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Sirach

Chapter 43

43:1 The pride of the height, the clear firmament, the beauty of heaven, with his glorious shew;

43:2 The sun when it appeareth, declaring at his rising a marvellous instrument, the work of the most High:

43:3 At noon it parcheth the country, and who can abide the burning heat thereof?

43:4 A man blowing a furnace is in works of heat, but the sun burneth the mountains three times more; breathing out fiery vapours, and sending forth bright beams, it dimmeth the eyes.

43:5 Great is the Lord that made it; and at his commandment runneth hastily.

43:6 He made the moon also to serve in her season for a declaration of times, and a sign of the world.

43:7 From the moon is the sign of feasts, a light that decreaseth in her perfection.

43:8 The month is called after her name, increasing wonderfully in her changing, being an instrument of the armies above, shining in the firmament of heaven;

43:9 The beauty of heaven, the glory of the stars, an ornament giving light in the highest places of the Lord.

43:10 At the commandment of the Holy One they will stand in their order, and never faint in their watches.

43:11 Look upon the rainbow, and praise him that made it; very beautiful it is in the brightness thereof.

43:12 It compasseth the heaven about with a glorious circle, and the hands of the most High have bended it.

43:13 By his commandment he maketh the snow to fall aplace, and sendeth swiftly the lightnings of his judgment.

43:14 Through this the treasures are opened: and clouds fly forth as fowls.

43:15 By his great power he maketh the clouds firm, and the hailstones are broken small.

43:16 At his sight the mountains are shaken, and at his will the south wind bloweth.

43:17 The noise of the thunder maketh the earth to tremble: so doth the northern storm and the whirlwind: as birds flying he scattereth the snow, and the falling down thereof is as the lighting of grasshoppers:

43:18 The eye marvelleth at the beauty of the whiteness thereof, and the heart is astonished at the raining of it.

43:19 The hoarfrost also as salt he poureth on the earth, and being congealed, it lieth on the top of sharp stakes.

43:20 When the cold north wind bloweth, and the water is congealed into ice, it abideth upon every gathering together of water, and clotheth the water as with a breastplate.

43:21 It devoureth the mountains, and burneth the wilderness, and consumeth the grass as fire.

43:22 A present remedy of all is a mist coming speedily, a dew coming after heat refresheth.

43:23 By his counsel he appeaseth the deep, and planteth islands therein.

43:24 They that sail on the sea tell of the danger thereof; and when we hear it with our ears, we marvel thereat.

43:25 For therein be strange and wondrous works, variety of all kinds of beasts and whales created.

43:26 By him the end of them hath prosperous success, and by his word all things consist.

43:27 We may speak much, and yet come short: wherefore in sum, he is all.

43:28 How shall we be able to magnify him? for he is great above all his works.

43:29 The Lord is terrible and very great, and marvellous is his power.

43:30 When ye glorify the Lord, exalt him as much as ye can; for even yet will he far exceed: and when ye exalt him, put forth all your strength, and be not weary; for ye can never go far enough.

43:31 Who hath seen him, that he might tell us? and who can magnify him as he is?

43:32 There are yet hid greater things than these be, for we have seen but a few of his works.

43:33 For the Lord hath made all things; and to the godly hath he given wisdom.


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