Tobit sings a long hymn of praise — part personal thanksgiving, part eschatological prophecy. He blesses God for chastising and healing Israel, calls the exiles to repentance, and prophesies the future glory of Jerusalem rebuilt with precious stones and eternal joy. The hymn moves from Tobit's individual story to the cosmic destiny of God's people.
This is Tobit's canticle — the longest and most liturgically significant poem in the book. It shifts from personal gratitude to eschatological vision, describing a new Jerusalem built of sapphire, emerald, and precious stones (language that directly influenced Revelation 21:18-21). The hymn combines elements of individual thanksgiving (like Psalm 30) with prophetic oracle (like Isaiah 54 and 60). It was used liturgically in the Breviary and influenced Christian hymnography.
The poetic structure of the Latin does not always map onto modern verse conventions. Jerome's rendering preserves the Semitic parallelism of the underlying source. The eschatological imagery (Jerusalem of precious stones, nations streaming to worship) blends literal and metaphorical registers in ways that resist simple interpretation.
The precious-stone Jerusalem directly anticipates Revelation 21:18-21. The call to praise in exile echoes Psalm 137 (but with a positive resolution). The nations streaming to Jerusalem recalls Isaiah 2:2-3 and 60:1-3. The refrain pattern connects to the Song of the Three Young Men (Daniel 3) and the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55).
Aperiens autem Tobias os suum benedixit Dominum et dixit: Magnus es, Domine, in aeternum et in omnia saecula regnum tuum;
Then Tobit opened his mouth and blessed the Lord, saying: 'Great are you, O Lord, forever, and your kingdom endures through all ages;
An eternal-kingdom declaration that anticipates Daniel 7:14 and the Lord's Prayer ('your kingdom come').
quoniam tu flagellas et salvas, deducis ad inferos et reducis, et non est qui effugiat manum tuam.
for you scourge and you save, you lead down to the grave and bring back again, and there is no one who can escape your hand.
The same God performs both actions — suffering and salvation are not opposed but sequential movements of one divine purpose.
Confitemini Domino, filii Israhel, et in conspectu gentium laudate eum,
Give praise to the Lord, children of Israel, and worship him in the sight of the nations,
quoniam ideo dispersit vos inter gentes quae ignorant eum, ut vos enarretis mirabilia eius et faciatis scire eos quia non est alius deus omnipotens praeter eum.
because he scattered you among the nations that do not know him so that you might declare his wonders and make them know that there is no other almighty god besides him.
The diaspora as divine strategy — what appeared as punishment is revealed as missionary deployment.
Ipse castigavit nos propter iniquitates nostras et ipse salvabit nos propter misericordiam suam.
He himself has chastised us for our iniquities, and he himself will save us because of his mercy.
The ground of salvation is not human merit but divine mercy — a principle shared by Jewish and Christian theology.
Aspicite ergo quae fecit nobiscum, et cum timore et tremore confitemini illi, regemque saeculorum exaltate in operibus vestris.
Consider therefore what he has done for us, and with fear and trembling give him praise, and exalt the King of the ages in your works.
A title used in 1 Timothy 1:17 — the eternal kingship of God over all time.
Ego in terra captivitatis meae confiteor illi, quoniam ostendit maiestatem suam in gentem peccatricem.
I, in the land of my captivity, praise him, because he has shown his majesty to a sinful nation.
Convertimini itaque, peccatores, et facite iustitiam coram Deo, credentes quod faciat vobiscum misericordiam suam.
Turn back, therefore, you sinners, and do justice before God, believing that he will show you his mercy.
Ego autem et anima mea in eo laetabimur.
As for me, my soul and I will rejoice in him.
Benedicite Dominum, omnes electi eius; agite dies laetitiae et confitemini illi.
Bless the Lord, all you his chosen ones; celebrate days of gladness and give him praise.
Hierusalem, civitas Dei, castigavit te Dominus in operibus manuum tuarum.
Jerusalem, city of God, the Lord has chastised you for the works of your hands.
Confitere Domino in bonis tuis et benedic Deum saeculorum, ut reaedificet in te tabernaculum suum et revocet ad te omnes captivos et gaudeas in omnia saecula saeculorum.
Praise the Lord for your blessings and bless the God of the ages, that he may rebuild his dwelling in you and call back to you all the captives, and may you rejoice forever and ever.
The tabernacle/dwelling of God in Jerusalem — connecting the temple theology of Exodus 25-40 with the eschatological hope of Revelation 21:3 ('the dwelling of God is with mortals').
Luce splendida fulgebis, et omnes fines terrae adorabunt te.
You will shine with a splendid light, and all the ends of the earth will worship you.
The luminous city — an image carried from Isaiah 60 through Tobit to Revelation 21:23 ('the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God is its light').
Nationes ex longinquo ad te venient, et munera deferentes adorabunt in te Dominum, et terram tuam in sanctificatione habebunt;
Nations from afar will come to you, and bearing gifts they will worship the Lord in you, and will hold your land as holy;
nomen enim magnum invocabunt in te.
for they will invoke the great Name within you.
A reverential circumlocution for the divine name (YHWH) — the Name that dwells in Jerusalem (Deut 12:5).
Maledicti erunt qui contempserint te, et condemnati erunt omnes qui blasphemaverint te; benedictique erunt qui aedificaverint te.
Cursed will be those who despise you, and condemned will be all who blaspheme you; but blessed will be those who build you up.
Tu autem laetaberis in filiis tuis, quoniam omnes benedicentur et congregabuntur ad Dominum.
You will rejoice in your children, for they will all be blessed and gathered to the Lord.
Beati omnes qui diligunt te et qui gaudent super pace tua.
Blessed are all who love you and who rejoice in your peace.
Anima mea, benedic Dominum, quoniam liberavit Hierusalem civitatem suam ab omnibus tribulationibus eius, Dominus Deus noster.
My soul, bless the Lord, for the Lord our God has freed Jerusalem his city from all its tribulations.
Felix ero si fuerint reliquiae seminis mei ad videndam claritatem Hierusalem.
Blessed shall I be if any remnant of my seed survives to see the glory of Jerusalem.
The claritas — brightness, splendor, glory — of the restored city. This is eschatological hope expressed in terms of luminous beauty.
Portae Hierusalem ex sapphiro et smaragdo aedificabuntur, et ex lapide pretioso omnis circuitus murorum eius.
The gates of Jerusalem will be built of sapphire and emerald, and all the circuit of its walls of precious stone.
Precious stones as building materials for the eschatological city — a tradition flowing from Isaiah 54:11-12 through Tobit to Revelation 21.
Ex lapidibus candidis et mundis omnes plateae eius sternentur, et per vicos eius Alleluia cantabitur.
All its streets will be paved with white and pure stones, and through its lanes 'Alleluia' will be sung.
Hebrew: 'Praise the Lord.' Its placement in the streets of the future Jerusalem makes all of life liturgical — worship is not confined to the temple but fills the city.
Benedictus Dominus qui exaltavit eam, et sit regnum eius in saecula saeculorum super eam. Amen.
Blessed is the Lord who has exalted her, and may his kingdom be over her forever and ever. Amen.'