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Sunday, January 26, 2025

Chapter 42: Long poem in Sirach 42:15 - 43:33

The ninth major poem of this book included in the

Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox Apocrypha section.

It reflects on God's majesty and rule as revealed in

the wonders of creation; it belongs in the same

family as PSALM 19 & Wisdom of Solomon ch.

13 & Romans 1:19 - 21.  Translation is

Common Study Bible (2013) from the CEB Study Bible.

________________________________________________

Now I'll call to mind the works of the Lord,

and I'll tell about what I've seen.

The Lord's works came into being by his words.

The shining sun looked down on everything, and

the Lord's work is radiant with his glory.

The Lord has not allowed his holy ones to describe

all of his wonders, which the Lord Almighty

established so that the universe would

stand firm in his glory.

He has searched the abyss and the heart,

and he took their great achievements into

consideration, because the Most High knew everything 

to be known.  He saw the sign of the [Hebrew adds

and he saw what was to come forever, explaining

what has passed and what will be, and revealing

the clues to things that are hidden.

No thought escaped him,

and not a single word was hidden from him.

He ordered the splendors of his wisdom.

He remains the same [ Septuagint Greek 

He is one ] from the beginning of time all 

the way to eternity.  Nothing can be added to him 

nor be taken away, and he needed no one 

to give him advice.

How desirable are all of his works,

and how brilliant they are to look upon.

All these things live and remain forever in every

circumstance, and everything obeys him [Hebrew adds

and all things are maintained for every need ]

All things exist in pairs, one opposite the other,

and he made nothing that was incomplete.

Each thing strengthens the good parts of the other;

who can get enough of seeing God's glory?

The pride of the heights is the clear heavenly vault,

the appearance of the sky in a vision of glory.

The sun, when it appears, announces at its rising

what an amazing thing it is, a work 

of the Most High.  At noon it dries up the land,

and who can endure its burning heat?  A person

blows on a furnace, working in it burning heat,

but the sun is three times hotter when it burns

up mountains.  When it breathes out fiery vapors,

and shines forth its rays, it blinds eyes.  Great is

the Lord who made it; it speeds on its course

by his command.

The moon stands at its proper time [ Hebrew adds

The moon indicates the season,

a notification of times and an everlasting sign.

The sign for a feast comes from the moon,

a luminous body that wanes when it completes

its course.  The new moon shares the character

of its name / The new moon, like its name

renews itself, increasing wonderfully as it

changes, a signal on high for armies [Hebrew

a military beacon for the clouds on high, ]

shining in the vault of the sky.

The stars' glory is the sky's beauty, shining

ornaments in the heights of the Lord.

They stand at the words of the holy one,

just as he orders, and they will never grow

tired as they keep watch.

Look at the rainbow, exceedingly beautiful

in its brightness, and bless the One who made it.

It encircled the sky with a glorious ring; the

Lord's hands stretched it out!  [Genesis 9:13]


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