Tobit 4

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 The same day Tobit remembered the silver that he had left with Gabael at Rhages in Media	1 Therefore, when Tobit considered that his prayer was heard, so that he might be able to die, he called his son Tobias to him.
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 And he said to him: “My son, hear the words of my mouth, and set them, like a foundation, in your heart.
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 When God will receive my soul, bury my body. And you shall honor your mother, all the days of her life.
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 For you are obliged to be mindful of what great perils she suffered because of you in her womb.
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 But when she too will have completed the time of her life, bury her near me.
6 for if you act in truthfulness, you wil be successful in al your actions, as everyone is who practises whatis upright.	6 Yet, for all the days of your life, have God in your mind. And be careful that you never consent to sin, nor overlook the precepts of the Lord our God.
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 substance, and do not turn away your face from any pauper. For so it shall be that neither will the face of the Lord 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 In whatever way that you are able, so shall you be merciful.
9 So doing, you wil lay up for yourself a great treasure for the day of necessity.	9 If you have much, distribute abundantly. If you have little, nevertheless strive to bestow a little freely.
10 For almsgiving delivers from death and saves people from passing down to darkness.	10 For you store up for yourself a good reward for the day of necessity.
11 Almsgiving is a most effective offering for all those who do it in the presence of the Most High.	11 For almsgiving liberates from every sin and from death, and it will not suffer the soul to go into darkness.
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 Almsgiving will be a great act of faith before the most high God, for all those who practice it.
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 Take care to keep yourself, my son, from all fornication, and, except for your wife, never permit yourself to know such an offense.
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 Never permit arrogance to rule in your mind or in your words. For in it, all perdition had its beginning.
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 And whoever has done any kind of work for you, immediately pay him his wages, and do not let the wages of your hired hand remain with you at all.
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 Whatever you would hate to have done to you by another, see that you never do so to another.
17 Be generous with bread and wine on the graves of upright people, but not for the sinner.	17 Eat your bread with the hungry and the needy, and cover the naked with your own garments.
18 'Ask advice of every wise person; never scorn any profitable advice.	18 Set out your bread and your wine at the burial of a just man, and do not eat and drink from it with sinners.
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 Always seek the counsel of a wise man.
20 'Now, my child, I must tell you I have left ten talents of silver with Gabael son of Gabrias, at Rhages inMedia.	20 Bless God at all times. And petition him that he direct your ways and that all your counsels may remain in him.
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 And now, I reveal to you, my son, that I lent ten talents of silver, while you were still a young child, to Gabael, in Rages, a city of the Medes, and I have his written agreement with me.
	22 And so, inquire how you may travel to him and receive from him the aforementioned weight of silver, and return to him the written agreement.
	23 Do not be afraid, my son. We do indeed lead a poor life, but we will have many good things: if we fear God, and withdraw from all sin, and do what is good.”