[R3531 : page 95]

READINGS FROM THE SWEDISH REVISED BIBLE.

DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:—Herewith I hand you some interesting readings from the Revised Swedish Bible. Yours, KIHLGREN.

Isa. 21:12. "The watchman answereth: Morning has come, and still it is night. If ye will ask more, [than the question in verse 11] ye may ask; come back again" [for more information?].

Isa. 28:8-13. "For all tables are full of nauseating vomits, not a clean spot is found. Who then [asks the class mentioned in verse 7 ?] is it he desires to learn understanding, and who can he make to give attention to his preaching?—Are we then recently weaned from the mother's milk, recently taken from the mother's breast? For it is nagging upon nagging, nagging upon nagging, prating upon prating, prating upon prating, a little here, a little there [as if this class should say: 'What does he take us for?—we are no babies either; it was not yesterday we discarded the old-fashioned theory of the fall and the redemption of man, etc.,—we are full-grown mature Higher Critics; and yet there are a few old fogies who never let us alone, but are nagging at us ceaselessly, giving out tracts, papers and books, which represent us before the public as deceivers,' etc.] Well, yes, through stammering lips and in a strange language shall he speak to this people, he who nevertheless has said unto them: 'Here is the place of rest, let the weary get rest; here is the place where refreshment is given,' but such they would not hear. And thus the Lord's Word shall be for them, 'nagging upon nagging, nagging upon nagging, prating upon prating, prating upon prating, a little here, a little there, so that they, as they walk on, fall backward and are crushed, become ensnared and captured." [Refusing to accept God's grand plan for salvation, which would give them rest, they are annoyed by those who are pointing out its beauty, which to them is merely prating, and the result is that they fall completely into the snares of the adversary].

The context seems to favor the thought brought out in this rendering, though differing from the English rendering.