Tobit 4
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Tobit Gives Instructions to His Son
4 That same day Tobit remembered the money that he had left in trust with Gabael at Rages in Media,(A) 2 and he said to himself, “Now that I have asked for death, why do I not call my son Tobias and explain to him about this money before I die?”(B) 3 Then he called his son Tobias, and when he came to him he said, “Give[a] me a proper burial. Honor your mother and do not abandon her all the days of her life. Do whatever pleases her, and do nothing that makes her unhappy.(C) 4 Remember her, my son, because she faced many dangers for you[b] while you were in her womb. And when she dies, bury her beside me in the same grave.(D)
5 “Be mindful of the Lord all your days, my son, and refuse to sin or to transgress his commandments. Do what is right all the days of your life, and do not walk in the ways of wrongdoing,(E) 6 for those who act honestly will prosper in all their activities. To all those who practice righteousness,[c] 7 give alms according to your circumstances, my son, and do not turn your face away from anyone who is poor. Then the face of God will not be turned away from you.(F) 8 Act according to what you have, my son. If you have much, give alms from it; if you have little, give alms in accordance with what you have. Do not be afraid, my son, to give alms.(G) 9 You will be laying up a good treasure for yourself against a day of need.(H) 10 For almsgiving delivers from death and keeps you from going into the darkness.(I) 11 Indeed, almsgiving, for all who practice it, is an excellent offering in the presence of the Most High.
12 “Beware, my son, of every kind of sexual immorality. First of all, marry a woman from among the descendants of your ancestors; do not marry a foreign woman, who is not of your father’s tribe, for we are the descendants of prophets and true-born sons of prophets. The first prophet was[d] Abraham, then Isaac and Jacob, our ancestors of old. Remember, my son, that these all took wives from among their kindred. They were blessed in their children, and their posterity will inherit the land.(J) 13 So now, my son, love your kindred, and in your heart do not be so arrogant against the daughters of the members of your people as to refuse to take one of them as a wife. For in arrogance there is ruin and great confusion, and in idleness there is loss and dire poverty, because idleness is the mother of famine.(K)
14 “Do not keep over until the next day the wages of those who work for you, but pay them their wages the same day, and let not the pay of those among you be delayed overnight. Your pay will not be kept over if you serve God faithfully. Watch yourself, my son, in everything you do, and discipline yourself in all your conduct.(L) 15 And what you hate, do not do to anyone. May[e] no evil go with you on any of your way.(M) 16 Give some of your food to the hungry and some of your clothing to the naked. Give all your surplus as alms, my son, and do not let your eye begrudge your giving of alms.(N) 17 Pour out your food and your wine on the grave of the righteous, but do not give it to sinners.(O) 18 Seek advice from every wise person, and do not be disdainful, since any counsel is useful. 19 At all times bless God and ask him that your ways may be made straight and that all your paths and plans may prosper. For no nation has good counsel, but the Lord himself gives it. Whom he wants to, he exalts, and whom he wants to, he casts down to Hades below. So now, my son, remember these commandments of mine, and do not let them be erased from your heart.(P)
Money Left in Trust with Gabael
20 “And now, my son, let me explain to you that I left ten talents of silver in trust with Gabael son of Gabrias, at Rages in Media.(Q) 21 Do not be afraid, my son, because we have become poor. You have great wealth if you fear God and flee from every sin and do what is good in the sight of the Lord your God.”(R)
Footnotes
- 4.3 Other ancient authorities read My son, when I die, give
- 4.4 Q ms adds and carried you
- 4.6 S lacks 4.6–19, reading To those who practice righteousness
the Lord will give good counsel; 4.7–18 supplied here from another Gk ms - 4.12 Other ancient authorities add Noah, then
- 4.15 Other ancient authorities read Do not drink wine to excess, and may
Tobit 4
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
4 Therefore when Tobias thought that his prayer was heard that he might die, he called to him Tobias his son,
2 And said to him: Hear, my son, the words of my mouth, and lay them as a foundation in thy heart.
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 For thou must be mindful what and how great perils she suffered for thee in her womb.
5 And when she also shall have ended the time of her life, bury her by me.
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 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 According to thy ability be merciful.
9 If thou have much give abundantly: if thou have a little, take care even so to bestow willingly a little.
10 For thus thou storest up to thyself a good reward for the day of necessity.
11 For alms deliver from all sin, and from death, and will not suffer the soul to go into darkness.
12 Alms shall be a great confidence before the most high God, to all them that give it.
13 Take heed to keep thyself, my son, from all fornication, and beside thy wife never endure to know a crime.
14 Never suffer pride to reign in thy mind, or in thy words: for from it all perdition took its beginning.
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 See thou never do to another what thou wouldst hate to have done to thee by another.
17 Eat thy bread with the hungry and the needy, and with thy garments cover the naked.
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 Seek counsel always of a wise man.
20 Bless God at all times: and desire of him to direct thy ways, and that all thy counsels may abide in him.
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.
Tobit 4
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
III. Preparation for the Journey
Chapter 4
A Father’s Instruction. 1 That same day Tobit remembered the money he had deposited in trust with Gabael at Rages in Media. 2 He thought to himself, “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 So he called his son Tobiah; and when he came, he said to him:[a] “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.(A) 4 Remember, son, how she went through many dangers for you while you were in her womb. When she dies, bury her in the same grave with me.
5 “Through all your days, son, keep the Lord in mind, and do not seek to sin or to transgress the commandments. Perform righteous deeds all the days of your life, and do not tread the paths of wickedness. 6 (B)For those who act with fidelity, all who practice righteousness, will prosper in their affairs.[b]
7 “Give alms from your possessions. Do not turn your face away from any of the poor, so that God’s face will not be turned away from you.(C) 8 Give in proportion to what you own. If you have great wealth, give alms out of your abundance; if you have but little, do not be afraid to give alms even of that little. 9 You will be storing up a goodly treasure for yourself against the day of adversity.(D) 10 For almsgiving delivers from death and keeps one from entering into Darkness. 11 Almsgiving is a worthy offering in the sight of the Most High for all who practice it.(E)
12 “Be on your guard, son, against every kind of fornication, and above all, marry a woman of your own ancestral family. Do not marry a foreign woman, one who is not of your father’s tribe, because we are descendants of the prophets, who were the first to speak the truth. Noah prophesied first, then Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, our ancestors from the beginning of time. Son, remember that all of them took wives from among their own kindred and were blessed in their children, and that their posterity would inherit the land.(F) 13 Therefore, son, love your kindred. Do not act arrogantly toward any of them, the sons and daughters of your people, by refusing to take a wife for yourself from among them. For in arrogance there is ruin and great instability. In idleness there is loss and dire poverty, for idleness is the mother of famine.
14 “Do not keep with you overnight the wages of those who have worked for you, but pay them at once. If you serve God thus, you will receive your reward. Be on your guard, son, in everything you do; be wise in all that you say and discipline yourself in all your conduct.(G) 15 Do to no one what you yourself hate. Do not drink wine till you become drunk or let drunkenness accompany you on your way.(H)
16 (I)“Give to the hungry some of your food, and to the naked some of your clothing. Whatever you have left over, give away as alms; and do not let your eye begrudge the alms that you give. 17 (J)Pour out your wine and your bread on the grave of the righteous, but do not share them with sinners.[c]
18 “Seek counsel from every wise person, and do not think lightly of any useful advice. 19 (K)At all times bless the Lord, your God, and ask him that all your paths may be straight and all your endeavors and plans may prosper. For no other nation possesses good counsel, but it is the Lord who gives all good things. Whomever the Lord chooses to raise is raised; and whomever the Lord chooses to cast down is cast down to the recesses of Hades. So now, son, keep in mind these my commandments, and never let them be erased from your heart.
20 “Now, I must tell you, son, that I have deposited in trust ten talents of silver with Gabael, the son of Gabri, at Rages in Media. 21 Do not fear, son, that we have lived in poverty. You will have great wealth, if you fear God, avoid all sin, and do what is good before the Lord your God.”(L)
Footnotes
- 4:3–19 A collection of maxims that parallel those in the wisdom literature, especially Proverbs and Sirach (see Introduction): duties toward parents (vv. 3–4; cf. also 14:13); perseverance in virtue and avoidance of evil (vv. 5–6, 14b); necessity and value of almsgiving and charity (vv. 7–11, 16–17); marriage within the clan (vv. 12–13a); industry (v. 13b); prompt payment of wages (v. 14a); the golden rule (v. 15a); temperance (v. 15b); docility (v. 18); prayer (v. 19).
- 4:6 It was commonly thought in the Old Testament that virtue guaranteed earthly prosperity, and sin earthly disaster (Prv 10:2; cf. Dt 28).
- 4:17 Tobit counsels his son to give alms in honor of the dead or, more probably, to give the “bread of consolation” to the family of the deceased. Cf. Jer 16:7; Ez 24:17.
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