Tobit 10: Tobit and Anna wait for their son, and Raguel sends Tobias home

In plain English: Day after day Tobit kept count of the days: how many it would take him to go, and how many to come back. When the days were over and his son had not come,

Good to know: The long Greek has Tobit counting "how many days it would take him to go, and how many to come back", and "his son had not come". Brenton's verse has "Tobit his father counted every day: and when the days of the journey were expired, and they came not".

In plain English: he said, "Can he have been held back there? Or can Gabael have died, and there is no one to give him the silver?"

Good to know: Here the long Greek and Brenton agree: "Has he been held back there?" (Brenton: "Are they detained?"). The short Greek has a different word, katēschyntai, "have they been put to shame?"

In plain English: And he began to grieve.

In plain English: Anna his wife said, "My child has died (or: is lost), and he is no longer among the living." And she began to weep and mourn for her son, and said,

Good to know: The long Greek names Anna and has "he is no longer among the living". Brenton's verse has "his wife" and "My son is dead, seeing he stayeth long".

In plain English: "Woe is me, child, that I let you go, you, the light of my eyes."

Good to know: The long Greek has "Woe is me, child, that I let you go". Brenton's verse has "Now I care for nothing, my son, since I have let thee go, the light of mine eyes".

In plain English: Tobit kept saying to her, "Be quiet, do not worry (literally: have no word), sister. He is well. No doubt something has kept them busy there. The man who went with him can be trusted, and he is one of our brothers. Do not grieve over him, sister. He will soon be here."

Good to know: The long Greek has Tobit's longer answer: something has kept them busy, the man with him can be trusted, and "he will soon be here". Brenton's verse has "Hold thy peace, take no care, for he is safe."

In plain English: She said to him, "Leave me alone (literally: be quiet from me), and do not deceive me. My child has died (or: is lost)." Every day she would rush out and watch the road her son had gone by, and she would listen to no one. When the sun went down, she would come in and mourn and weep all night, and she could not sleep. When the fourteen days of the wedding were over, which Raguel had sworn to hold for his daughter, Tobias went in to him and said,

Good to know: The long Greek has Anna rushing out to watch the road, listening to no one, and weeping all night without sleep, and has the fourteen days sworn "for his daughter". Brenton's verse has "did eat no meat in the daytime, and ceased not whole nights to bewail her son Tobias", and the days "which Raguel had sworn that he should spend there".

In plain English: "Send me away, because I know that my father and my mother do not believe they will see me again. So now I ask you, father, to send me away, so that I may go to my father. I have already told you how I left him."

Good to know: The long Greek has "I know that my father and my mother do not believe they will see me again", and Tobias asks again to go. Brenton's verse has "Let me go, for my father and my mother look no more to see me."

In plain English: Raguel said to Tobias, "Stay, child, stay with me, and I will send messengers to Tobit your father, and they will tell him about you."

Good to know: The long Greek has "Stay, child, stay with me" and "I will send messengers". Brenton's verse has "I will send to thy father, and they shall declare unto him how things go with thee".

In plain English: He said to him, "No, I ask you to send me away from here to my father."

In plain English: So Raguel got up and handed over to Tobias Sarah his wife and half of all his goods: male and female servants, oxen and sheep, donkeys and camels, clothing, silver, and household things.

Good to know: The long Greek lists the goods: "male and female servants, oxen and sheep, donkeys and camels, clothing, silver, and household things". Brenton's verse has "half his goods, servants, and cattle, and money".

In plain English: He sent them off in good health. He embraced him and said to him, "Farewell (literally: be well), child, and go in good health. May the Lord of heaven make the way go well for you and for Sarah your wife, and may I see your children before I die."

Good to know: The long Greek has Raguel embrace Tobias and pray for him and Sarah: "may I see your children before I die". Brenton's verse has "he blessed them, and sent them away, saying, The God of heaven give you a prosperous journey, my children".

In plain English: He said to Sarah his daughter, "Go to your father-in-law, because from now on they are your parents, as much as those who gave you birth. Go in peace, daughter. May I hear a good report of you as long as I live." He said goodbye to them and let them go. And Edna said to Tobias, "Child and dear brother, may the Lord bring you back (literally: restore you), and may I see your children, and Sarah my daughter's, while I live, before I die. Before the Lord I hand my daughter over to you to keep safe. Do not grieve her all the days of your life. Go in peace, child. From now on I am your mother, and Sarah is your sister. May all of us do well together all the days of our life." And she kissed them both and sent them off in good health.

Good to know: The long Greek has more words from Raguel ("as much as those who gave you birth") and from Edna ("From now on I am your mother, and Sarah is your sister"). Brenton's verse has "Honour thy father and thy mother in law" and ends "I commit my daughter unto thee, of special trust; wherefore do not entreat her evil".

Good to know: The long Greek has one more verse here, which Brenton does not have: "And Tobias left Raguel in good health and rejoicing, blessing the Lord of heaven and earth, the King of all, because he had made his journey go well. And he said to him, 'May it go well for you to honor them all the days of their life.'"