“Mina Nɔ̃ yɛ Ŋshɔ Hiɛ”

YƐ NYƆƆŊ beni duŋ ewo waa mli lɛ, ŋshɔ hiɛ lɛlɛ ko ni mɛi 276 yɔɔ mli lɛ bɛŋkɛ ŋshɔkpɔ ko ni yɔɔ Mediterranean lɛ hiɛ. Etɔ lɛlɛ kudɔlɔi kɛ gbɛfalɔi lɛ yɛ bɔ ni nui ni efee hamahama lɛ tswaa amɛ yaa-kɛ-baa gbii 14 lɛ hewɔ. Beni amɛna ŋshɔ nine ko yɛ jetsɛremɔ mli lɛ, amɛbɔ mɔdɛŋ koni amɛkudɔ lɛlɛ lɛ kɛya kpete. Shi lɛlɛ lɛ yitsogbɛ lɛ yahɔ he ko ni enyɛɛɛ eya, ni ŋshɔkei lɛ batswa lɛlɛ lɛ sɛɛ ni ekumɔ mli dukuduku. Mɛi fɛɛ ni yɔɔ lɛlɛ lɛ mli lɛ shi ni amɛbɔ mɔdɛŋ koni amɛsere loo amɛkpɛtɛ tsei lɛ ahe loo kɛtsɔ gbɛ̀i krokomɛi anɔ kɛya Malta ŋshɔ lɛ naa. Yɛ fɛ̃i kɛ tɔlɛ lɛ mli lɛ, amɛtsake amɛgbɛ ni amɛje ŋshɔkei kɛ afũi ni tswaa waa lɛ mli. Mɛi ni fata gbɛfalɔi lɛ ahe ji Kristofonyo bɔfo Paulo. No mli lɛ, akɛ lɛ miiya Roma koni ayakojo lɛ.—Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji 27:27-44.

Yɛ Paulo gbɛfaŋ lɛ, Malta ŋshɔkpɔ lɛ nɔ lɛlɛ butumɔ lɛ jeee eklɛŋklɛŋ wala he gbeyeiwoo mli niiashikpamɔ ni ena yɛ ŋshɔ hiɛ. Afii fioo ni tsɔ hiɛ lɛ, eŋma akɛ: “Mikɛ lɛlɛ yasha shi shii etɛ, miye jenamɔ kɛ jetsɛremɔ yɛ bu kwɔŋkwɔŋ lɛŋ.” Ekɛfata he akɛ “mina nɔ̃ yɛ ŋshɔ hiɛ.” (2 Korintobii 11:25-27) Ŋshɔ hiɛ gbɛfaa lɛ eye ebua Paulo ni enyɛ etsu gbɛnaa nii ni Nyɔŋmɔ kɛwo edɛŋ akɛ “jeŋmaji abɔfo” lɛ he nii.—Romabii 11:13.

Te ŋshɔ hiɛ gbɛfaa yɛ klɛŋklɛŋ afii oha lɛ mli lɛ tamɔ diɛŋtsɛ ha tɛŋŋ? Mɛɛ gbɛfaŋnɔ etsu yɛ Kristojamɔ gbɛɛ-kɛ-shwamɔ mli? Te eyɔɔ shweshweeshwe eha tɛŋŋ? Mɛɛ lɛji amɛkɛtsu nii? Ni te gbɛfalɔi lɛ taraa mli amɛhaa tɛŋŋ?

Roma Hiamɔ Nii Kɛha Ŋshɔ Hiɛ Jarayeli

Romabii lɛ tsɛɔ Mediterranean lɛ akɛ Mare Nostrum—Wɔ Ŋshɔ. Ŋshɔ hiɛ nyiɛmɔ hei anɔkwɛmɔ ji hiamɔ nii babaoo kɛha Roma fe asraafoi ayiŋtoi ahewɔ kɛkɛ. Roma Maŋtsɛyeli lɛ mli maŋtiasei pii ji lɛjiadaamɔhei loo eyeɔ ebuaa amɛ. Akɛ nɔkwɛmɔnɔ lɛ, Roma yɛ elɛjiadaamɔhe ni bɛŋkɛ Ostia, ni Korinto kɛ Lechaeum kɛ Kenkrea tsuɔ nii, ni Siria Antiokia kɛ Seleucia tsuɔ nii. Ŋshɔ hiɛ gbɛfaa he gbɛjianɔtoo kpakpa ni kã nɛkɛ lɛjiadaamɔhei nɛɛ ateŋ lɛ ha sharamɔ tee nɔ jogbaŋŋ yɛ nɛkɛ maji nɛɛ amli, ni eha Roma maji bibii lɛ anɔkwɛmɔ mɔ shi.

Roma hu kɛ ehe fɔ̃ ŋshɔ hiɛ lɛji anitsumɔi anɔ kɛha niyenii. Ákɛ maŋ ni mli bii shɛɔ aaafee akpei akpe kome lɛ, Roma maŋ lɛ baahia ŋmãa babaoo diɛŋtsɛ—tamɔ aaafee tɔn 250,000 kɛmiishɛ tɔn 400,000 daa afi. Nɛgbɛ nakai ŋmãa lɛ fɛɛ jɛ? Flavius Josephus tsɛ́ Herode Agripa II wiemɔ ko yisɛɛ ni eeekɛɛ akɛ, North Africa kɛ afi lɛ mli nyɔji kpaanyɔ lɛ̀ Roma, ni yɛ nyɔji ejwɛ kroko lɛ mli lɛ, Mizraim kɛ ŋmãa maje ni akɛye abua maŋtiase lɛ. Lɛji akpei abɔ ni yaa-kɛ-baa yɛ ŋshɔ lɛ hiɛ lɛ kɛ ŋmãa lɛ baa nakai maŋtiase lɛ mli.

Bɔni afee ni Roma nine ashɛ nɔ ni etaoɔ lɛ nɔ lɛ, ŋshɔ hiɛ jarayeli ni shwereɔ lɛ ha amɛ jarayeli nibii lɛ fɛɛ eko. Akɛ tɛi ni jara wa, tɛi, kɛ marmaratɛ tsɔɔ ŋshɔ hiɛ kɛjɛɔ Kipro, Hela, kɛ Mizraim, ni akɛ tsei jɛɔ Lebanon. Akɛ wein jɛɔ Smirna, ŋmɛi jɛɔ Damasko, ni akɛ amitsɔrɔbi jɛɔ Palestina. Akɛ mui ni jeɔ ŋma kɛ amã jɛɔ Kilikia, too he tsɔi jɛɔ Mileto kɛ Laodikia, mamai jɛɔ Siria kɛ Lebanon, kɔɔjaŋ mama jɛɔ Tiro kɛ Sidon. Akɛ tsofai ní akɛwo mama jɛɔ Tiatira ni akɛ glase jɛɔ Aleksandria kɛ Sidon. Ashɛɔ sliki, odonti, shwuɔwu, kɛ tsofa-kɛ-ŋmai kɛjɛɔ China kɛ India.

Mɛni abaanyɛ akɛɛ yɛ lɛlɛ ni Paulo yɔɔ mli ni yabutu yɛ Malta lɛ he? Eji lɛlɛ ni ŋmãa yɔɔ mli, “Aleksandria lɛlɛ ko ni miiya Italia.” (Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji 27:6, NW shishigbɛ niŋmaa) Aŋkroaŋkroi ni jɛ Hela, Fonike, kɛ Siria kwɛɔ ŋmãa lɛji lɛ anɔ ni amɛsaa. Shi kɛlɛ, Roma nɔyeli lɛ haiɔ lɛji lɛ. Yinɔsaneŋmalɔ William M. Ramsay kɛɛ akɛ: “Yɛ tooyeli hemɔ mli lɛ, nɔyeli lɛ na akɛ eyɛ mlɛo akɛ akɛ nitsumɔ lɛ aaabɔ apaa fe ni ebaato tsɔji pii ahe gbɛjianɔ ni ehe mɛi pii ni amɛtsu nitsumɔ agbo ni tamɔ enɛ.”

Paulo kɛ egbɛfaa ni yaa Roma lɛ ba naagbee yɛ lɛlɛ ko ni awo lɛ gbɛi akɛ, “Dioskurioi” lɛ mli. Enɛ hu ji Aleksandria lɛlɛ. Eyakpeleke shi yɛ Puteoli yɛ Gulf of Naples, ni ji lɛjiadaamɔhe ni ŋmãa lɛji lɛ fɔɔ shikpelekemɔ yɛ lɛ. (Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji 28:11-13) Kɛjɛ Puteoli—ŋmɛnɛŋmɛnɛ beaŋ Pozzuoli—lɛ, ajieɔ lɛlɛ lɛ mli jatsui lɛ kɛbaa loo akɛwoɔ lɛji bibii amli kɛyaa ŋshɔ lɛ kooyigbɛ, ni no sɛɛ lɛ akɛnyiɛɔ Tiber Faa lɛ hiɛ kɛyaa Roma maŋtiase lɛ teŋ tuuntu.

Gbɛfalɔi yɛ Lɛji ni Woɔ Jatsui Amli?

Mɛni hewɔ Paulo kɛ asraafoi gboklɛfoi lɛ ta lɛlɛ ni woɔ jatsu mli lɛ? Bɔni afee ni wɔha nakai sanebimɔ lɛ hetoo lɛ, ehe miihia ni wɔle nɔ ni gbɛfaa yɛ ŋshɔ hiɛ yɛ no beaŋ lɛ tsɔɔ diɛŋtsɛ.

Yɛ klɛŋklɛŋ afii oha Ŋ.B. lɛ mli lɛ, no mli lɛ, no ko bɛ ni atsɛɔ lɛ gbɛfalɔi alɛlɛ. Lɛji ni gbɛfalɔi taraa mli lɛ ji guɔyeli lɛji. Ni ekolɛ, gbɔmɛi srɔtoi fɛɛ—ni Maŋ onukpai, nilelɔi, shiɛlɔi, ŋkunyaayelɔi, nitɛŋlɔi, foidalɔi, guɔyelɔi, maŋ shishɛralɔi, jamɔ he gbɛfalɔi fata he lɛ—tara mli kɛfã gbɛ.

Eji anɔkwale akɛ, no mli lɛ, lɛji bibii yɛ jɛmɛ ni akɛloɔ gbɛfalɔi kɛ jatsui yɛ ŋshɔnaa maji anɔ. Ekolɛ Paulo kɛ nɔ ko ni tamɔ enɛ jɛ Troia ‘kɛtee Makedonia.’ Ekolɛ lɛji bibii lɛ eko kɛ lɛ tee Ateene kɛ lɛ ku sɛɛ yɛ nɔ ni fe be kome mli. Nakai nɔŋŋ hu ekolɛ, Paulo ta lɛlɛ bibioo mli yɛ egbɛfaa nɛɛ mli kɛjɛ Troia kɛtee Patara kɛtsɔ ŋshɔkpɔ ni bɛŋkɛ Asia Bibioo ŋshɔ lɛ naa lɛ. (Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji 16:8-11; 17:14, 15; 20:1-6, 13-15; 21:1) Nakai lɛji bibii ni akɛtsuɔ nii lɛ báa be yi, shi amɛnyɛɛɛ amɛya shɔŋŋ. No hewɔ lɛ, lɛji ni Paulo ta mli kɛtee Kipro kɛ agbɛnɛ Pamfilia kɛ nɔ ni ekɛjɛ Efeso kɛtee Kaisarea kɛ Patara kɛtee Tiro lɛ dara bɔ ni sa. (Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji 13:4, 13; 18:21, 22; 21:1-3) Abaanyɛ abu lɛlɛ ni Paulo kɛyasha shi yɛ Malta lɛ hu akɛ eda. Te nakai lɛji lɛ adaramɔ yɔɔ tɛŋŋ?

Bɔ ni woji srɔtoi tsɔɔ lɛ ha nilelɔ ko kɛɛ akɛ: “Lɛlɛ ni yɔɔ bibioo kwraa ni akɛtsuɔ nii yɛ blema beaŋ lɛ mlitsiimɔ shɛɔ aaafee tɔn 70 kɛyashi tɔn 80. Nɔ ni da ni ale waa, ni kɛ hoo lɛ akɛtsuɔ nii yɛ Helabii abe lɛ mli ji tɔn 130. Eyɛ mli akɛ afɔɔ eko ni dalɛ shɛɔ tɔn 250 namɔ moŋ, shi eji nɔ ni da jogbaŋŋ. Yɛ Roma bei amli lɛ, lɛji ni akɛtsuɔ nɔyeli gbɛfaa he nii lɛ dara, ni amɛdaramɔ lɛ shɛɔ tɔn 340. Lɛji ni dara fe fɛɛ lɛ dalɛ shɛɔ tɔn 1300, ni eji anɔkwale akɛ, eda jogbaŋŋ.” Taakɛ niiamlitsɔɔmɔ ko ni aŋma yɛ afii enyɔ Ŋ.B. lɛ tsɔɔ lɛ, Aleksandria lɛlɛ ni akɛloɔ ŋmãa Isis lɛ kɛlɛ fe mitai 55, aaafee mitai 14 lɛɛmɔ, ni ekwɔlɛ shɛɔ mitai 13, ni ekolɛ, ebaanyɛ ewo ŋmãa ni etsiimɔ fe tɔn akpe kɛ ekolɛ gbɛfalɔi ohai fioo ko.

Mɛɛ gbɛ nɔ akwɛɔ gbɛfalɔi ni yɔɔ ŋmãa lɛlɛ mli lɛ yɛ? Akɛni akɛ lɛji lɛ loɔ jatsui titri hewɔ lɛ, gbɛfalɔi lɛ ahesusumɔ baa gbɛhe ni ji enyɔ. Ahaaa amɛ niyenii ko loo yelikɛbuamɔ ko akɛ ja nu pɛ ahaa amɛ. Amɛwɔɔ lɛlɛ lɛ ablanaa lɛ nɔ, ekolɛ yɛ agba ko ni ashi lɛ tamɔ buu yɛ gbɛkɛnaashi mli ni ajieɔ daa leebi. Eyɛ mli akɛ ekolɛ, aŋmɛɔ gbɛfalɔi lɛ agbɛ koni amɛkɛ kpata ni yɔɔ lɛlɛ mli lɛ ahoo niyenii moŋ, shi esa akɛ amɛ diɛŋtsɛ amɛhiɛ nɔ fɛɛ nɔ ni amɛkɛbaahoo niyenii, amɛkɛbaaye nii, amɛkɛbaaju amɛhe, ni amɛbaaka nɔ amɛwɔ—kɛjɛ nihoomɔ tsɛŋsi nɔ kɛyashi wɔɔ mamai anɔ.

Ŋshɔ Hiɛ Gbɛfaa—Te Eyɔɔ Shweshweeshwe Eha Tɛŋŋ?

Beni amɛbɛ gbɛtsɔɔmɔ tsɔnei—kɛ kɔmpas po lɛ—klɛŋklɛŋ afii oha lɛ mli lɛlɛ kudɔlɔi lɛ kɛ amɛhiŋmɛi kwɛ gbɛ tɛ̃ɛ. No hewɔ lɛ, kɛ kɔɔyɔŋ tse lɛ, gbɛfaa yɛ shweshweeshwe—titri lɛ kɛjɛ May naagbee mli kɛyashi September teŋgbɛ. Beni eshwɛ nyɔji enyɔ dani nakai be lɛ aaashɛ kɛ nakai be lɛ sɛɛ nyɔji enyɔ lɛ, eyɛ oshara akɛ guɔyelɔi aaafã gbɛ yɛ ŋshɔ hiɛ. Shi kɛ eshɛ fɛ̃i be lɛ, afua kɛ oblɔtu tsĩɔ okadii ní akwɛɔ akɛfãa gbɛ lɛ ahiɛ, amɛtsĩɔ hulu lɛ hiɛ shwane kɛ ŋulamii lɛ ahiɛ nyɔɔŋ. Abuɔ ŋshɔ hiɛ gbɛfaa akɛ eba naagbee (Latin, mare clausum) kɛjɛ November 11 kɛyashi March 10, akɛ ja shihilɛ lɛ he ebahia loo eebi oyaiyeli. Mɛi ni fãa gbɛ yɛ nakai be lɛ naagbee mli lɛ baanyɛ abote fɛ̃i be mli yɛ maŋsɛɛ lɛjiadaamɔhe.—Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji 27:12; 28:11.

Yɛ gbeyei ni eyɔɔ kɛ be kɛ bei amli nifeemɔ ni eji lɛ fɛɛ sɛɛ lɛ, ani ŋshɔ hiɛ gbɛfaa kɛ sɛɛnamɔ ko ha fe shikpɔŋ nɔ gbɛfaa? Hɛɛ, nakai ni! Ŋshɔ hiɛ gbɛfaa ji nɔ ni tɔlɛ bɛ mli, ejara baa shi, ni eyɛ oyai hu. Kɛ kɔɔyɔɔ naa ba shi lɛ, lɛlɛ ko baanyɛ anyiɛ ekolɛ kilomitai 150 gbi kome. Gbɛ ni afãa yɛ shikpɔŋ nɔ ni jɛkɛ waa lɛ ji kilomitai 25 kɛyashi kilomitai 30 daa gbi.

Bɔ ni ŋshɔ hiɛ gbɛfaa feɔ oya lɛ damɔ kɔɔyɔɔ lɛ nɔ titri. Gbɛfaa kɛjɛ Mizraim kɛmiiya Italia ji kɔɔyɔɔtswaa he tawuu diɛŋtsɛ, yɛ bei ni hi po mli. Bei pii lɛ, gbɛ kuku ni fe fɛɛ lɛ tsɔɔ Rodo loo Mira loo lɛjiadaamɔhei krokomɛi yɛ Likia yɛ Asia Bibioo lɛ mli. Be ko beni ahum tswa ŋmãa lɛlɛ ni ji Isis ni edu gbɛ lɛ, eyakpeleke shi yɛ Piraeus gbii 70 beni eshi Aleksandria sɛɛ. Beni kɔɔyɔɔ ni jɛ kooyi-anaigbɛ lɛ tswaa esɛɛ lɛ, ekolɛ esɛɛkuu kɛmiijɛ Italia lɛ baanyɛ ahe gbii 20 kɛyashi 25. Kɛ atsɔ shikpɔŋ nɔ lɛ, nakai gbɛfaa kome too lɛ nɔŋŋ kɛmiitsɔ gbɛ kroko nɔ lɛ baabi nɔ ni fe gbii 150 yɛ kɔɔyɔɔ kpakpa naa.

Akɛ Sanekpakpa lɛ Eyashɛ Maji Asɛɛ Shɔŋŋ

Eka shi faŋŋ akɛ, Paulo le osharai ni yɔɔ ŋshɔ hiɛ gbɛfaai yɛ be ni ehiii mli lɛ amli. Ewo ŋaa po akɛ akata lɛlɛ mli yɛ September naagbee mli loo October shishijee mli, beni ekɛɛ akɛ: “Ataamɛi, mina akɛ amanehulu kɛ nilaajemɔ pii baaba gbɛfaa nɛɛ mli ni jeee lɛlɛ mli nii lɛ kɛ lɛlɛ lɛ kɛkɛ, shi moŋ wɔwala diɛŋtsɛ hu.” (Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji 27:9, 10) Shi kɛlɛ, asafoiatsɛ lɛ ku ehiɛ eshwie wiemɔi nɛɛ anɔ, ni nɔ ni jɛ mli ba ji lɛlɛ butumɔ yɛ Malta.

Beni shɛɔ emaŋsɛɛ sanekpakpa shiɛmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ naagbee lɛ, no mli lɛ, kɛ hoo lɛ, Paulo kɛ lɛlɛ esha shi shii ejwɛ. (Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji 27:41-44; 2 Korintobii 11:25) Ni kɛlɛ, nibii ni tamɔ nakai ahe yeyeeyefeemɔi babaoo lɛ nyɛɛɛ atsĩ mra be mli sanekpakpa shiɛlɔi agbɛ koni amɛkafã gbɛ yɛ ŋshɔ lɛ hiɛ. Amɛkɛ hegbɛi fɛɛ ni yɔɔ ni akɛfãa gbɛ lɛ tsu nii kɛmɔ shi koni amɛgbɛ Maŋtsɛyeli shɛɛ sane lɛ amɛshwã. Ni beni amɛyeɔ Yesu famɔ lɛ nɔ lɛ, amɛye odase yɛ he fɛɛ he. (Mateo 28:19, 20; Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji 1:8) Kɛtsɔ ekãa ni amɛfee lɛ nɔ lɛ, mɛi ni nyiɛ amɛnɔkwɛmɔnɔ lɛ sɛɛ lɛ ahemɔkɛyeli lɛ nɔ, kɛ Yehowa mumɔ krɔŋkrɔŋ lɛ gbɛtsɔɔmɔ nɔ lɛ, sanekpakpa lɛ eyashɛ shikpɔŋ lɛ koji ni jɛkɛ fe fɛɛ lɛ fɛɛ nɔ.

[He ni Mfoniri ni yɔɔ baafa 31 lɛ Jɛ]

Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.