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Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 43
Sir
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Chapter 43
The sun
1
Pride of the heights, shining vault, so, in a glorious spectacle, the sky appears.
2
The sun, as he emerges, proclaims at his rising, ‘A thing of wonder is the work of the Most High!’
3
At his zenith he parches the land, who can withstand his blaze?
4
A man must blow a furnace to produce any heat, the sun burns the mountains three times as much; breathing out blasts of fire, flashing his rays he dazzles the eyes.
5
Great is the Lord who made him, and whose word speeds him on his course.
The moon
6
And then the moon, always punctual, to mark the months and make division of time:
7
the moon it is that signals the feasts, a luminary that wanes after her full.
8
The month derives its name from hers, she waxes wonderfully in her phases, banner of the hosts on high, shining in the vault of heaven.
The stars
9
The glory of the stars makes the beauty of the sky, a brilliant decoration to the heights of the Lord.
10
At the words of the Holy One they stand as he decrees, and never grow slack at their watch.
The rainbow
11
See the rainbow and praise its maker, so superbly beautiful in its splendour.
12
Across the sky it forms a glorious arc drawn by the hands of the Most High.
The wonders of nature
13
By his command he sends the snow, he speeds the lightning as he orders.
14
In the same way, his treasuries open and the clouds fly out like birds.
15
In his great might he banks up the clouds, and shivers them into fragments of hail.
43:17b or the storm from the north and the whirlwind.
18
He sprinkles snow like birds alighting, it comes down like locusts settling. The eye marvels at the beauty of its whiteness, and the mind is amazed at its falling.
19
Over the earth, like salt, he also pours hoarfrost, which, when it freezes, bristles like thorns.
20
The cold wind blows from the north, and ice forms on the water, settling on every watery expanse, and water puts it on like a breastplate.
21
He swallows up the mountains and scorches the desert, like a fire he consumes the vegetation.
22
But the mist heals everything in good time, after the heat falls the reviving dew.
23
By his own resourcefulness he has tamed the abyss, and planted it with islands.
24
Those who sail the sea tell of its dangers, their accounts fill our ears with amazement:
25
for there too there are strange and wonderful works, animals of every kind and huge sea creatures.
26
Thanks to him all ends well, and all things hold together by means of his word.
27
We could say much more and still fall short; to put it concisely, ‘He is all’.
28
Where shall we find sufficient power to glorify him, since he is the Great One, above all his works,
29
the awe-inspiring Lord, stupendously great, and wonderful in his power?
30
Exalt the Lord in your praises as high as you may-still he surpasses you. Exert all your strength when you exalt him, do not grow tired-you will never come to the end.
31
Who has ever seen him to give a description? Who can glorify him as he deserves?
32
Many mysteries remain even greater than these, for we have seen only a few of his works,
33
the Lord himself having made all things-and having given wisdom to devout men.
Chapters of Ecclesiasticus (Sirach)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
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