“All the works of the Lord
Are very good.
Whatever he commands
Will be done
At the appointed time.
No one can say.
‘What is this?’
‘Why is that?’
At the appointed time,
All such questions
Will be answered.
At his word,
The waters stood in a heap.
The reservoirs of water
Stop in a heap
At the word of his mouth.
At his commands,
His every purpose is fulfilled.
None can limit his saving power.
The works of all
Are before him.
Nothing can be hidden
From his eyes.
From the beginning
To the end of time,
He can see everything.
Nothing is too marvelous for him.
No one can say.
‘What is this?’
‘Why is that?’
Everything has been created
For its own purpose.”
Sirach begins this hymn of praise to the Lord by saying that all his works are very good. The Lord commands everything in his own time. No one should question him with what is this or why is it that way. All the questions will be answered at the appropriate time. He made the waters and the reservoirs of water stand in a heap. No one can limit his saving power since all his commands get followed. He sees everything, since nothing can be hidden from him, since the beginning of time to the end of time. Nothing is too marvelous for him. Therefore no one should question the Lord because everything has a purpose.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 