Tobita pēdējais padoms un nāve
1 Tobita pateicības vārdi beidzās.
2 Un Tobits nomira mierā simt divpadsmit gadu vecumā un godībā tika apglabāts Ninivē. Viņš bija sešdesmit divus gadus vecs, kad kļuva neredzīgs, un pēc tam, kad atguva redzi, dzīvoja labumā un darīja žēlsirdības darbus un vēl vairāk slavēja Dievu un cildināja Dieva varenību. 3 Pirms miršanas Tobits atsauca savu dēlu Tobiju un viņa septiņus dēlus un pavēlēja: “Dēls, ved prom savus bērnus, redzi, esmu kļuvis ļoti vecs, un man laiks jau mirt. 4 Bēdz uz mēdiešu zemi, dēls, jo es ticu Dieva vēstītajam par Ninivi, ko pravietoja Nahūms, ka tas viss būs un notiks Aturai un Ninivei. Viss, ko runājuši Israēla pravieši, kurus sūtījis Dievs, ir piepildījies un piepildīsies, un it nekas netiks pamazināts nevienā vēstījumā, un viss piepildīsies savā laikā. Izglābšanās drīzāk būs mēdiešu zemē nekā Asīrijā un Bābelē, jo es zinu, ka viss, ko sacījis Dievs, piepildīsies un no viņa vārdiem nekad nekas nezudīs, un mūsu brāļi, kas dzīvo Israēlā, no labās zemes visi tiks izklīdināti un aizvesti trimdā, un visa Israēla zeme tiks izpostīta, un Samarija un Jeruzāleme būs izpostīta, un Dieva nams būs bēdās un uz laiku tiks dedzināts. 5 Bet Dievs viņus atkal apžēlos, Dievs atvedīs viņus Israēla zemē, un viņi atkal cels namu, bet ne tā kā iepriekš – uz laiku –, kad noteiktais laiks piepildīsies. Pēc tam viņi visi atgriezīsies no gūstniecības zemēm un uzcels Jeruzālemi godājamu, Dieva nams tiks uzcelts tajā, kā par to pravietoja Israēla pravieši. 6 Un visas tautas pa visu zemi, visi atgriezīsies un bijās Dievu patiesi, un visi pametīs savus dievekļus, kas maldina viņus ar melīgu maldināšanu, un augsti teiks mūžības Dievu taisnībā. 7 Visi Israēla dēli, kas tiks izglābti tajās dienās, pieminēs Dievu patiesībā; viņi sapulcēsies un nāks uz Jeruzālemi un apmetīsies dzīvot uz mūžu Ābrahāma zemē drošībā, un tā tiks nodota viņiem; kas Dievu mīl, priecāsies patiesībā, un tie, kas grēkus dara un netaisnību, tiks noslaucīti no zemes. 8 Un tagad, bērni, es jums pavēlu, kalpojiet Dievam patiesībā un dariet to vislabāko viņa priekšā, un arī saviem bērniem pavēliet darīt taisnību un žēlsirdību, tā, lai viņi atcerētos Dievu un slavētu viņa vārdu ik brīdi patiesībā un no visa spēka. Un tagad, dēls, izej no Ninives un nepaliec šeit. Tiklīdz tu apglabāsi savu māti blakus man, tajā pašā dienā tu aiziesi, ne nakti nepavadot tās pakalnos, jo es redzu, ka daudz netaisnības un lielas sāpes piepildīsies tajā, un bezdievji nekaunēsies. 9 Bet tu, dēls, ievēro Mozus bauslību un tā priekšrakstus un esi līdzjūtīgs un taisns, lai tev labi klātos, un apglabā mani labi un savu māti man blakus un ne nakti vairs nepavadi Ninivē. 10 Redzi, dēls, ko Nabads nodarīja Ahikaram, kas viņu bija uzaudzinājis, vai ne dzīvu nenometa pie zemes? Un Dievs atmaksāja ar negodu pēc sava vaiga, un viņš izgāja Ahikara gaismā, un Nabads iegāja laika tumsā, jo Nabads meklēja nokaut Ahikaru, lai gan viņš bija parādījis žēlsirdību. Taču Ahikars izbēga no nāves lamatām, ko Nabads viņam bija uzrīkojis, bet Nabads iekrita nāves lamatās, un tās viņu pazudināja. 11 Un tagad, bērni, jūs redzat, ko dara žēlsirdība un ko dara netaisnība, jo netaisnība nokauj, un redzi, mana dvēsele ir palikusi dzīva.” Viņi noguldīja viņu uz zviļņa, un viņš nomira, un viņu apglabāja ar godu.
12 Kad nomira viņa māte, Tobijs apglabāja viņu blakus savam tēvam. Un viņš pats un viņa sieva aizgāja uz mēdiešu zemi un apmetās uz dzīvi Ekbatanā pie Raguēla, savas sievas tēva. 13 Vecumdienās viņš apkopa viņus ar godu un apglabāja tos Ekbatanā mēdiešu zemē, un mantoja Raguēla un viņa tēva Tobita namu. 14 Un viņš nomira cienījams – simt divdesmit septiņu gadu vecumā. 15 Pirms viņš nomira, viņš piedzīvoja Ninives bojāeju, viņš dzirdēja par to un ieraudzīja tās izraidīšanu uz mēdiešu zemi, to aizveda gūstā mēdiešu ķēniņš Ahiahars, un viņš pateicās Dievam par visu, ko Dievs bija darījis niniviešiem un atūriešiem; pirms savas miršanas viņš vēl priecājās par Ninivi un slavēja Kungu Dievu uz mūžu mūžiem.
Tobit's Final Advice
1-2 Tobit was 62 years old when he became blind, but after his sight had been restored, he lived a very full life. Once again he gave generously to the poor, and he continued to praise God and tell of his greatness. Tobit died a peaceful death at the age of 112, and was given an honorable burial in Nineveh.
3 But just before Tobit died, he sent for his son Tobias and told him, 4 “My son, take your children and go at once to Media. I believe that God's judgment which his prophet Nahum announced against Nineveh is about to take place. Everything that God's prophets told Israel about Nineveh and Assyria will happen. It will all come true, every word of it, when the right time comes. I am absolutely convinced that everything God has said is sure to come true. God does not break his promises. It will be safer for you in Media than in Assyria or Babylon.
“Those Jews who live in Israel will all be scattered and taken from that good land into exile. All Israel will become a wasteland; Samaria and Jerusalem will be abandoned cities. God's Temple will be burned to the ground and will lie in complete ruin for a while. 5 But God will have mercy on his people again, and he will bring them back to the land of Israel. They will rebuild the Temple, but it will not be as splendid as the first Temple, not until the proper time has come. But when that time does come, all the people of Israel will return from exile, and they will rebuild the city of Jerusalem in all its former splendor. They will rebuild God's Temple in Jerusalem, just as Israel's prophets have foretold.
6 “Then all the nations in the world will come back to God. They will worship him as the only true God and give up the idols that led them into false worship. 7 The nations of the world will praise the everlasting God by doing what he demands.
“At that time God will save all the people of Israel who have been faithful to him. He will bring them together to Jerusalem, and let them take possession of the land of Abraham, and there they will live securely forever. All who love God with their heart and soul will rejoice, but all sinners and evil people will be wiped off the face of the earth.
8 “Now, my children, follow my instructions. Worship God sincerely and do what is pleasing to him. 9 Bring up your children to do what is right. Teach them that they must give to the poor and must always remember to praise God with all sincerity.
10 “Tobias, my son, leave Nineveh now. Do not stay here. As soon as you bury your mother beside me, leave; do not stay another night within the city limits. It is a wicked city and full of immorality; the people here have no sense of shame. Remember what Nadab did to Ahikar his own uncle who had brought him up. He tried to kill Ahikar and forced him to go into hiding in a tomb. Ahikar came back into the light of day, but God sent Nadab down into everlasting darkness for what he had done. Ahikar escaped the deadly trap which Nadab had set for him, because Ahikar had given generously to the poor. But Nadab fell into that fatal trap and it destroyed him. 11 So now, my children, you see what happens to those who show their concern for others, and how death awaits those who treat others unjustly. But now I am very weak.”
Then they laid Tobit on his bed. He died and was given an honorable burial. 12 Later on, Tobit's wife died and was buried beside her husband. Then Tobias and his wife moved to Ecbatana in Media, where they lived with Raguel, Tobias' father-in-law. 13 Tobias took care of Edna and Raguel in their old age and showed them great respect. When at last they died, he buried them at Ecbatana. Tobias inherited Raguel's estate, as he had inherited the estate of his father Tobit.
14 At the ripe old age of 117 Tobias died, 15 having lived long enough to hear about the destruction of Nineveh and to see King Cyaxares of Media take the people away as captives. Tobias praised God for the way that he had punished the people of Nineveh and Assyria. As long as he lived he gave thanks for what God had done to Nineveh.
