Tobit 14

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	NEW JERUSALEM
1 And the sermon of Tobit was completed. And after Tobit received his sight, he lived forty-two years, and he saw the sons of his grandchildren.	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.
2 And so, having completed one hundred and two years, he was buried honorably at Nineveh.	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.
3 For he was fifty-six years old, when he lost the light of his eyes, and he was sixty years old, when he truly received it again.	3 When he was at the point of death he summoned his son Tobias and gave him these instructions,
4 And, in truth, the remainder of his life was in gladness. And so, with the good accomplishment of the fear of God, he departed in peace.	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.
5 But, in the hour of his death, he called to himself his son Tobias, along with his sons, the seven youths who were his grandsons, and he said to them:	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.
6 “Nineveh will pass away soon. For the word of the Lord goes forward, and our brothers, who have been dispersed away from the land of Israel, shall return to it.	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,
7 Thus its deserted land will be entirely filled again. And the house of God, which was burned like incense within it, will be rebuilt again. And all those who fear God will return there.	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.
8 And the Gentiles will relinquish their idols, and they will enter into Jerusalem, and they will dwell in it.	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.
9 And all the kings of the earth will rejoice in it, adoring the King of Israel.	9 'So then, my son, leave Nineveh, do not stay here.
10 Therefore, my sons, listen to your father. Serve the Lord in truth, and seek to do the things that please him.	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.
11 And command your sons, so that they may accomplish justice and almsgiving, and so that they may be mindful of God and may bless him at all times, in truth and with all their strength.	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.
12 And now, sons, listen to me, and do not remain here. But, on whatever day you will bury your mother near me in one sepulcher, from that time, direct your steps to leave this place.	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.
13 For I see that its iniquity will bring about its end.”	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.
14 And it happened that, after the death of his mother, Tobias withdrew from Nineveh, with his wife, and sons, and sons of sons, and he was returned to his father-in-law.	14 Much honoured, he lived to the age of a hundred and seventeen years.
15 And he found them unharmed in a good old age. And he took care of them, and he closed their eyes. And all the inheritance of the house of Raguel passed to him. And he saw the sons of his sons to the fifth generation.	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.
16 And, having completed ninety-nine years in the fear of the Lord, with joy, they buried him.
17 But all his family and all his lineage continued with a good life and in holy conversation, so that they were acceptable both to God and to men, as well as to everyone who dwelt in the land.