Tobit 4

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 The same day Tobit remembered the silver that he had left with Gabael at Rhages in Media	1 That same day Tobit remembered the money he had deposited with Gabael at Rages in Media, and he thought,
2 and thought, 'I have come to the point of praying for death; I should do wel to cal my son Tobias andtel him about the money before I die.'	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?"
3 He summoned his son Tobias and told him, 'When I die, give me an honourable burial. Honour yourmother, and never abandon her al the days of your life. Do al that she wants, and give her no reason for sorrow.	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.
4 Remember, my child, al the risks she ran for your sake when you were in her womb. And when shedies, bury her at my side in the same grave.	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.
5 'My child, be faithful to the Lord all your days. Never entertain the wil to sin or to transgress his laws.Do good works all the days of your life, never fol ow ways that are not upright;	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.
6 for if you act in truthfulness, you wil be successful in al your actions, as everyone is who practises whatis upright.	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.
7 'Set aside part of your goods for almsgiving. Never turn your face from the poor and God will never turnhis from you.	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.
8 Measure your alms by what you have; if you have much, give more; if you have little, do not be afraid togive less in alms.	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;
9 So doing, you wil lay up for yourself a great treasure for the day of necessity.	9 you will be storing up a goodly treasure for yourself against the day of adversity.
10 For almsgiving delivers from death and saves people from passing down to darkness.	10 Almsgiving frees one from death, and keeps one from going into the dark abode.
11 Almsgiving is a most effective offering for all those who do it in the presence of the Most High.	11 Alms are a worthy offering in the sight of the Most High for all who give them.
12 'My child, avoid al loose conduct. Choose a wife of your father's stock. Do not take a foreign wifeoutside your father's tribe, because we are the children of the prophets. Remember Noah, Abraham, Isaac andJacob, our ancestors from the beginning. Al of them took wives from their own kindred, and they were blessed intheir children, and their race wil inherit the earth.	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.
13 You, too, my child, must love your own brothers; never presume to despise your brothers, the sonsand daughters of your people; choose your wife from among them. For pride brings ruin and much worry;idleness causes need and poverty, for the mother of famine is idleness.	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.
14 'Do not keep back until next day the wages of those who work for you; pay them at once. If you serveGod you will be rewarded. Be careful, my child, in al you do, wel -disciplined in al your behaviour.	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.
15 Do to no one what you would not want done to you. Do not drink wine to the point of drunkenness; donot let excess be your travel ing companion.	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.
16 'Give your bread to those who are hungry, and your clothes to those who lack clothing. Of whateveryou own in plenty, devote a proportion to almsgiving; and when you give alms, do it ungrudgingly.	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.
17 Be generous with bread and wine on the graves of upright people, but not for the sinner.	17 Be lavish with your bread and wine at the burial of the virtuous, but do not share them with sinners.
18 'Ask advice of every wise person; never scorn any profitable advice.	18 "Seek counsel from every wise man, and do not think lightly of any advice that can be useful.
19 Bless the Lord God in everything; beg him to guide your ways and bring your paths and purposes totheir end. For wisdom is not the property of every nation; their desire for what is good is conferred by the Lord. Athis will he lifts up or he casts down to the depths of the dwelling of the dead. So now, my child, remember theseprecepts and never let them fade from your heart.	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.
20 'Now, my child, I must tell you I have left ten talents of silver with Gabael son of Gabrias, at Rhages inMedia.	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.
21 Do not be afraid, my child, if we have grown poor. You have great wealth if you fear God, if you shun every kind of sin and if you do what is pleasing to the Lord your God.'	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."