Sirach 43

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	BIBLES DES PEUPLES
1 The firmament on high is his beauty; it is the beauty of heaven in a vision of glory.	1 L’orgueil du monde d’en haut est le firmament cristallin: le spectacle du ciel est une vision de gloire.
2 The sun, at its appearance, announces its journey; it is an instrument of wonder, a work of the Most High.	2 Dès que paraît le soleil, il va proclamant: “Objet admirable je suis, une œuvre du Très-Haut!”
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.	3 À midi il dessèche la campagne; qui peut supporter son feu?
4 In three ways, the sun acts: scorching the mountains, emitting fiery rays, and shining with its beams that can blind the eyes.	4 On a beau souffler sur la flamme au travail de la forge, l’ardeur du soleil est plus du triple quand il brûle les montagnes, projetant des vapeurs torrides, des rayons qui éblouissent nos yeux!
5 Great is the Lord who made it, and at his word, it hurries on its journey.	5 Oui, grand est le Seigneur qui l’a fait et dont les paroles stimulent sa course!
6 And the moon, in all its phases, serves to mark the seasons and to be a sign of the times.	6 Et puis voici la lune, toujours fidèle à son rendez-vous, elle indique les mois et le passage du temps.
7 From the moon is the sign of a feast day; it is a light which diminishes at its consummation.	7 Le signal de la fête, il nous vient de la lune, lorsque après son plein elle revient à son déclin.
8 A month is named according to its phases, increasing wonderfully at its culmination.	8 C’est de son renouveau que le mois tient son nom: quelle merveille quand elle se reprend à croître! Elle est l’étendard des armées célestes, tandis qu’elle illumine l’étendue du firmament.
9 It is an instrument of the armies on high, shining gloriously in the firmament of heaven.	9 L’éclat des étoiles fait la beauté du ciel, c’est la parure resplendissante des hauteurs du Seigneur.
10 The glory of the stars is the beauty of heaven; the Lord illuminates the world from on high.	10 Dociles à la parole du Saint, elles se tiennent au poste qu’il leur a assigné, et montent leurs gardes sans jamais se relâcher.
11 At the words of the Holy One, they stand for judgment, and they will never fail in their vigilance.	11 Vois l’arc-en-ciel et bénis celui qui l’a fait; comme il est beau avec toutes ses couleurs!
12 Consider the rainbow, and bless the One who made it; it is very beautiful in its splendor.	12 Il trace dans le ciel un cercle de gloire, un arc qui fut tendu par les mains du Très-Haut.
13 It encompasses the heavens with the circle of its glory; the hands of the Most High made it appear.	13 Selon qu’il veut il dépêche la neige et presse les éclairs pour qu’ils exécutent ses sentences.
14 By his order, he hastens the snow, and he spurs on the lightning to express his judgment.	14 S’il ouvre encore les réserves du ciel, les nuages prennent leur vol comme des oiseaux.
15 In like manner, his storehouses are opened, and the clouds fly out like birds.	15 Par sa puissance il congèle les nuages pour qu’ils projettent, comme des pierres, la grêle.
16 By his greatness, he has positioned the clouds, and the hailstones have been broken.	16 Les montagnes tremblent s’il les regarde, à la voix de son tonnerre la terre est ébranlée.
17 At his glance, the mountains will be shaken, and by his will, the south wind will blow.	17 Le vent du sud souffle s’il le veut, de même les cyclones et l’ouragan du nord.
18 The voice of his thunder will reverberate through the earth, by a storm from the north, and by a gathering of the whirlwind.	18 Les flocons de la neige descendent comme des oiseaux; elle se pose comme la sauterelle. Cette blancheur immaculée ravit les yeux, la pensée reste interdite en la voyant tomber.
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.	19 Il déverse le givre comme du sel sur la terre; le gel le transforme en épines pointues.
20 The eye is in wonder at the beauty of its whiteness, and the heart is astonished at its falling.	20 Quand souffle le vent froid du nord, la glace se forme sur l’eau; elle couvre les étendues liquides et les revêt d’une cuirasse.
21 He will pour out frost like salt upon the earth. And when it freezes, it will become like the tops of thistles.	21 L’autre vent consume les montagnes et brûle le désert; semblable au feu, il dévore toute la verdure.
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.	22 Mais une nuée accourt et guérit tous ces maux: passée la canicule, la rosée ramène la joie.
23 And it will devour the mountains, and burn the wilderness, and extinguish the greenery, like a fire.	23 Selon son projet il a dompté l’océan, il y a planté des îles.
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.	24 Ceux qui naviguent sur la mer nous en racontent les dangers; on entend des récits stupéfiants!
25 At his word, the wind grows quiet, and by his thought, he appeases the abyss, for the Lord has planted islands in it.	25 Il y a là des êtres étranges et merveilleux, des animaux de toutes sortes, et des monstres marins!
26 Let those who navigate the sea describe its perils. And when we have heard it with our ears, we will wonder.	26 Mais grâce à Dieu, celui qu’il envoie trouve son chemin, et tout s’arrange selon sa parole.
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.	27 Nous pourrions continuer, nous n’en finirions pas: en un mot, Il est le Tout!
28 Through him, the end of their journey is confirmed, and by his word, all things fit together.	28 Où trouver la force de le glorifier? Il est grand, lui, bien au-dessus de tout ce qu’il a fait!
29 We can say much, and yet still lack for words. But the consummation of our words is this: He is in all things.	29 Il est un redoutable et Très-Haut Seigneur, prodigieuse est sa puissance.
30 What would we be able to do to glorify him? For the Almighty himself is above all his own works.	30 Rendez-lui la louange, exaltez le Seigneur autant que vous pourrez: il est bien au-delà! Exaltez-le de toutes vos forces; ne vous lassez pas, ce ne sera jamais assez.
31 The Lord is terrible, and exceedingly great, and his power is wonderful.	31 Qui l’a vu et peut nous dire ce qu’il a vu? Qui le glorifiera comme il le mérite?
32 Glorify the Lord as much as you are able, yet still he will far exceed this. For his magnificence is beyond wonder.	32 Tant de merveilles cachées sont bien plus grandes encore! Nous n’avons vu qu’une petite partie de ses œuvres.
33 Bless the Lord and exalt him, as much as you are able. But he is beyond all praise.	33 Oui, le Seigneur a fait toutes choses, et à ses fidèles il accorde la sagesse.
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.