Wednesday, December 9, 2009

"I dreamed a Dream"

I just received my copy of Crossway's new version of John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress: From This World to That Which Is to Come, and it goes on the top of my reading stack. It is a handsome volume with new illustrations by Mike Wimmer [see the example to the right], scripture references and extensive editor's notes and modernized language by C.J. Lovik. It seems very readable. Compare, for instance, the opening paragraph[s] — the new version is on the right.

AS I walked through the wilderness of this world, I lighted on a certain place, where was a Den, and I laid me down in that place to sleep: And as I slept, I dreamed a Dream. I dreamed, and behold I saw a Man cloathed with rags, standing in a certain place, with his face from his own house, a Book in his hand, and a great Burden upon his back. I looked, and saw him open the Book, and read therein; and as he read, he wept and trembled; and not being able longer to contain, he brake out with a lamentable cry, saying, What shall I do?
As I walked through the wilderness of this world, I came to a certain place where there was a cave; and I lay down in that place to sleep. As I slept, I dreamed a dream, and in this dream I saw a man clothed in rags, standing in a place with his face turned away from his own house. He had a book in his hand and a heavy burden upon his back.

I looked and saw him open the book and begin to read; and as he read, he wept and trembled. Not being able to contain himself, he cried out in a loud voice, "What shall I do?"

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