Tobit 4
Tobit instructs his son Tobias to bury him and his mother when they die, and to honor his mother all her life. He advises Tobias to always have God in mind, give alms to the poor, and be merciful, as these actions will bring a good reward and liberate him from sin. Tobit also warns his son against fornication, arrogance, and mistreating others, and encourages him to seek the counsel of wise men and bless God at all times. He reveals that he lent ten talents of silver to Gabael in Rages and instructs Tobias to retrieve the money.
1Therefore, when Tobit considered that his prayer was heard, so that he might be able to die, he called his son Tobias to him2And he said to him: "My son, hear the words of my mouth, and set them, like a foundation, in your heart3When God will receive my soul, bury my body. And you shall honor your mother, all the days of her life4For you are obliged to be mindful of what great perils she suffered because of you in her womb5But when she too will have completed the time of her life, bury her near me6Yet, for all the days of your life, have God in your mind. And be careful that you never consent to sin, nor overlook the precepts of the Lord our God7Give alms from your substance, and do not turn away your face from any pauper. For so it shall be that neither will the face of the Lord be turned away from you8In whatever way that you are able, so shall you be merciful9If you have much, distribute abundantly. If you have little, nevertheless strive to bestow a little freely10For you store up for yourself a good reward for the day of necessity11For almsgiving liberates from every sin and from death, and it will not suffer the soul to go into darkness12Almsgiving will be a great act of faith before the most high God, for all those who practice it13Take care to keep yourself, my son, from all fornication, and, except for your wife, never permit yourself to know such an offense14Never permit arrogance to rule in your mind or in your words. For in it, all perdition had its beginning15And whoever has done any kind of work for you, immediately pay him his wages, and do not let the wages of your hired hand remain with you at all16Whatever you would hate to have done to you by another, see that you never do so to another17Eat your bread with the hungry and the needy, and cover the naked with your own garments18Set out your bread and your wine at the burial of a just man, and do not eat and drink from it with sinners19Always seek the counsel of a wise man20Bless God at all times. And petition him that he direct your ways and that all your counsels may remain in him21And now, I reveal to you, my son, that I lent ten talents of silver, while you were still a young child, to Gabael, in Rages, a city of the Medes, and I have his written agreement with me22And so, inquire how you may travel to him and receive from him the aforementioned weight of silver, and return to him the written agreement23Do not be afraid, my son. We do indeed lead a poor life, but we will have many good things: if we fear God, and withdraw from all sin, and do what is good.
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