Sirach 43

43The beauty of the ⁽heavenly⁽ height is the pure firmament,

And the firm heavenpoureth out light.

The sun when he goeth forth maketh heat to shine—

How awe-inspiring is the work of Jahveh!

At noontide he bringeth the world to boiling heat,

And before his scorching ⁽ray⁽ who can maintain himself?

⁽Like⁽ a glowing furnace which keepeth the casting hot,

⁽So⁽ the sun’s dart setteth the mountains ablaze:

A tongue of flame consumeth the inhabited ⁽world⁽,

And with its fire the eye is scorched.

For great is Jahveh that made him,

And His word maketh His mighty ⁽servant⁽ brilliant.

Moreover, the moon He made for its due season,

To rule over periods and for an everlasting sign:

By her ⁽are determined⁽ the feasts and times prescribed,

A light-giver waning with her course:

Month by month she reneweth herself—

How wonderful is she in her changing!

The army-signal of the cloud-vessels on high,

She paveth the firmament with her shining.

The beauty of heaven, and the glory, are the stars,

And a gleaming ornamentin the heights of God.

At the word of the Holy Onethey take their prescribed place,

And they sleep not at their watches.

Behold the rainbow and bless its Maker,

Forit is majestic exceedingly in majesty:

It encompasseth the ⁽heavenly⁽ vault with its glory,

And the hand of God hath spread it out in pride.

His mightmarketh out the lightning,

And maketh brilliantthe flashes of His judgement.

On that accountHe hath created a treasure-house,

And He maketh the clouds fly like birds.

By His mighty power He maketh strong the clouds,

And the hailstones are broken.

His thunder’s voice maketh His earth to be in anguish,

And by His strengthHe shaketh mountains.

The terror of Him stirreth up the south wind,

The whirlwind of the north, hurricane, and tempest;

Like flocks of birds He sheddeth abroad His snow,

And like settling locustsis the fall thereof.

The beauty of the whiteness^[dazzleth^[ the eyes,

And the heart ^[marvelleth^[ at the raining thereof.

The hoar-frost also He poureth out like salt,

^[And maketh the crystals sparkle^[ like sapphire.

The icy blast of the north wind He causeth to blow,

And hardeneth the pond like a bottle.

Over every basin of water He spreadeth a crust,

And the pond putteth on as it were a breastplate.

It burneth up the produce of the mountains as a drought,

And the sprouting pasture as a flame.

A healing for all such is the distillation of the clouds.

Even the dew, alighting to bring refreshment after heat.

By His counselHe hath stilled the deep,

And hath plantedthe islands in the ocean.

They that go down to the sea tell of its extent,

And when our ears hear it we are astonished.

Therein are marvels, the most wondrous of His works,

All kinds of living things, and the monsters of Rahab.

By reason of Him ^[business^[ prospereth,

And at His word what He wills is done.

More like this we will not add,

And the conclusion of the matter is: He is all.

We will sing praises, because we cannot fathom;

For greater is He than all His works.

Terrible is Jahveh exceedingly,

And wonderful are His mighty acts.

Ye that magnify Jahveh, lift up your voice,

As much as ye can, for there is still more!

Ye that exalt Him, renew your strength,

And weary not, for ye cannot fathom ⁽Him⁽!

Who hath seen Him, that he may tell thereof?

And who shall magnify Him as he is?

The number of things mysterious is greater ⁽even⁽ than these,

And I have seen ⁽but⁽ few of His works.

Everything hath Jahveh made,

And to the pious hath He given wisdom.