Tobit 7

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 As they entered Ecbatana, Tobias said, 'Brother Azarias, take me at once to our brother Raguel's.' Andhe showed him the way to the house of Raguel, whom they found sitting beside his courtyard door. They greetedhim first, and he replied, 'Welcome and greetings, brothers.' And he took them into his house.	1 And so they went to Raguel, and Raguel received them with gladness.
2 He said to his wife Edna, 'How like my brother Tobit this young man is!'	2 And Raguel, gazing upon Tobias, said to Anna his wife, “How much like my cousin is this young man!”
3 Edna asked them where they came from; they said, 'We are sons of Naphtali exiled in Nineveh.'	3 And when he had spoken this, he said, “Which of our brethren are you from, young men?”
4 'Do you know our brother Tobit?' 'Yes.' 'How is he?'	4 But they said, “We are from the tribe of Naphtali, from the captivity of Nineveh.”
5 'He is alive and wel .' And Tobias added, 'He is my father.'	5 And Raguel said to them, “Do you know my brother Tobit?” They said to him, “We know him.”
6 Raguel leapt to his feet and kissed him and wept.	6 And since he was saying many good things about him, the Angel said to Raguel, “The Tobit about whom you inquire is the father of this young man.”
7 Then, finding words, he said, 'Blessings on you, child! You are the son of a noble father. How sad it isthat someone so bright and ful of good deeds should have gone blind!' He fel on the neck of his kinsman Tobiasand wept.	7 And Raguel threw himself towards him and kissed him with tears and weeping upon his neck, saying, “May a blessing be upon you, my son, because you are the son of a good and most noble man.”
8 And his wife Edna wept for him, and so did his daughter Sarah.	8 And his wife Anna, and their daughter Sarah, were weeping.
9 Raguel kil ed a ram from the flock, and they gave them a warm welcome. They washed and bathed andsat down to table. Then Tobias said to Raphael, 'Brother Azarias, wil you ask Raguel to give me my sisterSarah?'	9 And so, after they had spoken, Raguel instructed a sheep to be killed, and a feast to be prepared. And when he exhorted them to recline for dinner,
10 Raguel overheard the words, and said to the young man, 'Eat and drink, and make the most of yourevening; no one else has the right to take my daughter Sarah -- no one but you, my brother. In any case even Iam not at liberty to give her to anyone else, since you are her next of kin. However, my boy, I must be frank with you:	10 Tobias said, “Here, today, I will not eat or drink, unless you first confirm my petition, and promise to give Sarah your daughter to me.”
11 I have tried to find a husband for her seven times among our kinsmen, and al of them have died thefirst evening, on going to her room. But for the present, my boy, eat and drink; the Lord wil grant you his graceand peace.' Tobias spoke out, 'I wil not hear of eating and drinking til you have come to a decision about me.'Raguel answered, 'Very wel . Since, by the prescription of the Book of Moses she is given to you, Heaven itselfdecrees she shal be yours. I therefore entrust your sister to you. From now on you are her brother and she isyour sister. She is given to you from today for ever. The Lord of heaven favour you tonight, my child, and grantyou his grace and peace.'	11 When Raguel heard this word, he became afraid, knowing what had befallen those seven men, who had approached her. And he began to fear, lest it might happen to him also in the same way. And, since he wavered and gave no further response to the petition,
12 Raguel called for his daughter Sarah, took her by the hand and gave her to Tobias with these words, 'Ientrust her to you; the law and the ruling recorded in the Book of Moses assign her to you as your wife. Takeher; bring her home safe and sound to your father's house. The God of heaven grant you a good journey inpeace.'	12 the Angel said to him: “Do not be afraid to give her to this one, because this one fears God. He is obliged to be joined to your daughter. Because of this, no other one could have her.”
13 Then he turned to her mother and asked her to fetch him writing paper. He drew up the marriagecontract, and so he gave his daughter as bride to Tobias according to the ordinance of the Law of Moses.	13 Then Raguel said: “I do not doubt that God has admitted my prayers and tears before his sight.
14 After this they began to eat and drink.	14 And I believe, therefore, that he has caused you to come to me, so that this one might be joined in marriage to one of her own kindred, according to the law of Moses. And now, do not continue to doubt that I will give her to you.”
15 Raguel called his wife Edna and said, 'My sister, prepare the second room and take her there.'	15 And taking the right hand of his daughter, he gave it into the right hand of Tobias, saying, “May the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob be with you. And may he join you together in marriage and fulfill his blessing in you.”
16 She went and made the bed in this room as he had ordered, and took her daughter to it. She weptover her, then wiped away her tears and said, 'Courage, daughter! May the Lord of heaven turn your grief to joy!Courage, daughter!' And she went out.	16 And taking paper, they made a written record of the marriage.
	17 And after this, they feasted, blessing God.
	18 And Raguel called his wife Anna to him, and he instructed her to prepare another bedroom.
	19 And she brought her daughter Sarah into it, and she was weeping.
	20 And she said to her, “Be steadfast in spirit, my daughter. May the Lord of heaven give you gladness in place of the grief that you have had to endure.”