Tobit Remembers His Deposit

1 That day Tobit remembered the money which he had left in trust with Gabael in Rages of Media, 2 and he thought, “I have asked for death. Why do I not call my son Tobias and tell him about this money before I die?”

Tobit’s Instructions to Tobias

3 And he called Tobias his son and he came to him and he said to him, “Bury me properly and honor your mother. And do not abandon her all the days of her life, and do what pleases her, and do not cause her distress in anything.⁠a 4 Remember, child, that she faced many dangers while carrying you in her womb.⁠b And when she dies, bury her beside me in one grave.

5 “My child, remember the Lord all your days,⁠c and do not set your heart on sinning and breaking his commandments. Act righteously all the days of your life, and do not follow unrighteous ways.⁠d 6 For if you act truthfully, your work will succeed, and so will the work of everyone who acts righteously.⁠e

7 “Give to the poor from your possessions. Do not turn away your face from any poor person, and the face of God will not be turned away from you, 8 Give to the poor in proportion to what you have.⁠f If you have much, give generously. If you have little, give from that, and do not be afraid to give even from that little,⁠g 9 for you store up a good treasure for yourself for a time of need,⁠h 10 because giving to the poor saves from death, and does not allow one to come into darkness.⁠i 11 Giving to the poor is a good offering in the sight of the Most High for everyone who does so.

12 “My child, avoid all sexual immorality. Above all, marry a woman descended from your ancestors. Do not marry a foreign woman from outside your father’s tribe, for we are the sons of the prophets. Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, our ancestors, remember, my child, that they all took wives from among their relatives, and were blessed in their children, and their descendants will inherit the land. 13 And now, my child, love your relatives, and do not inwardly despise your relatives and the sons and the daughters of your people and refuse to marry one of them, for contempt brings destruction and much trouble, and idleness brings decay and great poverty, for idleness is the mother of famine.

14 “Do not let the wages of anyone who works for you remain unpaid. Pay him immediately, and if you serve God, you will be rewarded. Pay attention to yourself, my child, in all your works, and be thoughtful in all your conduct.⁠j 15 Do not do to anyone what you yourself hate.⁠k Do not drink wine until you are drunk, and do not let drunkenness go with you on your way.⁠l 16 Give some of your bread to the hungry, and some of your clothing to those who have none. Give to the poor from all your abundance, and do not let your eye be grudging when you give to the poor. 17 Pour out your bread and your wine on the tomb of the righteous,⁠m and do not give to sinners.⁠n

18 “Ask advice from everyone who is wise, and do not reject any useful advice.⁠o 19 And bless the Lord your God at all times, and ask him to make your ways straight and to make all your paths and plans succeed, because not every nation has good judgment. But the Lord will give to them all good things. The Lord brings down to the depths of Hades anyone he chooses. And now, child, remember these commandments, and do not let them be erased from your heart.⁠p

The Deposit in Media

20 “And now, child, I tell you that I left ten talents of silver in trust with Gabael the brother of Gabri at Rages of Media. 21 And do not fear, my child, because we have become poor. You have great wealth, if you fear God and avoid every kind of sin and do the things which are good in the sight of the Lord your God.”