Tobit 14

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 The end of the hymns of Tobit. Tobit died when he was a hundred and twelve years old and receivedan honourable burial in Nineveh.	1 And the words of Tobias were ended. And after Tobias was restored to his sight, he lived two and forty years, and saw the children of his grandchildren.
2 He had been sixty-two when he went blind; and after his cure, he lived in comfort, practisingalmsgiving and continual y praising God and extol ing his greatness.	2 And after he had lived a hundred and two years, he was buried honourably in Ninive.
3 When he was at the point of death he summoned his son Tobias and gave him these instructions,	3 For he was six and fifty years old when he lost the sight of his eyes, and sixty when he recovered it again.
4 'My son, take your children and hurry away to Media, since I believe the word of God pronounced overNineveh by Nahum. Everything wil come true, everything happen that the emissaries of God, the prophets ofIsrael, have predicted against Assyria and Nineveh; not one of their words wil prove empty. It will al take placein due time. You wil be safer in Media than in Assyria or in Babylonia. Since I for my part know and believe thateverything God has said wil come true; so it will be, and not a word of the prophecies will fail. 'A census will betaken of our brothers living in the land of Israel and they wil be exiled far from their own fair country. The entireterritory of Israel wil become a desert, and Samaria and Jerusalem wil become a desert, and the house of God,for a time, wil be laid waste and burnt.	4 And the rest of his life was in joy, and with great increase of the fear of God he departed in peace.
5 Then once again God wil take pity on them and bring them back to the land of Israel. They wil rebuildhis house, although it wil be less beautiful than the first, until the time is fulfil ed. But after this, al will return fromcaptivity and rebuild Jerusalem in al her glory, and the house of God wil be rebuilt within her as the prophets of Israel have foretold.	5 And at the hour of his death he called unto him his son Tobias and his children, seven young men, his grandsons, and said to them:
6 And all the people of the whole earth wil be converted and wil reverence God with all sincerity. Al willrenounce their false gods who have led them astray into error,	6 The destruction of Ninive is at hand: for the word of the Lord must be fulfilled: and our brethren, that are scattered abroad from the land of Israel, shall return to it.
7 and will bless the God of ages in uprightness. Al the Israelites spared in those days wil rememberGod in sincerity of heart. They wil come and gather in Jerusalem and thereafter dwel securely in the land ofAbraham, which will be theirs. And those who sincerely love God wil rejoice. And those who commit sin andwickedness will vanish from the earth.	7 And all the land thereof that is desert shall be filled with people, and the house of God which is burnt in it, shall again be rebuilt: and all that fear God shall return thither.
8 'And now, my children, I lay this duty on you; serve God sincerely, and do what is pleasing to him. Andlay on your children the obligation to behave uprightly, to give alms, to keep God in mind and to bless his namealways, sincerely and with all their might.	8 And the Gentiles shall leave their idols, and shall come into Jerusalem, and shall dwell in it.
9 'So then, my son, leave Nineveh, do not stay here.	9 And all the kings of the earth shall rejoice in it, adoring the King of Israel.
10 As soon as you have buried your mother next to me, go the same day, whenever it may be, and donot linger in this country where I see wickedness and perfidy unashamedly triumphant. Consider, my child, althe things done by Nadab to his foster-father Ahikar. Was not Ahikar forced to go underground, though still aliving man? But God made the criminal pay for his outrage before his victim's eyes, since Ahikar came back tothe light of day, while Nadab went down to everlasting darkness in punishment for plotting against Ahikar's life.Because of his good works Ahikar escaped the deadly snare Nadab had laid for him, and Nadab fel into it to hisown ruin.	10 Hearken therefore, my children, to your father: serve the Lord in truth, and seek to do the things that please him:
11 So, my children, you see what comes of almsgiving, and what wickedness leads to, I mean to death.But now breath fails me.' They laid him back on his bed; he died and was buried with honour.	11 And command your children that they do justice and almsdeeds, and that they be mindful of God, and bless him at all times in truth, and with all their power.
12 When his mother died, Tobias buried her beside his father. Then he left for Media with his wife andchildren. He lived in Ecbatana with Raguel, his father-in-law.	12 And now, children, hear me, and do not stay here: but as soon as you shall bury your mother by me in one sepulchre, without delay direct your steps to depart hence:
13 He treated the ageing parents of his wife with every care and respect, and later buried them inEcbatana in Media. Tobias inherited the patrimony of Raguel besides that of his father Tobit.	13 For I see that its iniquity will bring it to destruction.
14 Much honoured, he lived to the age of a hundred and seventeen years.	14 And it came to pass that after the death of his mother, Tobias departed out of Ninive with his wife, and children, and children's children, and returned to his father and mother in law.
15 Before he died he witnessed the ruin of Nineveh. He saw the Ninevites taken prisoner and deportedto Media by Cyaxares king of Media. He blessed God for everything he inflicted on the Ninevites and Assyrians.Before his death he had the opportunity of rejoicing over the fate of Nineveh, and he blessed the Lord God forever and ever. Amen.	15 And he found them in health in a good old age: and he took care of them, and he closed their eyes: and all the inheritance of Raguel's house came to him: and he saw his children's children to the fifth generation.
	16 And after he had lived ninety-nine years in the fear of the Lord, with joy they buried him.
	17 And all his kindred, and all his generation continued in good life, and in holy conversation, so that they were acceptable both to God, and to men, and to all that dwelt in the land.