The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Tobit 04
1 In that day Tobit remembered the
money which he had left in trust with
Gabael in Rages of Media,
2 and he said to himself, I have asked
for death; why do I not call my son Tobias,
that I may explain to him about the money
before I die?
3 And he called him, and said,
“My child, ifI die, bury me. Don’t despise
your mother. Honor her all the days of
your life, and do that which is pleasing to
her, and don’t grieve her.
4 Remember, my child, that she has seen
many dangers for you, when you were in
her womb. When she is dead, bury her by
me in one grave.
5 My child, be mindful of the Lord our
God all your days, and don’t let your will
be set to sin and to transgress his commandments:
do righteousness all the days
of your life, and don’t follow the ways of
unrighteousness.
6 For if you do what is true, your deeds
will prosperously succeed for you, and for
all those who do righteousness.
7 Give alms from your possessions.
When you give alms, don’t let your eye be
envious. Don’t turn away your face from
any poor man, and the face of God won’t
be turned away from you.
8 As your possessions are, give alms of it
according to your abundance. If you have
little, don’t be afraid to give alms according
to that little;
9 for you lay up a good treasure for
yourself against the day of necessity;
10 because alms-giving delivers from
death, and doesn’t allow you to come into
darkness.
11 Alms is a good gift in the sight of the
Most High for all that give it.
12 Beware, my child, of all fornication,
and take first a wife of the seed of your
fathers. Don’t take a strange wife, who is
not of your father’s tribe; for we are the
descendants of the prophets. Remember,
my child, that Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob, our fathers of old time, all took
wives oftheir kindred, and were blessed in
their children, and their seed will inherit
the land.
13 And now, my child, love your kindred,
and don’t scorn your kindred and the sons
and the daughters of your people in your
heart, to take a wife of them; for in
scornfulness is destruction and much trouble,
and in idleness is decay and great lack; for
idleness is the mother of famine.
14 Don’t let the wages of any man who
works for you wait with you, but give it to
him out of hand. If you serve God, you will
be rewarded. Take heed to yourself, my
child, in all your works, and be discreet in
all your behavior.
15 And what you yourself hate, do to no
man. Don’t drink wine to drunkenness,
and don’t let drunkenness go with you on
your way.
16 Give of your bread to the hungry, and
of your garments to those who are naked.
Give alms from all your abundance. Don’t
let your eye be envious when you give
alms.
17 Pour out your bread on the burial† of
the just, and give nothing to sinners.
18 Ask counsel of every man who is wise,
and don’t despise any counsel that is profitable.
19 Bless the Lord your God at all times,
and ask of him that your ways may be
made straight, and that all your paths and
counsels may prosper; for every nation
has no counsel; but the Lord himself gives
all good things, and he humbles whom he
will, as he will. And now, my child, remember my commandments, and let them not
be blotted out of your mind.
20 And now I explain to you about the
ten talents of silver, which I left in trust
with Gabael the son of Gabrias at Rages of
Media.
21 And fear not, my child, because we are
made poor. You have much wealth, if you
fear God, and depart from all sin, and do
that which is pleasing in his sight.”