Tobit 4

1 On that day Tobit remembered the money which he had committed to Gabael in Rages of Media,
2 and said to himself, "I have wished for death. Why do I not call for my son Tobias, that I may inform 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 honor 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 thee, and all those who 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 almsgiving doth deliver from death and suffereth not to come into darkness.
11 For alms is a good gift unto all who 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 foreign woman for a wife, who is not of thy father's tribe; for we are the children of the prophets Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Remember, my son, that our fathers from the beginning, even 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 who hath wrought for thee tarry with thee, but give it him 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 manner of living.
15 Do to no man that 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 those who 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 who are wise, and despise not any counsel that is profitable.
19 Bless the Lord thy God always, 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 make known this to thee: 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."
Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.