Liber Thobis, 6

1. profectusque est Tobias et canis secutus est eum et mansit prima mansione juxta fluvium Tigris

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

2. et exivit ut lavaret pedes suos et ecce piscis inmanis exivit ad devorandum eum

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

3. quem expavescens clamavit voce magna dicens Domine invadet me

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

4. et dixit ei angelus adprehende brancia ejus et trahe eum ad te quod cum fecisset adtraxit eum in sicco et palpitare cœpit ante pedes ejus

4. 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.

5. tunc dixit ei angelus extentera hunc piscem et cor ejus et fel ejus et jecur repone tibi sunt enim hæc necessaria ad medicamenta utiliter

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

6. quod cum fecisset assavit carnes ejus et secum sustulerunt in via cetera salierunt quæ sufficerent eis quousque pervenirent in Rages civitatem Medorum

6. 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.

7. tunc interrogavit Tobias angelum et dixit ei obsecro te Azarias frater ut dicas mihi quod remedium habebunt ista quæ de pisce servare jussisti

7. 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?

8. respondensque dixit ei cordis ejus particulam si super carbones ponas fumus ejus extricat omne dæmonium sive a viro sive a muliere ita ut ultra non accedat ad eos

8. 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.

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

10. et dixit ei ubi vis ut maneamus

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

11. respondensque angelus ait est hic Raguhel nomine propinquus vir de tribu tua et hic habet filiam nomine Sarram sed neque masculum neque feminam ullum habet alium præter eam

11. 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.

12. tibi debetur omnis substantia ejus et oportet te eam accipere coniugem

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

13. pete ergo eam a patre ejus et dabit tibi eam uxorem

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

14. tunc respondit Tobias et dixit audio quia tradita est viris septem et mortui sunt sed et hæc audivi quia dæmonium illos occidit

14. 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.

15. timeo ergo ne forte mihi hæc eveniant et cum sim unicus parentibus meis deponam senectutem illorum cum tristitia ad infernum

15. 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.

16. tunc angelus Rafaël dixit ei audi me et ostendam tibi qui sunt quibus prævalere potest dæmonium

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

17. hii namque qui coniugium ita suscipiunt ut Deum a se sua mente excludant et suæ libidini ita vacent sicut equus et mulus in quibus non est intellectus habet potestatem dæmonium super eos

17. 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.

18. tu autem cum acceperis eam ingressus cubiculum per tres dies continens esto ab ea et nihil aliud nisi orationibus vacabis cum ea

18. 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.

19. ipsa autem nocte incenso jecore piscis fugabitur dæmonium

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

20. secunda vero nocte in copulatione sanctorum patriarcharum admitteris

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

21. tertia autem nocte benedictione consequeris ut filii ex vobis incolomes procreentur

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

22. transacta autem tertia nocte accipies virginem cum timore Domini amore filiorum magis quam libidinis ductus ut in semine Abrahæ benedictionem in filiis consequaris

22. 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.