TubiYahu (Tobit) — 3

Tobiyahu’s Prayer

1 Then in my grief I wept, and I prayed in anguish, saying, 

2 “Righteous art thou, O 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH; all thy deeds and all thy ways are mercy and truth, and thou dost render true and righteous judgment for ever. 

3 Remember me and look favorably upon me; do not punish me for my sins and for my unwitting offenses and those which my fathers committed before you. 

4 For they disobeyed your commandments, and you gave us over to plunder, captivity, and death; you made us a byword of reproach in all the nations among which we have been dispersed. 

5 And now your many judgments are true in exacting penalty from me for my sins and those of my fathers, because we did not keep your commandments. For we did not walk in truth before you. 

6 And now deal with me according to your pleasure; command my spirit to be taken up, that I may depart and become dust. For it is better for me to die than to live, because I have heard false reproaches, and great is the sorrow within me. Command that I now be released from my distress to go to the eternal abode; do not turn your face away from me.”

Sarah Falsely Accused

7 On the same day, at Acbatana in Madia, it also happened that Sarah, the daughter of Ragual, was reproached by her father’s maids, 

8 because she had been given to seven husbands, and the evil demon Asmudaus had slain each of them before he had been with her as his wife. So the maids said to her, “Do you not know that you strangle your husbands? You already have had seven and have had no benefit from any of them. 

9 Why do you beat us? If they are dead, go with them! May we never see a son or daughter of yours!”

Sarah’s Prayer for Death

10 When she heard these things she was deeply grieved, even to the thought of hanging herself. But she said, “I am the only child of my father; if I do this, it will be a dishonor to him, and I shall bring his old age down in sorrow to the grave.” 

11 So she prayed by her window and said, “Baraked art you, O 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH  my 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH, and baraked is your Qadash and honored Name for ever. May all your works Yadah You for ever. 

12 And now, O 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, I have turned my eyes and my face toward You. 

13 Command that I be released from the Arath and that I hear reproach no more. 

14 You know, O 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, that I am innocent of any sin with man, 

15 and that I did not stain my name or the name of my father in the land of my captivity. I am my father’s only child, and he has no child to be his heir, no near kinsman or kinsman’s son for whom I should keep myself as wife. Already seven husbands of mine are dead. Why should I live? But if it be not pleasing to you to take my life, command that respect be shown to me and pity be taken upon me, and that I hear reproach no more.”

An Answer to Prayer

16 The prayer of both was heard in the presence of the Kabad of the great 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH. 

17 And Raphy'AL the Malak was sent to heal the two of them: to scale away the white films from Tubiyahu’s eyes; to give Sarah the daughter of Ragual in marriage to Tubyas the son of Tubiyahu, and to bind Asmudaus the evil demon, because Tubiyas was entitled to possess her. At that very moment Tubiyahu returned and entered his house and Sarah the daughter of Ragual came down from her upper room.