Blessings be upon you, brother is a literal rendering of the Greek, but “God be with you” is a good functional equivalent. Another possibility is “I ask God to be good [or, kind] to you.” For Blessings see 4.12, and for brother refer to 5.10.

New Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation break the text into paragraphs differently here. Good News Translation puts Raphael’s words to Tobit in one paragraph (verse 16a), with Tobit’s words to Raphael and to Tobias in the next (verse 16b). New Revised Standard Version puts the conversation between Raphael and Tobit in one paragraph (verses 15-17a), with Tobit’s words to Tobias in the next (verse 17b). Translators should do what is natural in their language.

He called his son and said to him: Both Good News Translation and New Revised Standard Version hide a problem in the narrative here. Where has Tobias been since 5.10? Has this been a private conversation between Tobit and Raphael, with Tobias waiting outside, or has Tobias been standing silently with them? Only a very bold translator would go so far as to say, “He called him from outside.” If this is the picture, it is perhaps best to let the literal Good News Translation and New Revised Standard Version be sufficient. But in all probability the writer thinks of Tobias as present. We could solve the problem by saying something like “he called his son to him and said” or “he turned to Tobias and said” (similarly Contemporary English Version).

Set out with your brother: Since Raphael is not really Tobias’s brother, Contemporary English Version has “your friend” instead of your brother. This will be a better alternative in many languages. Good News Translation avoids the problem with “the two of you.”

May God in heaven bring you safely there and return you: The pronoun you is plural. Tobit is here referring to both Tobias and Raphael. Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version “the two of you” make it clear that the two instances of you in these clauses are plural. In some languages a dual pronoun form “you-two” is required in this case.

Bring you safely there: There is a problem with the New Revised Standard Version rendering in English at this point. From Tobit’s point of view, God is to “take” them safely to Media and “bring” them back. Good News Translation leaves bring you safely there understood in “watch over you both and bring you back to me safe and sound.”

In good health: Once again we find the same keyword.

May his angel … accompany you both for your safety: Here is something to give the reader a smile of recognition, since Tobit is once again saying more than he knows. A real angel is indeed going on this trip. This same irony will appear later at 5.22 (compare Psa 91.11). For angel see the comment at 3.17.

Before he went out to start his journey: To remind the reader, Good News Translation inserts a mention of Media as Tobias’s destination.

He kissed his father and mother: Tobias kisses his parents to say goodbye to them in a loving way. Many translators will have no trouble with this, but in cultures where this will sound odd, one might say “he lovingly said goodbye to his father and mother.”

Have a safe journey: This is literally “Go in good health,” yet another use of the keyword “good health,” which has been appearing frequently since verse 14. Here Tobit is speaking to Tobias alone—Raphael is not included. This is a private scene of farewell between parents and their son (compare 10.11). Again, translators need to find a clause that is natural in their language, rather than simply copying the Greek.

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.