|
Tobit Praises God
13
1 I said:
I will praise the eternal God,
who rules forever.
|
13
1 Then Tobit wrote a prayer of rejoicing, and said, Blessed be God that liveth for ever, and blessed be his kingdom.
|
|
2 God punishes and shows mercy;
he can send people down
to the world of the dead,
or rescue them
from great destruction.
No one can escape his power.
|
2 For he doth scourge, and hath mercy: he leadeth down to hell, and bringeth up again: neither is there any that can avoid his hand.
|
|
3 People of Israel,
God scattered you
among the nations,
so tell them about him.
|
3 Confess him before the Gentiles, ye children of Israel: for he hath scattered us among them.
|
4 He has shown you his greatness. 
And while everyone listens,
you should praise him,
because he will forever be
our Lord and God and Father.
|
4 There declare his greatness, and extol him before all the living: for he is our Lord, and he is the God our Father for ever.
|
|
5 He will punish you if you sin,
but then he will have mercy
and gather you  v 13.5 and gather you: These words are not in the primary manuscript and one ancient translation. from the nations
where you are scattered.
|
5 And he will scourge us for our iniquities, and will have mercy again, and will gather us out of all nations, among whom he hath scattered us.
|
|
6 If you turn to God
with all your heart
and are faithful to him,
he will turn to you once again;
no longer will he refuse
to help you.
Shout praises to him,
because he has been so kind
and faithful to you,
and he will rule as king forever!
I must live far from my country,
but I will still praise God
and tell this nation of sinners
how great and powerful he is.
I will say, Turn from your sins,
and obey God.
Who knows?
Maybe God will be kind
and have mercy on you.”
|
6 If ye turn to him with your whole heart, and with your whole mind, and deal uprightly before him, then will he turn unto you, and will not hide his face from you. Therefore see what he will do with you, and confess him with your whole mouth, and praise the Lord of might, and extol the everlasting King. In the land of my captivity do I praise him, and declare his might and majesty to a sinful nation. O ye sinners, turn and do justice before him: who can tell if he will accept you, and have mercy on you?
|
|
7 I will praise my God,
the King of Heaven,
and celebrate his greatness.
|
7 I will extol my God, and my soul shall praise the King of heaven, and shall rejoice in his greatness.
|
|
8 Praise him, people of Jerusalem.
|
8 Let all men speak, and let all praise him for his righteousness.
|
9 God will punish your holy city
because you have sinned,
but if you obey him,
he will again be kind to you.
|
9 O Jerusalem, the holy city, he will scourge thee for thy children's works, and will have mercy again on the sons of the righteous.
|
|
10 The Lord is good, so praise him
and honor his kingdom; w 13.6-10 I must live far from my country ... honor his kingdom: Verses 6-9 and the first part of verse 10 are not in the primary manuscript.
then he will again allow you
to set up his sacred tent
and celebrate there.
He will cheer up your exiles
and always show his love
to those who are suffering.
|
10 Give praise to the Lord, for he is good: and praise the everlasting King, that his tabernacle may be builded in thee again with joy, and let him make joyful there in thee those that are captives, and love in thee for ever those that are miserable.
|
|
11 Jerusalem, you will give light
to the whole world,
and people will come to you
from faraway nations,
bringing gifts for your holy God,
the King of Heaven.
One generation after another
will celebrate in you,
the city God has chosen.
|
11 Many nations shall come from far to the name of the Lord God with gifts in their hands, even gifts to the King of heaven; all generations shall praise thee with great joy.
|
|
12 God will put a curse
on those who insult you,
and on those who capture you
and tear down your walls,
destroy your towers,
and burn your homes.
But he will bless anyone
who shows respect for you.
|
12 Cursed are all they which hate thee, and blessed shall all be which love thee for ever.
|
|
13 Celebrate, because the Lord
will gather together those
who are faithful to him,
and he will bless them
for all time.
|
13 Rejoice and be glad for the children of the just: for they shall be gathered together, and shall bless the Lord of the just.
|
|
14 He will bless those
who love you, Jerusalem—
those who are happy
when you have peace,
and who are sad
when you have trouble.
They will celebrate with you
and see your joy forever.
|
14 O blessed are they which love thee, for they shall rejoice in thy peace: blessed are they which have been sorrowful for all thy scourges; for they shall rejoice for thee, when they have seen all thy glory, and shall be glad for ever.
|
|
15 I praise the Lord,
the Great King,
|
15 Let my soul bless God the great King.
|
|
16 because, Jerusalem,
you will be rebuilt,
and you will be his home
for all time.
I will be glad
if one of my descendants
can see your glory
and praise the King of Heaven.
Your gates will be made
of sapphires and emeralds,
and your walls will be covered
with other jewels.
Your towers will be of gold
all the way to the top.
The streets within you
will be paved with rubies
and jewels from Ophir.
|
16 For Jerusalem shall be built up with sapphires and emeralds, and precious stone: thy walls and towers and battlements with pure gold.
|
|
17 Your gates will sing with joy,
and your houses will shout,
“Praise the Lord!
Praise the God of Israel!”
And God's people will praise
his holy name forever.
|
17 And the streets of Jerusalem shall be paved with beryl and carbuncle and stones of Ophir.
|
© 1999 American Bible Society |
|
