Tobit

¹ And Tobias answered and said unto him, Father, I will do all things, whatsoever thou hast commanded me:

² but how shall I be able to receive the money, seeing I know him not?

³ And he gave him the handwriting, and said unto him, Seek thee a man which shall go with thee, and I will give him wages, whiles I yet live: and go and receive the money.

⁴ And he went to seek a man, and found Raphael which was an angel;

⁵ and he knew it not; and he said unto him, Can I go with thee to Rages of Media? and knowest thou the places well?

⁶ And the angel said unto him, I will go with thee, and I know the way well: and I have lodged with our brother Gabael.

⁷ And Tobias said unto him, Wait for me, and I will tell my father.

⁸ And he said unto him, Go, and tarry not. And he went in and said to his father, Behold, I have found one which will go with me. But he said, Call him unto me, that I may know of what tribe he is, and whether he be a trusty man to go with thee.

⁹ And he called him, and he came in, and they saluted one another.

¹⁰ And Tobit said unto him, Brother, of what tribe and of what family art thou? Shew me.

¹¹ And he said unto him, Seekest thou a tribe and a family, or a hired man which shall go with thy son? And Tobit said unto him, I would know, brother, thy kindred and thy name.

¹² And he said, I am Azarias, the son of Ananias the great, of thy brethren.

¹³ And he said unto him, Welcome, brother; and be not angry with me, because I sought to know thy tribe and family: and thou art my brother, of an honest and good lineage: for I knew Ananias and Jathan, the sons of Shemaiah the great, when we went together to Jerusalem to worship, and offered the firstborn, and the tenths of our increase; and they went not astray in the error of our brethren: my brother, thou art of a great stock.

¹⁴ But tell me, what wages shall I give thee? a drachma a day, and those things that be necessary for thee, as unto my son?

¹⁵ And moreover, if ye return safe and sound, I will add something to thy wages.

¹⁶ And so they consented. And he said to Tobias, Prepare thyself for the journey, and God prosper you. And his son prepared what was needful for the journey, and his father said unto him, Go thou with this man; but God, which dwelleth in heaven, shall prosper your journey; and may his angel go with you. And they both went forth to depart, and the young man’s dog with them.

¹⁷ But Anna his mother wept, and said to Tobit, Why hast thou sent away our child? is he not the staff of our hand, in going in and out before us?

¹⁸ Be not greedy to add money to money: but let it be as refuse in respect of our child.

¹⁹ For as the Lord hath given us to live, so doth it suffice us.

²⁰ And Tobit said to her, Take no care, my sister; he shall return safe and sound, and thine eyes shall see him.

²¹ For a good angel shall go with him, and his journey shall be prospered, and he shall return safe and sound.

²² And she made an end of weeping.