Tobit 12

1Then Tobias called to him his son, and said to him: What can we give to this holy man, that is come with thee?

2Tobias answering, said to his father: Father, what wages shall we give him? or what can be worthy of his benefits?

3He conducted me and brought me safe again, he received the money of Gabelus, he caused me to have my wife, and he chased from her the evil spirit, he gave joy to her parents, myself he delivered from being devoured by the fish, thee also he hath made to see the light of heaven, and we are filled with all good things through him. What can we give him sufficient for these things?

4But I beseech thee, my father, to desire him, that he would vouchsafe to accept one half of all things that have been brought.

5So the father and the son, calling him, took him aside: and began to desire him that he would vouchsafe to accept of half of all things that they had brought.

6Then he said to them secretly: Bless ye the God of heaven, give glory to him in the sight of all that live, because he hath shewn his mercy to you.

7For it is good to hide the secret of a king: but honourable to reveal and confess the works of God.

8Prayer is good with fasting and alms more than to lay up treasures of gold:

9For alms delivereth from death, and the same is that which purgeth away sins, and maketh to find mercy and life everlasting.

10But they that commit sin and iniquity, are enemies to their own soul.

11I discover then the truth unto you, and I will not hide the secret from you.

12When thou didst pray with tears, and didst bury the dead, and didst leave thy dinner, and hide the dead by day in thy house, and bury them by night, I offered thy prayer to the Lord.

13And because thou wast acceptable to God, it was necessary that temptation should prove thee.

14And now the Lord hath sent me to heal thee, and to deliver Sara thy son’s wife from the devil.

15For I am the angel Raphael, one of the seven, who stand before the Lord.

16And when they had heard these things, they were troubled, and being seized with fear they fell upon the ground on their face.

17And the angel said to them: Peace be to you, fear not.

18For when I was with you, I was there by the will of God: bless ye him, and sing praises to him.

19I seemed indeed to eat and to drink with you: but I use an invisible meat and drink, which cannot be seen by men.

20It is time therefore that I return to him that sent me: but bless ye God, and publish all his wonderful works.

21And when he had said these things, he was taken from their sight, and they could see him no more.

22Then they lying prostrate for three hours upon their face, blessed God: and rising up, they told all his wonderful works.

1Tunc vocavit ad se Tobias filium suum, dixitque ei: Quid possumus dare viro isti sancto, qui venit tecum?

2Respondens Tobias, dixit patri suo: Pater, quam mercedem dabimus ei? aut quid dignum poterit esse beneficiis ejus?

3Me duxit et reduxit sanum, pecuniam a Gabelo ipse recepit, uxorem ipse me habere fecit, et dæmonium ab ea ipse compescuit: gaudium parentibus ejus fecit, meipsum a devoratione piscis eripuit, te quoque videre fecit lumen cæli, et bonis omnibus per eum repleti sumus. Quid illi ad hæc poterimus dignum dare?

4Sed peto te, pater mi, ut roges eum, si forte dignabitur medietatem de omnibus quæ allata sunt, sibi assumere.

5Et vocantes eum, pater scilicet et filius, tulerunt eum in partem: et rogare cœperunt ut dignaretur dimidiam partem omnium quæ attulerant acceptam habere.

6Tunc dixit eis occulte: Benedicite Deum cæli, et coram omnibus viventibus confitemini ei, quia fecit vobiscum misericordiam suam.

7Etenim sacramentum regis abscondere bonum est: opera autem Dei revelare et confiteri honorificum est.

8Bona est oratio cum jejunio, et eleemosyna magis quam thesauros auri recondere:

9quoniam eleemosyna a morte liberat, et ipsa est quæ purgat peccata, et facit invenire misericordiam et viam æternam.

10Qui autem faciunt peccatum et iniquitatem, hostes sunt animæ suæ.

11Manifesto ergo vobis veritatem, et non abscondam a vobis occultum sermonem.

12Quando orabas cum lacrimis, et sepeliebas mortuos, et derelinquebas prandium tuum, et mortuos abscondebas per diem in domo tua, et nocte sepeliebas eos, ego obtuli orationem tuam Domino.

13Et quia acceptus eras Deo, necesse fuit ut tentatio probaret te.

14Et nunc misit me Dominus ut curarem te, et Saram uxorem filii tui a dæmonio liberarem.

15Ego enim sum Raphaël angelus, unus ex septem qui adstamus ante Dominum.

16Cumque hæc audissent, turbati sunt, et trementes ceciderunt super terram in faciem suam.

17Dixitque eis angelus: Pax vobis: nolite timere.

18Etenim cum essem vobiscum, per voluntatem Dei eram: ipsum benedicite, et cantate illi.

19Videbar quidem vobiscum manducare et bibere: sed ego cibo invisibili, et potu qui ab hominibus videri non potest, utor.

20Tempus est ergo ut revertar ad eum qui me misit: vos autem benedicite Deum, et narrate omnia mirabilia ejus.

21Et cum hæc dixisset, ab aspectu eorum ablatus est, et ultra eum videre non potuerunt.

22Tunc prostrati per horas tres in faciem, benedixerunt Deum: et exsurgentes narraverunt omnia mirabilia ejus.

1Then Tobit called his son to him, and he said to him, “What are we able to give to this holy man, who accompanied you?”

2Tobias, answering, said to his father: “Father, what wages shall we give him? And what could be worthy of his benefits?

3He led me and he brought me back safely. He received the money from Gabael. He caused me to have my wife. And he confined the demon away from her. He caused joy to her parents. Myself, he rescued from being devoured by the fish. As for you, he also caused you to see the light of heaven. And so, we have been filled with all good things through him. What could we possibly give to him that would be worthy of these things?

4But I implore you, my father, to ask him if he would perhaps deign to take for himself half of all the things that have been brought.”

5And calling him, the father especially, and the son, they took him aside. And they began to petition him, so that he would deign to accept ownership of one half part of all things that they had brought.

6Then he said to them privately: “Bless the God of heaven, and confess to him in the sight of all who live, for he has acted in his mercy toward you.

7For it is good to conceal the secret of a king, just as it is also honorable to reveal and to confess the works of God.

8Prayer with fasting is good, and almsgiving is better than hiding away gold in storage.

9For almsgiving delivers from death, and the same is what purges sins and makes one able to find mercy and everlasting life.

10But those who commit sin and iniquity are enemies to their own soul.

11Therefore, I reveal the truth to you, and I will not hide the explanation from you.

12When you prayed with tears, and buried the dead, and left behind your dinner, and hid the dead by day in your house, and buried them by night: I offered your prayer to the Lord.

13And because you were acceptable to God, it was necessary for you to be tested by trials.

14And now, the Lord has sent me to cure you, and to free Sarah, your son’s wife, from the demon.

15For I am the Angel Raphael, one of seven, who stand before the Lord.”

16And when they had heard these things, they were troubled, and being seized with fear, they fell upon the ground on their face.

17And the Angel said to them: “Peace be to you. Fear not.

18For when I was with you, I was there by the will of God. Bless him, and sing to him.

19Indeed, I seemed to eat and drink with you, but I make use of an invisible food and drink, which cannot be seen by men.

20Therefore, it is time that I return to him who sent me. But as for you, bless God, and describe all his wonders.”

21And when he had said these things, he was taken from their sight, and they were not able to see him any longer.

22Then, lying prostrate for three hours upon their face, they blessed God. And rising up, they described all his wonders.