⁹ When I became a man I married a woman,^[a] a member of our own family, and by her I became the father of a son whom I named Tobias.^(A)

¹² “Beware, my son, of every kind of sexual immorality. First of all, marry a woman from among the descendants of your ancestors; do not marry a foreign woman, who is not of your father’s tribe, for we are the descendants of prophets and true-born sons of prophets. The first prophet was^[a] Abraham, then Isaac and Jacob, our ancestors of old. Remember, my son, that these all took wives from among their kindred. They were blessed in their children, and their posterity will inherit the land.^{(A) 13} So now, my son, love your kindred, and in your heart do not be so arrogant against the daughters of the members of your people as to refuse to take one of them as a wife. For in arrogance there is ruin and great confusion, and in idleness there is loss and dire poverty, because idleness is the mother of famine.^(B)

¹¹ Raphael said to the young man, “Tobias, my brother.” “Here I am,” he answered. Then Raphael^[a] said to him, “We must stay this night in the home of Raguel. That man is your relative, and he has a daughter named Sarah.^{(A) 12} He has no male heir and no daughter except Sarah only, and you, as next of kin to her, have before all other men a hereditary claim on her. Also, it is right for you to inherit her father’s possessions. Moreover, the young woman is intelligent, brave, and very beautiful, and her father is a good man.”^{(B) 13} He continued, “You have every right to take her in marriage. So listen to me, brother; tonight I will speak to her father about the young woman, so that we may take her to be your bride. When we return from Rages^[b] we will celebrate her marriage. For I know that Raguel can by no means keep her from you or promise her to another man without incurring the penalty of death according to the decree of the book of Moses. Indeed, he knows that you, rather than any other man, are entitled to marry his daughter. So now listen to me, brother, and tonight we shall speak concerning the young woman and arrange her engagement to you. And when we return from Rages, we will take her and bring her back with us to your house.”^(C)

¹⁶ But Raphael^[a] said to him, “Do you not remember your father’s orders when he commanded you to take a wife from your father’s house? Now listen to me, brother, and say no more about this demon. Take her. I know that this very night she will be given to you in marriage.^(A)

¹⁰ But Raguel overheard it and said to the young man, “Eat and drink, and be merry tonight. For no one except you, brother, has the right to marry my daughter Sarah. Likewise I am not at liberty to give her to any other man than you because you are my nearest relative. But let me explain to you the true situation more fully, my son.^(A)

²¹ Take at once half of what I own and return in safety to your father; the other half will be yours when my wife and I die. Take courage, my son. I am your father, and Edna is your mother, and we belong to you as well as to your sister now and forever. Take courage, my son.”^(A)