God's New Bible

The Book of Tobit (Tobias)

Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic

- Chapter 4 -

Tobias thinking he shall die, gives his son godly admonitions: and tells him of money he had lent to a friend.

1
Therefore when Tobias thought that his prayer was heard that he might die, he called to him Tobias his son,
2
And said to him: Hear, my son, the words of my mouth, and lay them as a foundation in thy heart.
3
When God shall take my soul, thou shalt bury my body: and thou shalt honour thy mother all the days of her life:
4
For thou must be mindful what and how great perils she suffered for thee in her womb.
5
And when she also shall have ended the time of her life, bury her by me.
6
And all the days of thy life have God in thy mind: and take heed thou never consent to sin, nor transgress the commandments of the Lord our God.
7
Give alms out of thy substance, and turn not away thy face from any poor person: for so it shall come to pass that the face of the Lord shall not be turned from thee.
8
According to thy ability be merciful.
9
If thou have much give abundantly: if thou have a little, take care even so to bestow willingly a little.
10
For thus thou storest up to thyself a good reward for the day of necessity.
11
For alms deliver from all sin, and from death, and will not suffer the soul to go into darkness.
12
Alms shall be a great confidence before the most high God, to all them that give it.
13
Take heed to keep thyself, my son, from all fornication, and beside thy wife never endure to know a crime.
14
Never suffer pride to reign in thy mind, or in thy words: for from it all perdition took its beginning.
15
If any man hath done any work for thee, immediately pay him his hire, and let not the wages of thy hired servant stay with thee at all.
16
See thou never do to another what thou wouldst hate to have done to thee by another.
17
Eat thy bread with the hungry and the needy, and with thy garments cover the naked.
18
Lay out thy bread, and thy wine upon the burial of a just man, and do not eat and drink thereof with the wicked.
19
Seek counsel always of a wise man.
20
Bless God at all times: and desire of him to direct thy ways, and that all thy counsels may abide in him.
21
I tell thee also, my son, that I lent ten talents of silver, while thou wast yet a child, to Gabelus, in Rages a city of the Medes, and I have a note of his hand with me:
22
Now therefore inquire how thou mayst go to him, and receive of him the foresaid sum of money, and restore to him the note of his hand.
23
Fear not, my son: we lead indeed a poor life, but we shall have many good things if we fear God, and depart from all sin, and do that which is good.

Tobias thinking he shall die, gives his son godly admonitions: and tells him of money he had lent to a friend.

1
In that day Tobit remembered the money which he had left in trust with Gabael in Rages of Media,
2
and he said to himself, I have asked for death; why do I not call my son Tobias, that I may explain to him about the money before I die?
3
And he called him, and said, “My child, if I die, bury me. Don’t despise your mother. Honor her all the days of your life, and do that which is pleasing to her, and don’t grieve her.
4
Remember, my child, that she has seen many dangers for you, when you were in her womb. When she is dead, bury her by me in one grave.
5
My child, be mindful of the Lord our God all your days, and don’t let your will be set to sin and to transgress his commandments: do righteousness all the days of your life, and don’t follow the ways of unrighteousness.
6
For if you do what is true, your deeds will prosperously succeed for you, and for all those who do righteousness.
7
Give alms from your possessions. When you give alms, don’t let your eye be envious. Don’t turn away your face from any poor man, and the face of God won’t be turned away from you.
8
As your possessions are, give alms of it according to your abundance. If you have little, don’t be afraid to give alms according to that little;
9
for you lay up a good treasure for yourself against the day of necessity;
10
because alms-giving delivers from death, and doesn’t allow you to come into darkness.
11
Alms is a good gift in the sight of the Most High for all that give it.
12
Beware, my child, of all fornication, and take first a wife of the seed of your fathers. Don’t take a strange wife, who is not of your father’s tribe; for we are the descendants of the prophets. Remember, my child, that Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, our fathers of old time, all took wives of their kindred, and were blessed in their children, and their seed will inherit the land.
13
And now, my child, love your kindred, and don’t scorn your kindred and the sons and the daughters of your people in your heart, to take a wife of them; for in scornfulness is destruction and much trouble, and in idleness is decay and great lack; for idleness is the mother of famine.
14
Don’t let the wages of any man who works for you wait with you, but give it to him out of hand. If you serve God, you will be rewarded. Take heed to yourself, my child, in all your works, and be discreet in all your behavior.
15
And what you yourself hate, do to no man. Don’t drink wine to drunkenness, and don’t let drunkenness go with you on your way.
16
Give of your bread to the hungry, and of your garments to those who are naked. Give alms from all your abundance. Don’t let your eye be envious when you give alms.
17
Pour out your bread on the burial(a) of the just, and give nothing to sinners.
18
Ask counsel of every man who is wise, and don’t despise any counsel that is profitable.
19
Bless the Lord your God at all times, and ask of him that your ways may be made straight, and that all your paths and counsels may prosper; for every nation has no counsel; but the Lord himself gives all good things, and he humbles whom he will, as he will. And now, my child, remember my commandments, and let them not be blotted out of your mind.
20
And now I explain to you about the ten talents of silver, which I left in trust with Gabael the son of Gabrias at Rages of Media.
21
And fear not, my child, because we are made poor. You have much wealth, if you fear God, and depart from all sin, and do that which is pleasing in his sight.”

Footnotes

(a)4:17 Or, tomb