Ecclesiasticus, 43

1. The clear vault of the sky shines forth like heaven itself, a vision of glory.

2. The orb of the sun, resplendent at its rising: what a wonderful work of the Most High!

3. At noon it seethes the surface of the earth, and who can bear its fiery heat?

4. Like a blazing furnace of solid metal, it sets the mountains aflame with its rays; By its fiery darts the land is consumed; the eyes are dazzled by its light.

5. Great indeed is the LORD who made it, at whose orders it urges on its steeds.

6. The moon, too, that marks the changing times, governing the seasons, their lasting sign,

7. By which we know the feast days and fixed dates, this light-giver which wanes in its course:

8. As its name says, each month it renews itself; how wondrous in this change!

9. The beauty, the glory, of the heavens are the stars that adorn with their sparkling the heights of God,

10. At whose command they keep their place and never relax in their vigils. A weapon against the flood waters stored on high, lighting up the firmament by its brilliance,

11. Behold the rainbow! Then bless its Maker, for majestic indeed is its splendor;

12. It spans the heavens with its glory, this bow bent by the mighty hand of God.

13. His rebuke marks out the path for the lightning, and speeds the arrows of his judgment to their goal.

14. At it the storehouse is opened, and like vultures the clouds hurry forth.

15. In his majesty he gives the storm its power and breaks off the hailstones.

16. The thunder of his voice makes the earth writhe; before his might the mountains quake.

17. A word from him drives on the south wind, the angry north wind, the hurricane and the storm.

18. He sprinkles the snow like fluttering birds; it comes to settle like swarms of locusts.

19. Its shining whiteness blinds the eyes, the mind is baffled by its steady fall.

20. He scatters frost like so much salt; it shines like blossoms on the thornbush.

21. Cold northern blasts he sends that turn the ponds to lumps of ice. He freezes over every body of water, and clothes each pool with a coat of mail.

22. When the mountain growth is scorched with heat, and the flowering plains as though by flames,

23. The dripping clouds restore them all, and the scattered dew enriches the parched land.

24. His is the plan that calms the deep, and plants the islands in the sea.

25. Those who go down to the sea tell part of its story, and when we hear them we are thunderstruck;

26. In it are his creatures, stupendous, amazing, all kinds of life, and the monsters of the deep.

27. For him each messenger succeeds, and at his bidding accomplishes his will.

28. More than this we need not add; let the last word be, he is all in all!

29. Let us praise him the more, since we cannot fathom him, for greater is he than all his works;

30. Awful indeed is the LORD'S majesty, and wonderful is his power.

31. Lift up your voices to glorify the LORD, though he is still beyond your power to praise;

32. Extol him with renewed strength, and weary not, though you cannot reach the end:

33. For who can see him and describe him? or who can praise him as he is?

34. Beyond these, many things lie hid; only a few of his works have we seen.

35. It is the LORD who has made all things, and to those who fear him he gives wisdom.