Jerome—Wotembenuza Baibulo Wakalekale Woyambitsa Mikangano
PA April 8, 1546, Msonkhano wa ku Trent unagamula kuti Vulgate yachilatini “yavomerezedwa ndi Tchalitchi [cha Katolika] . . . ndi kuti munthu asayese mwa njira ina iliyonse kuikana.” Ngakhale kuti inali itamalizidwa zaka ngati chikwi chimodzi zapitazo, Vulgate ndi woitembenuza wake, Jerome, inali kubutsa mikangano nthaŵi yonseyo. Kodi Jerome anali yani? Kodi n’chifukwa chiyani iyeyo ndi Baibulo lake anali kuyambitsa mikangano? Kodi Baibulo limene anatembenuza likukhudza motani kutembenuza Baibulo lerolino?
Mmene Anakhalira Katswiri
Dzina lachilatini la Jerome linali Eusebius Hieronymus. Anabadwa cha mu 346 C.E. ku Stridon, m’chigawo cha Roma cha Dalimatiya, kufupi ndi malire amakono a mayiko a Italy ndi Slovenia.a Makolo ake anali achuma ndithu, ndipo analaŵa ubwino wa ndalama adakali wamng’ono, pokhala ankaphunzitsidwa ndi Donatus, mphunzitsi wotchuka wa galamala ku Roma. Jerome anadzakhala wophunzira waluso wa galamala, kulemba ndi kulankhula bwino, ndi filosofi. Panthaŵi imeneyi anayambanso kuphunzira Chigiriki.
Atachoka ku Roma mu 366 C.E., Jerome sanakhazikike pamalo amodzi, ndipo pomalizira pake anakakhala ku Aquileia, Italy, kumene anamphunzitsa za moyo wodzikana kotheratu. Atakopeka ndi malingaliro amenewa a kudzikana kotheratu, iyeyo ndi anzake ena anakhala akulondola moyo umenewo kwa zaka zingapo zotsatira.
Mu 373 C.E., vuto linalake losadziŵika linapangitsa gululo kumwazikana. Pogwiritsidwa mwala, Jerome analoŵera cha kummaŵa kudutsa Bituniya, Galatiya, ndi Kilikiya ndipo m’kupita kwa nthaŵi anafika ku Antiokeya, Suriya.
Ulendo wautaliwo unayambitsa mavuto ake. Pokhala wotopa kwambiri ndiponso wathanzi lofooka, Jerome akanamwalira ndi malungo. Iye analembera mnzake wina kuti: “Kalanga ine, Ambuye Yesu Kristu akanangondinyamula ndi kukanditula kuli iwe. Thupi langali, lofooka ngakhale pamene sindikudwala, latheratu ntchito.”
Kuwonjezera pa kudwala, kunyong’onyeka, ndi nsautso ya mumtima, Jerome posapita nthaŵi anakhalanso ndi vuto lina—lauzimu. Kutulo analota ‘akududuzidwira kumpando wachiweruzo’ wa Mulungu. Atauzidwa kuti azidziŵikitse, Jerome anayankha kuti: “Ndine Mkristu.” Koma wokhala pampandoyo anamtsutsa nati: “Ukunama, iwe ndiwe wotsatira wa Cicero osati wa Kristu.”
Mpaka panthaŵiyo Jerome ankakonda kuphunzira zolembedwa zachikunja ndipo osati Mawu a Mulungu. “Chikumbumtima chinandivutitsa,” iye anatero. Pofuna kuwongolera zinthu, Jerome anaŵinda m’lotolo kuti: “Ambuye, ngati ndisunganso mabuku akudziko, kapena ngati ndiwaŵerenganso, ndiye kuti ndakukanani Inuyo.”
Pambuyo pake, Jerome anakana kuti angaimbidwe mlandu pa chiŵindo chimene anapanga m’maloto. Komabe anali wotsimikiza mtima kukwaniritsa chiŵindo chake—makamaka mfundo yake. Choncho Jerome anachoka ku Antiokeya nakakhala yekha ku Chalcis, m’chipululu cha ku Suriya. Podzikhalira kwayekhayekha, ntchito inali kungophunzira Baibulo ndi mabuku ena azachipembedzo. Jerome anati: “Ndinaŵerenga mabuku a Mulungu ndi changu chachikulu choposa chimene ndinaŵerenga nacho mabuku a anthu poyambapo.” Iye anaphunziranso chinenero cha komweko cha Chisiriyaki nayamba kuphunzira Chihebri mothandizidwa ndi Myuda wina wotembenukira ku Chikristu.
Papa Ampatsa Ntchito
Atakhala monga monke kwa zaka ngati zisanu, Jerome anabwerera ku Antiokeya kukapitiriza maphunziro ake. Koma atafika, anapeza kuti tchalitchi n’chogaŵanika kotheratu. Ndithudi, adakali m’chipululu, Jerome anachonderera Papa Damasus kuti ampatse nzeru, nati: “Tchalitchi chinagaŵikana patatu, ndipo chigawo chilichonse chikufunitsitsa kunditenga.”
M’kupita kwa nthaŵi, Jerome anasankha kugwirizana ndi Paulinus, mmodzi mwa amuna atatu amene ankafuna kutenga malo a bishopu wa Antiokeya. Jerome anavomera kuti adzakhala kumbali ya Paulinus pamfundo ziŵiri. Mfundo yoyamba, anafuna kukhala womasuka kulondola zolinga zake monga monke. Ndipo mfundo yachiŵiri, ananenetsa kuti sakufuna kukhala ndi udindo uliwonse wa unsembe wotumikira pa tchalitchi chinachake.
Mu 381 C.E., Jerome anatsagana ndi Paulinus ku Msonkhano wa ku Constantinople ndipo kenako anatsaganabe naye ku Roma. Papa Damasus posapita nthaŵi anaona kuti Jerome analidi katswiri ndipo anali waluso pazinenero. M’chaka chimodzi chokha Jerome anakwezedwa kukhala pamalo apamwamba a mlembi wa Damasus.
Monga mlembi, Jerome sanapeŵe mikangano. Kwenikweni, ankaoneka kuti amaiyambitsa. Mwachitsanzo, iye anapitirizabe kukhala ndi moyo wodzikanawo pakatikati pa nyumba ya papa ya chuma cha mwanaalirenji. Ndiponso, mwa kulankhula mochirikiza moyo wake wodzikanawo ndiponso mwa kutsutsa mwamphamvu kuloŵerera m’zadziko kwa atsogoleri achipembedzo, Jerome anadzipangira adani ambiri ndithu.
Komabe, mosasamala kanthu za omtsutsa, Jerome anali ndi chichirikizo chonse cha Papa Damasus. Papayo anali ndi chifukwa chabwino cholimbikitsira Jerome kuti apitirize ntchito yake yofufuza Baibulo. Panthaŵiyo, panali makope a Baibulo ambiri achilatini amene anali kugwiritsidwa ntchito. Ambiri mwa makopewa anatembenuzidwa mosasamala, ndipo anali ndi zolakwa zazikulu. Nkhaŵa ina ya Damasus inali yakuti chinenero chinali kugaŵanitsa mbali za Kummaŵa ndi Kumadzulo za tchalitchi. Kummaŵa ndi ochepa omwe ankadziŵa Chilatini; Kumadzulo ndi ochepa kwambiri omwe ankadziŵa Chigiriki.
Chotero Papa Damasus ankafunitsitsa matembenuzidwe atsopano a Mauthenga Abwino m’Chilatini. Damasus anafuna matembenuzidwe amene adzamasulira Chigiriki choyambiriracho molongosoka, komanso akhale m’Chilatini choŵerengeka bwino ndiponso chomveka. Jerome anali mmodzi mwa akatswiri ochepa amene akanapereka matembenuzidwe amenewo. Pokhala wodziŵa bwino Chigiriki, Chilatini, ndi Chisiriyaki ndiponso anali ndi chidziŵitso chokwanira cha Chihebri, anali woyenereradi kuchita ntchito imeneyo. Chotero atauzidwa ndi Damasus, Jerome anayamba ntchito imene inali kudzamtengera zaka za moyo wake zoposa 20 zotsatira.
Mkangano Ukula
Ngakhale kuti ntchito yotembenuza Mauthenga Abwino anali kuichita mofulumira, Jerome anasonyeza luso loonekeratu laukatswiri. Poyerekezera zolembedwa pamanja zonse zachigiriki zimene zinalipo panthaŵiyo, iye anawongolera mawu a m’Chilatini, kalembedwe kake ndi matanthauzo ake omwe, kuti agwirizane kwambiri ndi mawu achigiriki.
Matembenuzidwe a Jerome a Mauthenga Abwino anayiwo analandiridwa bwino ndi anthu, monganso buku la Masalmo lozikidwa pa zolembedwa za mu Septuagint yachigiriki zimene anazikonzanso m’Chilatini. Koma panali omtsutsabe. “Zolengedwa zina zonyansa,” analemba motero Jerome, “zinangofuna kumandiimba mlandu wakuti ndili n’cholinga chowongolera ndime za m’mauthenga abwino, motsutsana ndi mmene zinalembedwera kalelo ndiponso motsutsana ndi maganizo a dziko lonse lapansi.” Zidzudzulo ngati zimenezi zinawonjezeka Papa Damasus atamwalira mu 384 C.E. Chifukwa chakuti unansi wake ndi papa watsopanoyo sunali wabwino kwenikweni, anaganiza zochoka ku Roma. Nthaŵiyinso, Jerome analoŵera kummaŵa.
Mmene Anakhalira Katswiri wa Chihebri
Mu 386 C.E., Jerome anakhazikika ku Betelehemu, kumene anakhala mpaka imfa yake. Anatsagana ndi kagulu ka otsatira ake okhulupirika, kuphatikizapo Paula, mkazi wina wachuma wa m’banja lachifumu wochokera ku Roma. Paula anatenga moyo wodzikana kotheratu chifukwa cha kulalikira kwa Jerome. Mochirikizidwa ndi ndalama za mkaziyu, Jerome anakhazikitsa nyumba ya amonke. Kumeneko analondola ntchito yake yaukatswiriyo namaliza ntchito yaikulu koposa m’moyo wake.
Jerome anapeza mpata wowonjezera chidziŵitso chake cha Chihebri atakakhala ku Palestina. Iye analipira aphunzitsi angapo achiyuda kuti amthandize kumvetsa mbali zina zovuta kwambiri za chinenerocho. Koma zinali zovutabe ngakhale atakhala ndi mphunzitsi. Ponena za mphunzitsi wina, Baraninas wa ku Tiberiya, Jerome anati: “Kuitana Baraninas kudzandiphunzitsa usiku kunali kovuta kwambiri ndiponso kofuna zambiri.” Kodi n’chifukwa chiyani anali kuphunzira usiku? Chifukwa chakuti Baraninas ankaopa Ayuda chifukwa cha kuyanjana kwake ndi “Mkristu”!
M’masiku a Jerome, nthaŵi zambiri Ayuda ankanyoza Akunja oyankhula Chihebri chifukwa chakuti ankalephera kutchula bwino mawu ena oyenera kumvekera kukhosi. Komabe atayesetsa kwambiri, Jerome anatha kuwatchula bwino mawu amenewa. Jerome anatenganso mawu ambiri achihebri kuwapanga achilatini. Zimenezi sizinamthandize chabe kukumbukira mawuwo komanso zinasunga katchulidwe ka panthaŵiyo ka mawu achihebri.
Mkangano Waukulu Koposa Wokhudza Jerome
Sizikudziŵika bwino kuti Papa Damasus anafuna kuti Jerome atembenuze mbali yaikulu motani ya Baibulo. Koma malingaliro a Jerome n’ngodziŵikiratu. Jerome anali wotsimikiza mtima kukwaniritsa cholinga chake. Chikhumbo chake chachikulu chinali kutulutsa matembenuzidwe amene “adzapindulitsa Tchalitchi, a mibadwo yonse yakutsogolo.” Choncho anasankha kukonzanso Baibulo lonse lotembenuzidwa kale m’Chilatini.
Jerome anafuna kutembenuza Malemba Achihebri mogwiritsa ntchito Septuagint. Matembenuzidwe a m’Chigiriki a Malemba Achihebri amenewa, amene anatembenuzidwa m’zaka za zana lachitatu B.C.E., anthu ambiri ankawaona ngati matembenuzidwe ouziridwa mwachindunji ndi Mulungu. Choncho, Septuagint inali yofala kwambiri pakati pa Akristu oyankhula Chigiriki panthaŵiyo.
Koma pamene Jerome anapitiriza ntchito yakeyo, anapeza kuti zolembedwa pamanja zachigirikizo sizinali kugwirizana mwina ndi mwina, kusagwirizana kofanana ndi kumene anapeza m’zolembedwa pamanja zachilatini. Jerome anakhumudwa kwambiri. Pomalizira pake, anaona kuti ngati akufuna kutulutsa matembenuzidwe odalirika, adzayenera kupeŵa zolembedwa pamanja zachigirikizo, kuphatikizapo Septuagint yolemekezedwa kwambiriyo, ndi kugwiritsa ntchito malemba achihebri oyambirirawo mwachindunji.
Chosankha chimenechi chinadandaulitsa ambiri. Ena anatcha Jerome kuti wopotoza malemba, wochitira mwano Mulungu, kuti wasiya miyambo ya tchalitchi nakonda Ayuda. Ngakhale Augustine—katswiri wamkulu wa zaumulungu wa tchalitchi panthaŵiyo—anachonderera Jerome kuti ayambirenso kugwiritsa ntchito Septuagint, nati: “Baibulo limene ukutembenuza likadzayamba kuŵerengedwa kwambiri m’matchalitchi ambiri, zidzakhala zomvetsa chisoni kwambiri kuti, poŵerenga Malemba, padzakhala kutsutsana pakati pa Matchalitchi achilatini ndi Matchalitchi achigiriki.”
Inde, Augustine ankaopa kuti tchalitchi chingagaŵanike ngati matchalitchi a Kumadzulo atayamba kugwiritsa ntchito malemba a m’Chilatini a Jerome—ozikidwa pa zolembedwa pamanja zachihebri—pamene matchalitchi achigiriki a Kummaŵa adzakhala akugwiritsabe ntchito Baibulo la Septuagint.b Ndiponso, Augustine anasonyeza kukayikira zogwiritsa ntchito matembenuzidwe amene Jerome ndiye yekha amene angawachirikize ndi kusiya Septuagint.
Kodi Jerome anatani nawo omtsutsa onsewa? Mongadi momwe analili, Jerome anangowanyalanyaza. Iye anapitiriza kugwiritsa ntchito Chihebri mwachindunji, ndipo pomadzafika m’chaka cha 405 C.E., iye anamaliza Baibulo lake lachilatini. Zaka zambiri pambuyo pake matembenuzidwe akewo anatchedwa kuti Vulgate, kutanthauza buku lofala (liwu lachilatinilo vulgatus limatanthauza “chinthu chofala, chinthu chotchuka.”)
Zotsatirapo Zokhalitsa
Matembenuzidwe a Jerome a Malemba Achihebri sanali chabe kukonzanso malemba amene analipo kale. Kwa mibadwo yambiri yam’tsogolo, anasintha kaphunziridwe ka Baibulo ndi katembenuzidwe kake. “Vulgate,” anatero wolemba mbiri yakale Will Durant, “ndilobe buku labwino koposa ndiponso losonkhezera koposa lolembedwa m’zaka za zana lachinayi.”
Ngakhale kuti Jerome anali wolankhula mopyoza ndiponso wokonda mikangano, iye, pogwira ntchito yekha, anayambitsanso kufufuza Baibulo m’malemba ouziridwa achihebri. Mwakhama, anaphunzira ndi kuyerekezera zolembedwa pamanja za Baibulo zakale za m’Chihebri ndi m’Chigiriki zimene kulibe lerolino. Ntchito yake ndiyonso inali yoyamba ndi ya Amasorete achiyuda. Choncho, Vulgate ndi lifalensi yabwino kwambiri pofuna kuona matembenuzidwe ena a malemba a m’Baibulo.
Popanda kukhalira kumbuyo khalidwe lake lovutalo kapena malingaliro ake achipembedzo, okonda Mawu a Mulungu angayamikire kuyesayesa mwakhama kwa wotembenuza Baibulo wakalekale woyambitsa mikangano ameneyu. Ndipo ndithudi, Jerome anakwaniritsa cholinga chake—anatulutsa chinthu cha “mibadwo yonse yakutsogolo.”
[Mawu a M’munsi]
a Olemba mbiri yakale amatchula ndondomeko zosiyanasiyana za masiku ndi zochitika za m’moyo wa Jerome.
b Zinthu zinakhaladi choncho kuti matembenuzidwe a Jerome anakhala Baibulo logwiritsidwa ntchito kwambiri m’Dziko Lachikristu la Kumadzulo, pamene Septuagint ndi imene idakali kugwiritsidwa ntchito m’Dziko Lachikristu la Kummaŵa lerolino.
[Chithunzi patsamba 28]
Chiboliboli cha Jerome ku Betelehemu
[Mawu a Chithunzi]
Garo Nalbandian
[Mawu a Chithunzi patsamba 26]
Pamwamba kulamanzere, zolembedwa pamanja zachihebri: Courtesy of the Shrine of the Book, Israel Museum, Jerusalem; M’munsi kulamanzere, zolembedwa pamanja zachisiriyaki: Reproduced by kind permission of The Trustees of the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin; Pamwamba pakati, zolembedwa pamanja zachigiriki: Courtesy of Israel Antiquities Authority