Chapter 3

The prayer of Tobias, ℣.7 and Sara, in their several afflictions, ℣.24 are heard by God, and the Angel Raphael is sent to relieve them.

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   Then Tobias lamented, and began to pray with tears, and all thy judgments are just, & all thy

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   saying: Thou art just o Lord, ways mercy, & truth & judgment.

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   And now Lord be mindful of me, and take not revenge of my sins, neither remember the sins of me, or of my parents.

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   Because we have not obeyed thy commandments, therefore we are delivered in spoil, and captivity, and death, and into a fable, and into reproach to all nations, in which thou hast dispersed us.

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   And now Lord great are thy judgments, because we have not done according to thy precepts, & have not walked sincerely before thee:

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   and now Lord according to thy will, do with me, and command my spirit to be received in peace: for it is expedient for me to die, rather than to live.

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   The very same day therefore it chanced that Sara the daughter of Raguel in Rages a city of the Medes, she also heard reproach of one of her father's hand maids,

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   because she had been delivered to seven husbands, and the devil named Asmodeus had killed them forthwith as they were entered in unto her.

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   Therefore when she rebuked the wench for her fault, she answered her, saying: Let us no more see son of thee, or daughter upon the earth, thou murderer of thy husbands.

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    What, wilt thou kill me also, as thou hast now killed seven husbands? At this voice she went into an higher chamber of her house: and three days and three nights did not eat, nor drink:

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    but continuing in prayer with tears besought God, that he would deliver her from this reproach.

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    And it came to pass the third day, whiles she accomplished her prayer, blessing our Lord,

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    she said: Blessed is thy name o God of our fathers: who when thou hast been angry, wilt do mercy, and in the time of tribulation forgivest them their sins, that invocate thee.

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    To thee o Lord I turn my face, to thee I direct mine eyes.

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    I desire Lord that thou loose me from the bond of this reproach, or else take me away from the earth.

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    Thou knowest Lord that I never coveted a husband, & have kept my soul clean from all concupiscence.

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    Never have I companied my self with sporters: neither have I made my self partaker with them that walk in lightness.

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    But a husband I consented to take, with thy fear, not with my lust.

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    And either I was unworthy of them, or they perhaps were not worthy for me: because perhaps thou hast kept me for an other man.

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    For thy counsel is not in man's power.

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    But this hath every one for certain, that worshippeth thee, that his life, if it be in probation, shall be crowned: and if it be in tribulation, it shall be delivered: and if it be in correction, it shall be lawful to come to thy mercy.

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    For thou art not delighted in our perditions: because after a tempest thou makest a calm, and after tears and weeping thou pourest in joyfulness.

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    Be thy name God of Israel blessed for ever.

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    At that time the prayers of both were heard in the sight of the glory of the high God:

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    and the holy Angel of our Lord Raphael was sent to cure them both, whose prayers at one time were recited in the sight of our Lord.