Ecclesiasticus — Ecclesiasticus Jesu, filii Sirach
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Chapter 43
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Douay-Rheims><Vulgate><Knox Bible
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The firmament on high is his beauty, the beauty of heaven with its glorious shew.
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Altitudinis firmamentum pulchritudo ejus est, species cæli in visione gloriæ.
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Like a jewel the vault of heaven is set above us; the sight of it is glory made visi-ble.
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The sun when he appeareth shewing forth at his rising, an admirable instrument, the work of the most High.
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Sol in aspectu annuntians in exitu, vas admirabile, opus Excelsi.
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Plain to our view is the sun’s passage as it shines out, a very masterpiece of his workmanship, who is the most High.
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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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In meridiano exurit terram, et in conspectu ardoris ejus quis poterit sustinere? fornacem custodiens in operibus ardoris:
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How it burns up the earth at noon-day! How fierce its glow, beyond all endurance! Tend thou the furnace, heat is thy daily portion;
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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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tripliciter sol exurens montes, radios igneos exsufflans, et refulgens radiis suis obcæcat oculos.
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yet three times hotter the sun, as it burns up the hill-side, scorching all with its fiery breath, blinding men’s eyes with its glare.
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Great is the Lord that made him, and at his words he hath hastened his course.
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Magnus Dominus qui fecit illum, et in sermonibus ejus festinavit iter.
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Swiftly it speeds on its course, to do the bidding of the Lord, its glorious maker.
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And the moon in all in her season, is for a declaration of times and a sign of the world.
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Et luna in omnibus in tempore suo, ostensio temporis, et signum ævi.
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The moon, too, that keeps tryst so faithfully, ever marking how the seasons change,
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From the moon is the sign of the festival day, a light that decreaseth in her perfection.
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A luna signum diei festi: luminare quod minuitur in consummatione.
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and giving the signal when feast days come round! The moon, whose light must decrease till it vanishes,
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The month is called after her name, increasing wonderfully in her perfection.
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Mensis secundum nomen ejus est, crescens mirabiliter in consummatione.
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and then increase to the full circle, the month its name-child;
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Being an instrument of the armies on high, shining gloriously in the firmament of heaven.
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Vas castrorum in excelsis, in firmamento cæli resplendens gloriose.
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cresset of a watch-fire that lights up the high vault of heaven with its radiant glow.
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The glory of the stars is the beauty of heaven; the Lord enlighteneth the world on high.
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Species cæli gloria stellarum: mundum illuminans in excelsis Dominus.
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And the stars that deck the sky with their splendour, a beacon-light the Lord kindles high above us;
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By the words of the holy one they shall stand in judgment, and shall never fall in their watches.
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In verbis Sancti stabunt ad judicium, et non deficient in vigiliis suis.
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the summons of his holy word answering so loyally, watching so patiently at their post!
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Look upon the rainbow, and bless him that made it: it is very beautiful in its brightness.
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Vide arcum, et benedic eum qui fecit illum: valde speciosus est in splendore suo.
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Look up at the rainbow, and bless the maker of it; how fair are those bright colours
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It encompasseth the heaven about with the circle of its glory, the hands of the most High have displayed it.
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Gyravit cælum in circuitu gloriæ suæ: manus Excelsi aperuerunt illum.
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that span heaven with a ring of splendour, traced by an almighty hand.
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By his commandment he maketh the snow to fall apace, and sendeth forth swiftly the lightnings of his judgment.
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Imperio suo acceleravit nivem, et accelerat coruscationes emittere judicii sui.
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Swift comes the snow at his word, swift flashes the fire that executes his vengeance;
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Through this are the treasures opened, and the clouds fly out like birds.
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Propterea aperti sunt thesauri, et evolaverunt nebulæ sicut aves.
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he has but to unlock his store-house, and the clouds hover, bird-fashion,
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By his greatness he hath fixed the clouds, and the hailstones are broken.
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In magnitudine sua posuit nubes, et confracti sunt lapides grandinis.
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arsenals of his might, whence the pounded hail-stones fall.
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At his sight shall the mountains be shaken, and at his will the south wind shall blow.
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In conspectu ejus commovebuntur montes, et in voluntate ejus aspirabit notus.
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How his glance makes the hills tremble! Blows the south wind at his bidding,
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The noise of his thunder shall strike the earth, so doth the northern storm, and the whirlwind:
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Vox tonitrui ejus verberavit terram, tempestas aquilonis, et congregatio spiritus:
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earth echoes with the crash of his thunder; blows the north wind, and there is whirling storm.
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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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et sicut avis deponens ad sedendum, aspergit nivem, et sicut locusta demergens descensus ejus.
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Soft as roosting bird falls the snow, spread all around; not more silently comes locust-swarm to earth;
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The eye admireth at the beauty of the whiteness thereof, and the heart is astonished at the shower thereof.
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Pulchritudinem candoris ejus admirabitur oculus, et super imbrem ejus expavescet cor.
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what eye but is captivated by its pale beauty, what heart but is filled with terror at the dark cloud that brings it?
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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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Gelu sicut salem effundet super terram: et dum gelaverit, fiet tamquam cacumina tribuli.
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He it is pours out the frost, that lies white as salt on the earth, the frozen earth that seems covered with thistle-down.
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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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Frigidus ventus aquilo flavit, et gelavit crystallus ab aqua: super omnem congregationem aquarum requiescet, et sicut lorica induet se aquis:
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Cold blows the north wind, and ice forms on the water; no pool but it rests there, arming the water as with a breast-plate;
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And it shall devour the mountains, and burn the wilderness, and consume all that is green as with fire.
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et devorabit montes, et exuret desertum, et extinguet viride, sicut igne.
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frost gnaws at the mountain-side, parches the open plains, strips them, as fire might have stripped them, of their green.
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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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Medicina omnium in festinatione nebulæ: et ros obvians ab ardore venienti humilem efficiet eum.
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Remedy for all these is none, but the speedy coming of the mist; frost shall be overmastered by the showers the sirocco drives before it,
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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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In sermone ejus siluit ventus, et cogitatione sua placavit abyssum: et plantavit in illa Dominus insulas.
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and at the Lord’s word the chill blast dies away.What else but divine wisdom tamed the rising of the seas, and planted the islands there?
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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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Qui navigant mare enarrent pericula ejus, et audientes auribus nostris admirabimur.
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Hear we what perils in the deep mariners have to tell of, and wonder at the tale;
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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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Illic præclara opera et mirabilia, varia bestiarum genera, et omnium pecorum, et creatura belluarum.
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of the great marvels it contains, living things a many, both fierce and harmless, and monstrous creatures besides.
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Through him is established the end of their journey, and by his word all things are regulated.
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Propter ipsum confirmatus est itineris finis, et in sermone ejus composita sunt omnia.
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Who but the Lord brought the venture to a happy issue? His word gives all things their pattern.
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We shall say much, and yet shall want words: but the sum of our words is, He is all.
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Multa dicemus, et deficiemus in verbis: consummatio autem sermonum ipse est in omnibus.
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Say we as much as we will, of what needs to be said our words come short; be this the sum of all our saying, He is in all things.
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What shall we be able to do to glorify him? for the Almighty himself is above all his works.
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Gloriantes ad quid valebimus? ipse enim omnipotens super omnia opera sua.
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To what end is all our boasting? He, the Almighty, is high above all that he has made;
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The Lord is terrible, and exceeding great, and his power is admirable.
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Terribilis Dominus, et magnus vehementer, et mirabilis potentia ipsius.
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he, the Lord, is terrible, and great beyond compare, and his power is wonderful.
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Glorify the Lord as much as ever you can, for he will yet far exceed, and his magnificence is wonderful.
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Glorificantes Dominum quantumcumque potueritis, supervalebit enim adhuc: et admirabilis magnificentia ejus.
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Glorify him as best you may, glory is still lacking, such is the marvel of his greatness;
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Blessing the Lord, exalt him as much as you can: for he is above all praise.
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Benedicentes Dominum, exaltate illum quantum potestis: major enim est omni laude.
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praise him and extol him as you will, he is beyond all praising;
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When you exalt him put forth all your strength, and be not weary: for you can never go far enough.
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Exaltantes eum, replemini virtute, ne laboretis, non enim comprehendetis.
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summon all your strength, the better to exalt his name, untiring still, and you shall not reach your goal.
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Who shall see him, and declare him? and who shall magnify him as he is from the beginning?
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Quis videbit eum et enarrabit? et quis magnificabit eum sicut est ab initio?
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Who can tell us what he is from sight seen of him? Who can magnify his eternal being?
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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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Multa abscondita sunt majora his: pauca enim vidimus operum ejus.
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Much more lies beyond our ken; only the fringe of creation meets our view;
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But the Lord hath made all things, and to the godly he hath given wisdom.
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Omnia autem Dominus fecit, et pie agentibus dedit sapientiam.
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and of all things the Lord is maker. Yet, live thou in the worship of him, wisdom thou shalt have for thy reward.