Selassie's speech on the Bible

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Bible (unknown)
by Haile Selassie, translated by Haile Selassie I Press
Haile Selassie142878Bible?Haile Selassie I Press

WE IN ETHIOPIA HAVE ONE OF THE OLDEST VERSIONS OF THE BIBLE, but however old the version may be, in whatever language it might be written, the Word remains one and the same. It transcends all boundaries of empires and all conceptions of race. It is eternal.

No doubt you all remember reading in the Acts of the Apostles of how Philip baptised the Ethiopian official. He is the first Ethiopian on record to have followed Christ, and from that day onwards the Word of God has continued to grow in the hearts of Ethiopians. And I might say for myself that from early childhood I was taught to appreciate the Bible and my love for it increases with the passage of time. All through my troubles I have found it a cause of infinite comfort.

"Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" who can resist an invitation so full of compassion?

Because of this personal experience in the goodness of the Bible, I was resolved that all my countrymen should also share its great blessing and that by reading the Bible they should find truth for themselves. Therefore, I caused a new translation to be made from our ancient language into the language which the old and the young understood and spoke.

Today man sees all his hopes and aspirations crumbling before him. He is perplexed and knows not whither he is drifting. But he must realise that the Bible is his refuge, and the rallying point for all humanity. In it man will find the solution of his present difficulties and guidance for his future action, and unless he accepts with clear conscience the Bible and its great Message, he cannot hope for salvation. For my part I glory in the Bible.

 This work is a translation and has a separate copyright status to the applicable copyright protections of the original content.

Original:

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was first published in Ethiopia, which is not a participant in the Berne Convention or any other treaty on copyright with the United States, and was not simultaneously published in another country.

This work is also in the public domain in Ethiopia if it meets one of the following criteria:

  • It is an anonymous, pseudonymous or posthumous work and 50 years have passed since the date of its publication.
  • It is a collective or audiovisual work and 50 years have passed since the date of its publication.
  • It is a photographic work, and 25 years have passed since the date of its creation (or publication, whatever date is the latest).
  • It is another kind of work, and 50 years have passed since the year of death of the author (or last-surviving author).
  • It is "any official text of a legislative, administrative or of legal nature, as well as official translations thereof".

Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse

Translation:

This work is in the public domain worldwide because it has been so released by the copyright holder.

Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse

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