Tobit – Chapter 13
1 Then Tobit spoke and composed a song of joyful praise; he said:
Blessed be God who lives forever,
because his kingship lasts for all ages
2For he afflicts and shows mercy,
casts down to the depths of Hades,
brings up from the great abyss
What is there that can snatch from his hand?
3Give thanks to him, you Israelites, in the presence of the nations,
for though he has scattered you among them,
4even there recount his greatness.
Exalt him before every living being,
because he is your Lord, and he is your God,
our Father and God forever and ever!
5He will afflict you for your iniquities,
but will have mercy on all of you
He will gather you from all the nations
among whom you have been scattered
6When you turn back to him with all your heart,
and with all your soul do what is right before him,
Then he will turn to you,
and will hide his face from you no longer
Now consider what he has done for you,
and give thanks with full voice
Bless the Lord of righteousness,
and exalt the King of the ages
In the land of my captivity I give thanks,
and declare his power and majesty to a sinful nation
According to your heart do what is right before him:
perhaps there will be pardon for you
7As for me, I exalt my God,
my soul exalts the King of heaven,
and rejoices all the days of my life
Let all sing praise to his greatness,
8let all speak and give thanks in Jerusalem.
9Jerusalem, holy city,
he will afflict you for the works of your hands,
but will again pity the children of the righteous
10Give thanks to the Lord with righteousness,
and bless the King of the ages,
so that your tabernacle may be rebuilt in you with joy
May he gladden within you all who are captives;
may he cherish within you all who are distressed
for all generations to come
11A bright light will shine to the limits of the earth.
Many nations will come to you from afar,
And inhabitants of all the ends of the earth
to your holy name,
Bearing in their hands gifts for the King of heaven
Generation after generation will offer joyful worship in you;
your name will be great forever and ever
12Cursed be all who despise you and revile you;
cursed be all who hate you and speak a harsh word against you;
cursed be all who destroy you
and pull down your walls,
And all who overthrow your towers
and set fire to your homes
But blessed forever be all those who respect you
13Go, then, rejoice and exult over the children of the righteous,
for they will all be gathered together
and will bless the Lord of the ages
14Happy are those who love you,
and happy are those who rejoice in your peace
Happy too are all who grieve
over all your afflictions,
For they will rejoice over you
and behold all your joy forever
15My soul, bless the Lord, the great King;
16for Jerusalem will be rebuilt as his house forever.
Happy too will I be if a remnant of my offspring survives
to see your glory and to give thanks to the King of heaven!
The gates of Jerusalem will be built with sapphire and emerald,
and all your walls with precious stones
The towers of Jerusalem will be built with gold,
and their battlements with purest gold
17The streets of Jerusalem will be paved
with rubies and stones of Ophir;
18The gates of Jerusalem will sing hymns of gladness,
and all its houses will cry out, Hallelujah!
Blessed be the God of Israel for all ages!
For in you the blessed will bless the holy name forever and ever IX EPILOGUE
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