Umshicileli Owaba Negalelo Elingalibalekiyo

NGABA wakha wafuna ndinyana ithile eBhayibhileni kodwa ungasakhumbuli ukuba ifumaneka phi na? Ukanti, ngokukhumbula nje igama elinye, wakwazi ukuyifumana ngokusebenzisa isalatha-magama seBhayibhile. Okanye mhlawumbi uye waya kwindibano yamaKristu apho amakhulu, okanye amawaka, awayekho ayekwazi ukuvula iiBhayibhile zawo ukuze afunde isibhalo kwimizuzwana nje embalwa emva kokuba sicatshuliwe.

Kuyo nayiphi na yezi meko, kukho okuthile okutyala indoda ekusenokwenzeka ukuba akuyazi. Yenza ukufundisisa kwakho iBhayibhile kwalula ngakumbi, kwakhona yaba nendima ekuqinisekiseni ukuba namhlanje sineeBhayibhile ezichanileyo. Yade yanegalelo kwindlela iiBhayibhile ezininzi ezenziwe ngayo.

Le ndoda yayinguRobert Estienne.a Wayengumshicileli, ekubeni naye wayezalwa kwangumshicileli, eParis, eFransi, ngasekuqaleni kwenkulungwane ye-16. Elo yayiliXesha Leenguquko noHlaziyo. Oomatshini bokushicilela baba luncedo ngeli xesha. UHenri Estienne, uyise kaRobert, wayengumshicileli odumileyo, evelisa ezinye iintlelo zeencwadi ezintle kwezakha zaveliswa ebudeni beli Xesha Leenguquko. Umsebenzi wakhe wawuquka iincwadi zemfundo nezeBhayibhile ebhalela iYunivesithi yaseParis nesikolo sayo sezakwalizwi—iSorbonne.

Kodwa makhe sinikele ingqalelo kunyana, uRobert Estienne. Kuncinane okwaziwayo ngemfundo yakhe. Ukanti, ukususela ebutsheni bakhe, wayeyincutshe kwisiLatini ibe kungekudala wafunda isiGrike kwanesiHebhere. URobert wafunda ubugcisa bokushicilela kuyise. Xa wangena ezihlangwini zikaHenri njengomshicileli ngowe-1526, uRobert Estienne wayesele esaziwa njengomphengululi weelwimi okudidi oluphakamileyo. Nangona wapapasha iintlelo ezazihlalutya uncwadi lwesiLatini nezinye iincwadi zemfundo, eyona nto wayezinikele ngamandla kuyo yayiyiBhayibhile. Elangazelela ukwenzela iBhayibhile yesiLatini oko kwakusele kwenzelwe iincwadi zesiLatini, lo kaEstienne wazimisela ukuqala ngokutsha nangokukhawuleza umbhalo wokuqala weBhayibhile kaJerome yesiLatini iVulgate yenkulungwane yesihlanu.

IVulgate Esulungekisiweyo

UJerome waguqulela ngokusuka kwisiHebhere nesiGrike sokuqala seBhayibhile, kodwa ngomhla kaEstienne, iVulgate yayikho kangangewaka leminyaka. Iimpazamo nezinto ezingafanelekanga ezininzi zanyebelezela ngenxa yokukhutshelwa kweVulgate kangangezizukulwana ezininzi. Ngaphezu koko, ebudeni bamaXesha Aphakathi, amazwi eBhayibhile aphefumlelwe nguThixo agqunyelelwa yintlaninge yamabali amandulo awayekho ngamaxesha aphakathi, iindinyana ezazicaciswe ngamanye amazwi nobuxoki obafakelwayo. Ezi zinto zaxubana nombhalo weBhayibhile kangangokuba zaqalisa ukwamkelwa njengemibhalo ephefumlelweyo.

Ukuze ashenxise konke oko kwakufakelwe, lo kaEstienne wasebenzisa iindlela zokuhlalutya umbhalo ezazisetyenziswa kwisifundo soncwadi lwakudala. Waphanda waza wafumana eyona mibhalo-ngqangi yamandulo neyona ilungileyo eyayikho. Kwimizi yogcino-zincwadi yaseParis nakwiindawo ezikufuphi kuyo nakwiindawo ezifana ne-Évreux neSoissons, wabhaqa imibhalo-ngqangi eliqela yamandulo, omnye kubonakala ukuba ngowenkulungwane yesithandathu. Lo kaEstienne wathelekisa ngenyameko imibhalo yesiLatini eyahlukahlukeneyo indinyana ngendinyana, ekhetha kuphela iindinyana ekwakubonakala zinegunya elikhulu. Lo msebenzi waphumela ekuvelisweni kweBhayibhile kaEstienne, eyapapashwa okokuqala ngowe-1528 ibe yayilinyathelo elibalulekileyo ekusulungekiseni ukuchana kombhalo weBhayibhile. Kwalandela iintlelo eziphuculiweyo zikaEstienne. Abanye ababengaphambi kwakhe bazama ukulungisa iVulgate, kodwa olu lwakhe yayiluhlelo lokuqala olwalunikela inkqubo ephumelelayo yohlalutyo. Eludinini, uEstienne wabonisa apho wayeshiye khona iindinyana ezithile ezithandabuzekayo okanye apho indinyana yayinokufundwa ngeendlela ezininzi. Kwakhona wabhala imithombo yemibhalo-ngqangi eyayinikela igunya kolu lungiso.

UEstienne waqalisa nezinye iinkalo ezininzi ezazintsha ngokupheleleyo ngenkulungwane ye-16. Wahlula phakathi kweeNcwadi Ezingaphefumlelwanga neLizwi likaThixo. Wabeka incwadi yeZenzo emva kweencwadi zeVangeli nangaphambi kweencwadi zikaPawulos. Ngentla kwephepha ngalinye, walungiselela amagama ambalwa aziintloko ukunceda abafundi ukuba bafumane iindinyana ezithile. Lo yayingumzekelo wokuqala woko namhlanje ngokuqhelekileyo kubizwa ngokuthi yimixholo ephezulu. Endaweni yokusebenzisa isiGoth esinzima, okanye uhlobo oluthile loonobumba (black letter), hlobo olo loonobumba olwaluvela eJamani, uEstienne wayengomnye wabokuqala ukushicilela iBhayibhile yonke ngamagama ekulula ukuwafunda ngokuqhelekileyo ekusetyenziswa wona ngoku. Kwakhona walungiselela iimbekiselo ezininzi ezithungelanayo namagqabaza angolwimi ukunceda ekucaciseni iindinyana ezithile.

Uninzi lwezihandiba noobhishophu lwaluyixabisa iBhayibhile kaEstienne, kuba yayilunge kunalo naluphi na olunye uhlelo lweVulgate olwalushicilelwe. Ngobuhle, ubugcisa nokusebenziseka kwalo, uhlelo lwakhe lwamkelwa lwaza kungekudala lwaxeliswa kulo lonke elaseYurophu.

Umshicileli Wasebukhosini

IMizekeliso 22:29 ithi: “Uyayibona indoda eyinkunkqele eshishinini layo? Inokuma phambi kokumkani.” Ubugcisa bukaEstienne obabangela iinguqulelo kunye nobuchule bakhe beelwimi baphawulwa nguFrancis I, ukumkani waseFransi. Lo kaEstienne waba ngumshicileli walo kumkani wesiLatini, isiHebhere nesiGrike. Ngoxa wayekweso sikhundla, uEstienne wavelisa oko kusajongwa njengobunye bobugcisa bokushicilela baseFransi. Ngowe-1539 waqalisa ukuvelisa iBhayibhile yokuqala entle yesiHebhere epheleleyo eyashicilelwa eFransi. Ngowe-1540 wafaka imifanekiso kwiBhayibhile yakhe yesiLatini. Kodwa endaweni yemifanekiso eyayixhaphakile yentelekelelo yeziganeko zeBhayibhile eyayithandwa kumaXesha Aphakathi, lo kaEstienne wenza imizobo efundisayo esekelwe kubungqina bokumbiwa kwezinto zakudala okanye kwimilinganiselo nakwiingcaciso ezifumaneka eBhayibhileni. Le mifanekiso ishicilelwe ngomthi okroliweyo yayibonisa ngokweenkcukacha izinto ezifana netyeya yomnqophiso, iingubo zombingeleli omkhulu, umnquba netempile kaSolomon.

Esebenzisa uhlobo oluthile loonobumba abakhethekileyo besiGrike awaba-odolela ukushicilela ingqokelela yemibhalo-ngqangi kakumkani, uEstienne waqhubeka evelisa uhlelo oluhlalutyiweyo lweZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike. Nangona iintlelo zokuqala ezimbini zombhalo wesiGrike zikaEstienne zazingabhetelanga kangako kumsebenzi kaDesiderius Erasmus, kuhlelo lwesithathu lowe-1550, uEstienne wongezelela izinto awazihlalutyayo neembekiselo awayezithabatha kwimibhalo-ngqangi emalunga ne-15, kuquka iCodex Bezae yenkulungwane yesihlanu yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo neBhayibhile yeSeptuagint. Olu hlelo lukaEstienne lwamkelwa ngokubanzi kangangokuba kamva lwaba sisiseko soko kwafane kwabizwa ngokuba yiTextus Receptus, okanye Umbhalo Ofunyenweyo, leyo zathi iinguqulelo ezininzi zamva zasekelwa kuyo, kuquka iKing James Version yowe-1611.

ISorbonne Nxamnye NoHlaziyo

Ngenxa yeengcamango zikaLuther nezabanye aBaququzeleli boHlaziyo ezazisasazeke kulo lonke elaseYurophu, iCawa yamaKatolika yafuna ukulawula oko kwakucingwa ngabantu ngokuthi ilawule oko babekufunda. NgoJuni 15, 1520, uPopu Leo X wayekhuphe ummiselo owawunomyalelo othi akukho ncwadi iqulethe “uqhekeko” eza kushicilelwa, ithengiswe, okanye ifundwe kulo naliphi na ilizwe lamaKatolika waza wahlab’ ikhwelo kumagunya ehlabathi ukuba anyanzelise lo mmiselo kumazwe awo. ENgilani, uKumkani uHenry VIII wanika uCuthbert Tunstall owayengubhishophu wamaKatolika umsebenzi wokuhlola iincwadi ezishicilelwayo. Noko ke, kwiindawo ezininzi zaseYurophu, igunya elingenakuphikiswa kwimicimbi yemfundiso, elalisondele kupopu, yayiliqela labefundisi bezakwalizwi kwiYunivesithi yaseParis—iSorbonne.

ISorbonne yayisisixhobo sezithethe zamaKatolika. Kangangeenkulungwane ezininzi yayigqalwa njengegwiba lokholo lobuKatolika. Abahloli beencwadi ezishicilelwayo baseSorbonne babeluchasile lonke uhlalutyo ndawonye nokuguqulelwa kweVulgate kwiilwimi zabanye abantu, bekujonga oko kungekuphela njengento “eyimfitshimfitshi kwicawa kodwa ekwayingozi.” Oku kwakungamangalisi ngelo xesha xa bathi aBaququzeleli boHlaziyo bathandabuza iimfundiso zecawa, imisitho nezithethe ezazingasekelwanga kwigunya leZibhalo. Noko ke, uninzi lwabefundisi bezakwalizwi eSorbonne lwaluzigqala iimfundiso zecawa ezihlonelwayo njengezibaluleke kakhulu kunenguqulelo yeBhayibhile echanileyo. Omnye umfundisi wezakwalizwi wathi: “Xa iimfundiso zamkelwe, iZibhalo zifana kanye nesikefele esithi lwakuba udonga lwakhiwe sisuswe.” Inkoliso yeli qela labefundisi yayingasazi isiHebhere nesiGrike, ukanti yayizigxeka izifundo zikaEstienne nabanye abaphengululi beXesha Leenguquko ababephanda iintsingiselo zantlandlolo zamagama asetyenziswa eBhayibhileni. Omnye unjingalwazi waseSorbonne waba nobuganga bokuthi “ukusasazwa kolwazi lwesiGrike nesiHebhere bekuya kukhokelela ekutshatyalalisweni kwalo lonke unqulo.”

ISorbonne Iyahlasela

Nangona iintlelo zokuqala zeVulgate zikaEstienne zagqithayo kubahloli beencwadi ezishicilelwayo beli qela labefundisi, azizange zingaphikiswa. Emva phayaa ngenkulungwane ye-13, iVulgate yangcwaliswa njengeBhayibhile esemthethweni yale yunivesithi, ibe kubantu abaninzi umbhalo wayo wawuchanile. Eli qela labefundisi lade lagxeka nomphengululi ohloniphekileyo uErasmus ngoko wakwenza kwiVulgate. Isibakala sokuba umntu nje ongumshicileli wasekuhlaleni nongengomfundisi abe nesibindi sokulungisa umbhalo osemthethweni sasisothusa kwabanye.

Mhlawumbi ngaphezu kwayo nayiphi na into, yayingamagqabaza kaEstienne awayeseludinini awayexhalabisa abefundisi bezakwalizwi. La magqabaza avakalisa amathandabuzo ngokuba semthethweni kombhalo weVulgate. Umnqweno kaEstienne wokucacisa iindinyana ezithile waphumela ekubeni abekwe isityholo sokugxuphuleka kummandla wezakwalizwi. Wasikhanyela walala ngomqolo eso sityholo, esithi la magqabaza akhe ayelushwankathelo nje olufutshane okanye ayengawolwimi olwasetyenziswa ekubhaleni. Ngokomzekelo, amagqabaza akhe kwiGenesis 37:35 acacisa ukuba igama elithi “isihogo” [infernum, ngesiLatini] alimele liqondwe njengendawo apho abangendawo bohlwaywa khona. Eli qela labefundisi lamtyhola ngokuthi wayekukhanyela ukungafi komphefumlo namandla “eengcwele” okuxolelanisa.

Noko ke, lo kaEstienne, wayexhaswa yaye ekhuselwa ngukumkani. UFrancis I wabonisa umdla omkhulu kwizifundo zeXesha Leenguquko, ngokukodwa kumsebenzi womshicileli wakhe wasebukhosini. Kunikelwa ingxelo yokuba, uFrancis I wade wamtyelela lo kaEstienne ibe wakha walinda ngomonde ngoxa uEstienne wayelungisa izinto zokugqibela embhalweni. Ekubeni wayexhaswa ngukumkani, uEstienne wamelana neSorbonne.

Abefundisi Bezakwalizwi Bavala IiBhayibhile Zakhe

Noko ke, iziganeko zowe-1545 zabangela ukuba umsindo omkhulu weqela labefundisi baseSorbonne ujoliswe kuEstienne. Zibona ingenelo yokubumba umanyano nxamnye naBaququzeleli boHlaziyo, iiyunivesithi zamaKatolika zaseCologne (eJamani), eLouvain (eBelgium) neyaseParis zazivumelene ngaphambili ukuba zisebenzisane ekuhloleni iincwadi ezishicilelwayo eziqulethe iimfundiso ezingezozazithethe. Xa abefundisi bezakwalizwi beYunivesithi yaseLouvain babhalela kwiSorbonne bevakalisa umnqa ababenawo wokuba iiBhayibhile zikaEstienne zingabonakalanga kuludwe lwaseParis lweencwadi ezazigxekwa, iSorbonne yabaphendula ixoka isithi yona ngeyayizigxeke ngokwenene ukuba yayizibonile. Ngoku iintshaba zikaEstienne kweli qela labefundisi zaziva zinentembelo yokuba igunya elimanyeneyo lamaqela abefundisi baseLouvain nabaseParis laliya kwanela ekubeni leyisele uFrancis I ukuba abone iimpazamo zalo mshicileli wakhe.

Kwangelo xesha, ekubeni wayelunyukisiwe ngeenjongo zeentshaba zakhe, uEstienne waya kukumkani kuqala. UEstienne wacebisa ukuba ukuba aba befundisi bezakwalizwi babenokuveza uludwe lwazo naziphi na iimpazamo ababezifumene, wayekulungele ngokupheleleyo ukuzishicilela ezi ndawonye nezinto ezilungisiweyo zabefundisi bezakwalizwi aze aziquke kwiBhayibhile nganye ethengiswayo. Esi sicombululo sathandwa ngukumkani. Wacela uPierre du Chastel, umfundi wakhe wasebukhosini, ukuba asingathe lo mcimbi. Ngo-Oktobha 1546 iqela labefundisi labhalela uDu Chastel likhalaza ngelithi iiBhayibhile zikaEstienne ‘zazikukudla kwabo bakhanyela uKholo lwethu nabaxhasa . . . uqhekeko olwalukho’ ibe zazizele ziimpazamo ezininzi ezazizenza zifanelwe “kukupheliswa zize zitshatyalaliswe zonke.” Engeyisekanga kwaphela, ngoku ukumkani waliyalela ngokwakhe eli qela labefundisi ukuba liveze oko likugxekayo ukuze kushicilelwe kunye neeBhayibhile zikaEstienne. Lathembisa ukukwenza oku, kodwa eneneni lenza konke elalinokukwazi ukukwenza ukuze liphephe ukuveza uludwe oluneenkcukacha lweempazamo elalizikrokrela.

UFrancis I wafa ngoMatshi 1547, yaye ngaloo ndlela uEstienne waphulukana noyena mhlobo wakhe wayenamandla nxamnye nengcinezelo yaseSorbonne. Xa uHenry II wahlala etroneni, wawuhlaziya umyalelo kayise wokuba eli qela labefundisi liveze izinto elizigxekayo. Ukanti, ekubeni wayebona indlela iinkosana zaseJamani ezazilusebenzisa ngayo uHlaziyo ukuze zifeze iinjongo zopolitiko, uHenry II wayengakuxhalabelanga kangako oko kwakusenokuba ziingenelo okanye iingxaki zeeBhayibhile zomshicileli wasebukhosini kunokugcina amaKatolika aseFransi emanyene ngaphantsi kokumkani wawo omtsha. NgoDisemba 10, 1547, iBhunga lamaGosa kakumkani lagqiba ekubeni ukuthengiswa kweeBhayibhile zikaEstienne kuvalwe de abefundisi bezakwalizwi bavelise uludwe lwabo lwezinto abazigxekayo.

Utyholwa Ngokuba Ngumqhekeki

Ngoku eli qela labefundisi lafuna iindlela zokuba ityala likaEstienne lisiwe kwinkundla ekhethekileyo eyayisandul’ ukumiselwa ukwenzela ukuvavanya amatyala oqhekeko. UEstienne wayeyiqonda kakuhle ingozi awayekuyo. Kwiminyaka emibini isekiwe, le nkundla yaziwa ngokuba yichambre ardente, okanye “igumbi elitshisayo.” Amaxhoba amalunga nama-60 axhonywa emthini, kuquka abashicileli nabathengisi beencwadi abatshiswa bephila ePlace Maubert, kumgama nje onokuwuhamba imizuzu embalwa ukusuka kwindlu kaEstienne. Indlu kaEstienne yagqogqwa ngokuphindaphindiweyo kufunwa nje nokuba bubungqina obuncinane bokummangalela. Kwancinwa amangqina angaphezu kwama-80. Oontamnani bathenjiswa ngokunikwa isine sezinto zakhe ukuba wayenokuvalelwa ngenxa yoqhekeko. Ukanti, ekuphela kobungqina ababenabo yayikoko uEstienne wakushicilela ekuhleni kwiiBhayibhile zakhe.

Kwakhona ukumkani wakhupha umyalelo wokuba uludwe lwezinto ezigxekwa leli qela labefundisi ziziswe kwiBhunga lamaGosa akhe. Ekubeni lalisele liqaqadekile, eli qela labefundisi laphendula lathi ‘asingomkhwa wabefundisi bezakwalizwi ukuvakalisa izimvo zabo ngokubhala izizathu zento abayigweba njengoqhekeko kodwa baphendula ngelizwi kuphela, ekufuneka ulikholelwe, kungenjalo akusayi kuze kuphele ukubhala.’ UHenry wakuvuma oko. Zavalwa ngokupheleleyo. Phantse wonke umsebenzi weBhayibhile uEstienne awakha wawenza wagwetywa. Nangona wasindayo kumadangatye asePlace Maubert, wagqiba ekubeni ayinikel’ umva iFransi ngenxa yokuvalwa ngokupheleleyo kweeBhayibhile zakhe nangenxa yokuba wayenokuphathwa kakubi ngokubhekele phaya.

Umshicileli Owalinikel’ Umva Elakowabo

NgoNovemba 1550, uEstienne wafudukela eGeneva, eSwitzerland. Iqela labefundisi lalenze akwabikho mthethweni eFransi ukupapasha nayiphi na iBhayibhile ngaphandle kweVulgate. Ekubeni ngoku wayekhululekile ukupapasha oko wayekunqwenela, uEstienne waphinda washicilela “iTestamente Entsha” yakhe yesiGrike ngowe-1551, kunye neenguqulelo ezimbini zesiLatini (iVulgate nekaErasmus) kwimihlathi emibini emeleneyo. Ngowe-1552, walandelisa ngenguqulelo yesiFrentshi yeZibhalo zesiGrike eyayikumhlathi omelene nombhalo kaErasmus wesiLatini. Kwezi ntlelo zombini, uEstienne waqalisa inkqubo yakhe yokwahlulahlula umbhalo weBhayibhile ube neendinyana ezibhalwe ngamanani—inkqubo efana nesetyenziswa ngokubanzi namhlanje. Nangona abanye kwixa elidluleyo bazama iindlela ezahlukahlukeneyo zokwahlulahlula iindinyana, kwamkelwa ekaEstienne. IBhayibhile yakhe yesiFrentshi yowe-1553 yayiyiBhayibhile yokuqala epheleleyo eyayineendinyana ezahlulahlulwe ngale ndlela yakhe.

IBhayibhile yesiLatini kaEstienne eneenguqulelo ezimbini yowe-1557 nayo iphawuleka ngokusebenzisa kwakhe igama likaThixo lobuqu, elithi Jehova, kuzo zonke iZibhalo zesiHebhere. Eludinini lwendumiso yesibini, wathi ukuthatyathelwa indawo kweTetragrammaton yesiHebhere (יהוה) ngo-ʼAdho·naiʹ kwakusekelwe ngokupheleleyo kwinkolo yamaYuda yaye kufanelwe kugatywe. Kolu hlelo, uEstienne wasebenzisa amagama abhalwe bukekela ukubonisa amagama esiLatini awongezelelweyo ukuphelelisa intsingiselo yesiHebhere. Kamva obu buchule basetyenziswa nakwezinye iiBhayibhile, nto leyo ebisoloko ibadida abafundi banamhlanje abaqhelene nokusetyenziswa kwezi mini kwamagama abhalwe bukekela ukubonisa ukugxininisa.

Ekubeni wayezimisele ukwenza uphengululo lwakhe lufumaneke nakwabanye, uEstienne wabunikela ekupapasheni iZibhalo eziNgcwele ubomi bakhe. Abo namhlanje balixabisayo iLizwi likaThixo banokuba nombulelo ngemigudu yakhe nangokubulaleka kwabanye abathi babila besoma bezabalazela ukutyhila amazwi eBhayibhile njengoko ayebhalwe njalo ntlandlolo. Umsebenzi abawuqalayo uyaqhubeka njengoko sifumana ulwazi olungakumbi oluchanileyo lweelwimi zamandulo size sifumane neyona mibhalo-ngqangi yamhlamnene echane ngakumbi yeLizwi likaThixo. Kungekudala ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe (ngowe-1559), uEstienne wayexakeke yinguqulelo entsha yeZibhalo zesiGrike. Wabuzwa oku: “Ngubani oya kuyithenga? Ingubani oya kuyifunda?” Eqinisekile waphendula ngelithi: ‘Ngabo bonke abantu abafundileyo abahlonela uThixo.’

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]

Imigudu kaRobert Estienne iye yanceda izizukulwana ezininzi zabafundi beBhayibhile

[Inkcazelo]

Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 12]

Imifanekiso kaEstienne efundisayo yaxeliswa kangangezizukulwana ezininzi

[Inkcazelo]

Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris