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[The] scroll of the words of Tobit [Heb., Tobhiyah, “The LORD is good”], the [son] of Tobiel, the [son] of Ananiel, the [son] of Aduel, the [son] of Gabael, from the seed [fig., descendants, and throughout book] of Asiel, from the tribe of Naphtali [LXX, Nephthalim], ²who was led captive in [the] days of Shalmaneser [LXX, Enemessar] the king of [the] Assyrians out of Thisbe, which is at [the] right of Kadesh Naphtali in Galilee above Asher [LXX, Aser].

 

        ³I, Tobit, was walking in [the] ways of truth and righteousness all the days of my life, and I gave many alms [or, did many acts of charity] to my brothers [and sisters] and to [my] nation, having come along with me into [the] country of [the] Assyrians, into Nineveh [LXX, Nineve]. ⁴And when I was in my [own] country, in the land of Israel, my being [fig., when I was] young, all [the] tribe of Naphtali my father [fig., ancestor, and elsewhere in book] departed from the house of Jerusalem, having been chosen from all of the tribes of Israel, for all the tribes to be sacrificing [there], and [where] the temple of the habitation of the Most High was consecrated and was built into all the generations of the age [fig., for all generations to come].

 

            ⁵But all the tribes having revolted together, and the house of my father Naphtali, were sacrificing to the heifer Baal. ⁶But I alone was going frequently to Jerusalem in the feasts, just as it had been written to all Israel by an everlasting decree, having the first fruits and the tenths of the harvests and the first shearings [of the sheep]. ⁷And I was giving them to the priests, to the sons of Aaron at the altar. I was giving the tenth of all the harvests to the sons of Levi, ministering in Jerusalem. And the second tenth I was selling, and I was going and was spending them in Jerusalem according to each year [fig., every year]. ⁸And the third I was giving to who is suitable [fig., needed it], just as Deborah the mother of my father commanded, because I was left an orphan by my father.

 

            ⁹And when I become a man, I took Anna [as] a wife, from the seed of our father, and by her I fathered Tobias. ¹⁰And when we were led captive into Nineveh, all my brothers [and sisters] and the [ones] from my race were eating from the bread of the Gentiles [i.e., non-Jews]. ¹¹But I preserved my soul not to eat [fig., kept myself from eating], ¹²because I had remembered God with my whole soul. ¹³And the Most High gave [me] favor and [good] appearance before Shalmaneser [LXX, Enemessaros], and I was his purveyor [or, buyer of provisions].

 

            ¹⁴And I was going into Media and entrusted to Gabael, the brother of Gabrias, at Rages [a city] of Media, ten talents [about 950 pounds or 420 kilograms] of silver. ¹⁵And when Shalmaneser died, Sennacherib his son reigned in his place. And his roads were unsettled, so no longer was I enabled to go into Media.

 

            ¹⁶And in the days of Shalmaneser I was giving many alms to [or, performing many acts of charity for] my brothers [and sisters]. ¹⁷And I was giving my bread to ones hungering and my clothes to the naked [people]. And if I was observing any from my race having died and having been cast out behind the walls of Nineveh, I was burying him. ¹⁸And if Sennacherib the king killed any, when he came, fleeing from Judea, I buried them stealing [fig., in secret], for he killed many in his wrath; and the bodies were sought for by the king, but were not found.

 

            ¹⁹But one of the [people] in Nineveh having gone, made known to the king concerning me, that I am burying them, so I hid myself. But having known that I was sought to be put to death, having feared, I withdrew. ²⁰Then all the [things] existing of me [fig., all of my possessions] were plundered, so there was not anything left to me, except Anna my wife and Tobias my son.

 

        ²¹But fifty days did not pass until which [time] two of his [i.e., Shalmaneser’s] sons killed him, and they fled into the mountains of Ararat, and Esarhaddon [LXX, Sacherdonus] his son reigned in his place. And he appointed Ahikar [LXX, Achiacharus] the son of my brother Anael over all the accounts of his kingdom and over all the administration. ²²And Ahikar entreated concerning me, so I came to Nineveh. Now Ahikar was the cupbearer and over the signet-ring and administrator and accountant, and Esarhaddon set him in charge from second [fig., next to him]. And he was my nephew.

 

 

 And when I went down into my home, and Anna my wife was given back to me, and Tobias my son, at the Pentecost feast, which is [the] holy seven of sevens [fig., weeks], there was a good dinner to [fig., prepared for] me, and I reclined to eat. ²And I observed many cooked meats, and I said to my son, “Go, and bring whatever poor [people] you shall find of our brothers [and sisters], who has remembered the Lord; and behold, I will wait for you.” [cp. Luke 14:12-14,21]

 

            ³But having come, he said, “Father, one from our race, having been strangled, has been cast out in the marketplace!” ⁴Then I, before to taste me [fig., I tasted, and similarly elsewhere in book] anything, having jumped up, took him [i.e., the dead body] up into a room until which [time] the sun set. ⁵Then having returned, I washed myself and was eating my bread with grief. ⁶And I was reminded of the prophecy of Amos, just as he said, “Your* feasts will be turned into mourning and all your* gladness into a dirge [or, lamentation].” [Amos 8:10] And I wept. ⁷And when the sun set, I was going; and having dug [a grave], I buried him. ⁸And the neighbors were laughing approvingly, saying, “He is no longer afraid to be put to death concerning this matter, and he fled away; and behold, he again buries the dead!”

 

            ⁹Now in the same night, I returned, having buried [fig., having completed the burial], and I slept, having been defiled, by the wall of the courtyard, and my face was uncovered. ¹⁰And I did not know that there are sparrows on the wall, and my eyes having opened, the sparrows discharged warm excrement into my eyes, and white spots [lit., whitenesses, and throughout book] became in my eyes. So I was walked to [the] physicians, but they did not help me. But Ahikar was nourishing [fig., taking care of] me, until which [time] I was walked into Elymais.

 

            ¹¹So my wife Anna began working in the female [works] [i.e., such as spinning wool or weaving cloth]. ¹²And she was sending to the lords, and they paid to her, and they having given over the wage and a young goat. ¹³Now when it came to me, it began to be bleating, and I said to her, “From where [is] the young goat? It is not stolen, is it? Give it back to the lords, for it is not lawful to eat a stolen [animal]!”

 

            ¹⁴But she said, “A gift has been given to me in addition to the wage.” But I was not believing her, but was saying to be giving it back to the lords; and I was flushing [with anger] towards her. But having answered, she said to me, “Where are your alms [or, acts of charity] and your righteous deeds? Behold, all [thing are] known against you!”

 

Then having been grieved, I wept, and I prayed with sorrow, saying, ²“You are righteous, O Lord, and all Your works and all Your ways [are] alms [or, acts of charity] and truth, and You judge a true and just judgment into the age [fig., always judge truly and justly]. ³Be reminded of me and look with care upon me; do not punish me for my sins and for my sins committed in ignorance and [the sins] of my fathers, which [things] they sinned before You. ⁴For they refused to listen to Your commandments; You gave us for plunder and captivity and death and a parable [or, symbol] of reproach to all the nations among whom we have been scattered.

 

            ⁵“And now Your many judgments are true; from me to do [fig., deal with me] concerning my sins and the [sins] of my fathers; because we did not do Your commandments, for we were not walked [or, did not walk] in truth before You. ⁶So now do with me according to the pleasing [thing] before You; command to take up my spirit [or, breath], in order that I should be released and become earth; for it is better to me to die than to be living, because I heard false reproaches, and there is much grief in me. Command [for] me to be released of the distress now into the everlasting place. Do not turn Your face away from me.”

 

            ⁷It happened in the same day to the daughter of Raguel, to Sarah [LXX, Sara] in Ecbatane the [city] of Media, and this [woman] to be reproached by [the] female-servants [or, slaves, and throughout book] of her father. ⁸Because she was having been given [fig., married] to seven husbands, but Asmodeus the evil demon killed them, before to become them with her as with a wife [fig., before they had consummated the marriage with her]. And they said to her, “You were understanding, one choking your husbands [fig., You understand, you are the one choking your husbands], do you not? You already had seven, and you were not benefitted [by] one of them. [cp., Matt 22:23-28] ⁹Why do you beat [or, punish] us? If they died, be going with them. May we not see a son or a daughter of you into the age [fig., May we never see a son or a daughter of yours]!” ¹⁰These [things] having heard, she was exceedingly sorrowful so [as] to hang herself. But she said, “I am indeed [the] only [daughter] to my father; if I do this, it is a disgrace to him, and I will bring his old age with sorrow down into the realm of the dead [Gr., hades].”

 

            ¹¹Then she prayed toward the window and said, “Blessed are You, O Lord my God, and Your holy and precious name [is] blessed into the age [fig., forever]! May all Your works bless You into the age [fig., forever]. ¹²And now, O Lord, I have given [fig., set] my eyes and my face to You. ¹³Say [fig., Command] to release me from the earth, for [lit., and, and elsewhere in book] me not to hear reproach any longer. ¹⁴You know, O Lord, that I am innocent from all [or, any] sin with a man. ¹⁵And I did not defile my name or the name of my father in the land of my captivity. I am [the] only begotten [daughter] to my father, and there does not exist to him a child who will inherit [from] him, neither a near brother [fig., relative], nor a son existing to him [i.e., to the relative], that I should preserve myself for him [for] a wife. Seven [husbands] already perished to me, that why to me to be living [fig., why should I be living]? But if it does not seem [good] to You to kill me, command [the female-servants] to look upon me with care and to pity me, so no longer [for] me to hear a reproach.”

 

            ¹⁶So the prayers of both were heard before the glory of the great Raphael [or, the great [God] of Raphael]. ¹⁷And he was sent to heal the two [eyes] of Tobit, to peel away the white spots, and to give Sarah the [daughter] of Raguel to Tobias the son of Tobit [for] a wife, and to bind Asmodeus the wicked demon, because she falls to Tobit to inherit her. At [the] same time, having returned, Tobit came into his house, and Sarah the [daughter] of Raguel came down from her upstairs room.

 

Love righteousness, the ones judging the earth; think about the Lord in [or, with] goodness, and seek Him in sincerity of heart. ²For He is found by the ones not testing Him, and He appears to the ones not refusing to believe in Him. ³For perverse thoughts separate from God, and [His] power being tested reproves the foolish [people]. ⁴For wisdom will not enter into a malicious soul nor dwell in a body involved in sin. ⁵For a holy spirit of discipline [fig., a holy and disciplined spirit] will flee deceit and will rise and will depart from senseless thoughts and will reprove having come unrighteousness [or, rebuke when injustice occurs].

 

        ⁶For wisdom [is] a humane spirit and will not let go unpunished a blasphemous [person] from [the guilt of] his lips, for God [is] witness of his kidneys [fig., thoughts] and a true overseer [or, observer] of his heart and a hearer of [his] tongue. ⁷For [the] Spirit of the Lord has filled the inhabited earth, and the [One] keeping all [things] together [or, from dispersing] has knowledge of [every] voice.

 

        ⁸Because of this, one speaking unrighteous [things] shall by no means escape notice, and by no means shall the convicting justice pass by him. ⁹For a close examination with deliberations will be [made] of an ungodly [person], and a report of his words will come to the Lord for verification of his lawless actions. ¹⁰For an ear of jealousy hears all [things], and a noise of complaints is not hid. ¹¹Therefore guard against useless complaining, and refrain [your] tongue from slander, for [the] secret sound of the voice will not go without results, and a mouth telling lies kills a soul.

 

        ¹²Stop being zealous [for] death by [the] error of your* life, and stop drawing yourselves [to] ruin by the works of your* hands. ¹³For God did not make death, nor does He delight upon [the] destruction of living ones. ¹⁴For He created all [things] to be existing and the saving origins [or, generations] of the world, and there is no poison of destruction in them, nor [is the] palace of the realm of the dead [Gr., hades] upon [the] earth, ¹⁵for righteousness is immortal. ¹⁶But ungodly [people] by [their] hands and words summoned it [i.e., death] to themselves, having regarded [it as] a friend; they were dissolved and made an agreement with it, for they are worthy [fig., they deserve] to be part of that.

 

For they said within themselves, having reasoned not rightly, “Our life is short and painful, and there is no remedy at [the] end [of the life] of a person, and we do not know the one having returned from the realm of the dead [Gr., hades]. ²For we became [or, were born] by chance, and after this we will be as not having existed, for the breath in our nostrils [is] smoke, and the word [or, reason] [is] a spark [kindled] by [the] moving [or., beating] of our heart; ³which having been extinguished, the body will end by being ash, and the spirit will be dissolved as empty air. ⁴And our name will be forgotten in time, and no one will remember our works, and our life will pass away as a traces of a cloud and will be dispersed as a mist, having been driven away by [the] rays of [the] sun and having been weighed down [fig., overcome] by its heat. ⁵For our appointed time [is] a passage of a shadow, and there is no return from our end [or, the end of our [life]], for it was sealed, so no one returns.

 

        ⁶“Come then, and let us enjoy the existing good [things], and let us earnestly make use of the creation as in [our] youth. ⁷Let us be filled [or, fill ourselves] with costly wine and ointments, and let no flower of spring pass us by. ⁸Let us crown ourselves with roses in buds [or, rosebuds], before [they] be withered away. ⁹Let none of us be without share of our bragging; everywhere let us leave signs of [our]  gladness, for this [is] our portion, and this [is our] lot.

 

        ¹⁰“Let us oppress a poor righteous [person]; let us not spare a widow nor respect an elderly man [with] long-existing gray hairs. ¹¹Let our strength be a law of justice, for the weak [person] is proved worthless.

 

        ¹²“Let us lie in wait for the righteous [person], because he is useless to us and is opposed to our works. [cp. Isa 3:10] And he denounces sins of [or, against] [the] Law by us and accuses sins of [or, against] our education by us. ¹³He professes to be having knowledge of God, and he calls himself a child of the Lord. [cp. 1John 3:1,2] ¹⁴He became to us for a disproof of our thoughts. Even [fig., Merely] seeing [him] is burdensome to us, ¹⁵for his manner of life [is] unlike others and his paths having been completely changed. ¹⁶We were accounted by him for adulterated [or, as fraudulent], and he abstains from our ways as from impurities; he considers [the] end of just [people] blessed [or, fortunate], and he makes false pretenses [that] God [is his] father.

 

        ¹⁷“Let us see if his words [are] true, and let us test the [things] at [the] outcome of him [fig., what will happen at the end of his life]; ¹⁸for if the righteous [person] is a son of God, He will help him and will deliver him from [the] hand of ones having resisted [fig., his enemies]. ¹⁹Let us examine him with insult and torture, that we shall know his gentleness and prove his patient endurance. ²⁰Let us condemn him to an unseemly death, for a visitation [of God] will be his, by his [own] words.”

 

        ²¹They considered these [things] and were deceived, for their wickedness blinded them. ²²And they did not know [the] secrets [or, mysteries] of God, nor hoped for [or, confidently expected] [the] wages of devoutness [or, piety], nor discerned [the] honor of blameless souls. ²³For God created humanity [or, man] with immortality and made him an image of His own eternity. ²⁴But by [the] envy of [the] Devil death entered into the world, and the ones being a part of that [one] test [fig., experience] it.