Tobias Chapter 4

Tobias thinking he shall die, giveth his son godly admonitions: and telleth him of money he had lent to a friend.

4:1. Therefore when Tobias thought that his prayer was heard that he might die, he called to him Tobias his son,

4:2. And said to him: Hear, my son, the words of my mouth, and lay them as a foundation in thy heart.

4:3. When God shall take my soul, thou shalt bury my body: and thou shalt honour thy mother all the days of her life:

4:4. For thou must be mindful what and how great perils she suffered for thee in her womb.

4:5. And when she also shall have ended the time of her life, bury her by me.

4:6. And all the days of thy life have God in thy mind: and take heed thou never consent to sin, nor transgress the commandments of the Lord our God.

4:7. Give alms out of thy substance, and turn not away thy face from any poor person: for so it shall come to pass that the face of the Lord shall not be turned from thee.

4:8. According to thy ability be merciful.

4:9. If thou have much give abundantly: if thou have little, take care even so to bestow willingly a little.

4:10. For thus thou storest up to thyself a good reward for the day of necessity.

4:11. For alms deliver from all sin, and from death, and will not suffer the soul to go into darkness.

4:12. Alms shall be a great confidence before the most high God, to all them that give it.

4:13. Take heed to keep thyself, my son, from all fornication, and beside thy wife never endure to know a crime.

4:14. Never suffer pride to reign in thy mind, or in thy words: for from it all perdition took its beginning.

4:15. If any man hath done any work for thee, immediately pay him his hire, and let not the wages of thy hired servant stay with thee at all.

4:16. See thou never do to another what thou wouldst hate to have done to thee by another.

4:17. Eat thy bread with the hungry and the needy, and with thy garments cover the naked,

4:18. Lay out thy bread, and thy wine upon the burial of a just man, and do not eat and drink thereof with the wicked.

4:19. Seek counsel always of a wise man.

4:20. Bless God at all times: and desire of him to direct thy ways, and that all thy counsels may abide in him.

4:21. I tell thee also, my son, that I lent ten talents of silver, while thou wast yet a child, to Gabelus, in Rages a city of the Medes, and I have a note of his hand with me:

4:22. Now therefore inquire how thou mayst go to him, and receive of him the foresaid sum of money, and restore to him the note of his hand.

4:23. Fear not, my son: we lead indeed a poor life, but we shall have many good things if we fear God, and depart from all sin, and do that which is good.