| Source (Hebrew) | Translation (English) |
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אֶ֨זְכׇּר־נָ֤א ׀ מַעֲשֵׂי־אֵ֗ל
וְזֶה֘ חָזִ֢יתִי וַ֫אֲסַפֵּ֖רָה בְּאֹ֣מֶר אֱלֹהִ֣ים נוֹצָר֑וּ וּפוֹעֵ֥ל רְ֝צוֹנ֗וֹ לִקְחֽוֹ׃ |
I would fain bring to mind El’s works,[1] Perhaps poesis might be a more interesting translation in place of “works.” –ANV
And what I have seen I would recount. By the word of Elohim his works were formed, For his will carries out his decree. |
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שֶׁ֨מֶשׁ זוֹרַ֤חַת ׀ עַל־כֹּ֭ל נִגְלָ֑תָה
וּכְב֣וֹד י֝הו֗ה עַל־כׇּל־מַעֲשָֽׂיו׃ |
The light of the rising sun is everywhere manifest,
So the kavod of YHVH is over all his works. |
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לֹ֨א הִסְפִּ֤יקוּ ׀ קְדוֹשֵׁי־אֵ֗ל
לְסַפֵּר֘ נִפְלְא֢וֹת י֫הו֖ה אִמֵּ֣ץ אֱלֹהִ֣ים צְבָאָ֑יו לְ֝הִתְחַזֵּ֗ק לִפְנֵ֥י כְבוֹדֽוֹ׃ |
El’s holy angels have not the power
To recount the wondrous works of YHVH; But Elohim gives strength to his hosts, That they may have the boldness to stand in the presence of his kavod. |
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תְּה֨וֹם וְלֵ֤ב ׀ חֹקֵ֗ר
וּבְכׇל־מַעֲרֻמֵּיהֶ֣ם יִתְבּוֹנֵ֑ן כִּי־יוֹדֵ֤עַ יהו֨ה כׇּל־דָּ֗עַת ׀ וְאוֹתִיּ֣וֹת עוֹלָ֣ם יַבִּֽיט׃ |
He fathoms the depth of the sea, and of the heart of man,
And to his discernment they are laid bare. For YHVH knows all there is to know, And sees the eternal meaning of things. |
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מְחַוֶּ֣ה חֲלִיפ֣וֹת וְנִהְי֑וֹת
וּמְגַלֶּ֣ה חֵ֖קֶר נִסְתָּרֽוֹת׃ לֹא־נֶעְדַּ֣ר מִ֭מֶּֽנוּ כׇּל־שָׂ֑כֶל וְלֹ֥א חֲ֝לָפ֗וֹ כׇּל־דָּבָֽר׃ |
He declares what is past and what is future,
And reveals the profoundest secrets. No insight is withheld from him, And no matter escapes him. |
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גְבוּרַ֤ת חׇכְמָת֨וֹ ׀ תִּכֵּ֗ן אֶחָד֘
ה֢וּא מֵע֫וֹלָ֖ם לֹא־נוֹסָ֥ף וְלֹא־נֶאֱצָ֑ל וְלֹא־צָ֝רִ֗יךְ לְכׇל־מֵבִֽין׃ |
The might of his wisdom is established;
From everlasting he is the same. Nothing has been added to him, nothing has been taken from him; he needs none to give him counsel. |
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כׇּל־מַעֲשָׂ֣יו נֶחְמָדִ֑ים
וּכְנִיצ֣וֹץ דְמַרְאֶֽה׃ הֵ֣ם חַ֭יִּים וְקַיָּמִ֣ים לָעַ֑ד וּלְכׇל־צֹ֖רֶךְ הַכֹּ֣ל יִשְׁמָֽע׃ |
All his works are truly lovely,
And are like blossoms to behold. They live and abide for ever. And to every need the whole universe responds. |
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כֻּלָּ֣ם שׁ֭וֹנִים זֶ֣ה מִזֶּ֑ה
וְלֹא־עָשָׂ֣ה מֵהֶ֣ם שָֽׁוְא׃ זֶ֣ה עַל־זֶ֭ה חָלַ֣ף טוּב֑וֹ וּמִ֥י יִ֝שְׂבַּ֗ע לְהַבִּ֥יט תֹּֽאַר׃ תֹּ֡אַר ׀ מָר֣וֹם רְקִ֣יעַ טֹ֑הַר וְעֶ֥צֶם שָׁ֝מַ֗יִם מַבִּ֣יעַ נְהָרָֽה׃ |
All things are different one from another,
But of all he has made no thing is superfluous. All give of their bounty one to another; Who can gaze enough at their beauty, At the sublime beauty of the pure firmament, The very heaven overflowing with light? |
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שֶׁ֣מֶשׁ מַ֭בִּֽיעַ בְצֵאת֣וֹ חֻמֹּ֑ה
מַ֥ה נּ֝וֹרָ֗א מַעֲשֵׂ֥י יהוֽה׃ בְּ֭הַצְהִירוֹ יַרְתִּ֣יחַ תֵּבֵ֑ל לִפְנֵ֥י חׇ֝רְבּ֗וֹ מִי־יִתְכַּלְכֵּֽל׃ כּ֤וּר נָפ֨וּחַ ׀ מֵחֵ֬ם מוּצָ֗ק שׁוֹלֵ֘חַ שֶׁ֢מֶשׁ יַדְלִ֫יק הָרִ֖ים לְש֣וֹן מָ֭אוֹר תִּגְמַ֣ר נוֹשָׁ֑בֶת וּ֝מִנּוּרָ֗הּ תִּכְוֶ֥ה עָֽיִן׃ כִּ֗י ׀ גָד֣וֹל יהו֣ה עוֹשֵׂ֑הוּ וּ֝דְבָר֗וֹ יְנַצֵּ֥חַ אַבִּירָֽיו׃ |
The sun when he goes forth radiates heat —
How awe-inspiring is the work of YHVH! By noontide it makes the world seethe with heat, Against its scorching ray who can hold out? As a blast furnace keeps the casting hot, So the sun’s dart sets the mountains ablaze; A tongue of flame lays waste the inhabited world, And with its fire the eye is scorched; For great is YHVH that made it, His word makes his mighty servant triumphant. |
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וְגַ֣ם יָ֭רֵחַ לְעִתּ֥וֹ שָׁ֑ב
מֶמְשֶׁ֥לֶת קֵ֖ץ וְא֣וֹת עוֹלָֽם׃ בּ֣וֹ מ֭וֹעֵד וּזְמַ֣נֵּי ח֑וֹק וְחֵ֥פֶץ עֹ֝שֶׂ֗ה בִּתְקוּפָתֽוֹ׃ חֹ֬דֶשׁ בְּחׇדְשׁ֗וֹ הוּא֥ מִתְחַדֵּשׁ֘ מַה־נּוֹרָ֢א בְּהִ֫שְׁתַּנּוֹת֖וֹ כְּלִי־צָבָ֣א נִבְלֵ֣י מָר֑וֹם מְרַצֵּ֖ף רָקִ֣יעַ מִזְּהִירָֽתוֹ׃ תּ֣וֹאַר שָׁ֭מַֽיִם וַהֲדַ֣ר כּוֹכָ֑ב עֲדִ֥י מַ֝זְהִ֗יר בִּמְר֣וֹמֵי־אֵֽל׃ בִּדְבַר־אֵ֭ל יַעֲמֹ֣ד חֹ֑ק וְלֹ֣א יִ֝ישַׁ֗ן בְּאַשְׁמֻרוֹתָֽיו׃ |
Moreover, the moon he made with its phases recurring,
To regulate our times, an everlasting sign; It sets our festivals and appointed seasons, Rendering service as it goes about its circuit. Month by month it renews itself — How wonderful is it in its transformation! It is a weapon for the hosts of the clouds on high. It paves the firmament with its shining. It is the beauty of heaven, the glory of the stars; It is like a gleaming jewel in the heights of El. At El’s behest the law goes forth, That the moon may not sleep at its watches. |
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רְאֵ֨ה ׀ קֶ֗שֶׁת וּ֭בָרֵךְ עוֹשֶׂ֑יהָ
כִּ֣י מְאֹ֣ד נֶ֝הְדָּרָ֗ה בְּכָבֽוֹד׃ ח֣וּג הִ֭קִּֽיפָה בִּכְבוֹדָ֑הּ וְ֝יָד־אֵ֗ל נָטַ֣תָּהּ בְּגָאֽוֹן׃ |
Behold the rainbow and bless its Maker;
Most resplendent is it in kavod. It encompasses the heavenly vault with majesty; The hand of El spreads it out with magnificence. |
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גְּבוּרָת֣וֹ תַּתְוֶ֥ה בָרָ֑ק
וּתְנַצֵּ֖חַ זִיק֣וֹת מִשְׁפָּטֽוֹ׃ לְ֭מַעֲנוֹ בָּרָ֣א אוֹצָ֑ר וַיָ֣עֶף עָ֣ב כְּרָֽשֶׁף׃ |
His might directs the lightning,
And makes brilliant the flashes of his retribution. For the lightning has he made an arsenal, When he sends the clouds flying like birds. |
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בִּ֭גְדֻלָּתוֹ חִזֵּ֣ק עָנָ֑ן
וַ֝יִּתְפּוֹצֲצ֗וּ אַבְנֵ֥י בָרָֽד׃ ק֤וֹל רַעֲמ֨וֹ ׀ יָחִ֬יל אַרְצ֗וֹ ׀ וּבְכֹחוֹ֘ יָזִ֢יעַ הָ֫רִ֖ים אֵימָ֨תוֹ תְּחָרֵ֤ף ׀ תֵּ֘ימָ֥ן זִלְעֲפ֣וֹת צָ֭פוֹן סוּפָ֣ה וּסְעָרָ֑ה כְּרֶ֗שֶׁף יָנִ֥יף שִׁ֝לְגּ֗וֹ וּכְאַרְבֶּ֣ה יִשְׁכֹּ֣ן דִרָתֽוֹ׃ תֹּ֣אַר לִ֭בְנוֹ יַגְהֶ֣ה עַ֑יִן וּ֝מִמִּטְר֗וֹ יֶהֱמֶ֥ה לֵבָֽב׃ |
With his might he arms the clouds;
Hailstones burst forth from them. The sound of his thunder makes his earth to quake; By his strength he shakes mountains. The terror of him stirs up the south wind, The whirlwind of the north, hurricane and tempest; His snow he makes fly like a flock of birds; Its flakes settle down like hordes of locusts. The beauty of its whiteness dazzles the eyes, And the heart marvels at its down-pour. |
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וְגַ֣ם כְּ֭פוֹר כְּמֶ֣לַח יִשְׁפֹּ֑ךְ
וְ֝יָצִ֗יץ כְּסַפִּ֥יר צִיצִֽים׃ צִנַּ֡ת ׀ ר֤וּחַ צָפ֨וֹן ׀ יַשִּׁ֗יב וּבְקֶ֘רַח יַקְפִּ֢יא מְ֫קוֹר֖וֹ עַל־כׇּל־מַ֣עֲמַד מ֣יִם יַקְרִ֑ים וְ֝כַשִּׁרְיָ֗ן יַלְבִּ֥ישׁ מִקְוֶֽה׃ יְב֣וּל הָ֭רִים כְּחֹ֣רֶב יַשִּׂ֑יק וּנְוֵ֥ה צְ֝מָחִ֗ים כַּלֶּהָבָֽה׃ |
The hoar-frost also he pours out like salt,
And makes the crystals sparkle like sapphire. He lets icy blasts of the north wind blow, And freezes the pond till its surface is glazed. Over every pool of water he spreads a crust, The pond appears to have put on a breastplate. The frost consumes the produce of the mountains like a drought, And the sprouting pasture like a flame. |
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מַ֣רְפֵּא כֹ֭ל מַעֲרַ֣ף עָנָ֑ן
טַ֥ל פּ֝וֹרֵ֗עַ לְדַשֵּׁ֣ן שָׁרָֽב׃ |
A healing for all is the distillation of the clouds,
Even the dew that brings refreshment after heat. |
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מַחֲשַׁבְתּ֣וֹ תַּשִּׂ֣יק רַבָּ֑ה
וַיֵּ֖ט בִּתְה֣וֹם אִיִּֽים׃ יוֹרְדֵ֣י הַ֭יָּם יְסַפְּר֣וּ קָצֵ֑הוּ לְשֵׁ֣מַע אׇ֝זְנֵ֗נוּ נִשְׁתּוֹמֵֽם׃ שָׁ֣ם פְּ֭לָאוֹת תִּמְהֵ֣י מַעֲשֵׂ֑הוּ מִ֥ין כׇּ֝ל־חַ֗י וּגְבוּר֥וֹת רַבָּֽה׃ |
By his counsel he stills the deep;
It is he who has planted the islands in the ocean. They that go down to the sea tell of its extent, And when our ears hear it we are astounded. Therein are marvels, the most wondrous of his works, All kinds of living things, and the monsters of the deep. |
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לְ֭מַעֲנוֹ יִצְלַ֣ח מַלְאָ֑ךְ
וּ֜בִדְבָרָ֗יו יִפְעַ֣ל רָצֽוֹן׃ ע֤וֹד כָּאֵ֨לֶּה ׀ לֹ֣א נוֹסִ֑יף וְקֵ֥ץ דָּ֝בָ֗ר ה֥וּא הַכֹּֽל׃ |
At his bidding the angel descends,
And by his decrees performs his will. More words like these we will not add, Our final word is: he is ALL. |
Ecclesiasticus (ben Sira) 42:21-43:31 is presented as “God the Lord of Nature” in The Sabbath Prayer Book of Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan (The Reconstructionist Foundation 1945), p. 367-372 in the Supplements subsection, “God in Nature.” The text of ben Sira used here differs in places found in other manuscripts. The text was further cantillated by Isaac Gantwerk Mayer. I have adapted the text to replace references to divine names ‘God’ and ‘the Lord,’ with the transliterations of the divine names, El, Elohim, and YHVH. I have also replaced the conventional translation for ‘kavod’ with its transliteration, as it is a complex term describing an animate and resplendent divine presence. –Aharon Varady
Those unfamiliar with ben Sira’s use and reception in Jewish liturgy may gain from Dr. Michael Satlow’s article on ben Sira at theTorah.com.
Source(s)
Notes
| 1 | Perhaps poesis might be a more interesting translation in place of “works.” –ANV |
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