The Word Am I

The Book of Jesus Sirach

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- Chapter 43 -

The works of God are exceedingly glorious and wonderful: no man is able sufficiently to praise him.

1
The firmament on high is his beauty; it is the beauty of heaven in a vision of glory.
2
The sun, at its appearance, announces its journey; it is an instrument of wonder, a work of the Most High.
3
At midday, it scorches the earth. And in the presence of its heat, who would be able to endure? It is like the custodian of a furnace in its works of heat.
4
In three ways, the sun acts: scorching the mountains, emitting fiery rays, and shining with its beams that can blind the eyes.
5
Great is the Lord who made it, and at his word, it hurries on its journey.
6
And the moon, in all its phases, serves to mark the seasons and to be a sign of the times.
7
From the moon is the sign of a feast day; it is a light which diminishes at its consummation.(a)
8
A month is named according to its phases, increasing wonderfully at its culmination.
9
It is an instrument of the armies on high, shining gloriously in the firmament of heaven.
10
The glory of the stars is the beauty of heaven; the Lord illuminates the world from on high.
11
At the words of the Holy One, they stand for judgment, and they will never fail in their vigilance.
12
Consider the rainbow, and bless the One who made it; it is very beautiful in its splendor.
13
It encompasses the heavens with the circle of its glory; the hands of the Most High made it appear.
14
By his order, he hastens the snow, and he spurs on the lightning to express his judgment.
15
In like manner, his storehouses are opened, and the clouds fly out like birds.
16
By his greatness, he has positioned the clouds, and the hailstones have been broken.
17
At his glance, the mountains will be shaken, and by his will, the south wind will blow.
18
The voice of his thunder will reverberate through the earth, by a storm from the north, and by a gathering of the whirlwind.
19
And like the birds landing in a flock upon the earth, he sends down the snow; and its descent is like the arrival of a swarm of locusts.
20
The eye is in wonder at the beauty of its whiteness, and the heart is astonished at its falling.
21
He will pour out frost like salt upon the earth. And when it freezes, it will become like the tops of thistles.
22
The cold north wind blows, and the water freezes into crystals; it will rest upon every gathering of water, and it will clothe the water like a breastplate.
23
And it will devour the mountains, and burn the wilderness, and extinguish the greenery, like a fire.
24
Relief for all is in the hurried arrival of a cloud. And the lowly dew will arrive to meet the heat and overpower it.(b)
25
At his word, the wind grows quiet, and by his thought, he appeases the abyss, for the Lord has planted islands in it.
26
Let those who navigate the sea describe its perils. And when we have heard it with our ears, we will wonder.
27
There are illustrious and wondrous works: the various kinds of wild animals, and all manner of cattle, and the great creatures of the sea.
28
Through him, the end of their journey is confirmed, and by his word, all things fit together.
29
We can say much, and yet still lack for words. But the consummation of our words is this: He is in all things.
30
What would we be able to do to glorify him? For the Almighty himself is above all his own works.
31
The Lord is terrible, and exceedingly great, and his power is wonderful.
32
Glorify the Lord as much as you are able, yet still he will far exceed this. For his magnificence is beyond wonder.
33
Bless the Lord and exalt him, as much as you are able. But he is beyond all praise.
34
When you exalt him, use all your ability, and do not cease in this labor. For you can never comprehend him.
35
Who will see him and explain? And who will magnify him, as he is from the beginning?
36
There are many things, hidden from us, which are greater than these things. For we have seen but a few of his works.
37
But the Lord has made all things, and he has given wisdom to those who act with piety.

Footnotes

(a)43:7 Feast days were often at the full moon (e.g. Passover, Feast of Tabernacles), and often lasted about 7 days, so that the feast ended as the moons light was diminishing. This verse also has an eschatological meaning, in that changes in the appearance of the moon is one of the signs of the consummation (the end times).(Conte)
(b)43:24 This is a prophetic figure for the Return of Jesus Christ on a cloud, and the return with Him of the lowly Virgin Mary; and at His Return, He will destroy the ardor of sin and of the sinful Antichrist (who will be of the kingdom of the North).(Conte)

The works of God are exceedingly glorious and wonderful: no man is able sufficiently to praise him.

1
The pride of the heavenly heights is the clear sky, the appearance of heaven, in the spectacle of its glory.
2
The sun, when it appears, bringing tidings as it rises, is a marvelous instrument, the work of the Most High.
3
At noon, it dries up the land. Who can stand against its burning heat?
4
A man tending a furnace is in burning heat, but the sun three times more, burning up the mountains, breathing out fiery vapors, and sending out bright beams, it blinds the eyes.
5
Great is the Lord who made it. At his word, he hastens on its course.
6
The moon marks the changing seasons, declares times, and is a sign for the world.
7
From the moon is the sign of feast days, a light that wanes when it completes its course.
8
The month is called after its name, increasing wonderfully in its changing— an instrument of the army on high, shining in the structure of heaven,
9
the beauty of heaven, the glory of the stars, an ornament giving light in the highest places of the Lord.
10
At the word of the Holy One, they will stand in due order. They won’t faint in their watches.
11
Look at the rainbow, and praise him who made it. It is exceedingly beautiful in its brightness.
12
It encircles the sky with its glorious circle. The hands of the Most High have stretched it out.
13
By his commandment, he makes the snow fall and swiftly sends the lightnings of his judgment.
14
Therefore the storehouses are opened, and clouds fly out like birds.
15
By his mighty power, he makes the clouds strong and the hailstones are broken in pieces.
16
At his appearing, the mountains will be shaken. At his will, the south wind will blow.
17
The voice of his thunder rebukes the earth. So does the northern storm and the whirlwind. Like birds flying down, he sprinkles the snow. It falls down like the lighting of locusts.
18
The eye is dazzled at the beauty of its whiteness. The heart is amazed as it falls.
19
He also pours out frost on the earth like salt. When it is freezes, it has points like thorns.
20
The cold north wind blows and ice freezes on the water. It settles on every pool of water. The water puts it on like it was a breastplate.
21
It will devour the mountains, burn up the wilderness, and consume the green grass like fire.
22
A mist coming speedily heals all things. A dew coming after heat brings cheerfulness.
23
By his counsel, he has calmed the deep and planted islands in it.
24
Those who sail on the sea tell of its dangers. We marvel when we hear it with our ears.
25
There are also those strange and wondrous works in it— variety of all that has life and the huge creatures of the sea.
26
Because of him, his messengers succeed. By his word, all things hold together.
27
We may say many things, but couldn’t say enough. The summary of our words is, “He is everything!”
28
How could we have strength to glorify him? For he is himself the greater than all his works.
29
The Lord is awesome and exceedingly great! His power is marvelous!
30
Glorify the Lord and exalt him as much as you can! For even yet, he will surpass that. When you exalt him, summon your full strength. Don’t be weary, because you can’t praise him enough.
31
Who has seen him, that he may describe him? Who can magnify him as he is?
32
Many things greater than these are hidden, for we have seen just a few of his works.
33
For the Lord made all things. He gave wisdom to the godly.
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