The Holy Bible
« Chapter 42 «--- Sirach ---» Chapter 44»
Sirach 43 : 1 - 37
Chapter 43
| 1 | The firmament on high is his beauty, the beauty of heaven with its glorious shew.
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| 2 | The sun when he appeareth shewing forth at his rising, an admirable instrument, the work of the most High.
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| 3 | At noon he burneth the earth, and who can abide his burning heat? As one keeping a furnace in the works of heat:
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| 4 | The sun three times as much, burneth the mountains, breathing out fiery vapours, and shining with his beams, he blindeth the eyes.
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| 5 | Great is the Lord that made him, and at his words he hath hastened his course.
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| 6 | And the moon in all in her season, is for a declaration of times and a sign of the world.
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| 7 | From the moon is the sign of the festival day, a light that decreaseth in her perfection.
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| 8 | The month is called after her name, increasing wonderfully in her perfection
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| 9 | Being an instrument of the armies on high, shining gloriously in the Armament of heaven.
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| 10 | The glory of the stars is the beauty of heaven; the Lord enlighteneth the world on high.
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| 11 | By the words of the holy one they shall stand in judgment, and shall never fail in their watches.
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| 12 | Look upon the rainbow, and bless him that made it: it is very beautiful in its brightness.
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| 13 | It encompasseth the heaven about with the circle of its glory, the hands of the most High have displayed it.
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| 14 | By his commandment he maketh the snow to fall apace, and sendeth forth swiftly the lightnings of his judgment.
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| 15 | Through this are the treasures opened, and the clouds fly out like birds.
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| 16 | By his greatness he hath fixed the clouds, and the hailstones are broken.
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| 17 | At his sight shall the mountains be shaken, and at his will the south wind shall blow.
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| 18 | The noise of his thunder shall strike the earth, so doth the northern storm, and the whirlwind:
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| 19 | And as the birds lighting upon the earth, he scattereth snow, and the falling thereof, is as the coming down of locusts.
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| 20 | The eye admireth at the beauty of the whiteness thereof, and the heart is astonished at the shower thereof.
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| 21 | He shall pour frost as salt upon the earth: and when it freezeth, it shall become like the tops of thistles.
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| 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.
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| 23 | And it shall devour the mountains, and burn the wilderness, and consume all that is green as with fire.
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| 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.
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| 25 | At his word the wind is still, and with his thought he appeaseth the deep, and the Lord hath planted islands therein.
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| 26 | Let them that sail on the sea, tell the dangers thereof: and when we hear with our ears, we shall admire.
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| 27 | There are great and wonderful works: a variety of beasts, and of all living things, and the monstrous creatures of whales.
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| 28 | Through him is established the end of their journey, and by his word all things are regulated.
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| 29 | We shall say much, and yet shall want words: but the sum of our words is, He is all.
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| 30 | What shall we be able to do to glorify him? for the Almighty himself is above all his works.
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| 31 | The Lord is terrible, and exceeding great, and his power is admirable.
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| 32 | Glorify the Lord as much as ever you can, for he will yet far exceed, and his magnificence is wonderful.
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| 33 | Blessing the Lord, exalt him as much as you can: for he is above all praise.
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| 34 | When you exalt him put forth all your strength, and be not weary: for you can never go far enough.
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| 35 | Who shall see him, and declare him? and who shall magnify him as he is from the beginning?
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| 36 | There are many things hidden from us that are greater than these: for we have seen but a few of his works.
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| 37 | But the Lord hath made all things, and to the godly he hath given wisdom.
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