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.