Tobias thinking he shall die, giveth his son godly admonitions: and telleth him of money he had lent to a friend.
Tobias thincking he shal dye, geueth his sonne godlie admonitions. 7. especially exhorteth him to geue almes diligently. 13. to flee al fornication, pride, and fraude. 21. And telleth him of money lent to a friend.
1Therefore when Tobias thought that his prayer was heard that he might die, he called to him Tobias his son,Tobia pertanto pensando, che fosse esaudita la sua orazione, ond'ei potesse morire, chiamò a se Tobia suo figliuolo.THERFORE when Tobias thought his prayer to be heard that he might haue died, he called to him Tobias his sonne,Igitur cum Tobias putaret orationem suam exaudiri ut mori potuisset, vocavit ad se Tobiam filium suum, 2And said to him: Hear, my son, the words of my mouth, and lay them as a foundation in thy heart.Egli disse: Ascolta, figliuol mio, le parole della mia bocca, e ponle in cuor tuo come per fondamento.and sayd to him: Heare my sonne the wordes of my mouth, & lay them as a foundation in thy hart.dixitque ei: Audi, fili mi, verba oris mei, et ea in corde tuo quasi fundamentum construe. 3When God shall take my soul, thou shalt bury my body: and thou shalt honour thy mother all the days of her life:Allorchè il Signore avrà presa l'anima mia, seppellisci il mio corpo; e onora la madre tua in ogni tempo della sua vita:When God shal take my soule, burie my bodie: and thou shalt doe honour to thy mother al the dayes of her life:Cum acceperit Deus animam meam, corpus meum sepeli: et honorem habebis matri tuæ omnibus diebus vitæ ejus: 4For thou must be mindful what and how great perils she suffered for thee in her womb.Perocchè tu dei ricordarti come, e quanto ella, abbia sofferto per te, portandoti nel suo seno.for thou must be mindful what perils, and how great she suffered for thee in her wombe.memor enim esse debes, quæ et quanta pericula passa sit propter te in utero suo. 5And when she also shall have ended the time of her life, bury her by me.E quando ella avrà terminato il corso della sua vita, seppelliscila accanto a me.And when she also shal haue accomplished the time of her life, burie her beside me.Cum autem et ipsa compleverit tempus vitæ suæ, sepelias eam circa me. 6And 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.Tu poi tutti i giorni di tua vita abbi Dio nella mente, e guardati di acconsentir giammai al peccato, e di trasgredire i precetti del Signore Dio nostro.And al the dayes of thy life haue God in thy mind: and beware thou consent not to sinne at anie time, and pretermitte the preceptes of our Lord God.Omnibus autem diebus vitæ tuæ in mente habeto Deum: et cave ne aliquando peccato consentias, et prætermittas præcepta Domini Dei nostri. 7Give 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.Di quello, che hai, fa limosina, e non volger le spalle a nissun povero perocchè così avverrà, che la faccia del Signore non si rivolga da te.Of thy substance geue almes, and turne not away thy face from anie poore person: for so it shal come to passe that neither the face of our Lord shal be turned from thee.Ex substantia tua fac eleemosynam, et noli avertere faciem tuam ab ullo paupere: ita enim fiet ut nec a te avertatur facies Domini.
8According to thy ability be merciful.Usa misericordia secondo la tua possibilità.As thou shalt be able; so be merciful.Quomodo potueris, ita esto misericors. 9If thou have much give abundantly: if thou have little, take care even so to bestow willingly a little.Se avrai molto, dà abbondantemente, se avrai poco, procura di dar volentieri anche quel poco.If thou haue much, geue aboundantly: if thou haue litle, studie to impert also a litle willingly.Si multum tibi fuerit, abundanter tribue: si exiguum tibi fuerit, etiam exiguum libenter impertiri stude. 10For thus thou storest up to thyself a good reward for the day of necessity.Perocchè ti accumulerai una gran ricompensa pel dì del bisogno.For thou dost treasure vp to thy self a good reward in the day of necessitie.Præmium enim bonum tibi thesaurizas in die necessitatis: 11For alms deliver from all sin, and from death, and will not suffer the soul to go into darkness.Perocchè la limosina libera dal peccato, e dalla morte, e non permetterà, che l'anima cada nelle tenebre.because almes deliuereth from al sinne, and from death, & wil not suffer the soule to goe into darkenesse.quoniam eleemosyna ab omni peccato et a morte liberat, et non patietur animam ire in tenebras. 12Alms shall be a great confidence before the most high God, to all them that give it.La limosina sarà argomento di gran fidanza dinanzi al sommo Dio per tutti quei, che la fanno.Great confidence before God most high shal almes be to al them that doe it.Fiducia magna erit coram summo Deo, eleemosyna omnibus facientibus eam. 13Take heed to keep thyself, my son, from all fornication, and beside thy wife never endure to know a crime.Guardati, figliuol mio, da qualunque impurità, e tolta la tua moglie, non voler sapere, che sia il male.Take heed to thy self my sonne of al fornication, & beside thy wife neuer abide to know crime.Attende tibi, fili mi, ab omni fornicatione, et præter uxorem tuam numquam patiaris crimen scire. 14Never suffer pride to reign in thy mind, or in thy words: for from it all perdition took its beginning.Non permettere, che regni giammai ne tuoi sentimenti, ovvero nelle tue parole la superbia; perocché da lei prende cominciamento ogni maniera di perdizione.Neuer permitte pryde to rule in thy word: for in it al perdition tooke his beginning.Superbiam numquam in tuo sensu aut in tuo verbo dominari permittas: in ipsa enim initium sumpsit omnis perditio. 15If 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.A chiunque abbia lavorato in alcun modo per te, rendi subito la mercede, e non resti giammai preso di te il salario de' tuoi mercenari.Whosoeuer hath wrought anie thing for thee, pay him his hyre immediatly, and let not the hyre of thy hyred seruant remayne with thee at al.Quicumque tibi aliquid operatus fuerit, statim ei mercedem restitue, et merces mercenarii tui apud te omnino non remaneat.
16See thou never do to another what thou wouldst hate to have done to thee by another.Quello, che tu non vuoi, che altri a te faccia, guardati dal farlo giammai agli altri.That which thou hatest to be done to thee by an other, see thou doe it not to an other at anie time.Quod ab alio oderis fieri tibi, vide ne tu aliquando alteri facias. 17Eat thy bread with the hungry and the needy, and with thy garments cover the naked,Mangia il tuo pane in compagnia de' meschini, e degli affamati, e delle tue vesti cuopri gl'ignudi.Eate thy bread with the hungrie & needie, and of thy garmentes couer the naked.Panem tuum cum esurientibus et egenis comede, et de vestimentis tuis nudos tege. 18Lay out thy bread, and thy wine upon the burial of a just man, and do not eat and drink thereof with the wicked.Metti il tuo pane, e il tuo vino sul sepolcro del giusto, e non ne mangiare, e non me bevere coi peccatori.Set thy bread, and thy wine vpon the burial of a iust man, and doe not eate and drinke therof with sinners.Panem tuum et vinum tuum super sepulturam justi constitue, et noli ex eo manducare et bibere cum peccatoribus. 19Seek counsel always of a wise man.Domanda sempre consiglio all'uomo sapiente.Seeke counsel alwaies of a wiseman.Consilium semper a sapiente perquire. 20Bless God at all times: and desire of him to direct thy ways, and that all thy counsels may abide in him.Benedici Dio in ogni tempo, e pregalo, che regga i tuoi andamenti, e in lui si fondino tutti i tuoi disegni.At al time blesse God: and desire of him, that he direct thy waies, and that al thy counsels remayne in him.Omni tempore benedic Deum: et pete ab eo ut vias tuas dirigat, et omnia consilia tua in ipso permaneant. 21I 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:Io ti fo ancor sapere, figliuol mio, com'io diedi, che tu eri ancor fanciullino, dieci talenti d'argento a Gabelo in Rages città de' Medi, e ho preso di me il suo chirografo.I tel thee also my sonne that I gaue tenne talentes of siluer, whiles thou wast yet a child, to Gabelus, in Rages a citie of the Medes, and I haue a bil of his hand with me:Indico etiam tibi, fili mi, dedisse me decem talenta argenti, dum adhuc infantulus esses, Gabelo, in Rages civitate Medorum, et chirographum ejus apud me habeo: 22Now 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.Laonde cerca il modo di andare a trovarlo per ritirare la detta somma di denaro, e rendergli il suo chirografo.and therfore enquire how thou maist come to him, and receiue of him the foresayd weight of siluer, and restore him the bil of his hand.et ideo perquire quomodo ad eum pervenias, et recipias ab eo supra memoratum pondus argenti, et restituas ei chirographum suum.
23Fear 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.Non temere, figliuol mio, è vero, che meniam vita povera, ma avrem però molti beni, se temeremo Dio, e fuggiremo qualunque peccato, e faremo del bene.Feare not my sonne: we leade in dede a poore life, but we shal haue many good thinges if we feare God, and depart from al sinne, and doe wel.Noli timere, fili mi: pauperem quidem vitam gerimus, sed multa bona habebimus si timuerimus Deum, et recesserimus ab omni peccato, et fecerimus bene.
4:1
Year of the World 3299.
Haydock
When. Greek and Hebrew and the old Vulgate, (Calmet) "That very day Tobit remembered the money which he had deposited with Gabael....and said within himself, I begged for death; why do I not call Tobias, my son, that I may declare it to him before I die? And calling him, he said: Son, if I die, bury me, and despise not thy mother." (Haydock)
4:3
Life. St. Augustine (Conf. 10:34) cries out, "O Light, which Tobias had in view, when these corporal eyes being closed, he taught his son the way of life."
4:5
By me. Greek adds, "in the same sepulchre," like the patriarchs. Pope Leo decreed: statuimus unumquemque in sepulchro suorum majorum jacere.
4:7
Calmet
Substance. Be not liberal of another’s property. Greek adds, "and let not thy eye be envious, when thou givest alms." Do it generously. (Calmet)
Worthington
The same doctrine of the reward of good works, occurs [in] Daniel 4:24. (Worthington)
4:9
Calmet
Little. God regards the affections more than the gift. (Calmet)
4:11
Menochius
Sin, provided faith, etc., be not wanting. (Menochius)
Haydock
When the Scripture seems to attribute salvation to one virtue, to faith, repentance, etc., it always presupposes that the heart is free from all mortal guilt. (Haydock)
Menochius
Alms deeds may procure a fresh supply of graces. (Menochius)
4:12
Calmet
Give it, with true charity, 1 Corinthians 13:3. (Calmet)
4:13
Haydock
Crime, or any commerce with another. (Haydock)
Haydock
Greek and Hebrew add, conformable to the law, (Exodus 34:16.) "And take not a strange woman, who may not be of thy father's tribe, as we are the sons of the prophets, Noe, etc. ....All these married from among their brethren, and were blessed in their children, and their seed shall inherit the land." (Haydock)
4:14
4:15
At all, after sunset, Deuteronomy 24:14.
4:16
Lamprid
Another. Behold the grand maxim of fraternal charity, Matthew 8:12. Alex. Severus was so much pleased with it, that he had it often repeated by a herald, and inscribed on public edifices. What thou wouldst not have done to thee, do not thou to another. (Lamprid.)
Greek and Hebrew add a caution against drunkenness and drunken companions. Fagius has another against revenge; and the old Vulgate, "give not way to wickedness."
4:17
Eat. Greek, "give."
Haydock
Naked. Greek adds, "give in alms all thy superfluities, and let not thy eye repine," etc., as ver. 7. (Haydock)
4:18
Calmet
Burial, or sepulchre. See Baruch 6:26.; Ecclesiasticus 7:37., and 30:18. The Jews followed this custom, which was common to the pagans, but from very different motives. The latter supposed that the souls fed on such meats. The Jews, and afterwards Christians, did it to feed the indigent, that they might pray for the deceased. These feasts were sometimes abused, and on that account forbidden by St. Ambrose, to whose authority St. Monica submitted. (St. Augustine, Conf. 6:3.) See Constitutions Apostolic 8:24. (Calmet)
Haydock
Just man, who may be supposed to have died in God's peace. (Haydock)
It is of no service to pray and give alms for the damned.
Menochius
Wicked, so as to encourage their evil conduct. (Menochius)
Worthington
Works of mercy extend to the dead. (Worthington)
4:20
Haydock
Abide. Greek, "prosper," (Menochius) or "be directed. For every nation has not counsel: but this same Lord bestows all good things. And whensoever he will, he humbles, as he pleases. And now, my son, remember my commands, and let them not be effaced from thy heart. Now, also, I make known unto thee the ten talents of silver, which I deposited with Gabael," etc. (Haydock)
4:21
Haydock
And 1:The Greek, etc., take no notice of this, (Calmet) nor of the following verse. (Haydock)
Worthington
The virtuous dispose of their temporal effects by will, etc. (Worthington)
4:23
We lead. Greek, "if we grow poor. Thou hast much if thou fear,"etc.
4:2
As Moyses to the people Deut. 33. and Dauid to Salomon. 3. Reg. 2. So Tobias gaue holie admonitions to his sonne: in al fourtene. noted in the inner margin.
4:3
Concordance 1
4:4
Concordance 2
4:6
Concordance 3
4:7
The same doctrine of good workes, and reward, is taught. Daniel. 4. v. 24.
Concordance 4
4:13
Concordance 5
4:14
Concordance 6
4:15
Concordance 7
4:16
A notable rule, agreable to the law of nature.
Concordance 8
4:18
VVorkes of mercie extēd also to the dead.
Concordance 9
4:19
Concordance 10. 11
4:20
Concordance 12
4:21
It perteyneth to good men amongst other thinges, to geue notice and to dispose of their temporal goodes by their last wil.
Concordance 13
4:23
Concordance 14
4:3
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 58.15
… let him that is growing in God compare himself now with an ungodly man, a blind heart with an enlightened heart: compare ye two men, one seeing and one not seeing in the flesh. And what so great thing is vision of the flesh? Did Tobias by any means have fleshly eyes?
4:5
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 On Works and Alms 20
… If thou hast little, communicate of that little. And fear not when thou doest alms; for thou layest up a good reward for thyself against the day of necessity, because that alms do deliver from death, and suffereth not to come into Gehenna. Alms is a good gift to all that give it, in the sight of the most high God.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 3.2
… if thou hast little, communicate even of that little. And do not fear when thou givest alms: thou layest up for thyself a good reward against the day of need; because alms delivereth from death, and does not suffer to go into darkness. Alms is a good office for all who do it in the sight of the most high God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Soul and its Origin 2.3
… who were a person of considerable age and position before you took lessons of this man, used to consider to be one and the same that faculty by which white and black are distinguished, which sparrows even see as well as ourselves, and that by which justice and injustice are discriminated, which Tobit also perceived even after he lost the sight of his eyes.
4:7
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 97.15
… What did it profit them to have seen with their eyes this sun, and not in mind to have seen that light? Tobit was blind, but he used to teach his son the way of God. 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.”
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Sermons 10
… so shall it come to pass that the face of God shall not be turned from thee
4:9
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 Register of the Epistles of St. Gregory the Great 7.28
… iii. 33 ). Paul the apostle also says, Let your abundance supply their want, that their abundance also may be a supply to your want ( 2 Cor. viii. 14 ). Tobias admonishes his son, saying, If thou hast much, give abundantly; but if thou hast little, of that little impart willingly (
4:10
St Polycarp † AD 155 Epistle to the Philippians 10
… When you can do good, defer it not, because “alms delivers from death.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 The Epistles of Cyprian 51.22
… is not to be granted to the lapsed, or to suppose that pardon is to be denied to the penitent, when it is written, “Remember whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works,” which certainly is said to him who evidently has fallen, and whom the Lord exhorts to rise up again by his works, because it is written, “Alms do deliver from death,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 38.16
… The same Tobias in giving advice to his son, instructed him to this, to cry out; that is, he instructed him to good works. 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.”
4:12
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 3.63
In Tobias: “Take a wife from the seed of thy parents, and take not a strange woman who is not of the tribe of thy parents.”
4:15
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Christian Doctrine 3.14
… and that, since every nation has a different custom, and right must remain unchangeable, it becomes manifest that there is no such thing as right at all. Such men did not perceive, to take only one example, that the precept, “Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 58.1
… 1 ). For to what unjust man is it not an easy thing to speak justice? or what man if questioned about justice, when he hath not a cause, would not easily answer what is just? Inasmuch as the hand of our Maker in our very hearts hath written this truth, “That which to thyself thou wouldest not have done, do not thou to another.”
Early Popes (Pseudo-Isidorian Decretals) The Epistles of Pope Callistus 2.5
… but though he falls, he rises; and the shuffler, with all his arts, goes headlong to ruin, whence he can never rise or escape. Therefore let every one weigh well his words, and let him not say to another what he would not say to himself. Whence the sacred Scripture says well: “Do not that to another which thou wouldest not have done to thyself.”
4:16
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 13.7
… Dost thou wish to receive mercy? Show mercy to thy neighbour. Dost thou wish to be applauded? Applaud another. Dost thou wish to be beloved? Exercise love. Dost thou wish to enjoy the first rank? First concede that place to another. Become thyself the judge, thyself the lawgiver of thine own life. And again; “Do not to another what thou hatest.”
4:17
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 The Book of Pastoral Rule 3.20
… do well to him that is lowly, and give not to the ungodly ( Ecclus. xii. 4 ). And again, Set out thy bread and wine on the burial of the just, but eat and drink not thereof with sinners (
4:18
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Apology to the Emperor. (Apologia Ad Constantium.) 17
… But the Lord said, ‘But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and shut the door .’ What then will the accuser answer? or rather what will all prudent and true Christians say? Let your Majesty ask the opinion of such: for it is written of the other, ‘The foolish person will speak foolishness ;’ but of these, ‘Ask counsel of all that are wise
4:21
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise Concerning Man’s Perfection in Righteousness 31
… and such a precept as is never kept by those of whom it is said, “There is none that doeth good, no, not one.” He adds: “Holy Tobit also said, ‘Fear not, my son, that we have to endure poverty; we shall have many blessings if we fear God, and depart from all sin, and do that which is good.’”
4:2
2. You shall honor your mother, — according to that commandment of God in the Decalogue: "Honor thy father and thy mother, that thou mayest be long-lived upon the earth," Deut. V, 16. See the things said there. Marvel here at the equanimity of Tobias, who, though struck by a sharp reproach from his wife, nevertheless entrusts to his son the honor and care of her, and that he himself be mindful of the sorrows, troubles and dangers which she herself suffered for him in the womb, and afterwards. Hear Eccli. cap. III, 8 and 18: "He that feareth the Lord, honoreth his parents: and he will serve them that brought him into the world as masters. How bad a reputation is his who forsaketh his Father: and he is cursed of God, that angereth his mother!"
4:5
5. You shall bury her beside me, — Hebrew and Greek: Bury her beside me honorably in the same sepulcher. For husband and wife are as one flesh, that is, one civil person, Gen. II, 24. Thus Abraham with Sarah, Isaac with Rebecca, Jacob with Leah wished to be buried in the same sepulcher, Gen. XLIX, 29. It is memorable what St. Gregory of Tours writes, De gloria Confess. cap. XXXII, concerning two lovers, namely a man and woman, living together in continence and chastity by mutual consent. For when the wife, now deceased, was being carried to burial, her husband, stretching forth his hands to heaven, said: "I give thanks to thee, artificer of all things, that as thou didst deign to commend her to me, so I have returned her to thee undefiled from all contagion of pleasure. But she, smiling, said: Be silent, be silent, man of God, for it is not necessary to speak our secret, with no one asking. After this, covered with a shroud, she departed. Not long after, he too departed from the world, and was buried in his place. Now it was in one basilica indeed, but from different walls each sepulcher was held. And one indeed was to the south, the other to the north. But when morning came, the sepulchers were found to be together (that is, joined), which thus endure even to this day: for this reason now the inhabitants call them two lovers, and venerate them with the highest honor."
4:6
6. But all the days of thy life keep God in mind, — namely in memory, so that thou art always mindful of him in thy intellect, and think and meditate upon him frequently: in thy will, so that thou mayest continually revere him, love him, praise him, invoke him, obey him, glorify him, and therefore carefully beware of all his offense and sin, as follows: according to that of Prov. III, 6: "In all thy ways think on the Lord, and he will direct thy steps." Thus Enoch walked, as also Noe. Gen. V and VI. Thus Abraham heard from God: "Walk before me, and be thou perfect," Gen. XVII, 1. Thus Elias: "The Lord liveth, saith he, in whose sight I stand," III Reg. XVII, 1. And Eliseus: "The Lord of hosts liveth, in whose sight I stand," IV Reg. III, 14. Moreover even Seneca, epist. 19: "Live thus, saith he, with men, as if God were watching."
4:7
7. Do alms, and turn not away thy face (Hebrew, do not avert thine eyes) from any poor man. — Here Tobias gives to his son six fruits and incentives of almsgiving. The first is: "For so it shall come to pass, that the face of the Lord shall not be turned away from thee," that is to say, God will render thee the same in return, because he himself is the guardian of the poor. Wherefore if thou turnest thy face from them, denying alms, or the consolation which thou canst give them, God will likewise turn his face away from thee, denying the grace and aid which thou seekest.
4:8
8. As thou art able, so be merciful, — so that if thou hast gold, bread, food, give those; if thou hast not, give counsel, comfort the poor with thy word, and speak well to him, showing the affection of compassion; for compassion lightens the misery of the wretched, and takes part of it upon itself.
4:10
10. For thou treasurest up a good reward for thyself in the day of necessity, — and especially in the hour of death: which God will give to thee, as promised by him to the merciful. For "reward," in Greek it is a deposit; because what is bestowed upon the poor does not perish, but is as it were deposited in the bosom of God to be kept, so that he may return it to the giver in his own time, then simple in this life, then doubled, nay even hundredfold in heaven. The Hebrews add here: But thou shalt possess riches and treasures of silver and gold in justice. For treasures shall profit nothing, and almsgiving shall deliver from death. And whosoever doth alms, he shall see the face of God, as it is written: I in justice shall behold thy face, and they who are occupied therein are from the heavens. This is the second fruit and incentive of almsgiving. The third follows.
4:11
11. Because almsgiving liberates from every sin and from death (eternal, and often from present death as well). — In what manner? First, dispositively, because almsgiving obtains greater grace, by which almsgivers are gradually advanced to the remission of guilt, even mortal, and disposes them to it, if namely it be done from the grace of God preventing, just as faith, hope, and fear dispose to the same; especially if it be done for some supernatural motive, for example, that you might obtain pardon of sin, that you might please God, that you might obtain His grace; secondly, because if the guilt has already been remitted, almsgiving merits the remission of the remaining penalty; thirdly, because God on account of almsgiving removes or defers the punishment of the present life, even with guilt not remitted. Whence almsgivers, even if otherwise impious, are rarely punished by God in this life. For which reason Daniel, chapter IV, advised the savage and impious Nebuchadnezzar, saying: "Redeem thy sins by alms;" indeed St. Augustine, book XXI of the City of God, chapter XXVII, says that some cannot be saved without almsgiving. Whence St. Ambrose, sermon 30 and 31, compares almsgiving to baptism: "Thus," he says, "almsgiving extinguishes sins, just as the water of baptism extinguishes the fire of hell. Therefore almsgiving is in a certain way another washing of souls, so that if anyone perhaps after baptism has sinned through human frailty, there remains for him that he be again cleansed by almsgiving." And St. Cyprian, in the book On Prayer and Almsgiving: "Just as by the washing of saving water the fire of hell is extinguished, so by alms and just works the flame of sins is quenched." St. Bernard, sermon 1 after Epiphany, establishes almsgiving as the third water jar by which the washing of sins is made. Thus also he compares it to baptism, as does Pope Leo, homily 2 On Collections, and sermon 5: "Alms," he says, "blot out sins, destroy death, and extinguish the punishment of perpetual fire," and now he adds the passage of Tobias. See what is said at Ecclesiasticus III, 33, to those words: "Burning fire water extinguishes, and almsgiving resisteth sins." And will not suffer the soul to go into darkness, — of hell, because it as it were closes and stops up the mouth of hell. St. Augustine objects, sermon 18 On the Words of the Lord according to Matthew chapter XVI, and at the same time answers: "If," he says, "the son should answer the father in amazement: What then, father, did you not make alms, that now you speak as a blind man? are you not now in darkness, you who tell me: alms do not allow the soul to go into darkness? He knew from what light he would teach his son, he knew in the inner man what he saw. The son extended his hand to the father, that he might walk upon the earth: and the father to the son, that he might dwell in heaven." The same, homily 47, among 50: "Almsgiving," he says, "pleads on behalf of man in the day of judgment, that he might not fear eternal flames." This is the fourth fruit of almsgiving; the fifth and sixth follow.
4:12
12. Great confidence will be before the most high God for almsgiving to all who do it. — The Hebrew: a great and good reward will be repaid before the holy one. Vatable: the best reward will be returned. For this reason almsgiving, having the appearance of the Queen Virgin wearing a crown upon her head made of olive branches, appeared to St. John the Almsgiver, Archbishop of Alexandria, in sleep, and said to him: "I am the first of the daughters of the king; if you possess me as a friend, I will lead you into the presence of the emperor. For no one has a share with him as I do. For I myself caused him to become man on earth, and to save men." Aroused by this vision, St. John gave all his possessions to the poor, and the more he distributed, the more he received from God, so much so that he converted tin into silver: thus Leontius, Bishop of Neapolis in Cyprus, in his Life.
4:13
13. Guard thyself, my son, from all fornication, — which many of the gentiles thought to be lawful, and therefore it was expressly forbidden by the Apostles to the gentiles converted to Christ, Acts XV, 29, and Paul writing to the gentiles repeatedly forbids it under the penalty of hell, as in I Corinthians VI; Galatians V; Ephesians V; Hebrews XIII, and St. John, Apocalypse XXI, 8: "The portion of fornicators," he says, "shall be in the pool burning with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." And besides thy wife never suffer to know crime, — that is to say, besides your wife know no woman, that you might commit the crime of fornication with her. Plato learned the same from Moses, and ordained it, book VII of the Laws: "Let no one," he says, "dare to touch any woman, except his lawful wife."
4:14
14. Never permit pride to rule in your mind (in your thought, in your thinking, estimation, judgment and will), or in your word, (so that although you may feel temptations of pride, you do not consent to them, so that it itself may rule over you; but you generously suppress it, and rule over it:) for in it began all perdition, — both of Lucifer and the Angels, and of Adam and men; indeed, as St. Prosper says, in the book On the Contemplative Life XXV: "no sin can be, or could have been, or will be, without pride," because everyone who sins prefers himself and his own appetite to God and His law, which is certainly pride. Hear St. Bernard, sermon 1 On the Advent: "If God did not spare the proud Angels, how much less you, corruption and worm? He did nothing, he worked nothing; he merely thought pride: and in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, he was irreparably cast down, because he did not stand in the truth. Flee pride, my brothers, I beseech you, flee it greatly. Pride is the beginning of all sin, which so swiftly darkened even Lucifer, shining more brightly than all the stars, with eternal darkness; which changed not merely an Angel, but the first of the Angels into a devil." Finally, sermon 34 in the Canticles: "Upon the proud Angel a dreadful and fearful curse is hurled, because he did not stand in the truth. If thus it was done with an Angel, what will be done with you, earth and ashes? He swelled up in heaven: I in a dunghill. Who would not bear pride more tolerably in a rich man than in a poor man? Woe to me, if so harshly it was dealt with in that mighty one, because his heart was lifted up; nor did it profit that pride is known to be akin to the mighty, what is to be required of me, both wretched and proud?" And St. Chrysostom, homily 4 to the People: "Just as fasting is the beginning of modesty, that is the foundation and establishment: so also pride is of sin, and from it every sin is begun. From pride is born contempt of the poor, covetousness of money, love of dominion, desire of much glory. The proud man moreover neither from his superiors, much less from his inferiors, can bear insult," etc. Gregory, book XXXIV of the Morals, chapter XVII: "Just as the root is hidden below, but from it the branches spread outwardly, so pride hides itself within, but from it vices immediately sprout forth. For no evils would come forth into the open, unless this constrained the mind in secret." Finally, pride makes a man disreputable and ignoble, Proverbs XI, 2: "Where pride is, there also will be contumely;" and chapter XXIX, 23: "Humility follows the proud, and glory shall uphold the humble in spirit."
4:15
15. Whoever shall have worked anything for you, immediately restore to him his wages, — namely "before the setting of the sun," if he be poor, as is commanded in Deuteronomy XXIV and Leviticus XIII: "His wages," it says, "shall not remain with you until morning."
4:16
16. What you hate to have done to you by another, see that you never do to another. — This is the first principle, from which all virtues concerning one's neighbor are drawn forth, as it were conclusions, and all vices harming one's neighbor are cut away. Hear St. Chrysostom, homily 13 to the People: "There is no need for many words, nor for lengthy laws, nor for varied doctrine. Let your will be law. Do you wish to receive benefits? confer a benefit on another. Do you wish to obtain mercy? have mercy on your neighbor. Do you wish to be praised? praise another. Do you wish to be loved? love. Do you wish to hold the first places? yield first to another. Be yourself the judge. Be yourself the legislator of your own life." And again: "What you hated, do not do to others. By this indeed it brings about the avoidance of evil, by that however the practice of virtue. Do you hate to suffer insult? neither envy another. Do you hate to be deceived? neither deceive another. And in all things generally, if we retain these two words, we shall need no other discipline." The same teaches St. Augustine, book II On the Order of Life, chapter VIII, and book III On Christian Doctrine, chapter XIV, and indeed Alexander the Emperor, though a pagan, as Lampridius testifies, "often cried out what he had heard and held from some, whether Jews or Christians, and ordered it to be proclaimed by a herald, when he corrected someone: What you do not wish to be done to you, do not do to another:" and indeed Christ himself sanctioned this norm of virtue, Matthew VII, 12: "All things," he says, "whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you also to them." The Greek texts add here: Do not drink wine to drunkenness, and let not drunkenness walk with you in your way, for it will make you stumble and fall into ditches and precipices, and from there into hell. The Hebrew: beware of drunkenness; and let no vanity ever please you. Do not join yourself to the wicked, But join yourself to the good, and from these you will learn much good. Living with the wicked, you too will become wicked.
4:18
18. Lay thy bread and thy wine upon the burial of the just. — In Hebrew and Greek: Pour out thy breads and thy wine upon the sepulchres of the just. Munster understands by sepulchres mouths, as if to say: Take thy wine, and place bread in the mouth of the just, so that they may not die of hunger; but no one fails to see that this is inept, foreign and forced. Note therefore that it was once the custom among Christians (especially at Rome and in Africa) for the faithful to bring feasts to the sepulchres and memorials of martyrs, which through the martyrs they sanctified by this contact as it were, and they themselves and their friends tasted them beforehand, then distributed them to the poor, who were called together in the Church for the agape on the birthdays of the martyrs, and this was done in honour of the martyrs, and St. Augustine relates that his mother St. Monica was accustomed to do this, lib. VI Confess. cap. II. Note secondly that they did the same thing at the burial of their deceased, whose salvation or glory was uncertain, namely they prepared alms or a banquet, or this agape in cemeteries or temples; both for the solace of mourning, and so that the soul of the deceased, if detained in the pains of purgatory, might be expiated by this alms and the prayers of the poor. But because this parentalia rite recalled the customs of the pagans, who in this manner made offerings to their Manes (thus they called the souls of the deceased, and their genii, or presiding gods), as if the souls of the deceased were to eat of these feasts, as is evident from Virgil, VI Aeneid., Pliny, lib. VIII, cap. XII, Macrobius, Cicero and others, which are therefore called by Festus feralia and inferiae, by Poets Hecate's supper, by Livy viscerationes, by Plautus pollincturae, by Nonius silicernia; which are still used by the Japanese and Peruvians, as is clear from the Indian letters. Similarly, on account of the abuses of feasting and carousing, St. Ambrose at Milan removed this rite of feasting from the temples, whose example the African Church followed, as St. Augustine later taught, and alms for the deceased began to be distributed at home, as is still done, although in some places, such as in Spain, breads are still offered at the burial, which go to the priests, so that they may pray for the soul of the deceased, as Sanchez says. All these things are evident from St. Augustine, lib. VI Conf. cap. II, and epist. 64, and St. Paulinus, epist. to Alethius, and St. Chrysostom, hom. 32 in Matth. Therefore Tobias here hints that this was done among the Jews, and perhaps from them Christians borrowed this rite, as they did many others. The sense therefore is, as if to say: Distribute thy bread and wine to faithful poor, so that they may pray for the deceased now buried. Hence he adds: And eat not and drink thereof with sinners, — namely, with infidels and perverse men, both because their prayers avail little with God for freeing from pains the soul of the deceased, and lest thou learn from them to drink and act impiously. For, as Epictetus says, "he who associates with the defiled shall become defiled;" and Theognis: "He who hath touched pitch, says our Sirach, cap. XIII, vers. 1, shall be defiled by it: and he that hath fellowship with the proud, shall put on pride." But a little before he had said, cap. XII, vers. 13: "Who will have pity on the charmer struck by a serpent, and on all that approach to beasts? So also he that keepeth company with a wicked man, and is involved in his sins." Furthermore St. Gregory, part. III Past. XXV, explains thus: "He offereth his bread and wine to sinners, who bestoweth on the wicked subsidies because they are wicked. Whence also some of the rich of this world, while the poor of Christ are tormented with hunger, nourish players with lavish gifts." Hence therefore it is clear that there is a Purgatory, and that the alms and suffrages of the pious benefit the souls detained in it. See Bellarmine, lib. I De Purgat. cap. III. I have said more on this matter at Eccli. XXX, 18, on those words: "The appointments of feasts set round about the sepulchre."
4:19
19. Seek counsel always from the wise, — both because even the wise are blinded in their own affairs: for affection blinds reason. Whence Prov. III, 5, it is said: "Lean not upon thy own prudence," and because the wise give counsel by wisdom, and thou shalt learn wisdom from the wise; hence the Greek here has: "Seek counsel from every prudent man, and reject no useful counsel." The Hebrew: "Hear and receive from anyone who shall give thee good counsel." Hesiod likewise advises this, whose verse Aristotle cites and praises, I Ethic. cap. IV: He again is good, who obeys the one who gives right counsel. But he who knows not of himself, nor lends his ears to anyone: That he may receive good things, that man is foolish and useless. My son, says Ecclesiasticus, cap. XXXII, vers. 24, do nothing without counsel, and after the deed thou shalt not repent." And Solomon, cap. XIX, vers. 20: "Hear counsel and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end." For Isocrates also to Daemonicus: "Good deliberation," he says, "is from men, its prosperity (prosperous execution, prosperous effect) from the gods."
4:20
20. Bless God at all times, and ask of him that he direct thy ways, — saying with the Psalmist, Psalm CXVIII: "O that (O Lord) my ways may be directed to keep thy justifications," And: "Show me thy ways, O Lord, and teach me thy paths." The Hebrews have more abundantly in this place: "At all times ask of the Lord, that he himself may direct thy steps and thy counsel: for there is no counsel in the hand of man, but in the hands of God, who is blessed: for all things that thou wilt, he will do, and he will humble the just. But the Greek: Bless the Lord thy God at all times, and ask of him that thy ways may be made straight, and all thy paths, and thy counsels may proceed well, or be prospered. For there is no nation that hath counsel: but the Lord himself giveth all good things, and whomsoever he will, he humbleth, as he willeth."
4:23
23. Fear not, my son: we lead indeed a poor life (in Greek, we beg, that is we are beggars), but we shall have many good things, if we fear God. — "We shall have," not only in the future life, but also in the present, and especially the honour and merit of virtue and piety. Cicero saw this through a shadow, who in Tusculan Disputations I and last, saith: "Who doubteth that riches are placed in virtue, since no possession, no force of gold and silver is to be esteemed more than virtue? For if shrewd estimators of things esteem meadows and certain fields greatly, because that kind of possession can scarcely be harmed in any way: how much is virtue to be esteemed which can never be taken away, nor stolen; which is not lost by shipwreck, nor by fire, nor is changed by the change of times, nor of seasons? Those who are endowed with it, they alone are rich; for they alone possess things both fruitful and eternal." The Hebrew hath: Act manfully, and be strong, for the Lord will be with thee to help thee, and will make prosperous, if thou seekest him with all thy heart, and all thy soul. And afterwards: If thou fear the Lord, and keep thyself from all sin, he will give thee great riches. "To you I say," saith St. Augustine, sermon 7 On the Seasons, "ye poor, who beg, who live by the alms of Christians: Be comforted, be comforted, your tribulation shall be turned into joy, and your sorrow into gladness. Let it not be grievous to you that ye beg, nor therefore say anything against God in your heart: for he is just and pious in all his works. And he made thee poor for this reason, that by enduring brief want, thou mightest acquire eternal life. And he made the rich man rich, so that while he gave of his superfluity, he might acquire a remedy for his sins. And therefore be ye patient and wait upon the Lord."
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
4:7
… The Old Testament contains it expressly, for example, in Deut. 15:11; Tob. 4:7-12; Ps. 40:1-4; it proclaims blessed the one who comes to the aid of the poor (cf., for example, Ps. 111:5-9; Prov. 14:21; 22:9); it affirms that almsgiving obtains all graces, not excluding …
4:10
The book of T. is not included in the Jewish canon; Protestants relegate it among the "apocrypha." But the Catholic Church, both Latin and Eastern, always venerated it from the beginning as inspired (Polycarp, Ad Phil., 10:2 cites Tob. 4:10; 12:9; Hermas, Pastor, mand. …
4:16
Religions, Comparative Study of
… Man, in fact, cannot fail to notice or to feel the contradiction he accepts, the distortion he imposes on himself by doing to others what he would not wish done to himself (Tob. 4, 16; Mt. 7, 12; Lc. 6, 31). This is certainly enough to make even primitive peoples understand certain elementary duties of justice and charity, which the family, the tribe, the nation …
4:17
Agape (Ἀγάπη "love, charity" in the New Testament)
A certain dependence of the a. on Jewish funerary banquets may be admitted (II Sam. 3, 32; Jer. 16, 5, 7; Tob. 4, 17-18; cf. Hos. 9, 4 and Ezek. 24, 17, 22; for New Testament times: Flavius Josephus, Ant. …
4:18
… Among the salutary warnings given by Tobit to his son is: "place your bread and your wine on the tomb of the just man, but do not eat of them together with sinners" (Tob. 4, 18). Therefore, if the cathedrae served in connection with the funerary table, they meant to indicate that there was a person who was reputed a "just man." The cathedra was the place …
… Among the people of Israel too such a custom must have been in force, since we read: Panem tuum et vinum tuum super sepulturam iusti constituit et noli ex eo manducare et bibere cum peccatoribus (Tob. 4, 18). In the syncretistic hypogeum of the Via Appia, where the priest Sabazius adorned the tomb of Vibia his wife, she is seen first in judgment before Pluto (Dispater) and Aeracura; then …
4:19
… V, 11:3, and sim. I, 1:6 cites Tob. 4:19; 5:17; Clement of Alexandria, Stromata, I, 21, cites Tob. 4:19 etc.; likewise Origen, Cyprian) and placed it in the first lists or canons of the sacred books (Councils of Hippo [393] and of Carthage [397 and 419], Innocent I [405], Council of …
4:20
Gabelus (Gr. Gabaēlós, «Ecciso è Dio», According to Hebrew)
… In the Greek text (Tob. 4:20; Vulg. 4:21) he is called the brother of Gabrias or Gabri.
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Douay 1609-10), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.