Tobit's Advice to Tobias
1 That same day, Tobit remembered the money that he had left with Gabael at Rages in Media. 2 He thought to himself, “Now that I have asked God to let me die, I should call my son Tobias and tell him about the money.”
3-4 So Tobit called Tobias and said to him, “Son, when I die, give me a proper burial. And after I'm gone, show respect to your mother. Take care of her for the rest of her life, and when she dies, bury her beside me. Remember, she risked her life to bring you into this world, so try to make her happy and never do anything that would worry her.
5 “Every day of your life, keep the Lord our God in mind. Never sin deliberately or disobey any of his commands. Always do what is right and never get involved in anything evil. 6 Be honest, and you will succeed in whatever you do.
7 “Give generously to anyone who faithfully obeys God. If you are stingy in giving to the poor, God will be stingy in giving to you. 8 Give according to what you have. The more you have, the more you should give. Even if you have only a little, be sure to give something. 9 This is as good as money saved. You will have your reward in a time of trouble. 10-11 Taking care of the poor is the kind of offering that pleases God in heaven. Do this, and you will be kept safe from the dark world of the dead.
12 “Son, be on your guard against prostitutes. Above all, marry a woman of our tribe, because we are descendants of the prophets. Do not marry anyone who is not related to us. Remember that Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, our earliest ancestors, all married relatives. God blessed them with children, and so their descendants will inherit the land of Israel. 13 Son, be loyal to your own relatives. Don't be too proud to marry one of them. Such pride leads to terrible frustration and ruin, just as laziness brings on severe poverty and causes starvation.
14 “Pay your workers each day; never keep back their wages overnight. Honor God in this way, and he will reward you. Behave properly at all times. 15 Never do to anyone else anything that you would not want someone to do to you.
“Do not drink so much wine that you get drunk, and do not let drinking become a habit.
16 “Give food to the hungry and clothes to people in need. If you are prosperous, give generously, and do it gladly!
17 “When one of God's faithful people has died, prepare food for the family, but never do this when someone evil dies.
18 “Take the advice of sensible people, and never treat any useful advice lightly.
19 “Take advantage of every opportunity to praise the Lord your God. Ask him to make you prosper in whatever you set out to do. He does not give his wisdom to the people of any other nation. He is the source of all good things, but he can also destroy you and bring you to certain death, if he wishes.
“Remember all my instructions. Don't forget them for one minute.
20 “Tobias, I want you to know that I once left a large sum of money with Gabrias' son, Gabael, at Rages in Media. 21 We're poor now, but don't worry. If you obey God and avoid sin, he will be pleased with you and make you prosperous.”
1 In that day Tobit remembered the money which he had committed to Gabael in Rages of Media,
2 And said with himself, I have wished for death; wherefore do I not call for my son Tobias that I may signify to him of the money before I die?
3 And when he had called him, he said, My son, when I am dead, bury me; and despise not thy mother, but honour her all the days of thy life, and do that which shall please her, and grieve her not.
4 Remember, my son, that she saw many dangers for thee, when thou wast in her womb: and when she is dead, bury her by me in one grave.
5 My son, be mindful of the Lord our God all thy days, and let not thy will be set to sin, or to transgress his commandments: do uprightly all thy life long, and follow not the ways of unrighteousness.
6 For if thou deal truly, thy doings shall prosperously succeed to thee, and to all them that live justly.
7 Give alms of thy substance; and when thou givest alms, let not thine eye be envious, neither turn thy face from any poor, and the face of God shall not be turned away from thee.
8 If thou hast abundance give alms accordingly: if thou have but a little, be not afraid to give according to that little:
9 For thou layest up a good treasure for thyself against the day of necessity.
10 Because that alms do deliver from death, and suffereth not to come into darkness.
11 For alms is a good gift unto all that give it in the sight of the most High.
12 Beware of all whoredom, my son, and chiefly take a wife of the seed of thy fathers, and take not a strange woman to wife, which is not of thy father’s tribe: for we are the children of the prophets, Noe, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: remember, my son, that our fathers from the beginning, even that they all married wives of their own kindred, and were blessed in their children, and their seed shall inherit the land.
13 Now therefore, my son, love thy brethren, and despise not in thy heart thy brethren, the sons and daughters of thy people, in not taking a wife of them: for in pride is destruction and much trouble, and in lewdness is decay and great want: for lewdness is the mother of famine.
14 Let not the wages of any man, which hath wrought for thee, tarry with thee, but give him it out of hand: for if thou serve God, he will also repay thee: be circumspect my son, in all things thou doest, and be wise in all thy conversation.
15 Do that to no man which thou hatest: drink not wine to make thee drunken: neither let drunkenness go with thee in thy journey.
16 Give of thy bread to the hungry, and of thy garments to them that are naked; and according to thine abundance give alms: and let not thine eye be envious, when thou givest alms.
17 Pour out thy bread on the burial of the just, but give nothing to the wicked.
18 Ask counsel of all that are wise, and despise not any counsel that is profitable.
19 Bless the Lord thy God alway, and desire of him that thy ways may be directed, and that all thy paths and counsels may prosper: for every nation hath not counsel; but the Lord himself giveth all good things, and he humbleth whom he will, as he will; now therefore, my son, remember my commandments, neither let them be put out of thy mind.
20 And now I signify this to they that I committed ten talents to Gabael the son of Gabrias at Rages in Media.
21 And fear not, my son, that we are made poor: for thou hast much wealth, if thou fear God, and depart from all sin, and do that which is pleasing in his sight.