Sirach 43

1The exultation of the heavenly heights Is the firmament of purity, The form of heaven with the vision of glory.

γαυρίαμα ὕψους στερέωμα καθαριότητος εἶδος οὐρανοῦ ἐν ὁράματι δόξης

2The sun, when it appears, making proclamation as it goes forth, Is a wonderful instrument, a work of the Most High.

ἥλιος ἐν ὀπτασίᾳ διαγγέλλων ἐν ἐξόδῳ σκεῦος θαυμαστόν ἔργον ὑψίστου

3At noon it dries up the land, And who can endure its burning heat?

ἐν μεσημβρίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἀναξηραίνει χώραν καὶ ἐναντίον καύματος αὐτοῦ τίς ὑποστήσεται

4A man kindling a furnace works in burning heat, But the sun burns the mountains three times as much, Breathing out fiery steams, And sending forth shining beams, it dims the eyes.

κάμινον φυσῶν ἐν ἔργοις καύματος τριπλασίως ἥλιος ἐκκαίων ὄρη ἀτμίδας πυρώδεις ἐκφυσῶν καὶ ἐκλάμπων ἀκτῖνας ἀμαυροῖ ὀφθαλμούς

5Great is the Lord who made it, And by His command it hastens its journey.

μέγας κύριος ὁ ποιήσας αὐτόν καὶ ἐν λόγοις αὐτοῦ κατέσπευσεν πορείαν

6He also made the moon to serve in its season As a declaration of times and an everlasting sign.

καὶ ἡ σελήνη ἐν πᾶσιν εἰς καιρὸν αὐτῆς ἀνάδειξιν χρόνων καὶ σημεῖον αἰῶνος

7From the moon comes the sign of a feast, A light that wanes as it completes its course.

ἀπὸ σελήνης σημεῖον ἑορτῆς φωστὴρ μειούμενος ἐπὶ συντελείας

8The month is named according to the moon, Being increased wondrously in its phases, A vessel encamped on high, Shining in the firmament of heaven.

μὴν κατὰ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτῆς ἐστιν αὐξανόμενος θαυμαστῶς ἐν ἀλλοιώσει σκεῦος παρεμβολῶν ἐν ὕψει ἐν στερεώματι οὐρανοῦ ἐκλάμπων

9The glory of the stars is the beauty of heaven, A world shining in the high places of the Lord.

κάλλος οὐρανοῦ δόξα ἄστρων κόσμος φωτίζων ἐν ὑψίστοις κυρίου

10By the words of the Holy One they stand according to His judgment And do not grow weary in their watches.

ἐν λόγοις ἁγίου στήσονται κατὰ κρίμα καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐκλυθῶσιν ἐν φυλακαῖς αὐτῶν

11Behold the rainbow and bless Him who made it, Exceedingly beautiful in its brightness.

ἰδὲ τόξον καὶ εὐλόγησον τὸν ποιήσαντα αὐτὸ σφόδρα ὡραῖον ἐν τῷ αὐγάσματι αὐτοῦ

12It circles heaven with its glorious arc, And the hands of the Most High laid out its course.

ἐγύρωσεν οὐρανὸν ἐν κυκλώσει δόξης χεῖρες ὑψίστου ἐτάνυσαν αὐτό

13By His command He makes the snow to fall, And speeds the lightning by His judgment.

προστάγματι αὐτοῦ κατέσπευσεν χιόνα καὶ ταχύνει ἀστραπὰς κρίματος αὐτοῦ

14Therefore the storehouses are opened And the clouds fly forth like birds.

διὰ τοῦτο ἠνεῴχθησαν θησαυροί καὶ ἐξέπτησαν νεφέλαι ὡς πετεινά

15By His majesty He condenses the clouds, And the hailstones break into pieces.

ἐν μεγαλείῳ αὐτοῦ ἴσχυσεν νεφέλας καὶ διεθρύβησαν λίθοι χαλάζης

16At His appearing the mountains are shaken, And by His will the south wind blows.

καὶ ἐν ὀπτασίᾳ αὐτοῦ σαλευθήσεται ὄρη ἐν θελήματι αὐτοῦ πνεύσεται νότος

17The voice of His thunder makes the earth tremble, And so do the hurricane from the north and the whirlwind as well.

φωνὴ βροντῆς αὐτοῦ ὠνείδισεν γῆν καὶ καταιγὶς βορέου καὶ συστροφὴ πνεύματος

18He sprinkles the snow like birds flying down, And its descent is like grasshoppers alighting. The eye marvels at the beauty of its whiteness, And the heart is astonished at its raining down.

ὡς πετεινὰ καθιπτάμενα πάσσει χιόνα καὶ ὡς ἀκρὶς καταλύουσα ἡ κατάβασις αὐτῆς κάλλος λευκότητος αὐτῆς ἐκθαυμάσει ὀφθαλμός καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ ὑετοῦ αὐτῆς ἐκστήσεται καρδία

19He pours the hoarfrost like salt upon the earth, And when it freezes, it becomes like pointed thorns.

καὶ πάχνην ὡς ἅλα ἐπὶ γῆς χέει καὶ παγεῖσα γίνεται σκολόπων ἄκρα

20A cold north wind blows And ice freezes on the water, And forms on every pool of water, And clothes the water like armor.

ψυχρὸς ἄνεμος βορέης πνεύσει καὶ παγήσεται κρύσταλλος ἐφ᾿ ὕδατος ἐπὶ πᾶσαν συναγωγὴν ὕδατος καταλύσει καὶ ὡς θώρακα ἐνδύσεται τὸ ὕδωρ

21He consumes the mountains and burns up the desert, And withers the green herbage like fire.

καταφάγεται ὄρη καὶ ἔρημον ἐκκαύσει καὶ ἀποσβέσει χλόην ὡς πῦρ

22A mist quickly heals it all, And falling dew brings refreshment from the heat.

ἴασις πάντων κατὰ σπουδὴν ὁμίχλη δρόσος ἀπαντῶσα ἀπὸ καύσωνος ἱλαρώσει

23By His reasoning He quieted the great deep And planted islands in it.

λογισμῷ αὐτοῦ ἐκόπασεν ἄβυσσον καὶ ἐφύτευσεν ἐν αὐτῇ νήσους

24Those who sail the sea recount its dangers, And we are amazed at the reports coming to our ears.

οἱ πλέοντες τὴν θάλασσαν διηγοῦνται τὸν κίνδυνον αὐτῆς καὶ ἀκοαῖς ὠτίων ἡμῶν θαυμάζομεν

25For therein are the incredible and wondrous works, A diversity of many living things, And a created order of huge sea creatures.

καὶ ἐκεῖ τὰ παράδοξα καὶ θαυμάσια ἔργα ποικιλία παντὸς ζῴου κτίσις κητῶν

26Because of Him His messenger has a prosperous journey, And by His word all things are held together.

δι᾿ αὐτὸν εὐοδοῖ ἄγγελος αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν λόγῳ αὐτοῦ σύγκειται τὰ πάντα

27We will say many things and not reach the end, But the sum of our words is seen in this: 'He is the all.'

πολλὰ ἐροῦμεν καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀφικώμεθα καὶ συντέλεια λόγων τὸ πᾶν ἐστιν αὐτός

28How shall we ever be able to adequately praise Him? For He is greater than all His works.

δοξάζοντες ποῦ ἰσχύσομεν αὐτὸς γὰρ ὁ μέγας παρὰ πάντα τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ

29Fearful is the Lord and exceedingly great, And wondrous is His power.

φοβερὸς κύριος καὶ σφόδρα μέγας καὶ θαυμαστὴ ἡ δυναστεία αὐτοῦ

30Glorify the Lord and exalt Him as much as you are able, For He will surpass even that. And when you exalt Him, put forth all your strength; Do not grow weary, for you cannot exalt Him enough.

δοξάζοντες κύριον ὑψώσατε καθ᾿ ὅσον ἂν δύνησθε ὑπερέξει γὰρ καὶ ἔτι καὶ ὑψοῦντες αὐτὸν πληθύνατε ἐν ἰσχύι μὴ κοπιᾶτε οὐ γὰρ μὴ ἀφίκησθε

31Who has seen Him and will describe Him? And who can magnify Him as He truly is?

τίς ἑόρακεν αὐτὸν καὶ ἐκδιηγήσεται καὶ τίς μεγαλυνεῖ αὐτὸν καθώς ἐστιν

32There are yet many hidden things greater than these, For we have seen but few of His works.

πολλὰ ἀπόκρυφά ἐστιν μείζονα τούτων ὀλίγα γὰρ ἑωράκαμεν τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ

33For the Lord made all things And gives wisdom to the godly.

πάντα γὰρ ἐποίησεν ὁ κύριος καὶ τοῖς εὐσεβέσιν ἔδωκεν σοφίαν