Tobit 3
Commentary from 3 fathers
O Lord, thou art just, and all thy works and all thy ways are mercy and truth, and thou judgest truly and justly for ever.
δίκαιος εἶ, Κύριε, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἔργα σου καὶ πᾶσαι αἱ ὁδοί σου ἐλεημοσύναι καὶ ἀλήθεια, καὶ κρίσιν ἀληθινὴν καὶ δικαίαν σὺ κρίνεις εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.
првⷣнъ є҆сѝ, гдⷭ҇и, и҆ всѧ̑ дѣла̀ твоѧ̑, и҆ всѝ пꙋтїѐ твоѝ млⷭ҇ть и҆ и҆́стина, и҆ сꙋ́дъ и҆́стиненъ и҆ првⷣнъ ты̀ сꙋ́диши во вѣ́къ:
Remember me, and look on me, punish me not for my sins and ignorances, and the sins of my fathers, who have sinned before thee:
μνήσθητί μου καὶ ἐπίβλεψον ἐπ᾿ ἐμέ· μή με ἐκδικήσῃς ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις μου καὶ τοῖς ἀγνοήμασί μου καὶ τῶν πατέρων μου, ἃ ἥμαρτον ἐνώπιόν σου·
помѧнѝ мѧ̀ и҆ при́зри на мѧ̀ да не ѿмща́еши мѝ грѣхѝ моѧ̑ и҆ невѣ̑дѣнїѧ моѧ̑ и҆ ѻ҆тє́цъ мои́хъ, и҆́миже согрѣши́ша пред̾ тобо́ю:
For they obeyed not thy commandments: wherefore thou hast delivered us for a spoil, and unto captivity, and unto death, and for a proverb of reproach to all the nations among whom we are dispersed.
παρήκουσαν γὰρ τῶν ἐντολῶν σου, καὶ ἔδωκας ἡμᾶς εἰς διαρπαγὴνκαὶ αἰχμαλωσίαν καὶ θάνατον καὶ παραβολὴν ὀνειδισμοῦ πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, ἐν οἷς ἐσκορπίσμεθα.
преслꙋ́шаша бо за́пѡвѣди твоѧ̑ и҆ да́лъ є҆сѝ на́съ въ расхище́нїе и҆ плѣне́нїе и҆ сме́рть и҆ въ при́тчꙋ поноше́нїѧ всѣ̑мъ ꙗ҆зы́кѡмъ, въ нѧ́же расточи́хомсѧ:
And now thy judgments are many and true: deal with me according to my sins and my fathers’: because we have not kept thy commandments, neither have walked in truth before thee.
καὶ νῦν πολλαὶ αἱ κρίσεις σού εἰσι καὶ ἀληθιναὶ ἐξ ἐμοῦ ποιῆσαι περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν μου καὶ τῶν πατέρων μου, ὅτι οὐκ ἐποιήσαμεν τὰς ἐντολάς σου· οὐ γὰρ ἐπορεύθημεν ἐν ἀληθείᾳ ἐνώπιόν σου.
и҆ нн҃ѣ мнѡ́ги сꙋдьбы̑ твоѧ̑ сꙋ́ть и҆ и҆́стинны, твори́ти со мно́ю ѡ҆ грѣсѣ́хъ мои́хъ и҆ ѻ҆тє́цъ мои́хъ, ꙗ҆́кѡ не сотвори́хомъ повелѣ́нїй твои́хъ, не бо̀ ходи́хомъ во и҆́стинѣ пред̾ тобо́ю:
Now therefore deal with me as seemeth best unto thee, and command my spirit to be taken from me, that I may be dissolved, and become earth: for it is profitable for me to die rather than to live, because I have heard false reproaches, and have much sorrow: command therefore that I may now be delivered out of this distress, and go into the everlasting place: turn not thy face away from me.
καὶ νῦν κατὰ τὸ ἀρεστὸν ἐνώπιόν σου ποίησον μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ· ἐπίταξον ἀναλαβεῖν τὸ πνεῦμά μου, ὅπως ἀπολυθῶ καὶ γένωμαι γῆ· διότι λυσιτελεῖ μοι ἀποθανεῖν ἢ ζῆν, ὅτι ὀνειδισμοὺς ψευδεῖς ἤκουσα, καὶ λύπη ἐστὶ πολλὴ ἐν ἐμοί· ἐπίταξον ἀπολυθῆναί με τῆς ἀνάγκης ἤδη εἰς τὸν αἰώνιον τόπον, μὴ ἀποστρέψῃς τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἀπ᾿ἐμοῦ.
и҆ нн҃ѣ, ꙗ҆́коже ᲂу҆го́дно пред̾ тобо́ю, сотворѝ со мно́ю: повелѝ ѿѧ́ти дꙋ́хъ мо́й, ꙗ҆́кѡ да разрѣшꙋ́сѧ и҆ бꙋ́дꙋ землѧ̀, поне́же ᲂу҆́не є҆́сть мѝ ᲂу҆мре́ти, не́жели жи́вꙋ бы́ти, занѐ поноше́нїѧ лжи̑ва слы́шахъ, и҆ печа́ль є҆́сть мно́га во мнѣ̀: повелѝ ѿрѣши́тисѧ мѝ ѿ нꙋ́жды ᲂу҆жѐ на вѣ́чное мѣ́сто, да не ѿврати́ши лица̀ твоегѡ̀ ѿ менє̀.
It came to pass the same day, that in Ecbatane a city of Media Sara the daughter of Raguel was also reproached by her father’s maids;
᾿Εν τῇ αὐτῇ ἡμέρᾳ συνέβη τῇ θυγατρὶ Ῥαγουὴλ Σάρρᾳ ἐν ᾿Εκβατάνοις τῆς Μηδίας καὶ ταύτην ὀνειδισθῆναι ὑπὸ παιδισκῶν πατρὸς αὐτῆς,
Въ то́йже де́нь слꙋчи́сѧ дще́ри рагꙋи́левѣй са́ррѣ во є҆квата́нѣхъ миді́и, и҆ то́й поноси́мѣй бы́ти ѿ рабы́нь ѻ҆тца̀ є҆ѧ̀:
7–8Sarah, the daughter of Raguel in the city of the Medes, who had been given to seven husbands, and the demon killed them as soon as they went in to her. This symbolically announces the multitude of nations, whose teachers only knew the life of this age, which revolves in seven days, and could say nothing about eternity. Therefore, all of them were seized by the devil, as they were slaves to idolatry, until our true spouse, the Lord, came, who joined her to himself through faith, after overcoming the enemy; just as Tobias took Sarah as his bride after the demon was bound, by the command and cooperation of the archangel, through whom the divinity of our Savior is fittingly signified, just as his humanity is signified by Tobias. Nor should one be surprised that we say that the one person of the Mediator between God and men is symbolized by two persons, namely the angel and the man, who has read in the expositions of the venerable Fathers that his one person suffering for the salvation of the world is prefigured in Isaac, who was offered by his father on the altar, and in the ram, which was sacrificed. He who was killed as a sheep in his humanity, remains impassible in his divinity with God the Father, just as Isaac returned home alive with his father. For if the ram aptly designates the humanity of Christ, the man signifies the divinity; why should not the man much more aptly signify the humanity, and the angel the divinity?
Commentary on Tobit
Because that she had been married to seven husbands, whom Asmodeus the evil spirit had killed, before they had lain with her. Dost thou not know, said they, that thou hast strangled thine husbands? thou hast had already seven husbands, neither wast thou named after any of them.
ὅτι ἦν δεδομένη ἀνδράσιν ἑπτά, καὶ ᾿Ασμοδαῖος τὸ πονηρὸν δαιμόνιον ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτοὺς πρὶν ἢ γενέσθαι αὐτοὺς μετ᾿ αὐτῆς ὡς ἐν γυναιξί. καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῇ· οὐ συνιεῖς ἀποπνίγουσά σου τοὺς ἄνδρας; ἤδη ἑπτὰ ἔσχες καὶ ἑνὸς αὐτῶν οὐκ ὠνομάσθης·
ꙗ҆́кѡ бѧ́ше дана̀ седмѝ мꙋжє́мъ, и҆ а҆смоде́й лꙋка́вый де́мѡнъ ᲂу҆бѝ и҆̀хъ, пре́жде да́же бы́ти и҆̀мъ съ не́ю ꙗ҆́кѡ съ жена́ми: и҆ рѣ́ша є҆́й: не разꙋмѣ́еши ли ᲂу҆бива́ющи твои́хъ мꙋже́й; ᲂу҆жѐ се́дмь и҆мѣ́ла є҆сѝ, и҆ ни є҆ди́нагѡ и҆́хъ нарекла́сѧ є҆сѝ:
Wherefore dost thou beat us for them? if they be dead, go thy ways after them, let us never see of thee either son or daughter.
τί ἡμᾶς μαστιγοῖς; εἰ ἀπέθαναν, βάδιζε μετ᾿ αὐτῶν· μὴ ἴδοιμέν σου υἱὸν ἢ θυγατέρα εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.
что̀ на́съ бїе́ши; а҆́ще и҆змро́ша, и҆дѝ съ ни́ми, да не ви́димъ твоегѡ̀ сы́на и҆лѝ дще́ре во вѣ́къ.
When she heard these things, she was very sorrowful, so that she thought to have strangled herself; and she said, I am the only daughter of my father, and if I do this, it shall be a reproach unto him, and I shall bring his old age with sorrow unto the grave.
ταῦτα ἀκούσασα ἐλυπήθη σφόδρα ὥστε ἀπάγξασθαι. καὶ εἶπε· μία μέν εἰμι τῷ πατρί μου· ἐὰν ποιήσω τοῦτο, ὄνειδος αὐτῷ ἔσται, καὶ τὸ γῆρας αὐτοῦ κατάξω μετ᾿ ὀδύνης εἰς ᾅδου.
Сїѧ̑ слы́шавши ѡ҆печа́лисѧ ѕѣлѡ̀, ꙗ҆́кѡ ᲂу҆дави́тисѧ, и҆ речѐ: є҆ди́на ᲂу҆́бѡ є҆́смь ѻ҆тцꙋ̀ моемꙋ̀: а҆́ще сотворю̀ сїѐ, ᲂу҆кори́зна є҆мꙋ̀ бꙋ́детъ, и҆ ста́рость є҆гѡ̀ низведꙋ̀ съ болѣ́знїю во а҆́дъ.
Then she prayed toward the window, and said, Blessed art thou, O Lord my God, and thine holy and glorious name is blessed and honourable for ever: let all thy works praise thee for ever.
καὶ ἐδεήθη πρὸς τῇ θυρίδι καὶ εἶπεν· εὐλογητὸς εἶ, Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου, καὶ εὐλογητὸν τὸ ὄνομά σου τὸ ἅγιον καὶ ἔντιμον εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας· εὐλογήσαισάν σε πάντα τὰ ἔργα σου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.
И҆ молѧ́шесѧ при ѻ҆ко́нцы и҆ речѐ: блгⷭ҇ве́нъ є҆сѝ, гдⷭ҇и бж҃е мо́й, и҆ блгⷭ҇ве́но и҆́мѧ твоѐ ст҃о́е и҆ чтⷭ҇но́е во вѣ́ки: да блгⷭ҇вѧ́тъ тѧ̀ всѧ̑ дѣла̀ твоѧ̑ во вѣ́къ:
And now, O Lord, I set I mine eyes and my face toward thee,
καὶ νῦν, Κύριε, τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου καὶ τὸ πρόσωπόν μου εἰς σὲ δέδωκα·
и҆ нн҃ѣ, гдⷭ҇и, ѻ҆́чи моѝ и҆ лицѐ моѐ ко тебѣ̀ да́хъ:
Accept the sacrifice of my confession as the offering of my tongue, which you have formed and stimulated to confess to your name. Heal all my bones and let them say, “Lord, who is like you?” Not that he who confesses to you teaches you anything of what goes on within him, for the heart that is closed does not shut your eye, nor does the hardness of human beings stay your hand. Rather, you soften it, when you desire, either in compassion or in punishment. “There is no one who can hide from your heat.” Rather, my soul praises you, so that it may love you; let it confess to you your mercies, so that it may praise you. Your whole creation never stops or grows silent in your praises—every spirit praises you through the mouth that is turned to you, and all animals and bodily things through the mouth of those who look on them—so that our soul springs up to you from its weakness, supported by those things that you have made and passing over to you who have made these things so wonderfully. There is refreshment and true strength.
Confessions 5.1.1
And say, Take me out of the earth, that I may hear no more the reproach.
εἰπὸν ἀπολῦσαί με ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς καὶ μὴ ἀκοῦσαί με μηκέτι ὀνειδισμόν.
рѣ́хъ да разрѣши́ши мѧ̀ ѿ землѝ и҆ да не слы́шꙋ а҆́зъ ктомꙋ̀ поноше́нїѧ:
Thou knowest, Lord, that I am pure from all sin with man,
σὺ γινώσκεις, Κύριε, ὅτι καθαρά εἰμι ἀπὸ πάσης ἁμαρτίας ἀνδρὸς
ты̀ вѣ́си, гдⷭ҇и, ꙗ҆́кѡ чиста̀ є҆́смь ѿ всѧ́кагѡ грѣха̀ мꙋ́жнѧ
And that I never polluted my name, nor the name of my father, in the land of my captivity: I am the only daughter of my father, neither hath he any child to be his heir, neither any near kinsman, nor any son of his alive, to whom I may keep myself for a wife: my seven husbands are already dead; and why should I live? but if it please not thee that I should die, command some regard to be had of me, and pity taken of me, that I hear no more reproach.
καὶ οὐκ ἐμόλυνα τὸ ὄνομά μου οὐδὲ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ πατρός μου ἐν τῇ γῇ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας μου. μονογενής εἰμι τῷ πατρί μου, καὶ οὐχ ὑπάρχει αὐτῷ παιδίον, ὃ κληρονομήσει αὐτόν, οὐδὲ ἀδελφὸς ἐγγὺς οὐδὲ ὑπάρχων αὐτῷ υἱός, ἵνα συντηρήσω ἐμαυτὴν αὐτῷ γυναῖκα. ἤδη ἀπώλοντό μοι ἑπτά· ἵνα τί μοι ζῆν; καὶ εἰ μὴ δοκεῖ σοι ἀποκτεῖναί με, ἐπίταξον ἐπιβλέψαι ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ καὶ ἐλεῆσαί με καὶ μηκέτι ἀκοῦσαί με ὀνειδισμόν.
и҆ не ѡ҆скверни́хъ и҆́мене моегѡ̀ нижѐ и҆́мене ѻ҆тца̀ моегѡ̀ въ землѝ плѣне́нїѧ моегѡ̀: є҆диноро́дна є҆́смь ѻ҆тцꙋ̀ моемꙋ̀, и҆ нѣ́сть є҆мꙋ̀ ѻ҆́трочища, и҆́же наслѣ́дитъ є҆го̀, нижѐ бра́та бли́жнѧгѡ, нижѐ сꙋ́щагѡ є҆мꙋ̀ сы́на да соблюдꙋ́ мѧ томꙋ̀ въ женꙋ̀: ᲂу҆жѐ погибо́ша мѝ се́дмь: вскꙋ́ю мѝ жи́ти; и҆ а҆́ще не ᲂу҆го́дно є҆́сть тебѣ̀ ᲂу҆би́ти мѧ̀, повелѝ призрѣ́ти на мѧ̀ и҆ поми́ловати мѧ̀, да не ктомꙋ̀ слы́шꙋ поноше́нїе.
So the prayers of them both were heard before the majesty of the great God.
Καὶ εἰσηκούσθη προσευχὴ ἀμφοτέρων ἐνώπιον τῆς δόξης τοῦ μεγάλου Ῥαφαήλ,
И҆ ᲂу҆слы́ша гдⷭ҇ь моли́твꙋ ѻ҆бои́хъ пред̾ сла́вою вели́кагѡ рафаи́ла,
It is not only the high priest who prays with those who truly pray, but also the angels, who “have joy in heaven on one sinner who repents, more than on ninety-nine just who need no repentance, and the souls of the saints who have passed away. This is clear from the case of Raphael offering a reasonable sacrifice to God for Tobias and Sarah. For the Scripture says that after they had prayed, “the prayers of them both were heard in the sight of the glory of the great Raphael, and he was sent to heal them both.” And Raphael, in revealing to them his mission to them both, enjoined on him as an angel by God, says, “When you prayed, you and your daughter-in-law Sarah, I offered the memory of your prayer before the Holy One”; and a little further on: “I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who hear the prayers of the saints and enter before the glory of the Holy One.” And so, according to the word of Raphael, “prayer is good with fasting and alms and justice.” And in the case of Jeremiah, who appears in the Maccabees as “admirable for age and glory” so that “an extraordinary dignity and greatness” was about him, and who “stretched forth his right hand and gave to Judas a sword of gold”21—to him another holy man who had died bore witness saying, “This is he who prays much for the people and for all the holy city, Jeremiah the prophet of God.”
On Prayer 11:1
And Raphael was sent to heal them both, that is, to scale away the whiteness of Tobit’s eyes, and to give Sara the daughter of Raguel for a wife to Tobias the son of Tobit; and to bind Asmodeus the evil spirit; because she belonged to Tobias by right of inheritance. The selfsame time came Tobit home, and entered into his house, and Sara the daughter of Raguel came down from her upper chamber.
καὶ ἀπεστάλη ἰάσασθαι τοὺς δύο, τοῦ Τωβὶτ λεπίσαι τὰ λευκώματα καὶ Σάρραν τὴν τοῦ Ῥαγουὴλ δοῦναι Τωβίᾳ τῷ υἱῷ Τωβὶτ γυναῖκα καὶ δῆσαι ᾿Ασμοδαῖον τὸ πονηρὸν δαιμόνιον, διότι Τωβίᾳ ἐπιβάλλει κληρονομῆσαι αὐτήν. ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ καιρῷ ἐπιστρέψας Τωβὶτ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ καὶ Σάρρα ἡ τοῦ Ῥαγουὴλ κατέβη ἐκ τοῦ ὑπερῴου αὐτῆς.
и҆ по́сланъ бѣ̀ и҆сцѣли́ти ѻ҆бои́хъ {Въ комплю́тенскомъ: и҆ ᲂу҆слы́шана моли́тва ѻ҆бои́хъ пред̾ сла́вою вели́кагѡ бг҃а, и҆ рафаи́лъ по́сланъ бѣ̀ и҆сцѣли́ти ѻ҆бои́хъ.}, тѡві́тꙋ ѡ҆чи́стити бѣ́льма и҆ са́ррꙋ дще́рь рагꙋи́левꙋ да́ти тѡві́и сы́нꙋ тѡві́товꙋ въ женꙋ̀, и҆ свѧза́ти а҆смоде́а лꙋка́ваго де́мѡна, занѐ тѡві́и подоба́етъ наслѣ́дити ю҆̀. Въ то̀ вре́мѧ возврати́всѧ тѡві́тъ, вни́де въ до́мъ сво́й, а҆ са́рра дщѝ рагꙋи́лева сни́де ѿ го́рницы своеѧ̀.
Therefore, the holy angel of the Lord, Raphael, who is interpreted as the medicine of God, was sent to free both Tobias from blindness and Sarah from the demon. The Lord was sent into the world, who said of himself, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick" (Luke IV); who also redeemed the Jewish people from the darkness of disbelief, and the gentiles from the bondage of idolatry. Of whom the prophet said: "And his name shall be called the Angel of Great Counsel" (Isa. IX).
Commentary on Tobit
Then I being grieved did weep, and in my sorrow prayed, saying,
ΚΑΙ λυπηθεὶς ἔκλαυσα καὶ προσευξάμην μετ᾿ ὀδύνης λέγων·
И҆ ѡ҆печа́ливсѧ пла́кахъ, и҆ моли́хсѧ съ болѣ́знїю, глаго́лѧ: