13
1 And Tobit wrote a prayer for rejoicing, and said,
“Blessed is God who lives forever!
Blessed is his kingdom!
2 For he scourges, and shows mercy.
He leads down to the grave,† and brings up again.
There is no one who will escape his hand.
3 Give thanks to him before the Gentiles, all you children of Israel!
For he has scattered us amongst them.
4 Declare his greatness, there.
Extol him before all the living,
because he is our Lord,
and God is our Father forever.
5 He will scourge us for our iniquities, and will again show mercy,
and will gather us out of all the nations amongst whom you are all scattered.
6 If you turn to him with your whole heart and with your whole soul,
to do truth before him,
then he will turn to you,
and won’t hide his face from you.
See what he will do with you.
Give him thanks with your whole mouth.
Bless the Lord of righteousness.
Exalt the everlasting King.
I give him thanks in the land of my captivity,
and show his strength and majesty to a nation of sinners.
Turn, you sinners, and do righteousness before him.
Who can tell if he will accept you and have mercy on you?
7 I exalt my God.
My soul exalts the King of heaven,
and rejoices in his greatness.
8 Let all men speak,
and let them give him thanks in Jerusalem.
9 O Jerusalem, the holy city,
he will scourge you for the works of your sons,
and will again have mercy on the sons of the righteous.
10 Give thanks to the Lord with goodness,
and bless the everlasting King,
that his tabernacle may be built in you again with joy,
and that he may make glad in you those who are captives,
and love in you forever those who are miserable.
11 Many nations will come from afar to the name of the Lord God
with gifts in their hands, even gifts to the King of heaven.
Generations of generations will praise you,
and sing songs of rejoicing.
12 All those who hate you are cursed.
All those who love you forever will be blessed.
13 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad for the sons of the righteous;
for they will be gathered together and will bless the Lord of the righteous.
14 Oh blessed are those who love you.
They will rejoice for your peace.
Blessed are all those who mourned for all your scourges;
because they will rejoice for you when they have seen all your glory.
They will be made glad forever.
15 Let my soul bless God the great King.
16 For Jerusalem will be built with sapphires, emeralds, and precious stones;
your walls and towers and battlements with pure gold.
17 The streets of Jerusalem will be paved with beryl, carbuncle, and stones of Ophir.
18 All her streets will say, “Hallelujah!”
and give praise, saying, “Blessed be God, who has exalted you forever!”
† 13:2 Gr. Hades.