Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 43

Shew. We cannot behold these things without admiration of God.

High. The sun is the most excellent of all irrational creatures, affording light (Worthington) and heat for the production of things; (Haydock) whence Aristotle (de Anima ii.) styles it “father of men and of gods.” Yet it is inferior to man, being devoid of reason. All creatures manifest God’s majesty; the little as well as the great. (Worthington)

Hastened. Some Greek copies read “slackened,” alluding to Josue x. 13.

In all. Complutensian Greek, “to stand guard.” Other copies agree with the Vulgate, though embarrassed.

World. To mark out the seasons, Genesis i. 14., and Psalm ciii. 19.

Day. The lunar system prevailed only after the captivity. The Passover was celebrated on the 14th of the moon of Nisan.

Name. Meni is used for the moon, (Jeremias lxv. 11.) which resembles the Greek men, “month.” This is also derived from mene, “the moon.” We know not what Hebrew words were used, chap. vi. 23. The two former may both come from manah, “to divide.”

Armies. The stars, &c., are compared to a camp or army.

Judgment. The angels are not pure before God; (Job iv. 18., and xv. 15.) or rather the stars obey his orders, Baruch iii. 34., Judges v. 20., and Psalm cxviii. 91. (Calmet)

Brightness. Mille trahit varios adverso sole colores. (Virgil, Æneid 5.)

Judgment, to punish the wicked, Exodus xiv. 24., and Isaias xxxvii. 36. (Calmet)

Birds, sent to give information by letters, as the Egyptians still do. (Bochart i. 2.) (Isaias lx. 8.)

Tempests execute God’s judgments, Job xxxviii. 22.

Broken, as from huge mountains, Job xxxviii. 39. (Calmet)

Strike. Greek, “upbraid, (Drusius) or make the earth fall in labour,” odinesen. (Grabe) (Haydock)

Lightning. Greek, “flying, he.” (Haydock)

Locusts. “They cover the cornfields with a destructive cloud.” (Pliny, [Natural History?] xi. 29.)

Shower, as if God were about to drown the world. The melting of snow occasions dreadful inundations. (Calmet)

Its whiteness sometimes deprives people of their sight. (Xenophon, Anab. iv.)

Thistles. Greek, “stakes,” pointed as it were with steel. (Menochius)

Crystal, or ice. (Calmet)

Burn. Cold destroys verdure no less than fire, Genesis xxxi. 40.

Overpower it. Greek, “give joy; (25.) with,” &c. (Haydock)

Warmth and rain restore beauty to the earth, after the horrors of winter.

Still. Literally, “silent,” Matthew viii. 26.

Lord. Roman Greek, “Jesus planted it;” which is a mistake for nesous, islands. (Calmet)

“He planted islands in it.” Grabe thus corrects the Alexandrian copy, though it agree with the Roman and Aldine editions. (Haydock)

Thereof. Psalm cvi. 23. “He who has not sailed has seen nothing evil.” (Possidip.)

Monstrous. Greek, “creation of whales.” (Haydock)

Is. Greek, “his angel gives a prosperous journey.”

Regulated. Greek, “blended.” (Haydock)

If God be angry, all will go to the bottom. (Grotius)

All. Literally, “in all.” Every thing obeys God, chap. xlii. 15., and Ecclesiastes xii. 13.

Him. So the Greek reads. Vulgate seems to say, “boasting in all, what shall we be able to do?” What is man, fighting against the Lord! (Calmet)

His. Greek, “exalting the Lord, exert your power; and labour, for you will not come up to him: (35.) who,” &c. (Haydock)

He is above all praise, Psalm cxliv. 3. (Calmet)

From. Greek, “many hidden things are,” &c. (Haydock)

The angels, and many secrets of nature, have not been mentioned. (Calmet)