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 the others’.

⁴ They went on together (Raphael had warned Tobias to take the gall 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 will open.

⁸ You must put the fish’s gall to his eyes; the medicine will smart and will draw a filmy white skin off his eyes. And your father will be able to see and look on the light.’

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

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

¹¹ (he had the fish’s gall 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 fell on his neck

¹⁴ and wept. He exclaimed, ‘I can see, 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 flame for evermore!

¹⁵ For he had scourged me and now has had pity on me and I see my son Tobias.’ Tobias went into the house, and with a loud voice joyfully blessed God. Then he told his father everything: how his journey had been successful and he had brought the silver back; how he had married Sarah, the daughter of Raguel; how she was following 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 he went. 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 met Sarah, the bride of his son Tobias, and blessed her in these words, ‘Welcome, daughter! Blessed be your God for sending 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.’ He held a feast that day for all the Jews of Nineveh,

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