Tobit 13

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Then Tobit composed this joyful prayer: Blessed be God who lives forever, because his kingdom lasts for all ages.	1 And so, the elder Tobit, opening his mouth, blessed the Lord, and he said: “O Lord, you are great in eternity and your kingdom is with all ages.
2 For he scourges and then has mercy; he casts down to the depths of the nether world, and he brings up from the great abyss. No one can escape his hand.	2 For you scourge, and you save. You lead down to the grave, and you bring up again. And there is no one who can escape from your hand.
3 Praise him, you Israelites, before the Gentiles, for though he has scattered you among them,	3 Confess to the Lord, O sons of Israel, and praise him in the sight of the nations.
4 he has shown you his greatness even there. Exalt him before every living being, because he is the Lord our God, our Father and God forever.	4 For, indeed, he has dispersed you among the Gentiles, who are ignorant of him, that you may proclaim his wonders, and that you may cause them to know that there is no other almighty God, except him.
5 He scourged you for your iniquities, but will again have mercy on you all. He will gather you from all the Gentiles among whom you have been scattered.	5 He has chastised us because of our iniquities, and he will save us because of his mercy.
6 When you turn back to him with all your heart, to do what is right before him, Then he will turn back to you, and no longer hide his face from you. So now consider what he has done for you, and praise him with full voice. Bless the Lord of righteousness, and exalt the King of the ages. In the land of my exile I praise him, and show his power and majesty to a sinful nation. "Turn back, you sinners! do the right before him: perhaps he may look with favor upon you and show you mercy.	6 Therefore, look upon what he has done for us, and, with fear and trembling, confess to him. And extol the King of all ages with your works.
7 "As for me, I exalt my God, and my spirit rejoices in the King of heaven.	7 But as for me, I will confess him in the land of my captivity. For he has revealed his majesty within a sinful nation.
8 Let all men speak of his majesty, and sing his praises in Jerusalem."	8 And so, be converted, you sinners, and do justice in the presence of God, believing that he will act in his mercy toward you.
9 O Jerusalem, holy city, he scourged you for the works of your hands, but will again pity the children of the righteous.	9 But I and my soul will rejoice in him.
10 Praise the Lord for his goodness, and bless the King of the ages, so that his tent may be rebuilt in you with joy. May he gladden within you all who were captives; all who were ravaged may he cherish within you for all generations to come.	10 Bless the Lord, all you his elect. Keep days of rejoicing, and confess to him.
11 A bright light will shine to all parts of the earth; many nations shall come to you from afar, And the inhabitants of all the limits of the earth, drawn to you by the name of the Lord God, Bearing in their hands their gifts for the King of heaven. Every generation shall give joyful praise in you, and shall call you the chosen one, through all ages forever.	11 O Jerusalem, the city of God, the Lord has chastised you for the works of your hands.
12 Accursed are all who speak a harsh word against you; accursed are all who destroy you and pull down your walls, And all who overthrow your towers and set fire to your homes; but forever blessed are all those who build you up.	12 Confess to the Lord with your good things, and bless the God of all ages, so that he may rebuild his tabernacle in you, and he may recall all the captives to you, and you may be glad in all ages and forever.
13 Go, then, rejoice over the children of the righteous, who shall all be gathered together and shall bless the Lord of the ages.	13 You will shine with a splendid light, and all the ends of the earth will adore by you.
14 Happy are those who love you, and happy those who rejoice in your prosperity. Happy are all the men who shall grieve over you, over all your chastisements, For they shall rejoice in you as they behold all your joy forever.	14 Nations from far away will come to you, bringing gifts. And in you, they shall adore the Lord, and they will hold your land in sanctification.
15 My spirit blesses the Lord, the great King;	15 For they will invoke the Great Name in you.
16 Jerusalem shall be rebuilt as his home forever. Happy for me if a remnant of my offspring survive to see your glory and to praise the King of heaven! The gates of Jerusalem shall be built with sapphire and emerald, and all your walls with precious stones. The towers of Jerusalem shall be built with gold, and their battlements with pure gold.	16 Those who despise you will be cursed, and all those who blaspheme by you will be condemned, and those who build you up will be blessed.
17 The streets of Jerusalem shall be paved with rubies and stones of Ophir;	17 But you will rejoice in your sons, because they will all be blessed, and they will be gathered together for the Lord.
18 The gates of Jerusalem shall sing hymns of gladness, and all her houses shall cry out, "Alleluia! "Blessed be God who has raised you up! may he be blessed for all ages!" For in you they shall praise his holy name forever. The end of Tobit's hymn of praise.	18 Blessed are all those who love you and who rejoice in your peace.
	19 Bless the Lord, O my soul, for the Lord our God has freed Jerusalem, his city, from every one of her tribulations.
	20 Happy will I be, if any of my offspring will be left to see the brightness of Jerusalem.
	21 The gates of Jerusalem will be built from sapphire and emerald, and all its walls will be surrounded with precious stones.
	22 All its streets will be paved with stones, white and clean. And ‘Alleluia’ will be sung throughout its neighborhoods.
	23 Blessed be the Lord, who has exalted it, and may he reign over it, forever and ever. Amen.”