Tobias anointeth his father’s eyes with the fish’s gall, and he recovereth his sight.
leauing Sara with the rest of the companie, and the flocke to folow, the Angel Raphael and Tobias goe before, 5. are ioyfully receiued, 8. Tobias annointeth his fathers eyes with the fishes gal, and he seeth. 18. Sara arriueth seuen dayes after with her familie and cattle.
1And as they were returning they came to Charan, which is in the midway to Ninive, the eleventh day.Or ritornando indietro giunsero l'undecimo giorno a Charan, la quale è a mezza strada dirimpetto a Ninive.AND when they returned they came to Charan, which is in the middeway agaynst Niniue, the eleuenth day.Cumque reverterentur, pervenerunt ad Charan, quæ est in medio itinere contra Niniven, undecimo die. 2And the angel said: Brother Tobias, thou knowest how thou didst leave thy father.E l'Angelo disse: Fratello Tobia, tu sai in quale stato lasciasti il padre tuo.And the Angel said Brother Tobias thou knowest how thou didest leaue thy farher.Dixitque angelus: Tobia frater, scis quemadmodum reliquisti patrem tuum. 3If it please thee therefore, let us go before, and let the family follow softly after us, together with thy wife, and with the beasts.Quindi, se così ti piace andiam noi innanzi, e la famiglia a lento passo ci segua insieme colla tua moglie, e cogli animali.If it please thee therfore, let vs goe be ore, and let the families folow softly after vs, together with thy wife, and with the beastes.Si placet itaque tibi, præcedamus, et lento gradu sequantur iter nostrum familiæ, simul cum conjuge tua, et cum animalibus. 4And as this their going pleased him, Raphael said to Tobias: Take with thee of the gall of the fish, for it will be necessary. So Tobias took some of that gall and departed.Ed essendo risoluti di andare, disse Raphaele a Tobia: prendi teco del fiele di pesce, perocchè ti verrà a taglio: e Tobia prese di quel fiele, e partirono.And when this pleased him that they should goe, Raphael said to Tobias: Take with thee of the gal of the fish: for it shal be necessarie. Tobias therfore tooke of that gal and they departed.Cumque hoc placuisset ut irent, dixit Raphaël ad Tobiam: Tolle tecum ex felle piscis: erit enim necessarium. Tulit itaque Tobias ex felle illo, et abierunt. 5But Anna sat beside the way daily, on the top of a hill, from whence she might see afar off.Or Anna stava sedendo ogni dì lungo la strada sulla cima di una collina, donde potea vedere in molta distanza.But Anna sate beside the way dayly, in the toppe of a hil, from whence she might see afar of.Anna autem sedebat secus viam quotidie in supercilio montis, unde respicere poterat de longinquo. 6And while she watched his coming from that place, she saw him afar off, and presently perceived it was her son coming: and returning she told her husband, saying: Behold thy son cometh.E mentre stava colà alle vedette aspettandolo, vide da lungi, e riconobbe il suo figliuolo, e corse a darne la nuova al marito dicendo: È qua tuo figlio che viene.And whiles she watched his coming out of that place, she saw afar of, and by and by perceiued her sonne coming: and running she told her husband saying: Behold thy sonne cometh.Et dum ex eodem loco specularetur adventum ejus, vidit a longe, et illico agnovit venientem filium suum: currensque nuntiavit viro suo, dicens: Ecce venit filius tuus.
7And Raphael said to Tobias: As soon as thou shalt come into thy house, forthwith adore the Lord thy God: and giving thanks to him, go to thy father, and kiss him.E Raphaele disse a Tobia: Or quando tu sarai entrato in casa tua, subito adora il Signore Dio tuo, e rendute a lui le grazie, accostati al padre tuo, e bacialo:And Raphael said to Tobias But when thou art entred into thy house forthwith adore our Lord thy God: and geuing thankes to him goe to thy father, and kisse him.Dixitque Raphaël ad Tobiam: At ubi introieris domum tuam, statim adora Dominum Deum tuum: et gratias agens ei, accede ad patrem tuum, et osculare eum. 8And immediately anoint his eyes with this gall of the fish, which thou carriest with thee. For be assured that his eyes shall be presently opened, and thy father shall see the light of heaven, and shall rejoice in the sight of thee.E tosto stropiccia gli occhi di lui con quel fiele del pesce, che hai teco, perocchè tu dei sapere, che immediatamente si apriranno i suoi occhi, e il padre tuo vedrà la luce del cielo, e giubbilerà in veggendoti.And immediatly annointe vpon his eies of this gal of the fish, which thou cariest with thee. For know thou that forthwith his eies shal be opened, and thy father shal see the light of heauen, and shal reioice in the sight of thee.Statimque lini super oculos ejus ex felle isto piscis, quod portas tecum: scias enim quoniam mox aperientur oculi ejus, et videbit pater tuus lumen cæli, et in aspectu tuo gaudebit. 9Then the dog, which had been with them in the way, ran before, and coming as if he had brought the news, shewed his joy by his fawning and wagging his tail.Allora il cane, che gli avea seguitati nel viaggio corse innanzi, e quasi venisse apportator di buona novella, faceva sesta, menando in giro la sua coda.Then ranne the dogge before, which had beene with them in the way, and coming as it were a messenger with the fawning of his tayle reioysed.Tunc præcucurrit canis, qui simul fuerat in via: et quasi nuntius adveniens, blandimento suæ caudæ gaudebat. 10And his father that was blind, rising up, began to run stumbling with his feet: and giving a servant his hand, went to meet his son.E alzatosi il padre cieco si pose a correre inciampando co' piedi; ma preso per mano un servo, andò incontro al figliuolo.And his father that was blind rysing vp, began to runne stumbling with his feete: and geuing a seruant his hand, went to meete his sonne.Et consurgens cæcus pater ejus, cœpit offendens pedibus currere: et data manu puero, occurrit obviam filio suo.
11And receiving him kissed him, as did also his wife, and they began to weep for joy.E accogliendolo lo baciò, e sua moglie, e principiarono ambedue a piangere di allegrezza.And receiuing him kissed him, with his wife, and they began both to weepe for ioy.Et suscipiens osculatus est eum cum uxore sua, et cœperunt ambo flere præ gaudio. 12And when they had adored God, and given him thanks, they sat down together.E dopo avere adorato Dio, e rendute le grazie, si misero a sedere.And when they had adored God, and geuen thankes, they sate downe together.Cumque adorassent Deum, et gratias egissent, consederunt. 13Then Tobias taking of the gall of the fish, anointed his father’s eyes.Allora Tobia, preso il fiele del pesce, ne stropicciò gli occhi del padre:Then Tobias taking of the gal of the fish, annoynted his fathers eies.Tunc sumens Tobias de felle piscis, linivit oculos patris sui. 14And he stayed about half an hour: and a white skin began to come out of his eyes, like the skin of an egg.E s'intertenne per circa mezz'ora; e cominciò a uscire dagli occhi di lui una materia bianca simile alla membrana di un uovo.And he stayed as it were almost halfe an houre: & the white blemish began to come out of his eies, as it were the skine of an egge.Et sustinuit quasi dimidiam fere horam: et cœpit albugo ex oculis ejus, quasi membrana ovi, egredi. 15And Tobias took hold of it, and drew it from his eyes, and immediately he recovered his sight.E Tobia prendendola la trasse dagli occhi di lui, il quale subito riebbe la vista.Which Tobias taking drewe from his eies, and immediatly he receiued sight.Quam apprehendens Tobias, traxit ab oculis ejus: statimque visum recepit. 16And they glorified God, both he and his wife and all that knew him.E glorificavano Dio tanto egli, come la sua moglie, e tutti i suoi conoscenti.And they glorified God, to wit, himselfe and his wife, and al that knewe him.Et glorificabant Deum, ipse videlicet et uxor ejus, et omnes qui sciebant eum. 17And Tobias said: I bless thee, O Lord God of Israel, because thou hast chastised me, and thou hast saved me and behold I see Tobias my son.E Tobia diceva: Io ti benedico, Signore Dio d'Israele, perchè tu mi hai castigato, e salvato: ed ecco ch'io veggo il mio figliuolo Tobia.And Tobias said: I blesse thee Lord God of Israel, because thou hast chastised me, and thou hast saued me: and behold I see Tobias my sonne.Dicebatque Tobias: Benedico te, Domine Deus Israël, quia tu castigasti me, et tu salvasti me: et ecce ego video Tobiam filium meum. 18And after seven days Sara his son’s wife and all the family arrived safe, and the cattle, and the camels, and an abundance of money of his wife’s: and that money also which he had received of Gabelus,E di lì a sette giorni giunse anche Sara moglie di suo figliuolo, e tutta la famiglia in sanità, e i bestiami, e i cammelli, e il denaro della moglie in buona quantità, e anche quel denaro riscosso da Gabelo.After seuen dayes also came in Sara his sonnes wife, and al the familie safe, and cattel, and the camels, and much money of his wiues: and that money also, which he had receiued of Gabelus:Ingressa est etiam post septem dies Sara uxor filii ejus et omnis familia sana, et pecora, et cameli, et pecunia multa uxoris; sed et illa pecunia, quam receperat a Gabelo. 19And he told his parents all the benefits of God, which he had done to him by the man that conducted him.E Tobia raccontò a suoi genitori tutti i benefizi fattigli da Dio per mezzo di quell'uomo, che lo avea condotto.and he told his parentes al the benefites of God, which he had done to him by the man, that conducted him.Et narravit parentibus suis omnia beneficia Dei, quæ fecisset circa eum per hominem qui eum duxerat.
20And Achior and Nabath the kinsmen of Tobias came, rejoicing for Tobias, and congratulating with him for all the good things that God had done for him.E vennero Achior, e Nabath cugini di Tobia a rallegrassi, e congratularsi con lui di tutti i favori, che Dio gli avea fatti.And Achior and Nabath Tobias sisters sonnes came, reioysing at Tobias, and congratulating him for al good thinges, that God had shewed towards him.Veneruntque Achior et Nabath consobrini Tobiæ gaudentes ad Tobiam, et congratulantes ei de omnibus bonis quæ circa illum ostenderat Deus. 21And for seven days they feasted and rejoiced all with great joy.E per sette giorni banchettando fecer tutti grandissima festa.And for seuen daies making good chere, they reioysed al with great ioy.Et per septem dies epulantes, omnes cum gaudio magno gavisi sunt.
11:1
Year of the World 3299.
Charan. Not the residence of Abraham, Genesis 12:4. Syriac reads, "Bazri," or "Carrac." Old Vulgate, ibat Caracha, quae est civitas in Ninive. Arrian places Carcha in Assyria, and Ptolemy mentions a Characa in Susiana.
Calmet
Midway. At this rate, the distance from Ninive to Ecbatana would be 22 days’ journey. But it is not half so much for a man travelling expeditiously. (Calmet)
Calmet
Tobias had much luggage. Leaving it with his wife, (Haydock) he went from this city to Ninive in three or four days, ver. 18. (Calmet)
Greek, "And he travelled on till he came near to Ninive. And Raphael said," etc.
11:3
Haydock
If. Greek, "Let us go quickly before thy wife, and prepare the house." (Haydock)
This would be necessary, for the reception of so many goods, as well as to relieve the anxiety (Calmet) of the aged parents, and prevent surprise.
11:4
And. Greek, "Take now in thy hand the gall of the fish. And they went on. And the dog followed close up to them; (Haydock; Syriac, "ran before them." Calmet) and Anna."
11:6
Cometh. Greek adds, "and the man who went with him."
11:7
Haydock
To. Greek, "I know, Tobias, that thy father will open his eyes. Anoint, therefore, the gall upon his eyes, and feeling the smart, he will rub and remove the white specks, and shall see thee." (Haydock)
God. This laudable custom was observed by the ancient solitaries, and prescribed by the rule of St. Benedict, Tobias 53.
11:9
Challoner
The dog, etc. This may seem a very minute circumstance to be recorded in sacred history; but, as we learn from our Saviour, (St. Matthew 5:18) there are iotas and tittles in the word of God, that is to say, things that appear minute, but which have indeed a deep mysterious meaning in them. (Challoner)
The other versions relate this event, ver. 4.
11:10
Haydock
And. After ver. 7., Greek adds, "and Anna running before, fell upon the neck of her son, and said to him, I have beheld thee, son; henceforth I may die. And they both wept. And Tobit went out towards the door, and he stumbled. But his son ran up to him, and took hold of his father, and spread the gall upon his father’s eyes, saying, Have confidence, father. But as soon as they began to smart, he rubbed his eyes, and the white specks came off like skins from the corners: and beholding his son, he fell upon his neck, and wept. Then he said," ver. 17. (Haydock)
11:14
Calmet
Hour. This is not in the other versions. (Calmet)
Menochius
It would intimate that the operation was natural. (Menochius)
Serarius
Yet some think that the cure was too instantaneous; (Drusius) or that the miracle consisted in the revelation of a remedy, till then unknown. (Serarius)
Worthington
The effect seems to have been of the same nature as that produced by the heart, etc., Tobias 6:8. (Worthington; Calmet)
Calmet
Estius believes that the optic nerve was entirely burnt. If the external coat of the eyes was only covered with a sort of skin, it might be removed by the gall of several fishes. (Calmet)
Menochius
Callionymi fel cicatrices sanat et carnes oculorum supervacuas consumit. (Pliny, [Natural History?] 32:4. (Menochius)
11:17
Lord. Greek, "Blessed be God, and blessed be thy name for ever, and blessed be all thy holy angels; because thou hast scourged, and hast shewn mercy, and," etc.
11:18
Calmet
Days. Or perhaps hours; (Haydock) as the other versions intimate that Sara arrived the same day. (Calmet)
Haydock
Greek, "And his son entered, rejoicing, and related to his father the great things which had taken place in Media. And Tobit went out to meet his daughter-in-law, rejoicing, and blessing God, to the gate of Ninive. And those who saw him walking were astonished, because he saw. And Tobit confessed before them that God had taken pity on him. And as Tobit approached to Sarra, his daughter-in-law, he blessed her, saying, Mayst thou come with safety, daughter. Blessed be God, who has brought thee to us, and blessed be thy father and thy mother. And there was joy among all his brethren at Ninive. And," ver. 20. (Haydock)
11:20
Calmet
Achior. Greek, "Achiachar," mentioned [in] Tobias 1:24. This text insinuates that he was also styled Anael (Haydock) and Nasbas, and was the nephew of Tobit. (Grotius) (Calmet)
Haydock
Greek, "And there came Achiachar, and Nasbas, his brother's son, and the wedding of Tobias was kept in joy for seven days." (Haydock)
11:21
Joy. Old Vulgate adds, "and many presents were made to him."
11:9
The dog, etc.... This may seem a very minute circumstance to be recorded in sacred history: but as we learn from our Saviour, St. Matt. 5.18, there are iotas and tittles in the word of God: that is to say, things that appear minute, but which have indeed a deep and mysterious meaning in them.
11:9
It nothing disgraceth the sacred historie that a smal matter being also true is recorded with the rest. As not one letter nor one title of the lavv may be omitted, Mat. 5 S. Be•• also expoundeth it mystically of Gods preachers. S. Ierom. doth the like, in. Isaiae. 56 and S Augustin li 22. c 56. c••t. Faustum. Manich.
11:15
God vsed this gal of a fish in curing Tobias eyes, in like sorte as the liuer in driuing away the diuel. c. 6. v. 8.
11:1
1. They came to Charan, which is in the midst of the way toward Nineveh, on the eleventh day. — Charan is Haran, from which Abraham was called by God into Chanaan, Gen. XI, 31 and seq., which was afterwards called Charrae, where M. Crassus was slain by the Parthians with the Roman army. It was situated toward, that is toward Nineveh in the midst of the way, from Rages as far as Nineveh. For Rages was in Media, Nineveh in Assyria, and between the two was Charan, or Haran a city situated in Mesopotamia. Hence Serarius probably, part. IV, gathers that Tobias in all this journey was distant by eleven camps, but then both on account of the tender age and weak health of Tobias and his wife, and on account of the great retinue of servants, cattle, etc., so many days were consumed in going.
11:7
7. And Raphael said to Tobias: And (the Septuagint "and" signifies that these words are to be connected with the preceding words of the Angel in verse 4, and verses 5 and 6, as if inserted by way of parenthesis) when thou shalt enter into thy house, immediately adore the Lord thy God, and giving thanks to him, go to thy father, and kiss him. — Learn here that when thou travellest or goest anywhere, first go to the temple and invoke God, that he may prosper thy way and direct it to his glory and thine, and the salvation of others. Then returning, likewise return first to the temple and give thanks to God; thus do religious and upright men. Hear Pacatus in his Panegyrics: "Having entered great cities, we first visited the sacred buildings and temples dedicated to the supreme Godhead; then the forums and gymnasia." And St. Benedict in his Rule: "The guests received," he says, "are to be led to prayer." Thus did St. Antony when visiting St. Paul the first Hermit, as St. Jerome testifies in his Life, and other monks and anchorites, as Cassian testifies.
11:9
9. Then the dog ran before. — Hear Bede: "The figure of this dog is not to be despised, because he is the traveller and companion of the Angel; for he represents the Doctors of the Church, who by fighting against heretics drive grave wolves from the flock of the supreme Shepherd. And he said it beautifully, as it were a messenger arriving, because truly a faithful Doctor is a messenger of truth: he rejoiced beautifully with the wagging of his tail. The tail, which is as it were the end of the body, signifies the end of good work, that is perfection, or certainly the reward, which is given without end."
11:10
10. And the blind father rising up began to run stumbling with his feet. — Mystically: "Tobias the blind," says Pineda, "signifies the people of the Jews rising from the slumber of their perfidy and running to the Lord, although they stumbled in their steps of works, until they received the light of full faith and good works, being regenerated in Christ and instructed."
11:11
11. And they both began to weep for joy. — The Greek texts add that the mother said: I have seen thee, my son, now I shall die, namely, content and joyful. Thus Simeon, seeing Christ, said: "Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace."
11:13
13. Then Tobias taking of the gall of the fish (of the callionymi) anointed his father's eyes.
11:14
14. And he endured for almost half an hour, — until the gall gradually by its acrimony wore away, thinned and consumed the white spot and membrane covering the eyes of the father. Hence it is clear that this cure of blindness by means of gall was natural, as I said from Lyran, Dionysius, Serarius, Sanchez and others in chapter VI, 8. Whence the Greek texts have Raphael saying: Thou, anoint the gall in his eyes, and he himself by biting will rub away the underlying white spots, and he himself will see thee. And below: Tobias sprinkled that gall in his eyes; and when the eyes were pricked and smarting, he rubbed them, and from their corners, or angles, the white spots fell away like scales. For which Our author has: "And the white spot began to go out of his eyes like a membrane of an egg. Which Tobias taking hold of drew out of his eyes, and immediately he received his sight." Moreover Tobias was blind for 4 years, namely from the year of his age 56 until 60, when he received his sight, as is clear in chapter XIV, verse 3, where nevertheless the Greek texts have him living blind for eight years, namely from the year of his age 58 until 66, when he was enlightened. In the life of St. Gregory of Tours, Archbishop, it is narrated that his father Florentius was cured in a similar manner; for thus the author of the Life says: "Florentius was seized by returning heat; fever is kindled, his feet swell, the worst pain twists him: the plague prolonged had worn the man down, he now lay almost given up for dead. Meanwhile the boy (Gregory of Tours, his son) saw again in sleep a person, asking him whether he knew the book of Tobias. He answered: Not at all. Who said: Know that this one was blind, and was cured through his son from the liver of a fish, with an Angel accompanying. Do thou therefore do likewise, and thy father will be saved. He reported this to his mother, who immediately sent boys to the river; a fish is caught, those things which had been ordered from its entrails are placed on coals. The event did not deceive the man; for as soon as the smoke of the odor breathed upon the nostrils of the father, straightway all that swelling and pain departed. St. Gregory of Tours himself repeats all these things almost word for word in his book On the Glory of Confessors, chapter XL. Mystically Bede says: The white spot, he says, signifies the foolishness of self-pleasing, the egg hope and confidence, Tobias the Jewish people; he therefore has in his eyes a white spot, who appears great in his own eyes, white and just, and is too pleased with himself and arrogant; but he has it like a membrane of an egg, because he sustains blindness of mind under the most foolish hope of Christ to be born; for they do not believe him born, but hope for him to be born, and the Jews vainly await him. But those from whom by Raphael the physician, that is by the Angel of great counsel Christ the Lord, all this darkness has been taken away, recognize that the Messiah has already come and redeemed the world, and that he is Jesus Christ. Allegorically, the fish is Christ, as I have already said from St. Augustine, Prosper and others. The flesh of this most sacred fish is his charity, testified by so many works done for our good, and shown in his sufferings and sorrows. But the smoke of his heart is our prayer supported by the value of his merits. For this reason indeed this can avail something with the Father, not because it is only ours, but because it is poured forth from a member of Christ the natural Son, and founded in his merits and charity. This extracts every kind of demons, because it conquers the devil, and mocks his temptations and deceits. And therefore Chrysostom wisely attributes our case of the absence of prayer and its victory to his presence.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
11:4
… On his return to Nineveh, he explains to Tobiah how to cure his father's blindness by means of the fish's gall (ibid. 11:4-17). To the old Tobit, who did not know how to reward the supposed Azariah, son of Ananiah, R. makes himself known and then disappears, after having shown the duty to praise and bless …
11:5
… feared it was a theft (Tob. 2, 19-23), and on the occasion of their son's journey to Rages (Tob. 5, 23-25; 10, 4-7). Her sadness turned to jubilation when, from the hill where she often went to scan the horizon, she caught sight of her son returning (Tob. 11, 5-6). In the Septuagint the welcome is narrated with more details. …
11:9
… denying it for the biblical parts that contain historical, profane, natural-science information, etc. (Holden, in 1662; F. Lenormant [v.]; S. Di Bartolo [v.], regarding the obiter dicta, particular incidental matters such as, for example, 2 Tim. 4:13; Tob. 11:9, etc. [Cardinal Newman]), and that therefore have no connection with the attainment of the ultimate end (G. Semeria).
11:15
… of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob be with you, and may he join you together and fulfill his blessing in you" (Tob. 7:15). The wedding festivities celebrated at Ecbatana were then repeated at Nineveh in the house of Tobias's parents (ibid. 11:15 ff.). …
11:17
Ahiqar (Aramaic Ahia-Iaqar: 'The Brother Is Precious' or 'Dear')
… He is mentioned by the Vulgate, under the name Achior (v.) only in Tob. 11:20 (joined with Nabath), as a kinsman of Tobit; six other times (Tob. 1:21-22; 2:10; 11:17-18; 14:10, 15) by the Greek Septuagint Bible (under the name Achiacharos, Codex Sin. Achicharos) and by the ancient Latin versions (under the name Achichar).
11:20
2. Friend and cousin of Tobit, who congratulated him for the benefits granted him by God (Tob. 11:20 ff., Vulgate). …
Ahiqar (Aramaic Ahia-Iaqar: 'The Brother Is Precious' or 'Dear')
… He is mentioned by the Vulgate, under the name Achior (v.) only in Tob. 11:20 (joined with Nabath), as a kinsman of Tobit; six other times (Tob. 1:21-22; 2:10; 11:17-18; 14:10, 15) by the Greek Septuagint Bible (under the name Achiacharos, Codex Sin. Achicharos) …
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Douay 1609-10), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.