Sirach 43

¹The firmament on high is his beauty; it is the beauty of heaven in a vision of glory.

²The sun, at its appearance, announces its journey; it is an instrument of wonder, a work of the Most High.

³At midday, it scorches the earth. And in the presence of its heat, who would be able to endure? It is like the custodian of a furnace in its works of heat.

⁴In three ways, the sun acts: scorching the mountains, emitting fiery rays, and shining with its beams that can blind the eyes.

⁵Great is the Lord who made it, and at his word, it hurries on its journey.

⁶And the moon, in all its phases, serves to mark the seasons and to be a sign of the times.

⁷From the moon is the sign of a feast day; it is a light which diminishes at its consummation.

⁸A month is named according to its phases, increasing wonderfully at its culmination.

⁹It is an instrument of the armies on high, shining gloriously in the firmament of heaven.

¹⁰The glory of the stars is the beauty of heaven; the Lord illuminates the world from on high.

¹¹At the words of the Holy One, they stand for judgment, and they will never fail in their vigilance.

¹²Consider the rainbow, and bless the One who made it; it is very beautiful in its splendor.

¹³It encompasses the heavens with the circle of its glory; the hands of the Most High made it appear.

¹⁴By his order, he hastens the snow, and he spurs on the lightning to express his judgment.

¹⁵In like manner, his storehouses are opened, and the clouds fly out like birds.

¹⁶By his greatness, he has positioned the clouds, and the hailstones have been broken.

¹⁷At his glance, the mountains will be shaken, and by his will, the south wind will blow.

¹⁸The voice of his thunder will reverberate through the earth, by a storm from the north, and by a gathering of the whirlwind.

¹⁹And like the birds landing in a flock upon the earth, he sends down the snow; and its descent is like the arrival of a swarm of locusts.

²⁰The eye is in wonder at the beauty of its whiteness, and the heart is astonished at its falling.

²¹He will pour out frost like salt upon the earth. And when it freezes, it will become like the tops of thistles.

²²The cold north wind blows, and the water freezes into crystals; it will rest upon every gathering of water, and it will clothe the water like a breastplate.

²³And it will devour the mountains, and burn the wilderness, and extinguish the greenery, like a fire.

²⁴Relief for all is in the hurried arrival of a cloud. And the lowly dew will arrive to meet the heat and overpower it.

²⁵At his word, the wind grows quiet, and by his thought, he appeases the abyss, for the Lord has planted islands in it.

²⁶Let those who navigate the sea describe its perils. And when we have heard it with our ears, we will wonder.

²⁷There are illustrious and wondrous works: the various kinds of wild animals, and all manner of cattle, and the great creatures of the sea.

²⁸Through him, the end of their journey is confirmed, and by his word, all things fit together.

²⁹We can say much, and yet still lack for words. But the consummation of our words is this: He is in all things.

³⁰What would we be able to do to glorify him? For the Almighty himself is above all his own works.

³¹The Lord is terrible, and exceedingly great, and his power is wonderful.

³²Glorify the Lord as much as you are able, yet still he will far exceed this. For his magnificence is beyond wonder.

³³Bless the Lord and exalt him, as much as you are able. But he is beyond all praise.

³⁴When you exalt him, use all your ability, and do not cease in this labor. For you can never comprehend him.

³⁵Who will see him and explain? And who will magnify him, as he is from the beginning?

³⁶There are many things, hidden from us, which are greater than these things. For we have seen but a few of his works.

³⁷But the Lord has made all things, and he has given wisdom to those who act with piety.

Sirach 43

¹The firmament on high is his beauty, the beauty of heaven with its glorious shew.

²The sun when he appeareth shewing forth at his rising, an admirable instrument, the work of the most High.

³At noon he burneth the earth, and who can abide his burning heat? As one keeping a furnace in the works of heat:

⁴The sun three times as much, burneth the mountains, breathing out fiery vapours, and shining with his beams, he blindeth the eyes.

⁵Great is the Lord that made him, and at his words he hath hastened his course.

⁶And the moon in all in her season, is for a declaration of times and a sign of the world.

⁷From the moon is the sign of the festival day, a light that decreaseth in her perfection.

⁸The month is called after her name, increasing wonderfully in her perfection.

⁹Being an instrument of the armies on high, shining gloriously in the firmament of heaven.

¹⁰The glory of the stars is the beauty of heaven; the Lord enlighteneth the world on high.

¹¹By the words of the holy one they stand in judgment, and shall never fall in their watches.

¹²Look upon the rainbow, and bless him that made it: it is very beautiful in its brightness.

¹³It encompasseth the heaven about with the circle of its glory, the hands of the most High have displayed it.

¹⁴By his commandment he maketh the snow to fall apace, and sendeth forth swiftly the lightnings of his judgment.

¹⁵Through this are the treasures opened, and the clouds fly out like birds.

¹⁶By his greatness he hath fixed the clouds, and the hailstones are broken.

¹⁷At his sight shall the mountains be shaken, and at his will the south wind shall blow.

¹⁸The noise of his thunder shall strike the earth, so doth the northern storm, and the whirlwind:

¹⁹And as the birds lighting upon the earth, he scattereth snow, and the falling thereof, is as the coming down of locusts.

²⁰The eye admireth at the beauty of the whiteness thereof, and the heart is astonished at the shower thereof.

²¹He shall pour frost as salt upon the earth: and when it freezeth, it shall become like the tops of thistles.

²²The cold north wind bloweth, and the water is congealed into crystal; upon every gathering together of waters it shall rest, and shall clothe the waters as a breastplate.

²³And it shall devour the mountains, and burn the wilderness, and consume all that is green as with fire.

²⁴A present remedy of all is the speedy coming of a cloud, and a dew that meeteth it, by the heat that cometh, shall overpower it.

²⁵At his word the wind is still, and with his thought he appeaseth the deep, and the Lord hath planted islands therein.

²⁶Let them that sail on the sea, tell the dangers thereof: and when we hear with our ears, we shall admire.

²⁷There are great and wonderful works: a variety of beasts, and of all living things, and the monstrous creatures of whales.

²⁸Through him is established the end of their journey, and by his word all things are regulated.

²⁹We shall say much, and yet shall want words: but the sum of our words is, He is all.

³⁰What shall we be able to do to glorify him? for the Almighty himself is above all his works.

³¹The Lord is terrible, and exceeding great, and his power is admirable.

³²Glorify the Lord as much as ever you can, for he will yet far exceed, and his magnificence is wonderful.

³³Blessing the Lord, exalt him as much as you can; for he is above all praise.

³⁴When you exalt him put forth all your strength, and be not weary: for you can never go far enough.

³⁵Who shall see him, and declare him? and who shall magnify him as he is from the beginning?

³⁶There are many things hidden from us that are greater than these: for we have seen but a few of his works.

³⁷But the Lord hath made all things, and to the godly he hath given wisdom.