Sirach

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

²² The 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.

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

²⁴ A 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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