UJerome Umseki Wokuguqulelwa KweBhayibhile Owayengundaba-mlonyeni

NGOAPRILI 8, 1546, iBhunga laseTrent lakhupha isaziso esithi iVulgate yesiLatini “iye yavunywa yiCawa [yamaKatolika] . . . nokuba makungabikho namnye ulinga okanye uzama ukuyichasa enoba sekusithiwani na.” Nangona iVulgate yayigqitywe kwiminyaka engaphezu kwewaka ngaphambilana, kwakusele kukudala yona kunye nomguquleli wayo, uJerome, ingundaba-mlonyeni. Wayengubani phofu lo Jerome? Iyintoni le yayimenza undaba-mlonyeni yena neBhayibhile awayiguqulelayo? Umsebenzi wakhe ukuchaphazela njani ukuguqulelwa kweBhayibhile namhlanje?

Ukuqala Kwakhe Ukuba Ngumphengululi

Igama lesiLatini likaJerome yayinguEusebius Hieronymus. Wazalwa malunga nowama-346 C.E. eStridon, kwiphondo lamaRoma laseDalmatia, kude kufuphi nomda owahlula i-Itali neSlovenia yale mihla.a Wayezalwa zizityebi, ibe wakhula exhamla iingenelo zokuba nemali, wafunda eRoma efundiswa yingcali yomgaqo-ntetho yodumo uDonatus. UJerome wazibalula kwizifundo zomgaqo-ntetho, ubuchule bokuthetha nokubhala nakwintanda-bulumko. Ebudeni beli thuba waqalisa nokufunda isiGrike.

Emva kokumka eRoma ngowama-366 C.E., uJerome waba ngusithubeni, de ekugqibeleni waya kuhlala eAquileia, eItali, apho afike wadibana nengcamango yokuphila ubomi bokuzibandeza uyolo. Uthe akutsaleleka kule ngcamango yokungazixabisi, yena neqela labahlobo bakhe bachitha iminyaka eliqedlana bephila ubomi obunjalo.

Ngowama-373 C.E., elo qela lasuka laqhusalaka ngesizathu esingaziwa mntu. Exhelekile, uJerome wathi eseBhithiniya, wabe eseGalati, naseKilikiya de ekugqibeleni waya kutsho kwa-Antiyokwe, eSiriya.

Olo hambo lude lwaba nemiphumo emibi kuye. Edinwe eyimfe yaye egulel’ ugqirha nezicaka, uJerome waphantsa wonganyelwa ngumkhuhlane. Xa wayebhalela enye intang’ akhe, wathi: “Owu, akwaba iNkosi uYesu Kristu ibingandifunqula ngephanyazo indizise kuwe. Lo mzinjana wam, ocekecekana kwanaxa uphilile, uphele tu.”

Uthe uJerome esalele ngendlu, engenabani yaye esadideke enjalo engqondweni, woselwa yenye into​—⁠enokuthanani nonqulo. Xa wayephupha wazibona “erholelwa phambi kwesihlalo sokugweba” sikaThixo. Xa kwathiwa makazichaze, uJerome waphendula: “NdingumKristu mna.” Umgwebi wamphendula ngelithi: “Xokindini, wena ungumlandeli kaCicero kungekhona okaKristu.”

Ukuza kuthi ga ngelo xesha uJerome wayethe phithi kukufundisisa iincwadi zabahedeni kunokufunda iLizwi likaThixo. Wathi: “Sandintsentsetha isazela.” Enethemba lokuba noko uza kulungis’ ukuhlala, uJerome wenza esi sifungo ephupheni lakhe: “Nkosi, ukuba nje ndikhe ndaphinda ndaphatha incwadi yehlabathi, okanye ukuba ndikhe ndayifunda kwakhona, ndiya kuba ndikukhanyele Wena.”

Kamva, uJerome wazithethelela ngelithi wayengenakude acokoviswe ngesifungo awayesenze ephupha. Sekunjalo wazimisela ukusizalisekisa isifungo sakhe​—⁠ubuncinane ngokomgaqo ke phofu. Ngoko ke uJerome wemka kwa-Antiyokwe waza waya kuzihlalela yedwa eChalcis kwintlango yaseSiriya. Eyinkom’ edla yodwa, wazinkcinkca ngokufunda iBhayibhile neencwadi zezakwalizwi. UJerome wathi: “Iincwadi zikaThixo ndizifunda ngenzondelelo eyigqitha lee ebendizifunda ngayo ezabantu.” Kwakhona wafunda nesiSiriya sasekuhlaleni waza waqalisa ukufunda isiHebhere encedwa ngumYuda othile owayeguquke wangumKristu.

Uthumo LukaPopu

Emva kokuphila njengemonki kangangeminyaka emihlanu, uJerome wabuyela kwa-Antiyokwe eyokugqibezela izifundo zakhe. Noko ke, uthe akufika wafumanisa ukuba icawa yahlulelene. Phofu ke, kwaesesentlango, uJerome wayecele icebiso kuPopu uDamasus, esithi: “Icawa yahlulelene yangamacandelo amathathu, ibe ngalinye lifuna ndime ngakulo.”

Ethubeni, uJerome wagqiba kwelokuba axhase uPaulinus, enye yamadoda amathathu awayezigqatsela isikhundla sokuba ngubhishopu wakwa-Antiyokwe. UJerome wavuma ukubekw’ izandla nguPaulinus kodwa wabeka imiqathango emibini. Okokuqala, wayefuna ukuba avunyelwe aqhubeke nomsebenzi wakhe njengemonki. Yaye okwesibini, wathi akasayi kugqalwa njengomfundisi wecawa ethile.

Ngowama-381 C.E., uJerome wapheleka uPaulinus besiya kwiBhunga laseConstantinople baza emva koko badlulela eRoma. Zisuka nje uPopu uDamasus wabubona ubunkunkqele bukaJerome bokuphengulula nokwazi ulwimi. Uthe ungaphelanga nonyaka wabe uJerome ebambe iqhuzu lokuba ngunobhala wobuqu kaDamasus.

Ekubeni ngoku wayengunobhala, uJerome akazange aphele ezinkcukwini. Phofu ke, masithi wayelulanda luzihlalele. Ngokomzekelo, waqhubeka ephila ubomi bokuzibandeza uyolo kobo buqheleqhele bendlu kapopu. Ukongezelela koko, ekubeni wayekhuthaza indlela yakhe yokuphila ubomi obungqongqo yaye ekugxeka kabukhali ukuzifica kwabefundisi ngezinto zehlabathi, iintshaba zikaJerome zanda zangangoboya benja.

Noko ke, egxijwa enjalo, uJerome waxhaswa ngokupheleleyo nguPopu uDamasus. Upopu wayenesizathu esivakalayo phofu sokukhuthaza uJerome ukuba aqhubeke nophando lwakhe ngeBhayibhile. Ngelo xesha, zazininzi iinguqulelo zeBhayibhile zesiLatini ezazisetyenziswa. Uninzi lwazo lwaluguqulelwe ngaphandle kwenkathalo, luneempazamo ezibonwa nanguthathatha. Enye into eyayingamlalisi buhlayo uDamasus yayikukuba ulwimi lwaluwahlula kubini ummandla oseMpuma noseNtshona wecawa. Babembalwa abantu ababesazi isiLatini eMpuma; bembalwa abazi isiGrike eNtshona.

Ngoko uPopu uDamasus wayenomdla wokuba kubekho inguqulelo ehlaziyiweyo yeencwadi zeVangeli ngesiLatini. UDamasus wayefuna inguqulelo eyayiza kufana twatse neyesiGrike yantlandlolo, kodwa ke ibhalwe ngesiLatini esinezangotshe nesicacileyo. UJerome wayengomnye wabaphengululi abambalwa ababenokukwazi ukuvelisa loo nguqulelo. Ekubeni isiGrike, isiLatini nesiSiriya wayezazi kakuhle yaye enomnyinyivana wolwazi lwesiHebhere, wayewufanelekela kakuhle lo msebenzi. Ngoko ethunywa nguDamasus, uJerome waqalisa umsebenzi owawuza kuthabatha iminyaka engama-20 yobomi bakhe.

Uchuku Luyaqatsela

Nangona wayesenza amatshe xa eguqulela iincwadi zeVangeli, uJerome wabonakalisa ubugcisa bokuguqulela into ecacileyo nevakalayo ukuba isuka kumphengululi. Ethelekisa yonke imisongo yesiGrike eyayikho ngelo xesha, walungisa umbhalo wesiLatini, indlela owawubhalwe ngayo kunye nomongo wawo, ukuze noko usondele kumbhalo wesiGrike.

Inguqulelo kaJerome yeencwadi zeVangeli ezine yamkelwa ngezandl’ ezishushu, kwaba njalo ke nangencwadi yeeNdumiso ehlaziyiweyo yesiLatini, eyayiguqulelwe ngokusuka kumbhalo weSeptuagint yesiGrike. Kodwa ke babesekho ababemhlab’ amadlala. UJerome wabhala: “Kukho zaphuselana zithile ezazindibhutya ngesityholo sokuba mna ndizama ukulungisa iindinyana zeencwadi zevangeli, loo nto ndiyenza ngaphandle kokugunyaziswa ziindwalutho yaye ndingakhange ndifune izimvo zalo lonke ihlabathi.” Le nkcaso yaba ngathi iyaqatsela emva kokufa kukaPopu Damasus ngowama-384 C.E. Ekubeni uJerome wayengaboni ngasonye nepopu entsha, wagqiba kwelokuba emke eRoma. UJerome waphinda wajongis’ umbombo ngasempuma.

Ukuqala Kwakhe Ukuba Ngumphengululi WesiHebhere

Ngowama-386 C.E., uJerome waba ngummi waseBhetelehem, apho wayeza kuyichithela khona inxalenye eyayisasele yobomi bakhe. Wayehamba neqaqobana labalandeli bakhe abanyanisekileyo, ababequka uPaula, itshawekazi elalisisinhanha saseRoma. UPaula wayeguqukele kubomi bokuzibandeza uyolo phofu ke eshunyayezwe nguJerome. Kusetyenziswa imali yale ntokazi, kwakhiwa umzi woonongendi neemonki owawuphantsi kolwalathiso lukaJerome. Kulapho ke awathi waqhubela phambili nomsebenzi wakhe wokuphengulula waza wagqiba owona msebenzi mkhulu ebomini bakhe.

Ukuhlala kwakhe ePalestina kwavulela uJerome ithuba lokuphucula ulwazi lwakhe lwesiHebhere. Waqesha abafundisi abaliqela abangamaYuda ukuze bamncede aqonde ezinye zeenkcukacha ezintsonkothileyo zolwimi lwabo. Noko ke, izinto zazingahambi lula sekukho nomfundisi lowo. Ethetha ngomnye umfundisi uBaraninas waseTibheriya, uJerome wathi: “Indlela endingene enkathazweni nendidleke ngayo ngokuqesha uBaraninas ukuba aze kundifundisa ekhusini ngobusuku.” Kwakutheni ukuze bafundisane ngobusuku? Kungenxa yokuba uBaraninas wayesoyika indlela amaYuda awayeza kusabela ngayo xa enxulumana “nomKristu”!

Ngomhla kaJerome, amaYuda ayedla ngokubagculela abeeNtlanga abathetha isiHebhere ngenxa yokungakwazi kwabo ukuwabiza kakuhle amagama anezandi eziphinyiswa ngomqala. Kodwa ke emva kokuzibhokoxa ngamandla, uJerome wada wakwazi ukuzibiza kakuhle ezo zandi. Kwakhona uJerome waguqulela amagama amaninzi esiHebhere ngentetho-ngqo ewasa kwisiLatini. Eli nyathelo alizange lanele nje ukumnceda awakhumbule loo magama kodwa kwakhona lamnceda waqhubeka eyikhumbula indlela yelo xesha yokubiza amagama esiHebhere.

Olona Chuku Lukhulu LukaJerome

Akwaziwa ukuba uPopu uDamasus lo wayefuna uJerome aguqulele inxalenye engakanani na yeBhayibhile. Kodwa ayithandabuzeki indlela uJerome awayewujonga ngayo lo mbandela. UJerome wayengumntu ozilahlela nofele nonenzondelelo xa esenza izinto. Eyona nto awayeyifuna kukuvelisa inguqulelo “eyayiza kuba luncedo eCaweni, neyayiza kufikelela kwizizukulwana ezilandelayo.” Ngoko wagqiba kwelokuba avelise inguqulelo ehlaziyiweyo yeBhayibhile iphela ngesiLatini.

UJerome wayezimisele ukuguqulela iZibhalo zesiHebhere ngokusuka kwiSeptuagint. Abaninzi balugqala olu hlelo lwesiGrike lweZibhalo zesiHebhere, olwaqala ukuguqulelwa ngenkulungwane yesithathu ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, njengoluphefumlelwe nguThixo ngokuthe ngqo. Ngenxa yoko, iSeptuagint yasasazwa kakhulu kumaKristu athetha isiGrike elo xesha.

Noko ke, njengoko uJerome wayeqhubeka nomsebenzi wakhe, wafumanisa ukuba ikho into engathi ncam kwimibhalo-ngqangi yesiGrike, efana nqwa nawayedibene nayo kwisiLatini. UJerome waya etyhafa ngokutyhafa. Ekugqibeleni, wagqiba kwelokuba ukuze avelise inguqulelo enokuthenjwa, kwakuza kufuneka ayibek’ ecaleni imibhalo-ngqangi yesiGrike, kuquka naloo Septuagint yebhongo, aze aguqulele ngqo ngokusuka kumbhalo wesiHebhere wantlandlolo.

Eso sigqibo sabangela ukuba abantu bankqangaze. Bambi babetyabeka uJerome ngokuthi ugqwetha imibhalo, uhlambela uThixo, elahla izithethe zecawa ngenxa yamaYuda. KwanoAugustine​—⁠umfundisi owayephambili ecaweni ngelo xesha​—⁠wamcenga uJerome ukuba abuyele kumbhalo weSeptuagint, esithi: “Ukuba le nguqulelo yakho iye yafundwa ngumntu wonke kwiicawa ezininzi, iza kuba yinkathazo kangangokuba, xa kufundwa iZibhalo, iza kudala iyantlukwano phakathi kweeCawa ezisebenzisa isiLatini neeCawa ezisebenzisa isiGrike.”

Ewe, eyona nto yayisoyikwa nguAugustine kukuba icawa yayinokwahlulelana phakathi ukuba iicawa zaseNtshona zazinokusebenzisa umbhalo wesiLatini kaJerome​—⁠owawuguqulelwe ngokusuka kumbhalo wesiHebhere​—⁠ngoxa iicawa zaseMpuma zesiGrike zisasebenzisa uhlelo lweSeptuagint.b Ukongezelela koko, uAugustine wavakalisa ukungayiqondi kakuhle into yokubekela ecaleni iSeptuagint aze asebenzise inguqulelo eyayinokuthethelelwa nguJerome kuphela.

Wafana wathini ke uJerome kuyo yonke le nkcaso? Nanjengokuba sele umazi, uJerome akazange azikhathaze ngabo babemgxeka. Waqhubeka eguqulela ngokusuka ngqo kwisiHebhere, ibe ngowama-405 C.E., wayigqiba iBhayibhile yakhe yesiLatini. Kwiminyaka ethile kamva inguqulelo yakhe yabizwa ngokuthi yiVulgate, igama elithetha uhlelo olwamkelwa ngumntu wonke (eli gama lisuka kwigama lesiLatini elithi vulgatus elithetha ukuthi “eqhelekileyo, eyaziwayo”).

Imisebenzi Ehlala Ixesha Elide

Inguqulelo kaJerome yeZibhalo zesiHebhere ayizange yanele ukuba kukuhlaziywa nje kombhalo obusele ukho. Yayitshintsha indlela yokufundisisa nokuguqulela iBhayibhile eyayiza kulandelwa zizizukulwana ezilandelayo. Umbhali-mbali uWill Durant wathi: “I-Vulgate iseyeyona ncwadi ibalaseleyo nenempembelelo kwezenkulungwane yesine.”

Nangona uJerome wayenempoxo yaye enguphemb’ eshiya, eyedwa jwi walutshintsha uphengululo lweBhayibhile walubuyisela kumbhalo ophefumlelweyo wesiHebhere. Ngocoselelo, wafundisisa waza wathelekisa imibhalo-ngqangqi yeBhayibhile yesiHebhere neyesiGrike engasafumanekiyo kuthi namhlanje. Wathabath’ apho ayewuyeke khona umsebenzi wawo amaMasorete angamaYuda. Ngenxa yoko, iVulgate iyimbekiselo esemagqabini onokuthelekisa kuyo ezinye iinguqulelo zemibhalo yeBhayibhile.

Bengabuqwabazeli iliso ubuntu bakhe oburhabaxa okanye iinkolelo zakhe zonqulo, abathandi beLizwi likaThixo bayayixabisa imigudu yenkuthalo yalo mseki owayengundaba-mlonyeni wokuguqulelwa kweBhayibhile. Yaye ngokuqinisekileyo, uJerome walufikelela usukelo lwakhe​—⁠wayivelisa inguqulelo eye ‘yafikelela kwizizukulwana ezilandelayo.’

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 28]

Umfanekiso oqingqiweyo kaJerome eBhetelehem

[Inkcazelo]

Garo Nalbandian

[Inkcazelo Ngemifanekiso ekwiphepha 26]

Top left, Hebrew manuscript: Courtesy of the Shrine of the Book, Israel Museum; Jerusalem; Bottom left, Syriac manuscript: Reproduced by kind permission of The Trustees of the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin; Top center, Greek manuscript: Courtesy of Israel Antiquities Authority