Tobit 8

How to read these pages: the text itself comes first, verse by verse, in the volume's own translation. Beneath each verse stands its Meaning — a rendering of what the passage's terms name in the inner life, drawn from the correspondences the text itself uses. The text is never altered; the meaning is offered, not imposed.

King James Version

1And when they had supped, they brought Tobias in unto her.

And when they had supped, they brought Tobias in unto her — the chamber entered at last, under covenant and blessing.

2And as he went, he remembered the words of Raphael, and took the ashes of the perfumes, and put the heart and the liver of the fish thereupon, and made a smoke therewith.

And as he went, he remembered the words of Raphael, and took the ashes of the perfumes, and put the heart and the liver of the fish thereupon, and made a smoke therewith — remembrance doing the work: the guide's instruction carried out by the traveller's own hand.

3The which smell when the evil spirit had smelled, he fled into the utmost parts of Egypt, and the angel bound him.

The which smell when the evil spirit had smelled, he fled into the utmost parts of Egypt — Egypt, the material sense-realm, the narrow straits — and the angel bound him: the adversarial state fleeing to the farthest edge of sense, and there bound by the ministering idea; no rival power, only a state confined.

4And after that they were both shut in together, Tobias rose out of the bed, and said, Sister, arise, and let us pray that God would have pity on us.

And after that they were both shut in together, Tobias rose out of the bed, and said: Sister, arise, and let us pray that God would have pity on us — the union beginning in prayer, not in appetite.

5Then began Tobias to say, Blessed art thou, O God of our fathers, and blessed is thy holy and glorious name for ever; let the heavens bless thee, and all thy creatures.

Then began Tobias to say: Blessed are You, O God of our fathers, and blessed is Your holy and glorious name for ever; let the heavens — the inner realm — bless You, and all Your creatures.

6Thou madest Adam, and gavest him Eve his wife for an helper and stay: of them came mankind: thou hast said, It is not good that man should be alone; let us make unto him an aid like unto himself.

You made Adam — the Complete Man — and gave him Eve — the affectional nature, the mother of all living — his wife for a helper and stay; of them came mankind: You have said, It is not good that man should be alone; let us make unto him an aid like unto himself — the marriage grounded in the first principle of the soul: understanding and love joined by the Maker's own word.

7And now, O Lord, I take not this my sister for lust, but uprightly: therefore mercifully ordain that we may become aged together.

And now, O Lord, I take not this my sister for lust, but uprightly; therefore mercifully ordain that we may become aged together — the prayer naming its own motive clean, and asking for length of days over intensity of night.

8And she said with him, Amen.

And she said with him, Amen — the daughter's voice joining the prayer: two states praying as one.

9So they slept both that night. And Raguel arose, and went and made a grave,

So they slept both that night. And Raguel arose, and went and made a grave — the old expectation digging by night what it fears by morning.

10Saying, I fear lest he also be dead.

Saying, I fear lest he also be dead — the eighth grave prepared by a love that has buried seven hopes.

11But when Raguel was come into his house,

But when Raguel was come into his house — the fear carried back indoors, unfinished.

12He said unto his wife Edna. Send one of the maids, and let her see whether he be alive: if he be not, that we may bury him, and no man know it.

He said unto his wife Edna: Send one of the maids, and let her see whether he be alive; if he be not, that we may bury him, and no man know it — secrecy planned for sorrow, that the reproach not spread.

13So the maid opened the door, and went in, and found them both asleep,

So the maid opened the door, and went in, and found them both asleep — the chamber of death found holding only sleep: consciousness at rest, truth held in obscurity, and both lives whole.

14And came forth, and told them that he was alive.

And came forth, and told them that he was alive — the report that undoes seven funerals in a sentence.

15Then Raguel praised God, and said, O God, thou art worthy to be praised with all pure and holy praise; therefore let thy saints praise thee with all thy creatures; and let all thine angels and thine elect praise thee for ever.

Then Raguel praised God, and said: O God, You are worthy to be praised with all pure and holy praise; therefore let Your saints praise You with all Your creatures; and let all Your angels — Your ministering ideas — and Your elect praise You for ever.

16Thou art to be praised, for thou hast made me joyful; and that is not come to me which I suspected; but thou hast dealt with us according to thy great mercy.

You are to be praised, for You have made me joyful; and that is not come to me which I suspected; but You have dealt with us according to Your great mercy — praise measuring mercy against suspicion, and finding suspicion the smaller.

17Thou art to be praised because thou hast had mercy of two that were the only begotten children of their fathers: grant them mercy, O Lord, and finish their life in health with joy and mercy.

You are to be praised because You have had mercy of two that were the only begotten children of their fathers: grant them mercy, O Lord, and finish their life in health with joy and mercy — the two only children of two sorrowful houses, prayed over as one household.

18Then Raguel bade his servants to fill the grave.

Then Raguel bade his servants to fill the grave — the grave filled empty: the earth of consciousness receiving the fear instead of the son.

19And he kept the wedding feast fourteen days.

And he kept the wedding feast fourteen days — the feast doubled beyond the seven of completeness: joy keeping its own fuller cycle.

20For before the days of the marriage were finished, Raguel had said unto him by an oath, that he should not depart till the fourteen days of the marriage were expired;

For before the days of the marriage were finished, Raguel had said unto him by an oath, that he should not depart till the fourteen days of the marriage were expired — love detaining the deliverer, lest gratitude be cut short.

21And then he should take the half of his goods, and go in safety to his father; and should have the rest when I and my wife be dead.

And then he should take the half of his goods, and go in safety to his father; and should have the rest when I and my wife be dead — the goods divided in trust: half for the road home, half awaiting its season.

Companion volume to The Why Bible — the King James Apocrypha, rendered in its spiritual meanings. First final edition, October 2026.