Sirach — Chapter 43
The heavens, the seasons, and the sea
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Hebrew–Greek comparison and notes · III. Wisdom
43:1 The pride of the heights is the clear firmament, the appearance of heaven in a vision of glory.
43:2 The sun, appearing, announces as it rises: a wondrous instrument, a work of the Most High.
43:3 At its noon it dries out the land; who will withstand its burning heat?
43:4 One blows a furnace for works requiring heat, but the sun burns mountains three times as fiercely. Breathing out fiery vapors and flashing rays, it dims the eyes.
43:5 Great is the Lord who made it, and by His words it hastens on its course.
43:6 The moon too is always there at its appointed time, a display of seasons and a sign of the age.
43:7 From the moon comes the sign of a festival, a luminary that diminishes as it completes its course.
43:8 The month takes its name from it. It grows wondrously in its changes, an instrument of the encampments on high, shining in the firmament of heaven.
43:9 The beauty of heaven is the glory of the stars, an ornament shining in the Lord’s heights.
43:10 At the Holy One’s words they will stand according to His judgment and will never grow slack in their watches.
43:11 Look at the rainbow and bless the One who made it, exceedingly beautiful in its radiance.
43:12 It encircles heaven with a ring of glory; the hands of the Most High stretched it out.
43:13 By His command He hastens the snow and speeds the lightning of His judgment.
43:14 Therefore the storehouses were opened, and clouds flew out like birds.
43:15 By His greatness He strengthened the clouds, and hailstones were broken into pieces.
43:16 At His appearing the mountains will be shaken; at His will the south wind will blow.
43:17 The sound of His thunder rebuked the earth, as did the north wind’s storm and the whirling of wind.
43:18 Like birds flying down, He sprinkles snow; like a settling locust is its descent. The eye will marvel at the beauty of its whiteness, and the heart will be astounded by its falling shower.
43:19 He pours frost upon the earth like salt, and when frozen it becomes points of thorns.
43:20 A cold north wind will blow, and ice will freeze upon water. It will settle upon every gathering of water, and the water will put it on like a breastplate.
43:21 It will consume mountains and burn the wilderness, and extinguish green growth like fire.
43:22 A mist quickly brings healing to everything; dew arriving from the scorching heat will bring gladness.
43:23 By His purpose He stilled the abyss and planted islands in it.
43:24 Those who sail the sea recount its danger, and we marvel at what our ears hear.
43:25 There too are strange things and wondrous works, the variety of every living creature, the creation of sea monsters.
43:26 Because of Him His messenger succeeds, and by His word all things hold together.
43:27 We will say much and still never reach the end. The conclusion of our words is this: He is everything.
43:28 When glorifying Him, where will we find strength? For He is greater than all His works.
43:29 The Lord is fearsome and exceedingly great, and His power is wondrous.
43:30 As you glorify the Lord, exalt Him as much as you can, for He will surpass even that. As you exalt Him, increase your strength; do not grow weary, for you will never reach the end.
43:31 Who has seen Him and will recount Him? Who will magnify Him as He is?
43:32 Many hidden things are greater than these, for we have seen few of His works.
43:33 For the Lord made all things, and He gave wisdom to the godly.
Source and editorial notes
Working translation preserved from the recovered manuscript of 8 September 2026. Declared source: Septuaginta, Rahlfs–Hanhart, 2006, Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, publisher’s Greek main text. Independent linguistic and critical-apparatus review remains outstanding. Source-access and reception claims in the inherited notes have not been freshly revalidated. Chapter and section headings are editorial.
The translator’s prologue is separate from the 51 chapters. Its eight source units map to publisher labels 1, 1a–1g; main-text 1:1 maps to 1h. Source 5:15 includes material often numbered 6:1, so chapter 6 begins at 6:2. Source label gaps are preserved; no text is invented.
43:2 The Greek’s announcing verb has no expressed object. The apposition “a wondrous instrument” is retained without adding what the sun announces.
43:4 “Three times” is explicit. The furnace comparison has a compressed first clause whose human operator is supplied in English.
43:8 The Greek shifts from the feminine moon to masculine μήν, “month.” The military image “encampments” is preserved without specifying a reconstructed heavenly arrangement.
43:21 The destructive subject continues from the cold and ice. “Extinguish” preserves the verb normally used of putting out flame, followed here by the fire comparison.
43:22 The final expression ἀπὸ καύσωνος is compressed; the rendering retains its connection with the scorching heat without adding a meteorological explanation.
43:26 Ἄγγελος can mean messenger or angel; the sea context does not identify this messenger more precisely.
43:27 The comprehensive praise is retained literally; it is not expanded into a philosophical assertion identifying God with material creation.