Tobit 4

Common English Bible

Tobit tells Tobias about the money

4 That day Tobit remembered the silver he had entrusted to Gabael in Rages of Media. ² He said to himself, I have asked for death; I should call my son Tobias and tell him about the money before I die.

³ So he called for his son Tobias, and Tobias came to him. Tobit said to him: “Give me a proper burial. Honor your mother and take care of her^[a] as long as she lives. Do what pleases her and don’t grieve her spirit in any matter. ⁴ Remember her, my son, because she went through many dangers while pregnant with you. And when she dies, bury her next to me in the same grave.

⁵ “My child, pay attention to the Lord as long as you live, and don’t make it your desire to sin or to disobey his commandments. Do what is just as long as you live, and don’t follow the paths that lead to wickedness. ⁶ Those who live in line with the truth will prosper in everything they do.

⁷ “To everyone who practices righteousness, make donations based on what you have, and don’t let your eye begrudge what you’ve given. Don’t turn your face away from any poor person, and God’s face will never turn away from you. ⁸ Give aid, my child, according to what you have. If you have a lot, make a donation out of your riches. If you have only a little, don’t be afraid to make a donation in proportion. ⁹ In this way, you will store up a valuable treasure for a time of need. ¹⁰ Giving assistance to the poor rescues a person from death and keeps a person from going down into darkness. ¹¹ For everyone who does it, donating money to the needy is a good gift in the sight of the Most High.

¹² “Child, keep yourself away from all inappropriate sex. First, take a wife from the descendants of your ancestors, and don’t take a foreign woman who isn’t from your ancestral tribe, for we are children of the prophets. Noah was first a prophet, and then Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, our ancestors from earlier times. Remember, my child, that they all took wives from their relatives.^[b] They were blessed through their children, and their descendants will inherit the land.

¹³ “And now, my child, love your relatives and don’t be too proud in your heart to take a daughter from the descendants of your people as your wife. In pride there is much ruin and instability, and laziness results in loss and great poverty, for laziness is the mother of hunger.

¹⁴ “Pay the wages of any person who works with you that same day. Don’t delay to pay a person’s wages, and your own wages will certainly not be withheld if you truly serve God. Keep yourself under control, my child, in everything you do and be disciplined in every aspect of your behavior.

¹⁵ “What you yourself hate, do that to no one. Don’t get drunk with wine, and don’t let drunkards^[c] accompany you on your way.

¹⁶ “Give some of your food to the one who is hungry and some of your clothing to those who are naked. Give away all your surplus to the poor, and don’t let your eye be resentful when you give your things away.

¹⁷ “Place your bread and wine on the tombs of the righteous, but don’t give anything to sinners.

¹⁸ “Get advice from everyone who is wise, and don’t despise what they say, since all advice is useful.

¹⁹ “At every opportunity praise God and ask him to make all your ways straight and all your activities prosper. No nation has good counsel, but the Lord himself gives good counsel. The Lord will bring down whomever he wishes, even as far as hell below. For this reason, my son, remember these instructions, and don’t let them be erased from your heart.

²⁰ “And now, my child, I want you to know that I have placed 570 pounds of silver in trust with Gabael the son of Gabrias in Rages of Media. ²¹ So don’t worry, my child, about the fact that we have been poor. You have many good things if you fear God, flee from every kind of sin, and do what the Lord your God thinks is right.”