Sir 43

1 The pride of the height, the clear firmament, the beauty of heaven, with his glorious show; 2 The sun when it appears, declaring at his rising a marvelous instrument, the work of themost High: 3 At noon it parches the country, and who can abide the burning heat thereof? 4 A man blowing a furnace is in works of heat, but the sun burns the mountains three timesmore; breathing out fiery vapours, and sending forth bright beams, it dims the eyes. 5 Great is the Lord that made it; and at his commandment runs hastily. 6 He made the moon also to serve in her season for a declaration of times, and a sign ofthe world. 7 From the moon is the sign of feasts, a light that decreases in her perfection. 8 The month is called after her name, increasing wonderfully in her changing, being an instrumentof the armies above, shining in the firmament of heaven; 9 The beauty of heaven, the glory of the stars, an ornament giving light in the highestplaces of the Lord. 10 At the commandment of the Holy One they will stand in their order, and never faint intheir watches. 11 Look upon the rainbow, and praise him that made it; very beautiful it is in the brightnessthereof. 12 It encircles the heaven about with a glorious circle, and the hands of the most Highhave bended it. 13 By his commandment he makes the snow to fall apace, and sends swiftly the lightningsof his judgment. 14 Through this the treasures are opened: and clouds fly forth as fowls. 15 By his great power he makes the clouds firm, and the hailstones are broken small. 16 At his sight the mountains are shaken, and at his will the south wind blows. 17 The noise of the thunder makes the earth to tremble: so does the northern storm and thewhirlwind: as birds flying he scatters the snow, and the falling down thereof is as the lighting of grasshoppers: 18 The eye marvels at the beauty of the whiteness thereof, and the heart is astonished atthe raining of it. 19 The hoarfrost also as salt he pours on the earth, and being congealed, it lies on thetop of sharp stakes. 20 When the cold north wind blows, and the water is congealed into ice, it remains uponevery gathering together of water, and clothes the water as with a breastplate. 21 It devours the mountains, and burns the wilderness, and consumes the grass as fire. 22 A present remedy of all is a mist coming speedily, a dew coming after heat refreshes. 23 By his counsel he appeases the deep, and plants islands therein. 24 They that sail on the sea tell of the danger thereof; and when we hear it with our ears,we marvel thereat. 25 For therein be strange and wondrous works, variety of all kinds of beasts and whalescreated. 26 By him the end of them has prosperous success, and by his word all things consist. 27 We may speak much, and yet come short: wherefore in sum, he is all. 28 How shall we be able to magnify him? for he is great above all his works. 29 The Lord is terrible and very great, and marvelous is his power. 30 When 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. 31 Who has seen him, that he might tell us? and who can magnify him as he is? 32 There are yet hid greater things than these be, for we have seen but a few of his works. 33 For the Lord has made all things; and to the godly has he given wisdom.