" By his commandment he maketh the snow to fall apace, 

 and sendeth swiftly the lightnings of his judgement. 



" Through this the treasures are opened and clouds fly 

 forth as fowls. 



" By his great power he maketh the clouds firm and the 

 hailstones are broken small. 



" At his sight the mountains are shaken, and at his will 

 the north wind bloweth. 



" The noise of the thunder maketh the earth to tremble, 

 so doth the northern storm and the whirlwind ; as birds fly- 

 ing he scattereth the snow, and the falling down thereof is as 

 the lighting of grasshoppers. 



" The eye marvelleth at the beauty of the whiteness there- 

 of, and the heart is astonished at the raining of it. 



" The hoar-frost also as salt he poureth on the earth, and 

 being congealed it lieth on the top of sharp stakes. 



" When the cold north wind bloweth, and the water is 

 congealed into ice, it abideth upon every gathering together 

 of water, and clotheth the water as with a breastplate. 



" It devoureth the mountains, andburneth the wilderness, 

 and consumeth the grass as fire." 



Ecclesiasticus xliii. 13 21. 



