Last words of Tobit
1 In this way Tobit ended his song of thanksgiving. Tobit died peacefully at the age of one hundred and twelve years, and was buried with honor in Nine veh.
2 He was sixty-two years old when he became blind. Eight years later he regained his sight. He lived happily, practiced almsgiving, and continued to praise God and to proclaim his great works.
3 When he was very old he called Tobias and said to him, “My son, you see that I have become old and that I am near death. Take your children
4 and go to Me dia because I believe in the word of God which Nahum prophesied about Nineveh. Everything that the prophets sent by God pronounced about Assyria and Nineveh will happen. No word will be forgotten but it will all come to pass in due time. Nine veh will be destroyed. You will be safer in Media, where there will be peace for some time, because I am certain and I believe that all that God has said will be fulfilled.
Our brothers and sisters who live in the land of Israel will be dispersed and led away into captivity. As a result the whole of the land of Israel will be deserted. Jerusalem and Samaria will be desolate. The House of God will be burned down and left in ruins for some time.
5 But God will again take pity on his people and they will re turn to their land. They will rebuild the Tem ple, though it will not be like the first one until better times come. When that time comes they will all return from captivity. They will rebuild Jeru salem in all its magnificence. In it they will rebuild the House of God in all its glory for all ge ne rations to come, just as the prophets have foretold.
6 People of all nations will be converted and know the true God. They will bury their idols which led them into error
7 and they will praise the God of Justice. All the Israelites saved at that time will remember the Lord in all truth. They will come together and go to Jerusalem. They will live securely forever in the land of Abra ham which will be given back to them. Those who sincerely love God will re joice. But sinners and the unjust will disappear from the earth.
8 My son, leave Nineveh. Do not re main here.
9 Now, my children, I give you this advice: serve God and do what is pleasing in his sight. Teach your children how to exercise justice and how to give alms. Teach them also to remember God and to bless his name sincerely at all times, with all their strength.
10 The very day that you bury your mother here beside me, do not stay overnight in this place. I know that the people here commit many injustices and practice great treachery and no one is asham ed of do ing so. You see what Nadab did to Ahikar my nephew who had brought him up. He buried him alive. But God punished Nadab by exposing his injustice. He brought Ahikar into the light and sent Nadab down into eternal darkness, because he had tried to kill him. Because he gave alms, Ahikar was delivered from the death planned for him by Nadab. Instead, Nadab fell into the trap and pe rished.
11 See how almsgiving and uprightness can save you and how wrongdoing leads to death. But I feel I am breathing my last.” They laid him on his bed and he died. He was given an honorable burial.
12 When Anna his mother died, Tobias buried her next to his father. Then Tobias with his wife and family made their way to Media and settled in Ecbatana near Ragouel, his father-in-law.
13 He took great care of his parents-in-law in their old age and he buried them with honor in Ecba tana in Media. Tobias inherited Ragouel’s fortune as well as that of his father Tobit.
14 Tobias died at the age of one hundred and twenty-seven years at Echbatana in Media.
15 But before he died he saw the downfall of Nineveh which Nebu chad nezzar destroyed. He saw the Ninevites and the Assyrians reduced to slavery and taken to Media. Thus, before he died, he was able to rejoice over the fate of Nine veh. He blessed the Lord God forever.