2(6:1) And the young man went forth, and the angel with him, and the dog went forth with him and journeyed with them; and they journeyed both of them together. And once night came upon them, 3(2) and they lodged by the river Tigris, and the young man went down to wash his feet in the river Tigris. And a great fish leaped up out of the water, and would have swallowed the foot of the young man. 4(3) And he cried out. And the angel said unto the young man, Grasp and take hold of the fish. 5(4) And the young man caught hold of the fish, and hauled it up on to the land. And the angel said unto him, Open the fish, and take out its gall and the heart and liver and put them by thee, and cast away the inwards; for its gall and heart and liver are for an useful medicament. 6(5) And the young man opened the fish and collected the gall and the heart and the liver, and he roasted part of the fish and did eat, and left part thereof salted. 7(6) And they journeyed both of them together until they drew nigh to Media. And then the young man asked the angel and said unto him, Brother Azarias, what is the medicament in the heart and the liver of the fish and in the gall? 8(7) And he said unto him, As regards the heart and the liver of the fish, make thou a smoke before a man or a woman who hath an attack of a demon or an evil spirit; and every attack will flee from him, and they shall nevermore find an abode with him. 9(8) And as for the gall—anoint a man’s eyes, upon which white films have come up, 〈or〉 blow into them on the white films, and they become well.

2. TOBIAS AT RAGUEL’S HOME AND HIS MARRIAGE WITH SARAH, 6:10–8:20.

RAPHAEL’S PLANS FOR TOBIAS’ MARRIAGE, 6:10–18.

10(9) And when he had entered into Media and was already drawing nigh to Ecbatana, 11(10) Raphael saith unto the young man, Brother Tobias. And he said unto him, Here am I. And he said unto him, In the house of Raguel we must lodge this night, the man being thy kinsman; and he hath a daughter whose name is Sarah. 12(11) And he hath no son nor daughter but Sarah alone, and thou art nearer kin to her than any man to inherit her, and what things are her father’s it is right for thee to inherit; and the maid is wise and steadfast and exceeding honourable, (12)and her father is an honourable man. 13 And he said, It is right for thee to take her; and hear me, brother, and I will speak this night unto her father concerning the maid, that we may take her to be thy bride. And when we return from Rages we will celebrate her marriage. And I know that Raguel can in no wise keep her back from thee or marry her to another—to incur liability to death according to the decree of the book of Moses—and because he knoweth that the inheritance appertaineth to thee to take his daughter before any man. And now, hear me, brother, and let us speak concerning the maid this night and we will betroth her to thee; and, when we return from Rages, we will take her and let us lead her back with us to thy home. 14(13) Then Tobias answered and said unto Raphael, Brother Azarias, I have heard that already the maid hath been given to seven men, and they have died in their bridal-chambers; even in the night when they went in unto her they died. And I have heard them say that a demon slayeth them. 15(14) And now for my part I fear—for her he harmeth not, but the man who would come in unto her, him he slayeth, and I am my father’s only child—lest I should 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. 16(15) And he saith unto him, Dost thou not remember the commands of thy father, that he commanded thee to take a wife of thy father’s house? And now hear me, brother; and make thou no reckoning of this demon, but take her. 17(16) For I know that this night she shall be given to thee to wife. And when thou comest into the bride-chamber, take of the liver of the fish with the heart and place them upon the ashes of the incense and the smell shall go forth, 18(17) and the devil shall smell it, and flee away, and never appear any more to her. And when thou art about to be with her, rise up both of you first and pray and supplicate the Lord of heaven that mercy and deliverance may be extended to you. And fear not, for she was set apart for thee before the world was; and thou shalt save her, and she shall go with thee. And I suppose that thou shalt have children of her and they shall be as brothers unto thee. Take no reckoning. And when Tobias heard the words of Raphael, and that she was his sister of the seed of his father’s house, he loved her exceedingly, and his heart clave unto her.

Arrival and welcome at Raguel’s, 7:1–9a.

2 And he said unto Edna his wife, How like is this young man to Tobias my kinsman! 3 And Edna asked them and said unto them, Whence are ye, brethren? And they said unto her, We are of the sons of Naphtali, which are captives in Nineveh. 4 And she said unto them, Know ye Tobit our kinsman? And they said unto her, We know him. And she said unto them, Is he in good health? And they said unto her, He is in good health and alive. 5 And Tobias said, He is my father. 6 And Raguel sprang up, 7 and kissed him, and wept; and he spake and said unto him, Blessing be unto thee, lad, who art the son of a noble and good father. Oh, dire calamity, that a man, righteous and almsdoing, should have become blind! And he fell on the neck of Tobias his kinsman and wept, and Edna his wife bewept him, 8 and Sarah their daughter also wept. 9 And he killed a ram of the flock and received them gladly.

The negotiations and the marriage, vv. 9b–14.

And when they had bathed, and washed their hands and laid them down to dine, Tobias said unto Raphael, Brother Azarias, speak unto Raguel that he give me Sarah my sister. 10(9) And Raguel heard the word and said unto the young man, Eat and drink, and make merry this night: (10)for there is no man unto whom it appertaineth to take Sarah my daughter except thee, brother; and likewise, further, I have not power to give her to another man than thee, because thou art my nearest kin. Yea, verily, I will shew thee the truth, lad. 11 I have given her to seven men of our brethren and all died in the night when they came in unto her. And now, child, eat and drink, and the Lord will deal mercifully with you. And Tobias said, I will taste nothing here nor will I drink until thou settle mine affairs. (12)And Raguel said to him, I do so; she is given to thee according to the decree of the book of Moses, and from heaven it hath been decreed that she is given to thee; take thy sister. From henceforth thou art her brother, and she is thy sister; she hath been given to thee, from to-day even for ever. And the Lord of heaven give success to you, child, this night, even to do mercy and peace towards you. 12(13) And Raguel called his daughter Sarah, and she came to him and he took her by the hand, and gave her to him, and said, Take her according to the law and according to the decree which is written in the book of Moses to give her unto thee to wife. Have her and lead her away to thy father in peace; and the God of heaven prosper you with peace. 13(14) And he called her mother, and told her to bring a book, and he wrote an instrument of co-habitation, even that he gave her to him to wife according to the decree of the law of Moses. 14(15) Then they began to eat and to drink.

Sarah’s recovery and the consummation of the marriage, 7:15–8:9a.

15(16) And Raguel called Edna, his wife, and said unto her, Sister, prepare the other chamber, and bring her in thither. 16(17) And she went and spread the bed in the chamber as he bade her and brought her thither; and she wept for her and wiped away her tears, 17(18) and said unto her, Be of good comfort, daughter: the Lord of heaven give thee joy for thy sorrow: be of good comfort, daughter.

81 And she went forth. And when they had finished eating and drinking, they desired to sleep, and they led the young man away and brought him into the chamber. 2 And Tobias remembered the words of Raphael, and took the liver of the fish and the heart out of the bag which he had, and put them on the ashes of the incense. 3 And the smell of the fish baffled the demon, and he ran away into the upper parts of Egypt; and Raphael went and fettered him there and bound him straightway. 4 And they went forth and shut the door of the chamber. And Tobias rose up from the bed, and said unto her, Sister, arise; let us pray and make supplication to our Lord that he may work mercy and deliverance for us. 5 And she arose, and they began to pray and make supplication that deliverance might be wrought for them, and he began to say, Blessed art thou, God of our fathers, and ∙blessed is thy name for ever and ever; let the heavens bless thee, and all thy creation to all the ages. 6 Thou madest Adam, and madest Eve his wife for a helper and a stay for him: of them both came the seed of men: and thou didst say, It is not good that the man should be alone; let us make him a helper like unto him. 7 And now I take not this my sister for lust, but in truth: command that I and she may find mercy and grow old together. 8 And they said together, Amen. 9 And they slept the night.

The parents’ joy and the ensuing feast, vv. 9b–21.

10 And Raguel arose and called his servants with him and they went and digged a grave, for he said, Lest he perish, and we become a derision and a reproach. 11 And when they had finished digging the…