Tobit 6

KING JAMES BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 And as they went on their journey, they came in the evening to the river Tigris, and they lodged there.	1 And so Tobias continued on, and the dog was following him, and he stayed at the first stopping point, near the river Tigris.
2 And when the young man went down to wash himself, a fish leaped out of the river, and would have devoured him.	2 And he went out to wash his feet, and behold, an immense fish came out to devour him.
3 Then the angel said unto him, Take the fish. And the young man laid hold of the fish, and drew it to land.	3 And Tobias, being frightened of it, cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Sir, it is attacking me!”
4 To whom the angel said, Open the fish, and take the heart and the liver and the gall, and put them up safely.	4 And the Angel said to him, “Catch it by the gills, and draw it to you.” And when he had done so, he pulled it onto dry land, and it began to thrash before his feet.
5 So the young man did as the angel commanded him; and when they had roasted the fish, they did eat it: then they both went on their way, till they drew near to Ecbatane.	5 Then the Angel said to him: “Disembowel this fish, and put aside his heart, and his gall, and his liver for yourself. For these things are necessary as useful medicines.”
6 Then the young man said to the angel, Brother Azarias, to what use is the heart and the liver and the gal of the fish?	6 And when he had done so, he roasted its flesh, and they took it with them on the way. The rest they salted, so that it might be sufficient for them, until they would arrive at Rages, a city of the Medes.
7 And he said unto him, Touching the heart and the liver, if a devil or an evil spirit trouble any, we must make a smoke thereof before the man or the woman, and the party shall be no more vexed.	7 Then Tobias questioned the Angel, and he said to him, “I implore you, brother Azariah, to tell me what remedies these things hold, which you have told me to retain from the fish?”
8 As for the gall, it is good to anoint a man that hath whiteness in his eyes, and he shall be healed.	8 And the Angel, answering, said to him: “If you put a little piece of its heart on burning coals, its smoke will drive away all kind of demons, whether from a man or from a woman, so that they will no longer approach them.
9 And when they were come near to Rages,	9 And the gall is useful for anointing the eyes, in which there may be a white speck, and they will be cured.”
10 The angel said to the young man, Brother, to day we shall lodge with Raguel, who is thy cousin; he also hath one only daughter, named Sara; I will speak for her, that she may be given thee for a wife.	10 And Tobias said to him, “Where do you prefer that we stay?”
11 For to thee doth the right of her appertain, seeing thou only art of her kindred.	11 And the Angel, responding, said: “Here is one named Raguel, a man closely related to you from your tribe, and he has a daughter named Sarah, but he has no other male or female, except her.
12 And the maid is fair and wise: now therefore hear me, and I will speak to her father; and when we return from Rages we will celebrate the marriage: for I know that Raguel cannot marry her to another according to the law of Moses, but he shall be guilty of death, because the right of inheritance doth rather appertain to thee than to any other.	12 All his livelihood is dependent upon you, and you ought to take her to yourself in marriage.
13 Then the young man answered the angel, I have heard, brother Azarias that this maid hath been given to seven men, who all died in the marriage chamber.	13 Therefore, ask for her from her father, and he will give her to you as wife.”
14 And now I am the only son of my father, and I am afraid, lest if I go in unto her, I die, as the other before: for a wicked spirit loveth her, which hurteth no body, but those which come unto her; wherefore I also fear lest I die, and bring my father's and my mother's life because of me to the grave with sorrow: for they have no other son to bury them.	14 Then Tobias responded, and he said: “I hear that she has been given to seven husbands, and they passed away. But I have even heard this: that a demon killed them.
15 Then the angel said unto him, Dost thou not remember the precepts which thy father gave thee, that thou shouldest marry a wife of thine own kindred? wherefore hear me, O my brother; for she shall be given thee to wife; and make thou no reckoning of the evil spirit; for this same night shall she be given thee in marriage.	15 Therefore, I am afraid, lest this may happen to me also. And since I am the only child of my parents, I might send their old age with sorrow to the grave.”
16 And when thou shalt come into the marriage chamber, thou shalt take the ashes of perfume, and shalt lay upon them some of the heart and liver of the fish, and shalt make a smoke with it:	16 Then the Angel Raphael said to him: “Listen to me, and I will reveal to you who they are, over whom the demon can prevail.
17 And the devil shall smell it, and flee away, and never come again any more: but when thou shalt come to her, rise up both of you, and pray to God which is merciful, who will have pity on you, and save you: fear not, for she is appointed unto thee from the beginning; and thou shalt preserve her, and she shall go with thee. Moreover I suppose that she shall bear thee children. Now when Tobias had heard these things, he loved her, and his heart was effectually joined to her.	17 For example, those who receive marriage in such manner as to exclude God from themselves and from their mind, and in such a manner as to empty themselves to their lust, like the horse and mule, which have no understanding, over them the demon has power.
18 []	18 But you, when you will have accepted her, enter the bedroom and for three days keep yourself continent from her, and empty yourself to nothing other than prayers with her.
	19 Moreover, on that night, burn the liver of the fish like incense, and the demon will be put to flight.
	20 In truth, on the second night, you will become ready to receive a physical union like that of the holy Patriarchs.
	21 And then, on the third night, you will obtain a blessing, so that healthy children may be procreated from you both.
	22 And so, the third night having been accomplished, you will receive the virgin with the fear of the Lord, led more by love of children than by physical desire, so that, as the offspring of Abraham, you will then obtain a blessing in children.