Tobit 5

A Companion for the Road

1Tobias answered him: “Father, I will do everything you have charged me with. 2But how am I to collect the silver, when I do not even know the man?” 3So he handed him the written bond and said to him: “Find yourself someone to travel with you. I will pay him a wage as long as I live. Go and collect the silver.” 4He went out to look for a man, and he found Raphael, who was an angel — and he did not know it. 5He said to him: “Could I travel with you to Rages in Media? Do you know that country?” 6The angel said to him: “I will travel with you. I know the road, and I have lodged with Gabael our kinsman.” 7Tobias said to him: “Wait for me while I speak to my father.” 8He said to him: “Go, and do not be long.” 9He went in and said to his father: “Look, I have found someone to travel with me.” His father said: “Call him in to me, so that I may find out what tribe he is from and whether he is trustworthy enough to go with you.” 10So he summoned him; the man came in, and the two greeted each other. 11Tobit said to him: “Brother, what tribe do you come from, and what family? Tell me.” 12He said to him: “Is it a tribe and a family you are after, or a hired man to travel with your son?” And Tobit said to him: “Brother, I want to know your line and your name.” 13He said: “I am Azariah, son of Hananiah the great, one of your own kinsmen.” 14Tobit said to him: “Good health to you, brother, and welcome. Do not be angry with me for wanting to know your tribe and your family. You turn out to be my kinsman, of a fine and honorable line. I knew Hananiah and Jathan, the sons of Shemaiah the great: we used to go up to Jerusalem together to worship, carrying up the firstborn and the tenths of the harvest, and they did not stray into the straying of our kinsmen. You are from a good root, brother. 15But tell me: what wage am I to pay you? A drachma a day, and whatever you need, on the same footing as my son. 16And I will add something over and above the wage, if the two of you come back in good health.” 17They agreed on these terms. Then he said to Tobias: “Get yourself ready for the road, and may the two of you travel well.” His son got ready what the journey called for, and his father said to him: “Go with this man. May God, who dwells in heaven, prosper your road, and may his angel travel with you.” So the two of them went out to set off, and the boy’s dog went with them. 18But his mother Anna was in tears, and she said to Tobit: “Why did you send our boy off? Is he not the staff in our hand, the one who goes in and comes out before us? 19Silver should never be heaped on silver. Set beside our boy, let it count as dross. 20Whatever the Lord has given us to live on is enough for us.” 21Tobit said to her: “Have no fear of it, sister. He will come back in good health, and your own eyes will see him. 22A good angel will travel with him; his road will go well, and he will come back safe and sound.” 23And she stopped weeping.