Tobit 11

¹ They were nearly at Kaserin, opposite Nineveh,

² when Raphael said, 'You know the plight in which we left your father;

³ let us go on ahead of your wife and prepare the house ourselves while she travels behind with theothers.'

⁴ They went on together (Raphael warned Tobias to take the gal with him) and the dog followed them.

⁵ Anna was sitting, watching the road by which her son would come.

⁶ She was sure at once it must be he and said to the father, 'Here comes your son, with his companion.'

⁷ Raphael said to Tobias before he reached his father, 'I give you my word that your father's eyes wil open.

⁸ You must put the fish's gal to his eyes; the medicine wil smart and wil draw a filmy white skin off hiseyes. And your father wil no more be blind but will be able to see the light.'

⁹ The mother ran forward and threw her arms round her son's neck. 'Now I can die,' she said, 'I haveseen you again.' And she wept.

¹⁰ Tobit rose to his feet and stumbled across the courtyard through the door. Tobias came on towardshim

¹¹ (he had the fish's gal in his hand). He blew into his eyes and said, steadying him, 'Take courage,father!' With this he applied the medicine, left it there a while,

¹² then with both hands peeled away a filmy skin from the corners of his eyes.

¹³ Then his father fel on his neck

¹⁴ and wept. He exclaimed, 'I can see you, my son, the light of my eyes!' And he said: Blessed be God!Blessed be his great name! Blessed be all his holy angels! Blessed be his great name for evermore!

¹⁵ For, having afflicted me, he has had pity on me and now I see my son Tobias! Tobias went indoors,joyfully blessing God at the top of his voice. Then he told his father everything; how his journey had beensuccessful and he had brought the silver back; how he had married Sarah the daughter of Raguel; how she wasfol owing him now, close behind, and could not be far from the gates of Nineveh.

¹⁶ Tobit set off to the gates of Nineveh to meet his daughter-in-law, giving joyful praise to God as hewent. When the people of Nineveh saw him walking without a guide and stepping forward as briskly as of old,they were astonished.

¹⁷ Tobit described to them how God had taken pity on him and had opened his eyes. Then Tobit metSarah the bride of his son Tobias, and blessed her in these words. 'Welcome, daughter! Blessed be your God forsending you to us, my daughter. Blessings on your father, blessings on my son Tobias, blessings on yourself,my daughter. Welcome now to your own house in joyfulness and in blessedness. Come in, my daughter.' Thatday brought joy to the Jews of Nineveh,

¹⁸ and his cousins Ahikar and Nadab came to share in Tobit's happiness.