Tobita lūgšana
1 Pārlieku nobēdājies savā sirdī, es vaidēdams un šņukstēdams raudāju un lūdzu Dievu: 2 “Tu esi taisns, Kungs, un visi tavi darbi ir taisni, un visi tavi ceļi ir žēlsirdība un patiesība, tu tiesā pasauli. 3 Un tagad, Kungs, piemini mani un uzlūko mani, un neesi pārlieku bargs, tiesādams manus grēkus un manu un manu tēvu neapdomību, kad viņi grēkoja tavā priekšā. 4 Es nepaklausīju taviem baušļiem, un tu atdevi mūs par laupījumu gūstniecībai un nāvei, par piedauzību un aprunāšanu, un ķengāšanu pagāniem, starp kuriem tu mūs izklīdināji. 5 Tādēļ tavi daudzie tiesas spriedumi ir taisnīgi, lai tie tiktu izpildīti man par maniem grēkiem, jo es neesmu pildījis tavas pavēles un neesmu staigājis tavā priekšā taisni. 6 Tad nu rīkojies ar mani pēc savas labpatikas un pavēli ņemt manu garu prom no manis, lai es pazūdu no zemes virsas un topu par zemi, tādēļ ka man labāk ir mirt nekā dzīvot, jo esmu dzirdējis melīgus apmelojumus un esmu lielās bēdās. Kungs, pavēli, lai es pazūdu no šī posta, laid man doties, kur mīt Mūžīgais, neaizgriez savu vaigu no manis, Kungs, jo labāk man ir mirt nekā redzēt šo postu manā dzīvē un dzirdēt lamāšanu.”
Dievs uzklausa Tobita lūgšanu par dēmona nodarīto
7 Tajā pašā dienā mēdiešu zemē Ekbatanā Sāra, Raguēla meita, saņēma apvainojumus, ko viņai izteica tēva kalpone, 8 tādēļ ka Sāra bija izdota septiņiem vīriem, un ļaunais dēmons Asmodajs nokāva viņus, pirms viņi bija gulējuši ar viņu, kā precētām sievām pienākas. Kalpone viņai teica: “Tu esi nogalinājusi savus vīrus; redzi, tu esi izdota jau septiņiem vīriem, bet nevienam no tiem tu neskaities sieva. 9 Kādēļ tu mūs sit par saviem vīriem, ka viņi miruši? Ej prom ar viņiem, lai nekad neieraugām tev nedz dēlu, nedz meitu.” 10 Šajā pašā dienā viņa tapa bēdīga savā sirdī un, uzkāpusi sava tēva augšistabā, raudāja un gribēja pakārties. Bet pārdomājusi viņa sacīja: “Lai nepārmet manam tēvam un nesaka viņam: tev ir tikai viena mīļotā meita, un to pašu ļaunums ir nožņaudzis. Tā es savu tēvu vecumdienās aiz bēdām novedīšu nāves valstībā. Labāk būtu, ja es nepakārtos, bet lūgtu Kungu, lai nomirstu un man vairs nebūtu jādzird apvainojumi savā dzīvē.” 11 Tajā pašā brīdī viņa izpleta rokas uz loga pusi un lūgdama sacīja: “Esi slavēts, Dievs, Žēlotāj, un slavēts lai ir tavs vārds mūžam! Lai tevi slavē visi tavi darbi mūžīgi! 12 Un tagad uz tevi vērsts mans vaigs un manas acis uzlūko tevi: 13 pavēli, lai pazūdu no zemes, lai nekad vairs nedzirdu apvainojumus. 14 Tu zini, Kungs, Pavēlniek, ka esmu šķīsta no jebkādas vīra nešķīstības 15 un nav aptraipīts nedz mans vārds, nedz mana tēva vārds manas gūstniecības zemē. Esmu viendzimusī savam tēvam, un viņam nav cita bērna, kas varētu saņemt mantojumu, nedz arī kāds cilts brālis tuvinieks, nedz kāds cits viņa radinieks, ka sevi saglabātu tam par sievu. Jau ir pazudināti septiņi mani vīri, kādēļ lai man būtu vēl jādzīvo? Un, ja tev nav labpatikas mani nogalināt, Kungs, tagad uzklausi manu pārmetumu.” 16 Tajā pašā brīdī tika uzklausīta abu lūgšana Dieva godības priekšā 17 un tika nosūtīts Rafaēls abus dziedināt: Tobitu atbrīvot no viņa acu akluma, lai viņš ar savām acīm ieraudzītu Dieva gaismu, un Sāru, Raguēla meitu, dot Tobijam, Tobita dēlam, par sievu un atbrīvot viņu no ļaunā dēmona Asmodaja, tādēļ ka Tobijam ir tiesības viņu mantot pirmajam no tiem, kas grib viņu ņemt par sievu. Tajā pašā brīdī Tobits atgriezās no pagalma savā mājā un arī Sāra, Raguēla meita, nokāpa zemē no jumtistabas.
Tobit's Prayer
1 I was so embarrassed and ashamed that I sighed and began to cry. Then, as I choked back my tears, I prayed:
2 “You are righteous, O Lord!
You are merciful in all you do,
faithful in all your ways.
You are the judge of this world.
3-4 I beg you, treat me with kindness.
Do not punish me for my sins,
not even for sins of which I am unaware.
My ancestors rebelled and disobeyed your commands,
but do not punish me for their sins.
You let our people be plundered,
taken captive and killed.
You made an example of our people,
an object of contempt and disgrace
in all the nations where you scattered us.
5 You have often judged my ancestors for their sins
and punished me for mine.
We were disloyal and rejected your commands,
so our punishment has always been just.
6 “Now treat me as you please.
Take my life away and free me from this world;
let my body return to the earth.
I would be better off dead.
I am tormented by insults I don't deserve,
and weighed down with despair.
Lord, give the command—
bring all my troubles to an end,
take me to my eternal rest.
Don't reject my prayer.
I would rather die than live in misery
and face such cruel insults.”
Sarah's Troubles
7 That same day in the city of Ecbatana in Media, it happened that Sarah, the daughter of a man named Raguel, was insulted by one of her father's servant women. 8 Sarah had been married seven times, but the evil demon, Asmodeus, killed each husband before the marriage could be consummated. The servant woman said to Sarah, “You husband killer! Look at you! You've already had seven husbands, but not one of them lived long enough to give you a son. 9 Why should you take it out on us? Why don't you go and join your dead husbands? I hope we never see a child of yours!”
10 Sarah was so depressed that she burst into tears and went upstairs determined to hang herself. But when she thought it over, she said to herself, “No, I won't do it! People would insult my father and say, ‘You had only one child, a daughter whom you loved dearly, but she hanged herself because she felt so miserable.’ Such grief would bring my gray-haired father to his grave, and I would be responsible. I won't kill myself; I'll just beg the Lord to let me die. Then I won't have to listen to those insults any longer!”
Sarah's Prayer
11 Then Sarah stood by the window, raised her arms in prayer, and said,
“God of mercy, worthy of our praise,
may your name always be honored,
may all your creation praise you forever.
12 “Lord, I look to you for help.
13 Speak the word and set me free from this life;
then I will no longer have to hear these insults.
14 You know, O Lord, that I'm still a virgin;
I have never been defiled by a man.
15 Never have I disgraced myself or my father's name,
as long as we have lived in this land of exile.
My father has no other child to be his heir,
and there is no relative whom I can marry.
I have already lost seven husbands,
so why should I live any longer?
But if it is not your will to take my life,
at least show mercy to me.
Don't let me hear those insults again!”
God Hears the Prayers of Tobit and Sarah
16 As Tobit and Sarah were praying, God in heaven heard their prayers 17 and sent his angel Raphael to help them. He was sent to remove the white film from Tobit's eyes, so that he could see again, and to arrange a marriage between Sarah and Tobit's son Tobias, who, as her cousin, had the right to marry her. Raphael was also ordered to expel the demon Asmodeus from Sarah. At the very moment that Tobit went back into his house from the courtyard, Sarah, in her house in Ecbatana, was coming downstairs.
