Abantu Abaqhelekileyo Baguqulela IBhayibhile
NGOWE-1835, uHenry Nott, umakhi oliNgesi noJohn Davies, indoda yaseWales eyayifundela ukuba ngunovenkile, bada bawugqiba umsebenzi owawumkhulu. Emva kokubila besoma iminyaka engaphezu kwama-30, bada bayigqiba inguqulelo yeBhayibhile epheleleyo ngesiTahiti. La madoda mabini aqhelekileyo ajamelana naluphi ucelomngeni, yaye kwaphumela entwenini ukuzijula kwawo ijacu ngenxa yothando?
“UHlaziyo Olukhulu”
Kwisiqingatha sesibini senkulungwane ye-18, amalungu ombutho wamaProtestanti obizwa ngokuba luHlaziyo Olukhulu, okanye uHlaziyo, ayeshumayela kwiidolophana nakwiindawo ezikufutshane nemigodi kwanakwimizi-mveliso yaseBritani. Ayenosukelo lokufikelela abantu abaphangelayo. Aba bashumayeli boHlaziyo bakukhuthaza ngokuzimisela ukusasazwa kweBhayibhile.
Umseki walo mbutho ongumBhaptizi uWilliam Carey, waba negalelo nasekusekeni iLondon Missionary Society (LMS), eyaqaliswa ngowe-1795. ILMS le yaqeqesha abantu ababelungele ukufunda iilwimi zomthonyama baze babe ngabavangeli kummandla woMzantsi Pasifiki. Usukelo lwaba bavangeli lwalukukushumayela iVangeli ngolwimi lwabantu balapho.
Isiqithi saseTahiti, esasisandul’ ukufunyanwa saba yintsimi yokuqala yaba bavangeli beLMS. Kumalungu oHlaziyo, ezi ziqithi ‘zazisebumnyameni’ ngenxa yobuhedeni, zingamasimi alungele ukuvunwa.
Abantu Abaqhelekileyo Bayaloyisa Olu Celomngeni
Ukuze bakwazi ukuhlanganisa isivuno kula masimi, ngokungxama kwakhethwa abavangeli abamalunga nama-30 ababengawulungelanga kakuhle lo msebenzi baza bakhweliswa kwinqanawa iDuff, eyayithengwe yiLMS. Kwingxelo eyenziwayo kwabalwa phakathi kwabo “abefundisi abazinikeleyo abane [ababengawuqeqeshelwanga loo msebenzi], abachweli abathandathu, abenzi bezihlangu ababini, abakhi ababini, abaluki ababini, abathungi ababini, unovenkile, umenzi weesali, isicaka, umlimi, ugqirha, umkhandi weentsimbi, umenzi weefatyi, umenzi womqhaphu, umthengisi weminqwazi, umenzi wamalaphu, umenzi weekhabhathi, abafazi abahlanu nabantwana abathathu.”
Ekuphela kwezixhobo ababenazo aba bavangeli, nezazinokubanceda baqhelane nolwimi lweBhayibhile lwamandulo, yayisisichazi-magama sesiGrike nesiNgesi kwakunye neBhayibhile enesichazi-magama sesiHebhere. Kuzo zonke ezo nyanga zisixhenxe beselwandle, aba bavangeli babecengceleza amanye amagama esiTahiti awayebhalwe ziindwendwe ezazingaphambi kwabo, ubukhulu becala ngabavukeli ababekwinqanawa iBounty. Ngelingeni iDuff yagaleleka eTahiti, ngoMatshi 7, 1797, baza behla kuyo abavangeli. Noko ke, kunyaka emva koko abaninzi badimazeka baza bemka apho. Kwasala abavangeli abasixhenxe kuphela.
Phakathi kweso sixhenxe, kwakukho uHenry Nott, umakhi oneminyaka engama-23 ubudala. Ngokusuka kwiileta zokuqala awazibhalayo, kuyabonakala ukuba wayenemfundo nje esisiseko. Sekunjalo, wachebeleza ekufundeni ulwimi lwesiTahiti. Kuthiwa wayenyanisekile, ekhululekile yaye enobuhlobo.
Ngowe-1801, uNott wakhethelwa ukufundisa isiTahiti abavangeli abasithoba ababesandul’ ukufika apho. Phakathi kwabo kwakukho indoda yaseWales eneminyaka engama-28 ubudala, uJohn Davies, owabonakala engumfundi okrelekrele nokhutheleyo, umfana ozolileyo nonesisa. Akuzange kube kudala, la madoda mabini agqiba kwelokuba aguqulele iBhayibhile ngesiTahiti.
Umsebenzi Onzima
Noko ke, kwakunzima ukuguqulela ngesiTahiti, kuba ngelo xesha olu lwimi lwalungekabhalwa. Aba bavangeli kwafuneka balufunde lonke ngokuluphulaphula. Babengenasichazi-magama, nditsho nencwadi le yegrama. Ukuginywa kwamagama, ukugxalathelana kwezikhamiso (mhlawumbi zide zibe zihlanu kwigama elinye), noonobumba balo abambalwa, kwabangela ukuba aba bavangeli babe buphelelwa lithemba. Bakhala ngelithi: “Amagama amaninzi aba nezikhamiso kuphela, yaye ngasinye kuzo sinesandi.” Bavuma nokuba babengakwazi “ukuziva kakuhle izandi zamagama.” Bada bacinga nokuba beva izandi ezingekhoyo!
Eyona nto yayinzima yeyokuba, maxa wambi amanye amagama ayedla ngokuyekwa ukusetyenziswa kulwimi lwesiTahiti kuze kufuneke kusetyenziswe amanye endaweni yawo. Enye ingxaki yayisiba zizithetha-ntonye. Igama elithi “umthandazo,” lalinezithetha-ntonye ezingama-70 ngesiTahiti. Eny’ into eyaphinda yenza nzima izinto, ngumgaqo-ntetho wesiTahiti, owawahluke kwaphela kowesiNgesi. Nakuba kwakunzima, kodwa ngokuthe ngcembe aba bavangeli baqokelela amagama awathi uDavies wawapapasha, aza kwiminyaka engama-50 kamva abumba isichazi-magama esinamagama ali-10 000.
Kwakukho nocelomngeni lokubhalwa kwesiTahiti. Aba bavangeli bazama ukwenjenjalo besebenzisa indlela yokubhala yesiNgesi. Noko ke, ukusebenzisa kwesiNgesi oonobumba besiLatini kwakungqubana nezandi zesiTahiti. Ngenxa yoko, kwaqala iingxubusho ezingapheliyo eziphathelele ifonetiki nendlela yokupela amagama. Ixesha elininzi kwakufuneka aba bavangeli baseke indlela entsha yokupela amagama, njengoko babengabokuqala ngqa kummandla okuLwandlekazi loMzantsi Pasifiki ukubhala ulwimi obelukade lungabhalwa. Babengenalo nofifi lokuba umsebenzi abawenzayo wawuza kuba ngumzekelo weelwimi ezininzi ezikuMzantsi Pasifiki.
Babengenazixhobo Zingako Kodwa Benobuchule Obungathethekiyo
Aba baguquleli babeneencwadi ezimbalwa zeembekiselo. ILMS yayalela ukuba basebenzise iTextus Receptus kwakunye neKing James Version. UNott wacela ukuba iLMS ithumele izichazi-magama ezingakumbi zesiHebhere nesiGrike kwakunye neeBhayibhile ngazo zombini ezi lwimi. Akwaziwa enoba wada wazifumana kusini na ezo ncwadi. UDavies wafumana ezinye iincwadi awayenokuphengulula kuzo kubahlobo bakhe baseWales. Iingxelo zibonisa ukuba ubuncinane, wayenesichazi-magama sesiGrike, iBhayibhile yesiHebhere, iTestamente Entsha ngesiGrike kwakunye neSeptuagint.
Ngelo xesha, umsebenzi wokushumayela wabavangeli wawungenamveliso. Nangona aba bavangeli babesele beneminyaka eli-12 beseTahiti, kwakungekabhaptizwa nokuba abe mnye kubemi balapho. Ekugqibeleni, ukuthi gqolo kweemfazwe zamakhaya kwanyanzela ukuba bonke aba bavangeli ngaphandle koNott owayezimisele, babalekele eOstreliya. Kwakha kwalithutyana inguye yedwa umvangeli oseleyo kwiiWindward Islands eziyinxalenye yeeSociety Islands kodwa kwafuneka naye alandele xa uKumkani uPomare II wasabela kwisiqithi esiselumelwaneni saseMoorea.
Noko ke, ukumka kukaNott akuzange kuwunqumamise umsebenzi wokuguqulela, yaye emva kokuchitha iminyaka emibini eOstreliya, uDavies waphinda wabuyela kuNott. Ngelo xesha, uNott wayesele eqalise ukufunda isiGrike nesiHebhere yaye wayesele ezazi kakuhle ezo lwimi. Emva koko, waqalisa ukuguqulela ezinye iinxalenye zeZibhalo zesiHebhere ngesiTahiti. Wakhetha iindinyana zeBhayibhile ezineengxelo ezazinokuqondwa lula ngabemi balapho bomthonyama.
Esebenza ngokusondeleyo noDavies, uNott waqalisa ukuguqulela incwadi yeVangeli kaLuka, msebenzi lowo awawugqiba ngoSeptemba 1814. Wavelisa inguqulelo eyayivakala kakuhle ngesiTahiti, ngoxa uDavies wayeyihlola esebenzisa imibhalo yantlandlolo. Ngowe-1817, uKumkani uPomare II wacela ukulishicilela ngokwakhe iphepha lokuqala lencwadi yeVangeli kaLuka. Wakwenza oko esebenzisa umatshini omncinane wokushicilela owawuze nabavangeli kwelo laseMoorea. Asinakuba sigqibile ukubalisa ngokuguqulelwa ngeBhayibhile yesiTahiti singekakhankanyi indoda yaseTahiti ekuthiwa nguTuahine, owahlala naba bavangeli ebudeni bayo yonke loo minyaka ngelokubancedisa kubucukubhede bolo lwimi.
Le Nguqulelo Iyagqitywa
Ngowe-1819, emva kweminyaka emithandathu kusetyenzwa nzima, kwagqitywa ukuguqulelwa kweencwadi zeVangeli, IZenzo zabaPostile kwakunye nencwadi yeeNdumiso. Umatshini wokushicilela, oweza nabavangeli ababesandul’ ukufika, waba luncedo ekushicileleni nasekusasazeni ezi ncwadi zeBhayibhile.
Kwalandela omnye umsebenzi omninzi wokuguqulela, ukuhlola iimpazamo nokuhlaziya. Emva kweminyaka engama-28 ehlala eTahiti, uNott wagula ngowe-1825, yaza iLMS yamvumela ukuba akhwele inqanawa ebuyela eNgilani. Okuvuyisayo kukuba, ngelo xesha ukuguqulelwa kweZibhalo zesiGrike kwakusele kuza kugqitywa. Waqhubeka eguqulela inxalenye yokugqibela yeBhayibhile kuhambo lwakhe olubuyela eNgilani nasebudeni bokuhlala kwakhe apho. Ngowe-1827, uNott wabuyela eTahiti. Kwiminyaka esibhozo kamva, ngoDisemba 1835, wazibeka phantsi iintambo. Emva kweminyaka engaphezu kwama-30 kusetyenzwa nzima, kwagqitywa ukuguqulelwa kweBhayibhile.
Ngowe-1836, uNott wabuyela eNgilani ukuze ashicilele iBhayibhile epheleleyo yesiTahiti eLondon. NgoJuni 8, 1838, uNott owayenemincili wanika uKumkanikazi uVictoria isipho senguqulelo yokuqala eshicilelweyo yeBhayibhile ngesiTahiti. Unokuyiqonda into yokuba, kumele ukuba kwamchukumisa ngokwenene lo wayesakuba ngumakhi nowathi kwiminyaka engama-40 ngaphambilana wakhwela inqanawa iDuff waza wazijula nofele efunda isiTahiti, ngenjongo yokugqiba lo msebenzi mkhulu nowathabatha ixesha elide.
Kwiinyanga ezimbini kamva, uNott wabuyela kuMzantsi Pasifiki ephethe iibhokisi ezingama-27 ezazinemibhalo yokuqala engama-3 000 yeBhayibhile epheleleyo yesiTahiti. Emva kokuba efike eSydney, waphinda wagula kodwa akazange avume ukwahlukana nezi bhokisi zixabisekileyo. Uthe akuchacha, wahamba waya kufika eTahiti ngowe-1840, apho abantu bafika bazixhwithela loo mibhalo yeBhayibhile yesiTahiti. Lo kaNott wafela eTahiti ngoMeyi 1844, eneminyaka engama-70 ubudala.
Waba Negalelo Elibonakalayo
Noko ke, umsebenzi kaNott washiya isiseko esihle. Inguqulelo yakhe yaba negalelo elibonakalayo kwiilwimi zasePolynesia. Ngokuvelisa indlela yokubhala isiTahiti, aba bavangeli balulondoloza olu lwimi. Omnye umbhali wathi: “Lo kaNott waseka igrama yesiTahiti esemgangathweni. Kuya kusoloko kuyingenelo ukusebenzisa iBhayibhile xa ufuna ukufunda isiTahiti esisulungekileyo.” Umsebenzi wokuzimisela waba baguquleli uye walondoloza amawakawaka amagama. Kwinkulungwane kamva, omnye umbhali wathi: “Le Bhayibhile ixabisekileyo kaNott iligugu kubantu abathetha isiTahiti—ndiqinisekile wonke umntu uyavumelana noko.”
Akuzange kungenelwe nje abantu baseTahiti kuphela kule nguqulelo ibalulekileyo, kodwa yaba sisiseko sokuguqulelwa kwezinye iilwimi zakuMzantsi Pasifiki. Ngokomzekelo, abaguquleli bakwiiCook Islands naseSamoa bayisebenzisa njengesiseko. Omnye umguquleli wathi: “Ndiye ndalandela umzekelo kaMnu. Nott, njengoko bendiyifunda ngokucokisekileyo inguqulelo yakhe.” Kuthiwa omnye umguquleli ‘wayebeke incwadi yesiHebhere yeeNdumiso phambi kwakhe kwakunye nenguqulelo yesiNgesi nesiTahiti’ njengoko ‘wayeguqulela enye yeendumiso zikaDavide kwisiSamoa.’
Belandela umzekelo wamalungu oHlaziyo eNgilani, abavangeli baseTahiti bazimisela ekukhuthazeni imfundo. Enyanisweni, ngaphezu kwenkulungwane yayiyiBhayibhile kuphela incwadi eyayifumaneka kubemi baseTahiti. Ngenxa yoko, yaba yinxalenye ebalulekileyo yokufunda isiTahiti.
Ukuvela kangangezihlandlo eziliqela kwegama likaThixo kwiZibhalo zesiHebhere nezesiGrike kuyenye yezona zinto ibalasele ngazo iNott Version. Ngenxa yoko, kunamhlanje nje igama likaYehova laziwa ngokubanzi eTahiti nakwiziqithi zayo. Liyavela nakwezinye iicawa zamaProtestanti. Noko ke, igama likaThixo lidla ngokunxulunyaniswa namaNgqina kaYehova nomsebenzi wawo wokushumayela ngenzondelelo, kuba kulo msebenzi ubukhulu becala asebenzisa iBhayibhile yesiTahiti eyaguqulelwa nguNott namahlakani akhe. Yaye imigudu yokuzimisela yabaguquleli abanjengoHenry Nott isikhumbuza ngendlela esifanele sibe noxabiso ngayo ngokwenza iLizwi likaThixo lifumaneke kubantu abaninzi namhlanje.
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 26]
Iinguqulelo zokuqala zeBhayibhile ngesiTahiti, ngowe-1815. Igama likaYehova liyavela kuzo
UHenry Nott (1774-1844), umguquleli ophambili weBhayibhile yesiTahiti
[Inkcazelo]
Tahitian Bible: Copyright the British Library (3070.a.32); Henry Nott and letter: Collection du Musée de Tahiti et de ses Îles, Punaauia, Tahiti; catechism: With permission of the London Missionary Society Papers, Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 28]
Ikathekizim yesiTahiti nesiWelsh yowe-1801, enegama likaThixo
[Inkcazelo]
With permission of the London Missionary Society Papers, Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 29]
Icawa yamaProtestanti enegama likaYehova ngaphambili, kwisiqithi saseHuahine, kwiPolynesia yamaFrentshi
[Inkcazelo]
Avec la permission du Pasteur Teoroi Firipa