his life, saying:

Where is thy hope, for which thou gavest alms, and buriedst the dead?

But Tobias rebuked them, saying: Speak not so:

For we are the children of saints, and look for that life which God will give to those that never change their faith from him.

Now Anna his wife went daily to weaving work, and she brought home what she could get for their living by the labour of her hands.

Whereby it came to pass, that she received a young kid, and brought it home:

And when her husband heard it bleating, he said: Take heed, lest perhaps it be stolen: restore ye it to its owners, for it is not lawful for us either to eat or to touch any thing that cometh by theft.

At these words his wife being angry answered: It is evident the hope is come to nothing, and thy alms now appear.

And with these and other, such like words she upbraided him.

Then Tobias sighed, and began to pray with tears,

Saying, Thou art just, O Lord, and all thy judgments are just, and all thy ways mercy, and truth, and judgment:

And now, O Lord, think of me, and take not revenge of my sins, neither remember my offences, nor those of my parents.

For we have not obeyed thy commandments, therefore are we delivered to spoil and to captivity, and death, and are made a fable, and a reproach to all nations, amongst which thou hast scattered us.

And now, O Lord, great are thy judgments, because we have not done according to thy precepts, and have not walked sincerely before thee.

And now, O Lord, do with me according to thy will, and command my spirit to be received in peace: for it is better for me to die, than to live.

Now it happened on the same day, that Sara daughter of Raguel, in Rages a city of the Medes, received a reproach from one of her father's servant maids,

Because she had been given to seven husbands and a devil named Asmodeus had killed them, at their first going in unto her.

So when she reproved the maid for her fault, she answered her, saying: May we never see son, or daughter of thee upon the earth, thou murderer of thy husbands.

Wilt thou kill me also, as thou hast already killed seven husbands? At these words, she went into an upper chamber of her house: and for three days and three nights did neither eat nor drink:

But continuing in prayer with tears besought God, that he would deliver her from this reproach.

And it came to pass on the third day when she was making an end of her prayer, blessing the Lord,

She said: Blessed is thy name, O God of our fathers, who when thou hast been angry, wilt shew mercy, and in the time of tribulation forgivest the sins of them that call upon thee.

To thee, O Lord, I turn my face, to thee I direct my eyes.

I beg, O Lord, that thou loose me from the bond of this reproach, or else take me away from the earth.

Thou knowest, O Lord, that I never coveted a husband, and have kept my soul clean from all lust.

Never have I joined myself with them that play: neither have I made myself partaker with them that walk in lightness.

But a husband I consented to take, with thy fear, not with my lust.

And either I was unworthy of them, or they perhaps were not worthy of me: because perhaps thou hast kept me for another man,

For thy counsel is not in man's power.

But this every one is sure of that worshippeth thee, that his life, if it be under trial, shall be crowned and if it be under tribulation, it shall be delivered: and if it be under correction, it shall be allowed to come to thy mercy.

For thou art not delighted in our being lost, because after a storm thou makest a calm, and after tears and weeping thou pourest in joyfulness.

Be thy name, O God of Israel, blessed for ever,

At that time the prayers of them both were heard in the sight of the glory of the most high God:

And the holy angel of the Lord, Raphael was sent to heal them both, whose prayers at one time were rehearsed in the sight of the Lord.

Therefore when Tobias thought that his prayer was heard that he might die, he called to him Tobias his son,

And said to him: Hear, my son, the words of my mouth, and lay them as a foundation in thy heart.

When God shall take my soul, thou shalt bury my body: and thou shalt honour thy mother all the days of her life:

For thou must be mindful what and how great perils she suffered for thee in her womb.

And when she also shall have ended the time of her life, bury her by me.

And all the days of thy life have God in thy mind: and take heed thou never consent to sin, nor transgress the commandments of the Lord our God.

Give alms out of thy substance, and turn not away thy face from any poor person: for so it shall come to pass that the face of the Lord shall not be turned from thee.

According to thy ability be merciful.

If thou have much give abundantly: if thou have little, take care even so to bestow willingly a little.

For thus thou storest up to thyself a good reward for the day of necessity.

For alms deliver from all sin, and from death, and will not suffer the soul to go into darkness.

Alms shall be a great confidence before the most high God, to all them that give it.

Take heed to keep thyself, my son, from all fornication, and beside thy wife never endure to know a crime.

Never suffer pride to reign in thy mind, or in thy words: for from it all perdition took its beginning.

If any man hath done any work for thee, immediately pay him his hire, and let not the wages of thy hired servant stay with thee at all.

See thou never do to another what thou wouldst hate to have done to thee by another.

Eat thy bread with the hungry and the needy, and with thy garments cover the naked,

Lay out thy bread, and thy wine upon the burial of a just man, and do not eat and drink thereof with the wicked.

Seek counsel always of a wise man.

Bless God at all times: and desire of him to direct thy ways, and that all thy counsels may abide in him.

I tell thee also, my son, that I lent ten talents of silver, while thou wast yet a child, to Gabelus, in Rages a city of the Medes, and I have a note of his hand with me:

Now therefore inquire how thou mayst go to him, and receive of him the foresaid sum of money, and restore to him the note of his hand.

Fear not, my son: we lead indeed a poor life, but we shall have many good things if we fear God, and depart from all sin, and do that which is good.

Then Tobias answered his father, and said: I will do all things, father, which thou hast commanded me.

But how I shall get this money, I cannot tell; he knoweth not me, and I know not him: what token shall I give him? nor did I ever know the way which leadeth thither.

Then his father answered him, and said: I have a note of his hand with me, which when thou shalt shew him, he will presently pay it.

But go now, and seek thee out some faithful man, to go with thee for his hire: that thou mayst receive it, while I yet live.

Then Tobias going forth, found a beautiful young man, standing girded, and as it were ready to walk.

And not knowing that he was an angel of God, he saluted him, and said: From whence art thou, good young man?

But he answered: Of the children of Israel. And Tobias said to him: Knowest thou the way that leadeth to the country of the Medes?

And he answered: I know it: and I have often walked through all the ways thereof, and I have abode with Gabelus our brother, who dwelleth at Rages a city of the Medes, which is situate in the mount of Ecbatana.

And Tobias said to him: Stay for me, I beseech thee, till I tell these same things to my father.

Then Tobias going in told all these things to his father. Upon which his father being in admiration, desired that he would come in unto him.

So going in he saluted him, and said: Joy be to thee always.

And Tobias said: What manner of joy shall be to me, who sit in darkness and see not the light of heaven?

And the young man said to him: Be of good courage, thy cure from God is at hand.

And Tobias said to him: Canst thou conduct my son to Gabelus at Rages, a city of the Medes? and when thou shalt return, I will pay thee thy hire.

And the angel said to him: I will conduct him thither, and bring him back to thee.

And Tobias said to him: I pray thee, tell me, of what family, or what tribe art thou?

And Raphael the angel answered: Dost thou seek the family of him thou hirest, or the hired servant himself to go with thy son?

But lest I should make thee uneasy, I am Azarias the son of the great Ananias.

And Tobias answered: Thou art of a great family. But I pray thee be not angry that I desired to know thy family.

And the angel said to him: I will lead thy son safe, and bring him to thee again safe.

And Tobias answering, said: May you have a good journey, and God be with you in your way, and his angel accompany you.

Then all things being ready, that were to be carried in their journey, Tobias bade his father and his mother farewell, and they set out both together.

And when they were departed, his mother began to weep, and to say: Thou hast taken the staff of our old age, and sent him away from us.

I wish the money for which thou hast sent him, had never been.

For our poverty was sufficient for us, that we might account it as riches, that we saw our son.

And Tobias said to her: Weep not, our son will arrive thither safe, and will return safe to us, and thy eyes shall see him.

For I believe that the good angel of God doth accompany him, and doth order all things well that are done about him, so that he shall return to us with joy.

At these words his mother ceased weeping, and held her peace.

And Tobias went forward, and the dog followed him, and he lodged the first night by the river of Tigris.

And he went out to wash his feet, and behold a monstrous fish came up to devour him.

And Tobias being afraid of him, cried out with a loud voice, saying: Sir, he cometh upon me.

And the angel said to him: Take him by the gill, and draw him to thee. And when he had done so, he drew him out upon the land, and he began to pant before his feet.

Then the angel said to him: Take out the entrails of this fish, and lay up his heart, and his gall, and his liver for thee: for these are necessary for useful medicines.

And when he had done so, he roasted the flesh thereof, and they took it with them in the way: the rest they salted as much as might serve them, till they came to Rages the city of the Medes.

Then Tobias asked the angel, and said to him: I beseech thee, brother Azarias, tell me what remedies are these things good for, which thou hast bid me keep of the fish?