Sirach 42:15–43:33

15 aI would fain remembera God’s works,

And what I have seen I would recount.

bBy the word of God His works were formedb,

cAnd what was wrought by His good pleasure according to His decreec.

H 17 The rising sun dis revealedd over all things,

And the glory of Jahveh eis over all His workse.

16 fGod’s holy ones have not the powerf

To recount gHis wondrous works of mightg;

(Though) God hath given strength hto His hostsh

iTo endure in the presence of His gloryi.

18 He searcheth out the deep and (man’s) heart,

jAnd all their secretsj kHe surveyethk:

G lFor Jahveh possesseth all knowledge,

And seeth what cometh unto eternityl.

HB 19 He declareth mwhat is past and what is futurem,

And revealeth nthe profoundest secretsn.

20 oNo knowledge is lacking to Himo,

pAnd no matter escapeth Himp.

21 qThe might of His wisdomq ris establishedr,

From everlasting sHe is the sames:

tNothing hath been added and nothing taken away (therefrom)t,

And He needeth none to give counsel.

G(S) 22 uAll His works are truly lovely,

And are [like blossoms] to beholdu.

HB(G) 23 vEverything liveth and abideth for everv,

wAnd to every need all things respondw.

24 xThey are all different, one from the otherx,

But He hath not made any one of them ysuperfluousy.

25 zThe one exchangeth what is good (in it) with the otherz,

And who can be satiated with beholding athe beautya?

(b) 43:1–26. Recital of the manifestations in Nature of God’s might

(= 1 + 4 + 1 + 4 + 2 + 2 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 3 + 1 distichs).

43 HB 1 bThe beauty of the (heavenly) height is the pure firmamentb,

cAnd the firm heavenc dpoureth out lightd.

HB 2 eThe sun when he goeth forth maketh heat to shinee—

fHow awe-inspiring is the work of Jahvehf!

3 gAt noontideg he bringeth the world to boiling heat,

And before hhis scorching (ray)h who can maintain himself?

4 i(Like) a glowing furnace which keepeth the casting hot,

(So) the sun’s dart setteth the mountains ablazei:

jA tongue of flame consumeth the inhabited (world)j,

kAnd with its fire the eye is scorchedk.

5 lForl great is Jahveh that made him,

mAnd His word maketh His mighty (servant) brilliantm.

6 nMoreover, the moon He made for its due seasonn,

oTo rule over periodso and for an everlasting sign:

HB 7 pBy her (are determined) the feasts and times prescribedp,

qA light-giver waning with her courseq:

8 rMonth by month she reneweth herselfr—

How wonderful is she in her changing!

sThe army-signal of the cloud-vessels on highs,

tShe paveth the firmament with her shiningt.

9 uThe beauty of heaven, and the glory, are the starsu,

vAnd a gleaming ornamentv win the heightsw of God.

10 xAt the word of the Holy Onex ythey take their prescribed placey,

zAnd they sleep notz at their watches.

11 Behold the rainbow and bless its Maker,

aFora bit is majestic exceedingly in majestyb:

12 cIt encompasseth the (heavenly) vault with its gloryc,

And the hand of God hath spread it out din prided.

13 eHis mighte fmarketh out the lightningf,

gAnd maketh brilliantg hthe flashes of His judgementh.

HB 14 iOn that accounti jHe hath created a treasure-housej,

kAnd He maketh the clouds fly like birdsk.

G 15 lBy His mighty power He maketh strong the clouds,

And the hailstones are brokenl.

HB 17 a mHis thunder’s voice maketh His earth to be in anguishm,

16a nAnd by His strengthn oHe shaketh mountainso.

16b pThe terror of Him stirreth up the south windp,

17b qThe whirlwind of the northq, rhurricane, and tempestr;

sLike flocks of birdss He sheddeth abroad tHis snowt,

uAnd like settling locustsu vis the fall thereofv.

HB 18 wThe beauty of the whitenessw x[dazzleth] the eyesx,

And the heart y[marvelleth]y at the raining thereof.

19 The hoar-frost also zHe poureth outz like salt,

a[And maketh the crystals sparkle] like sapphirea.

20 bThe icy blast of the north wind He causeth to blowb,

cAnd hardeneth the pond like a bottlec.

Over every basin of water dHe spreadeth a crustd,

And the pond putteth on as it were a breastplate.

21 eIt burneth up the produce of the mountains as a droughte,

fAnd the sprouting pasturef as a flame.

22 gA healing for all such is the distillation of the cloudsg.

hEven the dew, alighting to bring refreshment after heath.

23 iBy His counseli jHe hath stilled the deepj,

kAnd hath plantedk lthe islandsl in the ocean.

HB 24 They that go down to the sea tell of mits extentm,

nAndn when our ears hear it we are astonished.

25 Therein are marvels, the most wondrous of His works,

oAll kinds of living thingso, pand the monsters of Rahabp.

26 By reason of Him q[business] prosperethq,

And at His word rwhat He wills is doner.

(c) 43:27–33. Conclusion

(= 3 + 2 + 2 + 1 distichs).

27 sMore like this we will not adds,

And tthe conclusion of the mattert is: He is all.

28 uWe will sing praises, because we cannot fathomu;

vFor greater is Hev than all His works.

29 Terrible is Jahveh wexceedinglyw,

xAnd wonderful are His mighty actsx.

30 yYe that magnify Jahveh, zlift up your voicez,

As much as ye cana, bfor there is still moreb!

cYe that exalt Himc, drenew your strengthd,

And weary not, efor ye cannot fathom (Him)e!

G 31 Who hath seen Him, that he may tell thereof?

And who shall magnify Him as he is?

HB 32 fThe number of things mysterious is greater (even) than thesef,

gAnd I have seen (but) fewg of His works.

33 hEverythingh hath Jahveh made,

iAnd to the pious hath He given wisdomi.

jPraise of the fathers of oldj.

(a) 44:1–15. General introduction

(= 2 + 7 + 3 + 3 + 3 distichs).