Tobit · Revised Version with Apocrypha
Tobit 4 Revised Version with Apocrypha
1 In that day Tobit remembered concerning the money which he had left in trust with Gabael in Rages of Media,
1 In that day Tobit remembered the money which he had left in trust with Gabael in Rages of Media,
2 and he said in himself, I have asked for death; why do I not call my son Tobias, that I may shew to him [of the money ] before I die?
2 and he said to himself, I have asked for death; why do I not call my son Tobias, that I may explain to him about the money before I die?
3 And he called him, and said, My child, when I die, bury me: and despise not thy mother; honour her all the days of thy life, and do that which is pleasing unto her, and grieve her not.
3 And he called him, and said, “My child, if I die, bury me. Don’t despise your mother. Honor her all the days of your life, and do that which is pleasing to her, and don’t grieve her.
4 Remember, my child, that she hath seen many dangers for thee, [when thou wast ] in her womb. When she is dead, bury her by me in one grave.
4 Remember, my child, that she has seen many dangers for you, when you were in her womb. When she is dead, bury her by me in one grave.
5 My child, be mindful of the Lord our God all thy days, and let not thy will be set to sin and to transgress his commandments: do righteousness all the days of thy life, and follow not the ways of unrighteousness.
5 My child, be mindful of the Lord our God all your days, and don’t let your will be set to sin and to transgress his commandments: do righteousness all the days of your life, and don’t follow the ways of unrighteousness.
6 For if thou doest the truth, thy doings shall prosperously succeed to thee, and to all them that do righteousness.
6 For if you do what is true, your deeds will prosperously succeed for you, and for all those who do righteousness.
7 Give alms of thy substance; and when thou givest alms, let not thine eye be envious: turn not away thy face from any poor man, and the face of God shall not be turned away from thee.
7 Give alms from your possessions. When you give alms, don’t let your eye be envious. Don’t turn away your face from any poor man, and the face of God won’t be turned away from you.
8 As thy substance is, give alms of it according to thine abundance: if thou have little, be not afraid to give alms according to that little:
8 As your possessions are, give alms of it according to your abundance. If you have little, don’t be afraid to give alms according to that little;
9 for thou layest up a good treasure for thyself against the day of necessity:
9 for you lay up a good treasure for yourself against the day of necessity;
10 because alms delivereth from death, and suffereth not to come into darkness.
10 because alms-giving delivers from death, and doesn’t allow you to come into darkness.
11 Alms is a good gift in the sight of the Most High for all that give it.
11 Alms is a good gift in the sight of the Most High for all that give it.
12 Beware, my child, of all whoredom, and take first a wife of the seed of thy fathers, and take not a strange wife, which is not of thy father’s tribe: for we are the sons of the prophets. Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, our fathers of old time, remember, my child, that they all took wives of their brethren, and were blessed in their children, and their seed shall inherit the land.
12 Beware, my child, of all fornication, and take first a wife of the seed of your fathers. Don’t take a strange wife, who is not of your father’s tribe; for we are the descendants of the prophets. Remember, my child, that Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, our fathers of old time, all took wives of their kindred, and were blessed in their children, and their seed will inherit the land.
13 And now, my child, love thy brethren, and scorn not in thy heart thy brethren, and the sons and the daughters of thy people, to take a wife of them: for in scornfulness is destruction and much trouble, and in naughtiness is decay and great want: for naughtiness is the mother of famine.
13 And now, my child, love your kindred, and don’t scorn your kindred and the sons and the daughters of your people in your heart, to take a wife of them; for in scornfulness is destruction and much trouble, and in idleness is decay and great lack; for idleness is the mother of famine.
14 Let not the wages of any man, which shall work for thee, tarry with thee, but render it unto him out of hand: and if thou serve God, recompense shall be made unto thee. Take heed to thyself, my child, in all thy works, and be discreet in all thy behaviour.
14 Don’t let the wages of any man who works for you wait with you, but give it to him out of hand. If you serve God, you will be rewarded. Take heed to yourself, my child, in all your works, and be discreet in all your behavior.
15 And what thou thyself hatest, do to no man. Drink not wine unto drunkenness, and let not drunkenness go with thee on thy way.
15 And what you yourself hate, do to no man. Don’t drink wine to drunkenness, and don’t let drunkenness go with you on your way.
16 Give of thy bread to the hungry, and of thy garments to them that are naked: of all thine abundance give alms; and let not thine eye be envious when thou givest alms.
16 Give of your bread to the hungry, and of your garments to those who are naked. Give alms from all your abundance. Don’t let your eye be envious when you give alms.
17 Pour out thy bread on the burial of the just, and give nothing to sinners.
17 Pour out your bread on the burial of the just, and give nothing to sinners.
18 Ask counsel of every man that is wise, and despise not any counsel that is profitable.
18 Ask counsel of every man who is wise, and don’t despise any counsel that is profitable.
19 And bless the Lord thy God at all times, and ask of him that thy ways may be made straight, 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. And now, my child, remember my commandments, and let them not be blotted out of thy mind.
19 Bless the Lord your God at all times, and ask of him that your ways may be made straight, and that all your paths and counsels may prosper; for every nation has no counsel; but the Lord himself gives all good things, and he humbles whom he will, as he will. And now, my child, remember my commandments, and let them not be blotted out of your mind.
20 And now I shew thee of the ten talents of silver, which I left in trust with Gabael the son of Gabrias at Rages of Media.
20 And now I explain to you about the ten talents of silver, which I left in trust with Gabael the son of Gabrias at Rages of Media.
21 And fear not, my child, because we are made poor: thou hast much wealth, if thou fear God, and depart from all sin, and do that which is pleasing in his sight.
21 And fear not, my child, because we are made poor. You have much wealth, if you fear God, and depart from all sin, and do that which is pleasing in his sight.”
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
When you can do good, defer it not, because "alms delivers from death." Be all of you subject one to another "having your conduct blameless among the Gentiles," that ye may both receive praise for your good works, and the Lord may not be blasphemed through you.
He told him to give to the poor, charged him to give alms to the needy, and taught him, saying, "My son, alms suffereth not to come into darkness." The blind gave counsel for receiving and gaining light.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
Ye know this, that Tobit warned his son, and said to him, "Son, give alms of thy substance; because that alms suffer not to come into darkness." Even he who was in darkness spoke thus....Dost thou wish to know that light?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)