Tobit 4

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 That same day Tobit remembered the money he had deposited with Gabael at Rages in Media, and he thought,	1 Therefore when Tobias thought that his prayer was heard that he might die, he called to him Tobias his son,
2 "Now that I have asked for death, why should I not call my son Tobiah and let him know about this money before I die?"	2 And said to him: Hear, my son, the words of my mouth, and lay them as a foundation in thy heart.
3 So he called his son Tobiah; and when he came, he said to him: "My son, when I die, give me a decent burial. Honor your mother, and do not abandon her as long as she lives. Do whatever pleases her, and do not grieve her spirit in any way.	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 Remember, my son, that she went through many trials for your sake while you were in her womb. And when she dies, bury her in the same grave with me.	4 For thou must be mindful what and how great perils she suffered for thee in her womb.
5 "Through all your days, my son, keep the Lord in mind, and suppress every desire to sin or to break his commandments. Perform good works all the days of your life, and do not tread the paths of wrongdoing.	5 And when she also shall have ended the time of her life, bury her by me.
6 For if you are steadfast in your service, your good works will bring success, not only to you, but also to all those who live uprightly.	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 from your possessions. Do not turn your face away from any of the poor, and God's face will not be turned away from you.	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 Son, give alms in proportion to what you own. If you have great wealth, give alms out of your abundance; if you have but little, distribute even some of that. But do not hesitate to give alms;	8 According to thy ability be merciful.
9 you will be storing up a goodly treasure for yourself against the day of adversity.	9 If thou have much give abundantly: if thou have a little, take care even so to bestow willingly a little.
10 Almsgiving frees one from death, and keeps one from going into the dark abode.	10 For thus thou storest up to thyself a good reward for the day of necessity.
11 Alms are a worthy offering in the sight of the Most High for all who give them.	11 For alms deliver from all sin, and from death, and will not suffer the soul to go into darkness.
12 "Be on your guard, son, against every form of immorality, and above all, marry a woman of the lineage of your forefathers. Do not marry a stranger who is not of your father's tribe, because we are sons of the prophets. My boy, keep in mind Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, our fathers from of old: all of them took wives from among their own kinsmen and were blessed in their children. Remember that their posterity shall inherit the land.	12 Alms shall be a great confidence before the most high God, to all them that give it.
13 Therefore, my son, love your kinsmen. Do not be so proudhearted toward your kinsmen, the sons and daughters of your people, as to refuse to take a wife for yourself from among them. For in such arrogance there is ruin and great disorder. Likewise, in worthlessness there is decay and dire poverty, for worthlessness is the mother of famine.	13 Take heed to keep thyself, my son, from all fornication, and beside thy wife never endure to know a crime.
14 "Do not keep with you overnight the wages of any man who works for you, but pay him immediately. If you thus behave as God's servant, you will receive your reward. Keep a close watch on yourself, my son, in everything you do, and discipline yourself in all your conduct.	14 Never suffer pride to reign in thy mind, or in thy words: for from it all perdition took its beginning.
15 Do to no one what you yourself dislike. Do not drink wine till you become drunk, nor let drunkenness accompany you on your way.	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 "Give to the hungry some of your bread, and to the naked some of your clothing. Whatever you have left over, give away as alms; and do not begrudge the alms you give.	16 See thou never do to another what thou wouldst hate to have done to thee by another.
17 Be lavish with your bread and wine at the burial of the virtuous, but do not share them with sinners.	17 Eat thy bread with the hungry and the needy, and with thy garments cover the naked.
18 "Seek counsel from every wise man, and do not think lightly of any advice that can be useful.	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 At all times bless the Lord God, and ask him to make all your paths straight and to grant success to all your endeavors and plans. For no pagan nation possesses good counsel, but the Lord himself gives all good things. If the Lord chooses, he raises a man up; but if he should decide otherwise, he casts him down to the deepest recesses of the nether world. So now, my son, keep in mind my commandments, and never let them be erased from your heart.	19 Seek counsel always of a wise man.
20 "And now, son, I wish to inform you that I have deposited a great sum of money with Gabri's son Gabael at Rages in Media.	20 Bless God at all times: and desire of him to direct thy ways, and that all thy counsels may abide in him.
21 Do not be discouraged, my child, because of our poverty. You will be a rich man if you fear God, avoid all sin, and do what is right before the Lord your God."	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.