In the House of Raguel
1They came to Ecbatana and arrived at the house of Raguel. Sarah came out to meet them; she greeted them and they greeted her, and she brought them into the house. 2And Raguel said to Edna his wife: “How like Tobit my cousin this young man is!” 3Raguel asked them: “Where are you from, brothers?” They told him: “We are of the sons of Naphtali, of the captives in Nineveh.” 4He said to them: “Do you know Tobit our kinsman?” They said: “We know him.” 5He said to them: “Is he in good health?” They said: “He is alive and well.” And Tobias said: “That is my father.” 6Raguel sprang up, kissed him and wept. He blessed him and said to him: “Son of a fine and good man!” And when he heard that Tobit had lost his eyes he was grieved, and he wept. 7Edna his wife and Sarah his daughter wept too, and they made the two of them welcome with a will. 8They killed a ram from the flock and set out dish after dish. 9Then Tobias said to Raphael: “Azariah, brother, speak about the things you were saying on the road, and let the matter be settled.” 10He passed the word on to Raguel, who said to Tobias: “Eat, drink, and be glad, for it is your right to take my child. Still, I will lay the truth before you. 11I gave my child to seven men, and each time they went in to her they were dead before the night was out. But as things stand now, be glad.” 12And Tobias said: “I will taste nothing here until you make a settlement and stand by it with me.” And Raguel said: “Take her, from this moment, as the ruling requires. You are her kinsman and she is yours. May the merciful God prosper the two of you with the best of everything.” 13He called Sarah his daughter, took her by the hand and handed her over to Tobias as his wife, and said: “Here — take her, according to the law of Moses, and bring her home to your father.” And he blessed them. 14He called Edna his wife, took a scroll, wrote out the contract, and they sealed it. Then they began to eat. 15Raguel called Edna his wife and said to her: “Sister, get the other room ready and bring her in.” 16She did as he had said. She brought her in there, and she wept; she received her daughter’s tears, and she said to her: 17“Take heart, my child. May the Lord of heaven and earth give you kindness in place of this grief of yours. Take heart, daughter.”
