Wisdom of Sirach 43
1The pride of the height, the clear firmament, the beauty of heaven, with his glorious show;
2The sun when it appears, declaring at his rising a marvelous instrument, the work of the most High:
3At noon it parches the country, and who can abide the burning heat thereof?
4A man blowing a furnace is in works of heat, but the sun burns the mountains three times more; breathing out fiery vapours, and sending forth bright beams, it dims the eyes.
5Great is the Lord that made it; and at his commandment runs hastily.
6He made the moon also to serve in her season for a declaration of times, and a sign of the world.
7From the moon is the sign of feasts, a light that decreases in her perfection.
8The month is called after her name, increasing wonderfully in her changing, being an instrument of the armies above, shining in the firmament of heaven;
9The beauty of heaven, the glory of the stars, an ornament giving light in the highest places of the Lord.
10At the commandment of the Holy One they will stand in their order, and never faint in their watches.
11Look upon the rainbow, and praise him that made it; very beautiful it is in the brightness thereof.
12It encircles the heaven about with a glorious circle, and the hands of the most High have bended it.
13By his commandment he makes the snow to fall apace, and sends swiftly the lightnings of his judgment.
14Through this the treasures are opened: and clouds fly forth as fowls.
15By his great power he makes the clouds firm, and the hailstones are broken small.
16At his sight the mountains are shaken, and at his will the south wind blows.
17The noise of the thunder makes the earth to tremble: so does the northern storm and the whirlwind: as birds flying he scatters the snow, and the falling down thereof is as the lighting of grasshoppers:
18The eye marvels at the beauty of the whiteness thereof, and the heart is astonished at the raining of it.
19The hoarfrost also as salt he pours on the earth, and being congealed, it lies on the top of sharp stakes.
20When the cold north wind blows, and the water is congealed into ice, it remains upon every gathering together of water, and clothes the water as with a breastplate.
21It devours the mountains, and burns the wilderness, and consumes the grass as fire.
22A present remedy of all is a mist coming speedily, a dew coming after heat refreshes.
23By his counsel he appeases the deep, and plants islands therein.
24They that sail on the sea tell of the danger thereof; and when we hear it with our ears, we marvel thereat.
25For therein be strange and wondrous works, variety of all kinds of beasts and whales created.
26By him the end of them has prosperous success, and by his word all things consist.
27We may speak much, and yet come short: therefore in sum, he is all.
28How shall we be able to magnify him? for he is great above all his works.
29The Lord is terrible and very great, and marvelous is his power.
30When you glorify the Lord, exalt him as much as you can; for even yet will he far exceed: and when you exalt him, put forth all your strength, and be not weary; for you can never go far enough.
31Who has seen him, that he might tell us? and who can magnify him as he is?
32There are yet hid greater things than these be, for we have seen but a few of his works.
33For the Lord has made all things; and to the godly has he given wisdom.
Commentaries for Wisdom of Sirach 43:0