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?

And the angel, answering, said to him: If thou put a little piece of its heart upon coals, the smoke thereof driveth away all kind of devils, either from man or from woman, so that they come no more to them.

And the gall is good for anointing the eyes, in which there is a white speck, and they shall be cured.

And Tobias said to him: Where wilt thou that we lodge?

And the angel answering, said: Here is one whose name is Raguel, a near kinsman of thy tribe, and he hath a daughter named Sara, but he hath no son nor any other daughter beside her.

All his substance is due to thee, and thou must take her to wife.

Ask her therefore of her father, and he will give her thee to wife.

Then Tobias answered, and said: I hear that she hath been given to seven husbands, and they all died: moreover I have heard, that a devil killed them.

Now I am afraid, lest the same thing should happen to me also: and whereas I am the only child of my parents, I should bring down their old age with sorrow to hell.

Then the angel Raphael said to him: Hear me, and I will shew thee who they are, over whom the devil can prevail.

For they who in such manner receive matrimony, as to shut out God from themselves, and from their mind, and to give themselves to their lust, as the horse and mule, which have not understanding, over them the devil hath power.

But thou when thou shalt take her, go into the chamber, and for three days keep thyself continent from her, and give thyself to nothing else but to prayers with her.

And on that night lay the liver of the fish on the fire, and the devil shall be driven away.

But the second night thou shalt be admitted into the society of the holy Patriarchs.

And the third night thou shalt obtain a blessing that sound children may be born of you.

And when the third night is past, thou shalt take the virgin with the fear of the Lord, moved rather for love of children than for lust, that in the seed of Abraham thou mayst obtain a blessing in children.

And they went in to Raguel, and Raguel received them with joy.

And Raguel looking upon Tobias, said to Anna his wife: How like is this young man to my cousin?

And when he had spoken these words, he said: Whence are ye young men our brethren?

But they said: We are of the tribe of Nephtali, of the captivity of Ninive.

And Raguel said to them: Do you know Tobias my brother? And they said: We know him.

And when he was speaking many good things of him, the angel said to Raguel: Tobias concerning whom thou inquirest is this young man’s father.

And Raguel went to him, and kissed him with tears and weeping upon his neck, said: A blessing be upon thee, my son, because thou art the son of a good and most virtuous man.

And Anna his wife, and Sara their daughter wept.

And after they had spoken, Raguel commanded a sheep to be killed, and a feast to be prepared. And when he desired them to sit down to dinner,

Tobias said: I will not eat nor drink here this day, unless thou first grant me my petition, and promise to give me Sara thy daughter.

Now when Raguel heard this he was afraid, knowing what had happened to those seven husbands, that went in unto her: and he began to fear lest it might happen to him also in like manner: and as he was in suspense, and gave no answer to his petition,

The angel said to him: Be not afraid to give her to this man, for to him who feareth God is thy daughter due to be his wife: therefore another could not have her.

Then Raguel said: I doubt not but God hath regarded my prayers and tears in his sight.

And I believe he hath therefore made you come to me, that this maid might be married to one of her own kindred, according to the law of Moses: and now doubt not but I will give her to thee.

And taking the right hand of his daughter, he gave it into the right hand of Tobias, saying: The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob be with you, and may he join you together, and fulfil his blessing in you.

And taking paper they made a writing of the marriage.

And afterwards they made merry, blessing God.

And Raguel called to him Anna his wife, and bade her to prepare another chamber.

And she brought Sara her daughter in thither, and she wept.

And she said to her: Be of good cheer, my daughter: the Lord of heaven give thee joy for the trouble thou hast undergone.

And after they had supped, they brought in the young man to her.

And Tobias remembering the angel’s word, took out of his bag part of the liver, and laid it upon burning coals.

Then the angel Raphael took the devil, and bound him in the desert of upper Egypt.

Then Tobias exhorted the virgin, and said to her: Sara, arise, and let us pray to God to day, and to morrow, and the next day: because for these three nights we are joined to God: and when the third night is over, we will be in our own wedlock.

For we are the children of saints, and we must not be joined together like heathens that know not God.

So they both arose, and prayed earnestly both together that health might be given them,

And Tobias said: Lord God of our fathers, may the heavens and the earth, and the sea, and the fountains, and the rivers, and all thy creatures that are in them, bless thee.

Thou madest Adam of the slime of the earth, and gavest him Eve for a helper.

And now, Lord, thou knowest, that not for fleshly lust do I take my sister to wife, but only for the love of posterity, in which thy name may be blessed for ever and ever.

Sara also said: Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us, and let us grow old both together in health.

And it came to pass about the cockcrowing, Raguel ordered his servants to be called for, and they went with him together to dig a grave.

For he said: Lest perhaps it may have happened to him, in like manner as it did to the other seven husbands, that went in unto her.

And when they had prepared the pit, Raguel went back to his wife, and said to her:

Send one of thy maids, and let her see if he be dead, that I may bury him before it be day.

So she sent one of her maidservants, who went into the chamber, and found them safe and sound, sleeping both together.

And returning she brought the good news: and Raguel and Anna his wife blessed the Lord,

And said: We bless thee, O Lord God of Israel, because it hath not happened as we suspected.

For thou hast shewn thy mercy to us, and hast shut out from us the enemy that persecuted us.

And thou hast taken pity upon two only children. Make them, O Lord, bless thee more fully: and to offer up to thee a sacrifice of thy praise, and of their health, that all nations may know, that thou alone art God in all the earth.

And immediately Raguel commanded his servants, to fill up the pit they had made, before it was day.

And he spoke to his wife to make ready a feast, and prepare all kind of provisions that are necessary for such as go a journey.

He caused also two fat kine, and four wethers to be killed, and a banquet to be prepared for all his neighbours, and all his friends,

And Raguel adjured Tobias, to abide with him two weeks.

And of all things which Raguel possessed, he gave one half to Tobias, and made a writing, that the half that remained should after their decease come also to Tobias.

Then Tobias called the angel to him, whom he took to be a man, and said to him: Brother Azarias, I pray thee hearken to my words:

If I should give myself to be thy servant I should not make a worthy return for thy care.

However, I beseech thee, to take with thee beasts and servants, and to go to Gabelus to Rages the city of the Medes: and to restore to him his note of hand, and receive of him the money, and desire him to come to my wedding.

For thou knowest that my father numbereth the days: and if I stay one day more, his soul will be afflicted.

And indeed thou seest how Raguel hath adjured me, whose adjuring I cannot despise.

Then Raphael took four of Raguel’s servants, and two camels, and went to Rages the city of the Medes: and finding Gabelus, gave him his note of hand, and received of him all the money.

And he told him concerning Tobias the son of Tobias, all that had been done: and made him come with him to the wedding.

And when he was come into Raguel’s house he found Tobias sitting at the table: and he leaped up, and they kissed each other: and Gabelus wept, and blessed God,

And said: The God of Israel bless thee, because thou art the son of a very good and just man, and that feareth God, and doth almsdeeds:

And may a blessing come upon thy wife and upon your parents.

And may you see your children, and your children’s children, unto the third and fourth generation: and may your seed be blessed by the God of Israel, who reigneth for ever and ever.

And when all had said, Amen, they went to the feast: but the marriage feast they celebrated also with the fear of the Lord.