But as Tobias made longer stay upon occasion of the marriage, Tobias his father was solicitous, saying: Why thinkest thou doth my son tarry, or why is he detained there?

Is Gabelus dead, thinkest thou, and no man will pay him the money?

And he began to be exceeding sad, both he and Anna his wife with him: and they began both to weep together, because their son did not return to them on the day appointed.

But his mother wept and was quite disconsolate, and said: Woe, woe is me, my son; why did we send thee to go to a strange country, the light of our eyes, the staff of our old age, the comfort of our life, the hope of our posterity?

We having all things together in thee alone, ought not to have let thee go from us.

And Tobias said to her: Hold thy peace, and be not troubled, our son is safe: that man with whom we sent him is very trusty.

But she could by no means be comforted, but daily running out looked round about, and went into all the ways by which there seemed any hope he might return, that she might if possible see him coming afar off.

But Raguel said to his son in law: Stay here, and I will send a messenger to Tobias thy father, that thou art in health.

And Tobias said to him: I know that my father and mother now count the days, and their spirit is grievously afflicted within them.

And when Raguel had pressed Tobias with many words, and he by no means would hearken to him, he delivered Sara unto him, and half of all his substance in menservants, and womenservants, in cattle, in camels, and in kine, and in much money, and sent him away safe and joyful from him,

Saying: The holy angel of the Lord be with you in your journey, and bring you through safe, and that you may find all things well about your parents, and my eyes may see your children before I die.

And the parents taking their daughter kissed her, and let her go:

Admonishing her to honour her father and mother in law, to love her husband, to take care of the family, to govern the house, and to behave herself irreprehensibly.

And as they were returning they came to Charan, which is in the midway to Ninive, the eleventh day.

And the angel said: Brother Tobias, thou knowest how thou didst leave thy father.

If it please thee therefore, let us go before, and let the family follow softly after us, together with thy wife, and with the beasts.

And as this their going pleased him, Raphael said to Tobias: Take with thee of the gall of the fish, for it will be necessary. So Tobias took some of that gall and departed.

But Anna sat beside the way daily, on the top of a hill, from whence she might see afar off.

And while she watched his coming from that place, she saw him afar off, and presently perceived it was her son coming: and returning she told her husband, saying: Behold thy son cometh.

And Raphael said to Tobias: As soon as thou shalt come into thy house, forthwith adore the Lord thy God: and giving thanks to him, go to thy father, and kiss him.

And immediately anoint his eyes with this gall of the fish, which thou carriest with thee. For be assured that his eyes shall be presently opened, and thy father shall see the light of heaven, and shall rejoice in the sight of thee.

Then the dog, which had been with them in the way, ran before, and coming as if he had brought the news, shewed his joy by his fawning and wagging his tail.

And his father that was blind, rising up, began to run stumbling with his feet: and giving a servant his hand, went to meet his son.

And receiving him kissed him, as did also his wife, and they began to weep for joy.

And when they had adored God, and given him thanks, they sat down together.

Then Tobias taking of the gall of the fish, anointed his father’s eyes.

And he stayed about half an hour: and a white skin began to come out of his eyes, like the skin of an egg.

And Tobias took hold of it, and drew it from his eyes, and immediately he recovered his sight.

And they glorified God, both he and his wife and all that knew him.

And Tobias said: I bless thee, O Lord God of Israel, because thou hast chastised me, and thou hast saved me and behold I see Tobias my son.

And after seven days Sara his son’s wife and all the family arrived safe, and the cattle, and the camels, and an abundance of money of his wife’s: and that money also which he had received of Gabelus,

And he told his parents all the benefits of God, which he had done to him by the man that conducted him.

And Achior and Nabath the kinsmen of Tobias came, rejoicing for Tobias, and congratulating with him for all the good things that God had done for him.

And for seven days they feasted and rejoiced all with great joy.

Then Tobias called to him his son and said to him: What can we give to this holy man, that is come with thee?

Tobias answering, said to his father: Father, what wages shall we give him? or what can be worthy of his benefits?

He conducted me and brought me safe again, he received the money of Gabelus, he caused me to have my wife, and he chased from her the evil spirit, he gave joy to her parents, myself he delivered from being devoured by the fish, thee also he hath made to see the light of heaven, and we are filled with all good things through him. What can we give him sufficient for these things?

But I beseech thee, my father, to desire him, that he would vouchsafe to accept of one half of all things that have been brought.

So the father and the son calling him, took him aside: and began to desire him that he would vouchsafe to accept of half of all things that they had brought,

Then he said to them secretly, Bless ye the God of heaven, give glory to him in the sight of all that live, because he hath shewn his mercy to you.

For it is good to hide the secret of a king: but honourable to reveal and confess the works of God.

Prayer is good with fasting and alms more than to lay up treasures of gold.

For alms delivereth from death, and the same is that which purgeth away sins, and maketh to find mercy and life everlasting.

But they that commit sin and iniquity, are enemies to their own soul.

I discover then the truth unto you, and I will not hide the secret from you.

When thou didst pray with tears, and didst bury the dead, and didst leave thy dinner, and hide the dead by day in thy house, and bury them by night, I offered thy prayer to the Lord.

And because thou wast acceptable to God, it was necessary that temptation should prove thee.

And now the Lord hath sent me to heal thee, and to deliver Sara thy son’s wife from the devil.

For I am the angel Raphael, one of the seven, who stand before the Lord.

And when they had heard these things, they were troubled, and being seized with fear they fell upon the ground on their face.

And the angel said to them: Peace be to you, fear not.

For when I was with you, I was there by the will of God: bless ye him, and sing praises to him.

I seemed indeed to eat and to drink with you but I use an invisible meat and drink, which cannot be seen by men.

It is time therefore that I return to him that sent me: but bless ye God, and publish all his wonderful works.

And when he had said these things, he was taken from their sight, and they could see him no more.

Then they lying prostrate for three hours upon their face, blessed God, and rising up, they told all his wonderful works.

And Tobias the elder opening his mouth, blessed the Lord, and said: Thou art great O Lord, for ever, and thy kingdom is unto all ages.

For thou scourgest, and thou savest: thou leadest down to hell, and bringest up again: and there is none that can escape thy hand.

Give glory to the Lord, ye children of Israel, and praise him in the sight of the Gentiles:

Because he hath therefore scattered you among the Gentiles, who know not him, that you may declare his wonderful works, and make them know that there is no other almighty God besides him.

He hath chastised us for our iniquities: and he will save us for his own mercy.

See then what he hath done with us, and with fear and trembling give ye glory to him: and extol the eternal King of worlds in your works.

As for me, I will praise him in the land of my captivity: because he hath shewn his majesty toward a sinful nation,

Be converted therefore, ye sinners, and do justice before God, believing that he will shew his mercy to you.

And I and my soul will rejoice in him.

Bless ye the Lord, all his elect, keep days of joy, and give glory to him.

Jerusalem, city of God, the Lord hath chastised thee for the works of thy hands.

Give glory to the Lord for thy good things, and bless the God eternal that he may rebuild his tabernacle in thee, and may call back all the captives to thee, and thou mayst rejoice for ever and ever.

Thou shalt shine with a glorious light: and all the ends of the earth shall worship thee,

Nations from afar shall come to thee: and shall bring gifts, and shall adore the Lord in thee, and shall esteem thy land as holy.

For they shall call upon the great name in thee,

They shall be cursed that shall despise thee: and they shall be condemned that shall blaspheme thee: and blessed shall they be that shall build thee up,

But thou shalt rejoice in thy children, because they shall all be blessed, and shall be gathered together to the Lord.

Blessed are all they that love thee, and that rejoice in thy peace,

My soul, bless thou the Lord, because the Lord our God hath delivered Jerusalem his city from all her troubles.

Happy shall I be if there shall remain of my seed, to see the glory of Jerusalem.

The gates of Jerusalem shall be built of sapphire, and of emerald, and all the walls thereof round about of precious stones.

All its streets shall be paved with white and clean stones: and Alleluia shall be sung in its streets,

Blessed be the Lord, who hath exalted it, and may he reign over it for ever and ever, Amen.

And the words of Tobias were ended. And after Tobias was restored to his sight, he lived two and forty years, and saw the children of his grandchildren.

And after he had lived a hundred and two years, he was buried honorably in Ninive.

For he was six and fifty years old when he lost the sight of his eyes, and sixty when he recovered it again.

And the rest of his life was in joy, and with great increase of the fear of God he departed in peace.

And at the hour of his death he called unto him his son Tobias and his children, seven young men, his grandsons, and said to them:

The destruction of Ninive is at hand: for the word of the Lord must be fulfilled: and our brethren, that are scattered abroad from the land of Israel, shall return to it.

And all the land thereof that is desert shall be filled with people, and the house of God which is burnt in it, shall again be rebuilt: and all that fear God shall return thither.

And the Gentiles shall leave their idols, and shall come into Jerusalem, and shall dwell in it.

And all the kings of the earth shall rejoice in it, adoring the King of Israel.

Hearken therefore, my children, to your father: serve the Lord in truth, and seek to do the things that please him:

And command your children that they do justice and almsdeeds, and that they be mindful of God, and bless him at all times in truth, and with all their power.

And now, children, hear me, and do not stay here: but as soon as you shall bury your mother by me in one sepulchre, without delay direct your steps to depart hence:

For I see that its iniquity will bring it to destruction.

And it came to pass that after the death of his mother, Tobias departed out of Ninive with his wife, and children, and children’s children, and returned to his father and mother in law.

And he found them in health in a good old age: and he took care of them, and he closed their eyes: and all the inheritance of Raguel’s house came to him: and he saw his children’s children to the fifth generation.

And after he had lived ninety-nine years in the fear of the Lord, with joy they buried him.

And all his kindred, and all his generation continued in good life, and in holy conversation, so that they were acceptable both to God, and to men, and to all that dwelt in the land.