Clarity or poverty of language?

I used to argue for simple language in the Bible (against the KJV) by using as an examle the famous phrase "suffer the little children" is misunderstood by the average person who no longer understands the word "suffer" can mean "permit".

But the last time I argued, I stopped, because the Return of the King had just won the Academy awards, and of course one of the most famous scenes is when Aragorn confronts the King of the Dead who insists" The dead shall not suffer the living to pass" by answering "you shall suffer me".

Of course, the words are Tolkiens (albeit from a slightly different place in the book).

But when my grandson read the Lord of the Rings, he needed a dictionary.

So Father Z has two translations of the same prayer, and invites you to compare:

ICEL (1973 translation of the 1970MR):
God of mercy,
you wash away our sins in water,
you give us new birth in the Spirit,
and redeem us in the blood of Christ.
As we celebrate Christ’s resurrection
increase our awareness of these blessings,
and renew your gift of life within us.

Do you want to know what the Latin prayer really says?

A LITERAL TRANSLATION:
O God of eternal mercy,
who on this recurrence of the paschal feast
do kindle the faith of a people sanctified for Yourself,
increase the grace which You have given,
so that all may comprehend with worthy understanding
by what laver they were washed,
by what Spirit they were regenerated,
by what Blood they were redeemed.


I still prefer the simple version, but his "literal" translation has a beauty that brings tears to my eyes.