Tobit, 8

1. When they had finished eating and drinking and it seemed time to go to bed, the young man was taken from the dining room to the bedroom.

1. When they had finished eating, they escorted Tobias in to her.

2. Tobias remembered Raphael's advice; he went to his bag, took the fish's heart and liver out of it and put some on the burning incense.

2. As he went he remembered the words of Raphael, and he took the live ashes of incense and put the heart and liver of the fish upon them and made a smoke.

3. The reek of the fish distressed the demon, who fled through the air to Egypt. Raphael pursued him there, shackled him and strangled him forthwith.

3. And when the demon smelled the odor he fled to the remotest parts of Egypt, and the angel bound him.

4. The parents meanwhile had gone out and shut the door behind them. Tobias rose from the bed, and said to Sarah, 'Get up, my sister! You and I must pray and petition our Lord to win his grace and his protection.'

4. When the door was shut and the two were alone, Tobias got up from the bed and said, "Sister, get up, and let us pray that the Lord may have mercy upon us."

5. She stood up, and they began praying for protection, and this was how he began: You are blessed, O God of our fathers; blessed too is your name for ever and ever. Let the heavens bless you and all things you have made for evermore.

5. And Tobias began to pray, "Blessed art thou, O God of our fathers, and blessed be thy holy and glorious name for ever. Let the heavens and all thy creatures bless thee.

6. You it was who created Adam, you who created Eve his wife to be his help and support; and from these two the human race was born. You it was who said, 'It is not right that the man should be alone; let us make him a helper like him.'

6. Thou madest Adam and gavest him Eve his wife as a helper and support. From them the race of mankind has sprung. Thou didst say, `It is not good that the man should be alone; let us make a helper for him like himself.'

7. And so I take my sister not for any lustful motive, but I do it in singleness of heart. Be kind enough to have pity on her and on me and bring us to old age together.

7. And now, O Lord, I am not taking this sister of mine because of lust, but with sincerity. Grant that I may find mercy and may grow old together with her."

8. And together they said, 'Amen, Amen,'

8. And she said with him, "Amen."

9. and lay down for the night. But Raguel rose and called his servants, who came and helped him dig a grave.

9. Then they both went to sleep for the night. But Raguel arose and went and dug a grave,

10. He had thought, 'Heaven grant he does not die! We should be overwhelmed with ridicule and shame.'

10. with the thought, "Perhaps he too will die."

11. When the grave was ready, Raguel went back to the house, called his wife

11. Then Raguel went into his house

12. and said, 'Will you send a maid to the room to see if Tobias is still alive? For if he is dead, we may be able to bury him without anyone else knowing.'

12. and said to his wife Edna, "Send one of the maids to see whether he is alive; and if he is not, let us bury him without any one knowing about it."

13. They sent the maid, lit the lamp, opened the door and the maid went in. She found the two fast asleep together;

13. So the maid opened the door and went in, and found them both asleep.

14. she came out again and whispered, 'He is not dead; all is well.'

14. And she came out and told them that he was alive.

15. Then Raguel blessed the God of heaven with these words: You are blessed, my God, with every blessing that is pure; may you be blessed for evermore!

15. Then Raguel blessed God and said, "Blessed art thou, O God, with every pure and holy blessing. Let thy saints and all thy creatures bless thee; let all thy angels and thy chosen people bless thee for ever.

16. You are blessed for having made me glad. What I feared has not happened, instead you have shown us your boundless mercy.

16. Blessed art thou, because thou hast made me glad. It has not happened to me as I expected; but thou hast treated us according to thy great mercy.

17. You are blessed for taking pity on this only son, this only daughter. Grant them, Master, your mercy and your protection; let them live out their lives in happiness and in mercy.

17. Blessed art thou, because thou hast had compassion on two only children. Show them mercy, O Lord; and bring their lives to fulfilment in health and happiness and mercy."

18. And he made his servants fill the grave in before dawn broke.

18. Then he ordered his servants to fill in the grave.

19. He told his wife to make an ovenful of bread; he went to his flock, brought back two oxen and four sheep and gave orders for them to be cooked; and preparations began.

19. After this he gave a wedding feast for them which lasted fourteen days.

20. He called Tobias and said, 'I will not hear of your leaving here for a fortnight. You are to stay where you are, eating and drinking, with me. You will make my daughter happy again after all her troubles.

20. And before the days of the feast were over, Raguel declared by oath to Tobias that he should not leave until the fourteen days of the wedding feast were ended,

21. After that, take away a half of all I have, and take her safe and sound back to your father. When my wife and I are dead you shall have the other half. Courage, my boy! I am your father, and Edna is your mother. We are your parents in future, as we are your sister's. Courage, my son!'

21. that then he should take half of Raguel's property and return in safety to his father, and that the rest would be his "when my wife and I die."