Sirach 43

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 The clear vault of the sky shines forth like heaven itself, a vision of glory.	1 The firmament on high is his beauty, the beauty of heaven with its glorious shew.
2 The orb of the sun, resplendent at its rising: what a wonderful work of the Most High!	2 The sun when he appeareth shewing forth at his rising, an admirable instrument, the work of the most High.
3 At noon it seethes the surface of the earth, and who can bear its fiery heat?	3 At noon he burneth the earth, and who can abide his burning heat? As one keeping a furnace in the works of heat:
4 Like a blazing furnace of solid metal, it sets the mountains aflame with its rays; By its fiery darts the land is consumed; the eyes are dazzled by its light.	4 The sun three times as much, burneth the mountains, breathing out fiery vapours, and shining with his beams, he blindeth the eyes.
5 Great indeed is the LORD who made it, at whose orders it urges on its steeds.	5 Great is the Lord that made him, and at his words he hath hastened his course.
6 The moon, too, that marks the changing times, governing the seasons, their lasting sign,	6 And the moon in all in her season, is for a declaration of times and a sign of the world.
7 By which we know the feast days and fixed dates, this light-giver which wanes in its course:	7 From the moon is the sign of the festival day, a light that decreaseth in her perfection.
8 As its name says, each month it renews itself; how wondrous in this change!	8 The month is called after her name, increasing wonderfully in her perfection
9 The beauty, the glory, of the heavens are the stars that adorn with their sparkling the heights of God,	9 Being an instrument of the armies on high, shining gloriously in the Armament of heaven.
10 At whose command they keep their place and never relax in their vigils. A weapon against the flood waters stored on high, lighting up the firmament by its brilliance,	10 The glory of the stars is the beauty of heaven; the Lord enlighteneth the world on high.
11 Behold the rainbow! Then bless its Maker, for majestic indeed is its splendor;	11 By the words of the holy one they shall stand in judgment, and shall never fail in their watches.
12 It spans the heavens with its glory, this bow bent by the mighty hand of God.	12 Look upon the rainbow, and bless him that made it: it is very beautiful in its brightness.
13 His rebuke marks out the path for the lightning, and speeds the arrows of his judgment to their goal.	13 It encompasseth the heaven about with the circle of its glory, the hands of the most High have displayed it.
14 At it the storehouse is opened, and like vultures the clouds hurry forth.	14 By his commandment he maketh the snow to fall apace, and sendeth forth swiftly the lightnings of his judgment.
15 In his majesty he gives the storm its power and breaks off the hailstones.	15 Through this are the treasures opened, and the clouds fly out like birds.
16 The thunder of his voice makes the earth writhe; before his might the mountains quake.	16 By his greatness he hath fixed the clouds, and the hailstones are broken.
17 A word from him drives on the south wind, the angry north wind, the hurricane and the storm.	17 At his sight shall the mountains be shaken, and at his will the south wind shall blow.
18 He sprinkles the snow like fluttering birds; it comes to settle like swarms of locusts.	18 The noise of his thunder shall strike the earth, so doth the northern storm, and the whirlwind:
19 Its shining whiteness blinds the eyes, the mind is baffled by its steady fall.	19 And as the birds lighting upon the earth, he scattereth snow, and the falling thereof, is as the coming down of locusts.
20 He scatters frost like so much salt; it shines like blossoms on the thornbush.	20 The eye admireth at the beauty of the whiteness thereof, and the heart is astonished at the shower thereof.
21 Cold northern blasts he sends that turn the ponds to lumps of ice. He freezes over every body of water, and clothes each pool with a coat of mail.	21 He shall pour frost as salt upon the earth: and when it freezeth, it shall become like the tops of thistles.
22 When the mountain growth is scorched with heat, and the flowering plains as though by flames,	22 The 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.
23 The dripping clouds restore them all, and the scattered dew enriches the parched land.	23 And it shall devour the mountains, and burn the wilderness, and consume all that is green as with fire.
24 His is the plan that calms the deep, and plants the islands in the sea.	24 A 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.
25 Those who go down to the sea tell part of its story, and when we hear them we are thunderstruck;	25 At his word the wind is still, and with his thought he appeaseth the deep, and the Lord hath planted islands therein.
26 In it are his creatures, stupendous, amazing, all kinds of life, and the monsters of the deep.	26 Let them that sail on the sea, tell the dangers thereof: and when we hear with our ears, we shall admire.
27 For him each messenger succeeds, and at his bidding accomplishes his will.	27 There are great and wonderful works: a variety of beasts, and of all living things, and the monstrous creatures of whales.
28 More than this we need not add; let the last word be, he is all in all!	28 Through him is established the end of their journey, and by his word all things are regulated.
29 Let us praise him the more, since we cannot fathom him, for greater is he than all his works;	29 We shall say much, and yet shall want words: but the sum of our words is, He is all.
30 Awful indeed is the LORD'S majesty, and wonderful is his power.	30 What shall we be able to do to glorify him? for the Almighty himself is above all his works.
31 Lift up your voices to glorify the LORD, though he is still beyond your power to praise;	31 ,31The Lord is terrible, and exceeding great, and his power is admirable.
32 Extol him with renewed strength, and weary not, though you cannot reach the end:	32 Glorify the Lord as much as ever you can, for he will yet far exceed, and his magnificence is wonderful.
33 For who can see him and describe him? or who can praise him as he is?	33 Blessing the Lord, exalt him as much as you can: for he is above all praise.
34 Beyond these, many things lie hid; only a few of his works have we seen.	34 When you exalt him put forth all your strength, and be not weary: for you can never go far enough.
35 It is the LORD who has made all things, and to those who fear him he gives wisdom.	35 Who shall see him, and declare him? and who shall magnify him as he is from the beginning?
	36 There are many things hidden from us that are greater than these: for we have seen but a few of his works.
	37 But the Lord hath made all things, and to the godly he hath given wisdom.