Imibhalo-ngqangi Yamandulo—Yaziwa Njani Ukuba Yabhalwa Nini?
NGOWE-1844, umphengululi weBhayibhile uKonstantin von Tischendorf watyelela ikhaya loonongendi eSt Catherine elikwinyele yentaba iSinayi eYiputa. Ngoxa wayephengulula apho wafumana imibhalo-ngqangi yantlandlolo. Ekubeni wayefundela ukuba yingcali yokuphengulula imibhalo-ngqangi, uTischendorf waqonda ukuba le mibhalo-ngqangi yamagqabi yayiyintsalela yeSeptuagint, inguqulelo yesiGrike yeZibhalo zesiHebhere, okanye “iTestamente Endala.” Wabhala wathi: “Andizange ndiyibone imibhalo-ngqangi emidala njengale.”
Kamva yaba yinxalenye yeMibhalo-ngqangi yaseSinayi (iCodex yaseSinayi), kuqikelelwa ukuba yabhalwa malunga nenkulungwane yesine yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo. Le mibhalo-ngqangi lithontsi emphandeni kumawaka emibhalo-ngqangi yantlandlolo yeZibhalo zesiHebhere nesiGrike abanokuphanda kuyo abaphengululi.
Imbali Yeengcali Zabaphengululi BamaGrike
Imonki yonqulo lukaBenedict, uBernard de Montfaucon (1655-1741), wabeka isiseko sendlela yokufundwa kwemibhalo-ngqangi yesiGrike. Kamva nabanye abaphengululi baphos’ ilitye esivivaneni. UTischendorf waqalisa umsebenzi onzima wokuqulunqa uludwe lwemibhalo-ngqangi emidala yesiGrike yeBhayibhile kumathala aseYurophu. Waquq’ ebuyelela kuMbindi-Mpuma, efunda inqwaba yamaxwebhu waza wakupapasha oko wakufumanisayo.
Kwinkulungwane yama-20, iingcali zabaphengululi zafumana ezinye iindlela zokwenza umsebenzi wazo. Enye yezo ndlela yayiluludwe olwaqulunqwa nguMarcel Richard lweencwadana ezingama-900 ezazichaza imibhalo-ngqangi yesiGrike engama-55 000 yeBhayibhile neyayingeyoyaBhayibhile, eyayikumathala kawonke wonke nasemizini yabantu engama-820. Le ntabalala yolwazi inceda abaguquleli neengcali zemibhalo-ngqangi ukuba zilazi kakuhle ixesha eyabhalwa ngayo imibhalo-ngqangi.
Indlela Yokwazi Ixesha Ebhalwe Ngalo Imibhalo-ngqangi
Khawube nomfanekiso-ngqondweni ucoca uphahla lwendlu endala uze ufumane ileta esele iqalisa ukungunda. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uyazibuza ukuba, ‘Yabhalwa nini le leta?’ Uthi usajonge leyo, uphinde ubone enye ileta endala. Indlela ebhalwe ngayo ifana twatse neyokuqala. Kodwa into ekuvuyisayo kukuba le leta yesibini inosuku ebhalwe ngalo. Nakuba ungazi ukuba ileta yokuqala yabhalwa ngawuphi unyaka, unokuqikelela ukuba yabhalwa malunga naliphi ixesha.
Inkoliso yababhali ayizange iyibhale imihla eyagqitywa ngayo ukukhutshelwa imibhalo-ngqangi yeBhayibhile. Ukuze abaphengululi baqikelele ukuba yabhalwa nini, kwakufuneka bathelekise indlela eyabhalwa ngayo neminye imibhalo, equka engeyiyo eyeBhayibhile neyayisaziwa ukuba yabhalwa nini. Noko ke, sele iliqela imibhalo-ngqangi eyaziwayo ukuba yabhalwa nini. EyesiGrike ebhalwe ngesandla isusela kowe-510 C.E. ukuya kuthi ga kowe-1593 C.E.
Ukuncedwa Yindlela Ebhalwe Ngayo
Iingcali zemibhalo-ngqangi zahlula le mibhalo ngeendlela ezimbini—ezibhalwe ngezandla, zazinobucukubhede yaye zindilisekile, ezibhalwe ngokudibanisa, zazisetyenziswa kumaxwebhu angafundwayo. Ababhali besiGrike babesebenzisa oonobumba abahlukahlukeneyo, njengoonobumba abakhulu, uhlobo lwamandulo loonobumba abakhulu, ukudibanisa noonobumba abancinane. Enye indlela yokubhala ngesandla yayingoonobumba bamandulo abakhulu nababesetyenziswa ukususela ngenkulungwane yesine Ngaphambi KweXesha Eliqhelekileyo de kwaba ngenkulungwane yesibhozo okanye yesithoba Kwixesha Lethu. Oonobumba abancinane, babesetyenziswa ukususela ngenkulungwane yesibhozo okanye eyethoba kwiXesha Lethu de kwaphakathi kwenkulungwane ye-15 xa kwaqaliswa ukusetyenziswa koomatshini bokuchwetheza eYurophu. Umbhalo woonobumba abancinane wawubhalwa ngokukhawuleza yaye oonobumba babesondelelana, nto leyo eyayisonga ixesha namaphepha.
Iingcali zemibhalo-ngqangi zinendlela yazo yokuphawula ixesha eyabhalwa ngayo imibhalo-ngqangi. Baqale bapeculule wonke umbhalo-ngqangi, bekhangela indlela obhalwe ngayo unobumba ngamnye. Ngenxa yokuba iindlela zokubhala zazitshintsha ngokuthe ngcembe, ukuhlola indlela obhalwe ngayo umbhalo-ngqangi kuchaza nje umyinge wexesha obhalwe ngalo.
Okuvuyisayo kukuba zikho nezinye iindlela zokwazi ixesha obhalwe ngalo umbhalo-ngqangi. Ezi ziquka ukwazi indlela oonobumba abasekuqaleni ababhalwe ngayo. Ngokomzekelo, emva konyaka wama-900 kwiXesha Lethu, kwimibhalo yesiGrike oonobumba ababini bokuqala babedityaniswa. Ababhali bayila nezinye iindlela zokubhala.
Indlela umntu abhala ngayo idla ngokungatshintshi ubomi bakhe bonke. Ngenxa yoko, ixesha eyabhalwa ngalo imibhalo emininzi iqikelelwa ngokweminyaka engama-50. Ngamanye amaxesha ababhali bathelekisa imibhalo-ngqangi emitsha nemidala. Nangona bekukho imiqobo kulo msebenzi liye laqikelelwa ixesha eyabhalwa ngalo imibhalo-ngqangi emidala yeBhayibhile.
Ixesha Eyabhalwa Ngalo Imibhalo-ngqangi YeBhayibhile YesiGrike
UMbhalo-ngqangi iAlexandrine (kwiCodex iAlexandrinus), ogcinwe kwiThala laseBritani, yayingowokuqala kwimibhalo-ngqangi yeBhayibhile ukusetyenziswa ngabaphengululi. Uqulethe phantse yonke iBhayibhile yaye ubhalwe ngesiGrike ngobumba abakhulu bamandulo. Le codex kuqilelwa ukuba yabhalwa malunga nasekuqaleni kwenkulungwane yesihlanu yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, olu qikelelo lungqanyaniswa nokutshintsha kwendlela yokubhala phakathi kwenkulungwane yasihlanu neyesithandathu kuxwebhu olubizwa ngokuba yiDioscorides yaseVienna.a
Umbhalo-ngqangi wesibini owawusetyenziswa ngabaphengululi ngowaseSinayi (iCodex yaseSinayi), owafunyanwa nguTischendorf kwikhaya loonongendi laseSt Catherine. Yabhalwa ngoonobumba abakhulu bantlandlolo besiGrike, inenxalenye yeZibhalo zesiHebhere nayo yonke iMibhalo yamaKristu yesiGrike eyayiguqulelwe ngokusuka kwiSeptuagint yesiGrike. Inxalenye yale codex, enamaphepha angama-43 igcinwe eLeipzig, eJamani; enye inxalenye yayo enamaphepha angama-347 igcinwe kwiThala laseBritani eLondon kanti ezinye zigcinwe eSt. Petersburg, Rashiya. Lo mbhalo-ngqangi kuqikelelwa ukuba wabhalwa ngasekupheleni kwenkulungwane yesine kwixesha eliqhelekileyo. Eli xesha lixhaswa ngamaxesha aqikelelwayo akwiiVangeli ekucingelwa ukuba aqulunqwa ngumbhali-mbali uEusebius waseCaesarea.b
Umbhalo wesithathu ngumbhalo-ngqangi iVatican No. 1209 (iCodex Vaticanus), oneBhayibhile epheleleyo yesiGrike. Le codex yavela okwesihlandlo sokuqala ngowe-1475 kwiThala laseVatican. Ibhalwe ngoonobumba abakhulu bantlandlolo besiGrike kumaphepha angama-759, le codex ineencwadi ezininzi zeBhayibhile, ngaphandle kwezahluko eziliqela zeGenesis, inxalenye yeNdumiso nezeziBhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike. Abaphengululi bacingela ukuba lo mbhalo-ngqangi wabhalwa ngenkulungwane yesine kwiXesha Eliqhelekileyo. Bafikelele njani kweso sigqibo? Lo mbhalo-ngqangi ufana twatse nowaseSinayi, owabhalwa ngenkulungwane yesine. Noko ke, kucingelwa ukuba iVaticanus yeyona indala kuneminye. Esinye isizathu sikukuba ayinazo iimbekiselo ezikwiEusebian.
Ubuncwane Obungcwatywe Enkunkumeni
Ngowe-1920 kwiThala likaJohn Rylands laseManchester eNgilani kwafunyanwa imibhalo-ngqangi eyayifunyenwe eYiputa kwindawo yokulahla inkunkuma. Ngoxa wayehlola le mibhalo-ngqangi, umphengululi uColin Roberts wafumanisa ukuba kukho iileta, iirisithi uxwebhu lokubala abantu elalibhalwe ngoonobumba awayebazi—wayebabone kwincwadi kaYohane isahluko 18. Yayingowona mbhalo-ngqangi wamaKristu obhalwe ngesiGrike owawusaziwa ngelo xesha.
La maxwebhu aziwa ngokuba yiJohn Rylands Papyrus 457, yaye yaziwa ehlabathini lonke ngokuba yi-P52. Yayibhalwe ngoonobumba abakhulu bantlandlolo besiGrike, ngasekuqaleni kwenkulungwane yesibini—kumashumi eminyaka nje ambalwa emva kokuba uYohane ebhale incwadi yakhe yeVangeli. Ubukhulu becala, le mibhalo ivisisana naleyo iye yafunyanwa kamva.
Yeyamandulo Kodwa Ichanile!
Kwincwadi yakhe ethi The Bible and Archæology, umhlalutyi wemibhalo waseBritani uMhlekazi uFrederic Kenyon, wabhala wathi ngokuphathelele iZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike: “Ukungatshintshi nokuvisisana kweencwadi zeTestamente Entsha xa zithelekiswa neminye imibhalo-ngqangi kubonisa ukuba zichanile.” Ngokufanayo noko kwathethwa nguKenyon, umphengululi uWilliam H. Green uthi ngokuphathelele ukuvisisana kweZibhalo zesiHebhere: “Kusenokutshiwo kuqinisekiwe ukuba ayikho enye incwadi yamandulo eye yakhutshelwa ngokuchane kangaka.”
Loo magqabaza asikhumbuza amazwi kampostile uPetros athi: “Yonke inyama injengengca, yaye lonke uzuko lwayo lunjengentyatyambo yengca; ingca iyabuna, nentyatyambo iyavuthuluka, kodwa ilizwi likaYehova lihlala likho ngonaphakade.”—1 Petros 1:24, 25.
[Imibhalo esemazantsi]
a Le Dioscorides yaseVienna yabhalelwa uJuliana Anicia, owafa ngowama-527 okanye ngowama-528 C.E. Eli xwebhu “ngumbhalo wokuqala wale ndlela intsha yokubhala isiGrike onosuku oluchazwe ngokungqalileyo.”—An Introduction to Greek and Latin Palaeography, ebhalwe nguE. M. Thompson.
b Imibhalo kaEusebian yingqokelela yeembekiselo ebonisa ukuba iindinyana zeVangeli ezifanayo.”—Manuscripts of the Greek Bible, ebhalwe nguBruce M. Metzger.
[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 21]
Ngokuhlolisa ngenyameko imibhalo-ngqangi yamandulo, iingcali zemibhalo-ngqangi ziye zakwazi ukuqikelela ixesha ebhalwe ngalo
[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 20]
Ukwazi Ngexesha Owabhalwa Ngawo Umsongo KaIsaya Wolwandle Olufileyo
Umsongo wokuqala wencwadi yeBhayibhile kaIsaya Wolwandle Olufileyo wafunyanwa ngowe-1947 wawubhalwe kwizintsu ngaphambi kwemibhalo ngqangi yesiHebhere eyayibhalwe ngamaMasorete. Kuqikelelwa ukuba wabhalwa ngasekupheleni kwenkulungwane yesibini Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo. Abaphengululi bafikelela njani kweso sigqibo? Bathelekisa neminye imibhalo yesiHebhere baze bamisela ixesha eliqikelelwayo eliphakathi kowe-125 B.C.E. nowe-100 B.C.E. Icarbon-14 inengcombolo engakumbi ephathelele ixesha lokubhalwa kwalo msongo.
Okumangalisayo kukuba ukuthelekiswa kwale miSongo yoLwandle Olufileyo nombhalo weMasorete owakhutshelwa emva kweenkulungwane ezininzi ngabakhupheli beBhayibhile ababizwa ngokuba ngama-Masorete, kubonisa ukuba azikho iimfundiso eziye zatshintshwa.c Iimpazamo ezikulo msongo zezokubhalwa kwamagama negrama. Enye inkalo ebalaseleyo kulo msongo kaIsaya ligama likaYehova elibhalwe ngoonobumba abane besiHebhere elisoloko livela.
[Umbhalo osemazantsi]
c AmaMasorete, abakhupheli bamaYuda ababeziinkunkqele babephila kwisiqingatha sesibini senkulungwane yesibini yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo.
[Isicangca/Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 20, 21]
(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)
Umbhalo Wesandla WesiGrike
Ukubhala ngesandla (onobumba abakhulu)
Ukususela ngenkulungwane yesi-4 Ngaphambi Kwexesha Eliqhelekileyo ukusa kwinkulungwane yesi-8 okanye eyesi-9 Ngexesha Lethu.
Oonobumba abancinane
Ukususela ngenkulungwane yesi-8 okanye eye-9 Ngexesha Lethu ukusa kweye-15 Ngexesha Lethu.
Imibhalo-ngqangi Ebalulekileyo
400
200
Imisongo Yolwandle Olufileyo
Ileta yenkulungwane yesi-2 Ngaphambi Kwexesha Eliqhelekileyo
B.C.E.
C.E.
100
IJohn Rylands Papyrus 457
Ngowe-125 C.E.
300
Umbhalo-ngqangi waseVatican No. 1209
Ekuqaleni kwenkulungwane yesi-4
Umbhalo-ngqangi waseSinayi
Ngenkulungwane yesi-4
400
Umbhalo-ngqangi ka-Alexandrine
Ekuqaleni kwenkulungwane yesi-5
500
700
800
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 19]
Ngasentla: UKonstantin von Tichendorf;
Ekunene: UBernard de Montfaucon
[Inkcazelo]
© Réunion des Musées Nationaux/Art Resource, NY
[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 20]
Imisongo Yolwandle Olufileyo: Shrine of the Book, Israel Museum, Jerusalem
[Inkcazelo Ngemifanekiso ekwiphepha 21]
Typographical facsimile of Vatican Manuscript No. 1209: From the book Bibliorum Sacrorum Graecus Codex Vaticanus, 1868; Reproduction of Sinaitic Manuscript: 1 Timothy 3:16, as it appears in the Codex Sinaiticus, 4th century C.E.; Alexandrine Manuscript: From The Codex Alexandrinus in Reduced Photographic Facsimile, 1909, by permission of the British Library