Sirach 43

1The firmament on high is his beauty, the beauty of heaven with its glorious show.

2The sun when he appeareth showing forth at his rising, an admirable instrument, the work of the most High.

3At noon he burneth the earth, and who can abide his burning heat? As one keeping a furnace in the works of heat:

4The sun three times as much, burneth the mountains, breathing out fiery vapours, and shining with his beams, he blindeth the eyes.

5Great is the Lord that made him, and at his words he hath hastened his course.

6And the moon in all in her season, is for a declaration of times and a sign of the world.

7From the moon is the sign of the festival day, a light that decreaseth in her perfection.

8The month is called after her name, increasing wonderfully in her perfection.

9Being an instrument of the armies on high, shining gloriously in the firmament of heaven.

10The glory of the stars is the beauty of heaven; the Lord enlighteneth the world on high.

11By the words of the holy one they stand in judgment, and shall never fall in their watches.

12Look upon the rainbow, and bless him that made it: it is very beautiful in its brightness.

13It encompasseth the heaven about with the circle of its glory, the hands of the most High have displayed it.

14By his commandment he maketh the snow to fall apace, and sendeth forth swiftly the lightnings of his judgment.

15Through this are the treasures opened, and the clouds fly out like birds.

16By his greatness he hath fixed the clouds, and the hailstones are broken.

17At his sight shall the mountains be shaken, and at his will the south wind shall blow.

18The noise of his thunder shall strike the earth, so doth the northern storm, and the whirlwind:

19And as the birds lighting upon the earth, he scattereth snow, and the falling thereof, is as the coming down of locusts.

20The eye admireth at the beauty of the whiteness thereof, and the heart is astonished at the shower thereof.

21He shall pour frost as salt upon the earth: and when it freezeth, it shall become like the tops of thistles.

22The cold north wind bloweth, and the water is congealed into crystal; upon every gathering together of waters it shall rest, and shall clothe the waters as a breastplate.

23And it shall devour the mountains, and burn the wilderness, and consume all that is green as with fire.

24A present remedy of all is the speedy coming of a cloud, and a dew that meeteth it, by the heat that cometh, shall overpower it.

25At his word the wind is still, and with his thought he appeaseth the deep, and the Lord hath planted islands therein.

26Let them that sail on the sea, tell the dangers thereof: and when we hear with our ears, we shall admire.

27There are great and wonderful works: a variety of beasts, and of all living things, and the monstrous creatures of whales.

28Through him is established the end of their journey, and by his word all things are regulated.

29We shall say much, and yet shall want words: but the sum of our words is, He is all.

30What shall we be able to do to glorify him? for the Almighty himself is above all his works.

31The Lord is terrible, and exceeding great, and his power is admirable.

32Glorify the Lord as much as ever you can, for he will yet far exceed, and his magnificence is wonderful.

33Blessing the Lord, exalt him as much as you can; for he is above all praise.

34When you exalt him put forth all your strength, and be not weary: for you can never go far enough.

35Who shall see him, and declare him? and who shall magnify him as he is from the beginning?

36There are many things hidden from us that are greater than these: for we have seen but a few of his works.

37But the Lord hath made all things, and to the godly he hath given wisdom.

1Altitudinis firmamentum pulchritudo ejus est, species cæli in visione gloriæ.

2Sol in aspectu annuntians in exitu, vas admirabile, opus Excelsi.

3In meridiano exurit terram, et in conspectu ardoris ejus quis poterit sustinere? fornacem custodiens in operibus ardoris :

4tripliciter sol exurens montes, radios igneos exsufflans, et refulgens radiis suis obcæcat oculos.

5Magnus Dominus qui fecit illum, et in sermonibus ejus festinavit iter.

6Et luna in omnibus in tempore suo, ostensio temporis, et signum ævi.

7A luna signum diei festi : luminare quod minuitur in consummatione.

8Mensis secundum nomen ejus est, crescens mirabiliter in consummatione.

9Vas castrorum in excelsis, in firmamento cæli resplendens gloriose.

10Species cæli gloria stellarum : mundum illuminans in excelsis Dominus.

11In verbis Sancti stabunt ad judicium, et non deficient in vigiliis suis.

12Vide arcum, et benedic eum qui fecit illum : valde speciosus est in splendore suo.

13Gyravit cælum in circuitu gloriæ suæ : manus Excelsi aperuerunt illum.

14Imperio suo acceleravit nivem, et accelerat coruscationes emittere judicii sui.

15Propterea aperti sunt thesauri, et evolaverunt nebulæ sicut aves.

16In magnitudine sua posuit nubes, et confracti sunt lapides grandinis.

17In conspectu ejus commovebuntur montes, et in voluntate ejus aspirabit notus.

18Vox tonitrui ejus verberavit terram, tempestas aquilonis, et congregatio spiritus :

19et sicut avis deponens ad sedendum, aspergit nivem, et sicut locusta demergens descensus ejus.

20Pulchritudinem candoris ejus admirabitur oculus, et super imbrem ejus expavescet cor.

21Gelu sicut salem effundet super terram : et dum gelaverit, fiet tamquam cacumina tribuli.

22Frigidus ventus aquilo flavit, et gelavit crystallus ab aqua : super omnem congregationem aquarum requiescet, et sicut lorica induet se aquis :

23et devorabit montes, et exuret desertum, et extinguet viride, sicut igne.

24Medicina omnium in festinatione nebulæ : et ros obvians ab ardore venienti humilem efficiet eum.

25In sermone ejus siluit ventus, et cogitatione sua placavit abyssum : et plantavit in illa Dominus insulas.

26Qui navigant mare enarrent pericula ejus, et audientes auribus nostris admirabimur.

27Illic præclara opera et mirabilia, varia bestiarum genera, et omnium pecorum, et creatura belluarum.

28Propter ipsum confirmatus est itineris finis, et in sermone ejus composita sunt omnia.

29Multa dicemus, et deficiemus in verbis : consummatio autem sermonum ipse est in omnibus.

30Gloriantes ad quid valebimus? ipse enim omnipotens super omnia opera sua.

31Terribilis Dominus, et magnus vehementer, et mirabilis potentia ipsius.

32Glorificantes Dominum quantumcumque potueritis, supervalebit enim adhuc : et admirabilis magnificentia ejus.

33Benedicentes Dominum, exaltate illum quantum potestis : major enim est omni laude.

34Exaltantes eum, replemini virtute, ne laboretis, non enim comprehendetis.

35Quis videbit eum et enarrabit? et quis magnificabit eum sicut est ab initio?

36Multa abscondita sunt majora his : pauca enim vidimus operum ejus.

37Omnia autem Dominus fecit, et pie agentibus dedit sapientiam.

1γαυρίαμα ὕψους στερέωμα καθαριότητος εἶδος οὐρανοῦ ἐν ὁράματι δόξης

2ἥλιος ἐν ὀπτασίᾳ διαγγέλλων ἐν ἐξόδῳ σκεῦος θαυμαστόν ἔργον ὑψίστου

3ἐν μεσημβρίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἀναξηραίνει χώραν καὶ ἐναντίον καύματος αὐτοῦ τίς ὑποστήσεται κάμινον φυσῶν ἐν ἔργοις καύματος

4τριπλασίως ἥλιος ἐκκαίων ὄρη ἀτμίδας πυρώδεις ἐκφυσῶν καὶ ἐκλάμπων ἀκτῖνας ἀμαυροῖ ὀφθαλμούς

5μέγας κύριος ὁ ποιήσας αὐτόν καὶ ἐν λόγοις αὐτοῦ κατέσπευσεν πορείαν

6καὶ ἡ σελήνη ἐν πᾶσιν εἰς καιρὸν αὐτῆς ἀνάδειξιν χρόνων καὶ σημεῖον αἰῶνος

7ἀπὸ σελήνης σημεῖον ἑορτῆς φωστὴρ μειούμενος ἐπὶ συντελείας

8μὴν κατὰ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτῆς ἐστιν αὐξανόμενος θαυμαστῶς ἐν ἀλλοιώσει

9σκεῦος παρεμβολῶν ἐν ὕψει ἐν στερεώματι οὐρανοῦ ἐκλάμπων

10κάλλος οὐρανοῦ δόξα ἄστρων κόσμος φωτίζων ἐν ὑψίστοις κυρίου

11ἐν λόγοις ἁγίου στήσονται κατὰ κρίμα καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐκλυθῶσιν ἐν φυλακαῖς αὐτῶν

12ἰδὲ τόξον καὶ εὐλόγησον τὸν ποιήσαντα αὐτὸ σφόδρα ὡραῖον ἐν τῷ αὐγάσματι αὐτοῦ

13ἐγύρωσεν οὐρανὸν ἐν κυκλώσει δόξης χεῖρες ὑψίστου ἐτάνυσαν αὐτό

14προστάγματι αὐτοῦ κατέσπευσεν χιόνα καὶ ταχύνει ἀστραπὰς κρίματος αὐτοῦ

15διὰ τοῦτο ἠνεῴχθησαν θησαυροί καὶ ἐξέπτησαν νεφέλαι ὡς πετεινά

16ἐν μεγαλείῳ αὐτοῦ ἴσχυσεν νεφέλας καὶ διεθρύβησαν λίθοι χαλάζης

17καὶ ἐν ὀπτασίᾳ αὐτοῦ σαλευθήσεται ὄρη ἐν θελήματι αὐτοῦ πνεύσεται νότος

18φωνὴ βροντῆς αὐτοῦ ὠνείδισεν γῆν καὶ καταιγὶς βορέου καὶ συστροφὴ πνεύματος

19ὡς πετεινὰ καθιπτάμενα πάσσει χιόνα καὶ ὡς ἀκρὶς καταλύουσα ἡ κατάβασις αὐτῆς

20κάλλος λευκότητος αὐτῆς ἐκθαυμάσει ὀφθαλμός καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ ὑετοῦ αὐτῆς ἐκστήσεται καρδία

21καὶ πάχνην ὡς ἅλα ἐπὶ γῆς χέει καὶ παγεῖσα γίνεται σκολόπων ἄκρα

22ψυχρὸς ἄνεμος βορέης πνεύσει καὶ παγήσεται κρύσταλλος ἐφ' ὕδατος ἐπὶ πᾶσαν συναγωγὴν ὕδατος καταλύσει καὶ ὡς θώρακα ἐνδύσεται τὸ ὕδωρ

23καταφάγεται ὄρη καὶ ἔρημον ἐκκαύσει καὶ ἀποσβέσει χλόην ὡς πῦρ

24ἴασις πάντων κατὰ σπουδὴν ὁμίχλη δρόσος ἀπαντῶσα ἀπὸ καύσωνος ἱλαρώσει

25λογισμῷ αὐτοῦ ἐκόπασεν ἄβυσσον καὶ ἐφύτευσεν ἐν αὐτῇ νήσους

26οἱ πλέοντες τὴν θάλασσαν διηγοῦνται τὸν κίνδυνον αὐτῆς καὶ ἀκοαῖς ὠτίων ἡμῶν θαυμάζομεν

27καὶ ἐκεῖ τὰ παράδοξα καὶ θαυμάσια ἔργα ποικιλία παντὸς ζῴου κτίσις κητῶν

28δι' αὐτὸν εὐοδοῖ ἄγγελος αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν λόγῳ αὐτοῦ σύγκειται τὰ πάντα

29πολλὰ ἐροῦμεν καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀφικώμεθα καὶ συντέλεια λόγων τὸ πᾶν ἐστιν αὐτός

30δοξάζοντες ποῦ ἰσχύσομεν αὐτὸς γὰρ ὁ μέγας παρὰ πάντα τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ

31φοβερὸς κύριος καὶ σφόδρα μέγας καὶ θαυμαστὴ ἡ δυναστεία αὐτοῦ

32δοξάζοντες κύριον ὑψώσατε καθ' ὅσον ἂν δύνησθε ὑπερέξει γὰρ καὶ ἔτι

34καὶ ὑψοῦντες αὐτὸν πληθύνατε ἐν ἰσχύι μὴ κοπιᾶτε οὐ γὰρ μὴ ἀφίκησθε

35τίς ἑόρακεν αὐτὸν καὶ ἐκδιηγήσεται καὶ τίς μεγαλυνεῖ αὐτὸν καθώς ἐστιν

36πολλὰ ἀπόκρυφά ἐστιν μείζονα τούτων ὀλίγα γὰρ ἑωράκαμεν τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ

37πάντα γὰρ ἐποίησεν ὁ κύριος καὶ τοῖς εὐσεβέσιν ἔδωκεν σοφίαν