Sirach 43

KING JAMES BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 The pride of the height, the clear firmament, the beauty of heaven, with his glorious shew;	1 The firmament on high is his beauty; it is the beauty of heaven in a vision of glory.
2 The sun when it appeareth, declaring at his rising a marvellous instrument, the work of the most High:	2 The sun, at its appearance, announces its journey; it is an instrument of wonder, a work of the Most High.
3 At noon it parcheth the country, and who can abide the burning heat thereof?	3 At 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.
4 A man blowing a furnace is in works of heat, but the sun burneth the mountains three times more; breathing out fiery vapours, and sending forth bright beams, it dimmeth the eyes.	4 In three ways, the sun acts: scorching the mountains, emitting fiery rays, and shining with its beams that can blind the eyes.
5 Great is the Lord that made it; and at his commandment runneth hastily.	5 Great is the Lord who made it, and at his word, it hurries on its journey.
6 He made the moon also to serve in her season for a declaration of times, and a sign of the world.	6 And the moon, in all its phases, serves to mark the seasons and to be a sign of the times.
7 From the moon is the sign of feasts, a light that decreaseth in her perfection.	7 From the moon is the sign of a feast day; it is a light which diminishes at its consummation.
8 The month is called after her name, increasing wonderfully in her changing, being an instrument of the armies above, shining in the firmament of heaven;	8 A month is named according to its phases, increasing wonderfully at its culmination.
9 The beauty of heaven, the glory of the stars, an ornament giving light in the highest places of the Lord.	9 It is an instrument of the armies on high, shining gloriously in the firmament of heaven.
10 At the commandment of the Holy One they will stand in their order, and never faint in their watches.	10 The glory of the stars is the beauty of heaven; the Lord illuminates the world from on high.
11 Look upon the rainbow, and praise him that made it; very beautiful it is in the brightness thereof.	11 At the words of the Holy One, they stand for judgment, and they will never fail in their vigilance.
12 It compasseth the heaven about with a glorious circle, and the hands of the most High have bended it.	12 Consider the rainbow, and bless the One who made it; it is very beautiful in its splendor.
13 By his commandment he maketh the snow to fall aplace, and sendeth swiftly the lightnings of his judgment.	13 It encompasses the heavens with the circle of its glory; the hands of the Most High made it appear.
14 Through this the treasures are opened: and clouds fly forth as fowls.	14 By his order, he hastens the snow, and he spurs on the lightning to express his judgment.
15 By his great power he maketh the clouds firm, and the hailstones are broken small.	15 In like manner, his storehouses are opened, and the clouds fly out like birds.
16 At his sight the mountains are shaken, and at his will the south wind bloweth.	16 By his greatness, he has positioned the clouds, and the hailstones have been broken.
17 The noise of the thunder maketh the earth to tremble: so doth the northern storm and the whirlwind: as birds flying he scattereth the snow, and the falling down thereof is as the lighting of grasshoppers:	17 At his glance, the mountains will be shaken, and by his will, the south wind will blow.
18 The eye marvelleth at the beauty of the whiteness thereof, and the heart is astonished at the raining of it.	18 The voice of his thunder will reverberate through the earth, by a storm from the north, and by a gathering of the whirlwind.
19 The hoarfrost also as salt he poureth on the earth, and being congealed, it lieth on the top of sharp stakes.	19 And 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.
20 When the cold north wind bloweth, and the water is congealed into ice, it abideth upon every gathering together of water, and clotheth the water as with a breastplate.	20 The eye is in wonder at the beauty of its whiteness, and the heart is astonished at its falling.
21 It devoureth the mountains, and burneth the wilderness, and consumeth the grass as fire.	21 He will pour out frost like salt upon the earth. And when it freezes, it will become like the tops of thistles.
22 A present remedy of all is a mist coming speedily, a dew coming after heat refresheth.	22 The 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.
23 By his counsel he appeaseth the deep, and planteth islands therein.	23 And it will devour the mountains, and burn the wilderness, and extinguish the greenery, like a fire.
24 They that sail on the sea tell of the danger thereof; and when we hear it with our ears, we marvel thereat.	24 Relief for all is in the hurried arrival of a cloud. And the lowly dew will arrive to meet the heat and overpower it.
25 For therein be strange and wondrous works, variety of all kinds of beasts and whales created.	25 At his word, the wind grows quiet, and by his thought, he appeases the abyss, for the Lord has planted islands in it.
26 By him the end of them hath prosperous success, and by his word all things consist.	26 Let those who navigate the sea describe its perils. And when we have heard it with our ears, we will wonder.
27 We may speak much, and yet come short: wherefore in sum, he is all.	27 There are illustrious and wondrous works: the various kinds of wild animals, and all manner of cattle, and the great creatures of the sea.
28 How shall we be able to magnify him? for he is great above all his works.	28 Through him, the end of their journey is confirmed, and by his word, all things fit together.
29 The Lord is terrible and very great, and marvellous is his power.	29 We can say much, and yet still lack for words. But the consummation of our words is this: He is in all things.
30 When ye glorify the Lord, exalt him as much as ye can; for even yet will he far exceed: and when ye exalt him, put forth all your strength, and be not weary; for ye can never go far enough.	30 What would we be able to do to glorify him? For the Almighty himself is above all his own works.
31 Who hath seen him, that he might tell us? and who can magnify him as he is?	31 The Lord is terrible, and exceedingly great, and his power is wonderful.
32 There are yet hid greater things than these be, for we have seen but a few of his works.	32 Glorify the Lord as much as you are able, yet still he will far exceed this. For his magnificence is beyond wonder.
33 For the Lord hath made all things; and to the godly hath he given wisdom.	33 Bless the Lord and exalt him, as much as you are able. But he is beyond all praise.
	34 When you exalt him, use all your ability, and do not cease in this labor. For you can never comprehend him.
	35 Who will see him and explain? And who will magnify him, as he is from the beginning?
	36 There are many things, hidden from us, which are greater than these things. For we have seen but a few of his works.
	37 But the Lord has made all things, and he has given wisdom to those who act with piety.