For bridal chamber, see 6.14.

Some of the fish’s liver and heart: Some of refers only to the liver, not to the heart. Tobias is told to take the fish’s heart and some of its liver. Good News Translation, along with New American Bible and Zimmermann, say “the fish’s heart and liver.” This is not quite what the Greek says. We suggest that translators say “the fish’s heart and a piece of its liver.” For fish’s liver and heart, see 6.5.

Embers of the incense: The story does not tell us where the incense came from or why it is there. Presumably it has some connection with the marriage, although not necessarily related to anything sacred. There were secular uses of incense (as deodorant or insect repellant, for instance) that could account for its use in the bridal chamber. Both Good News Translation and New Revised Standard Version present a misleading picture. The organs of the fish are not to be put on “burning incense,” but on live coals (charcoal perhaps), on which incense would have been sprinkled. New Revised Standard Version sounds as if the incense consisted of briquettes that were burned to produce embers. New American Bible “embers for the incense” is a clearer picture. We are not told here that any incense was actually used. It will be helpful, then, to make this clear; we may say, for example, “and put them on the embers where incense is burned [or, where they burn incense].” Incense may be rendered in some languages as “sweet-smelling stuff” or “spices with a nice smell.”

An odor will be given off: The Greek text does not mention the odor spreading “throughout the room” (Good News Translation). The odor comes from the liver and heart burning, rather than from the incense that normally would have a pleasant odor. So in some languages it will be necessary to say something like “They [the liver and heart] will give off such a bad smell….”

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.