Both Good News Translation and New Revised Standard Version are following the order of events in our Greek text, which has two elements: My father must be counting the days … and You are witness …. In the other Greek text the order of these two is the reverse. That text has been known a longer time, and verse numbering originated with it. Consequently versions based on the text we are following will either join verse numbers 3-4, as in Good News Translation, or number them in the order 4, 3, as in New Revised Standard Version and New American Bible, or even combine verses 2-4 as Contemporary English Version does (see the alternative model below).

My father must be counting the days: “My father is counting the days” (Good News Translation) is literal, but must be counting conveys the flavor of the son’s anxious concern for his father. It will be helpful to include the words “until I come home,” as Good News Translation does; for example, “My father must be counting the days until I come home” or “my father is eagerly waiting for me to come home.”

You are witness to the oath Raguel has sworn: The Good News Translation rendering “You know, too, how Raguel insists that I must stay” dilutes the problem evident in New Revised Standard Version and New American Bible that Raphael was a witness to Raguel’s oath in 8.20, although the Greek text does not place Raphael on the scene at that point (see the note on 8.20). The Greek verb used here for witness, however, does not necessarily state that Raphael was present. Tobias need be only saying, “Think about Raguel’s oath” or “Think about the solemn promise that Raguel made.” This eases the problem only a bit, since it still assumes that Raphael somehow already knows about the oath.

I cannot violate his oath is awkward in English. Normally a person does not, and cannot, violate someone else’s oath. Good News Translation “I cannot disappoint him” weakens the force of oath-taking, but is in the right direction. Tobias is unwilling to do anything that will cause Raguel’s oath to go unfulfilled. “I don’t want to make him break his promise” (Contemporary English Version) is a better model.

It is possible to combine verses 2-4 as follows:

• Azariah, my friend, you know that my father has been counting the days it should take us to go to the town of Rages and return home. Even if we are one day late, he will be very worried. You heard how Raguel made a solemn promise before God that I must stay, and I don’t want to make him break his promise. So take four servants and two camels and go to Gabael’s house in Rages. Give him the signed document, so that he will give you the money, and then bring him back with you to the wedding feast.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Tobit. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.