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1 Now as they went on their journey, they came at eventide to the river Tigris, and they lodged there. 2 But the young man went down to wash himself, and a fish leaped out of the river, and would have swallowed up the young man. 3 But the angel said unto him, Take hold on the fish. And the young man caught hold of the fish, and cast it up on the land. 4 And the angel said unto him, Cut the fish open, and take the heart and the liver and the gall, and put them up safely. 5 And the young man did as the angel commanded him; but they roasted the fish, and ate it. And they both went on their way, till they drew near to Ecbatana. 6 And the young man said to the angel, Brother Azarias, to what use is the heart and the liver and the gall of the fish? 7 And he said unto him, Touching the heart and the liver, if a * devil or an evil spirit trouble any, we must make a smoke thereof before the man or the woman, and the party shall be no more vexed. 8 But as for the gall, it is good to anoint a man that hath white films in his eyes, and he shall be healed.
9 But when they drew nigh unto Rages, 10 the angel said to the young man, Brother, to-day we shall lodge with Raguel, and he is thy kinsman; and he hath an only daughter, named Sarah. I will speak for her, that she should be given thee for a wife. 11 For to thee doth the inheritance of her appertain, and thou only art of her kindred: 12 and the maid is fair and wise. And now hear me, and I will speak to her father; and when we return from Rages we will celebrate the marriage: for I know that Raguel may in no wise marry her to another according to the law of Moses, or else he shall be liable to death, because it appertaineth unto thee to take the inheritance, rather than any other. 13 Then the young man said unto the angel, Brother Azarias, I have heard that this maid hath been given to seven men, and that they all perished in the bride-chamber. 14 And now I am the only son of my father, and I am afraid, lest I go in and die, even as those before me: for a † devil loveth her, which hurteth no man, but those which come unto her: and now I fear lest I die, and bring my father’s and my mother’s life to the grave with sorrow because of me: and they have no other son to bury them. 15 But the angel said unto him, Dost thou not remember the words which thy father commanded thee, that thou shouldest take a wife of thine own kindred? and now hear me, brother; for she shall be thy wife; and make thou no reckoning of the devil; for this night shall she be given thee to wife. 16 And ‡ when thou shalt come into the bride-chamber, thou shalt take the ashes of incense, and shalt lay upon them some of the heart and liver of the fish, and shalt make a smoke therewith: 17 and the devil shall smell it, and flee away, and never come again any more. But when thou goest nigh unto her, rise up both of you, and cry to God which is merciful, and he shall save you, and have mercy on you. Fear not, for she was prepared for thee from the beginning; and thou shalt save her, and she shall go with thee. And I suppose that thou shalt have children of her. And when Tobias heard these things, he loved her, and his soul clave to her exceedingly.
* 6:7 Gr. demon. † 6:14 Gr. demon, and so in ver. 15, 17. ‡ 6:16 Gr. if.