Ukufumana “Ukukhanya Okungakumbi” KwiBhayibhile Ekwithala Elidala LaseRashiya

ABAPHENGULULI ababini bakwiphulo bezingela imibhalo-ngqangi yamandulo yeBhayibhile. Ngamnye kubo uhamba yedwa enqumla intlango aze abhuqe efuna kwimiqolomba, kwimizi yoonongendi nakumawa ekwakuhlalwa kuwo mandulo. Kwiminyaka ethile kamva, bagaleleka kwelona thala lidala leencwadi eRashiya, apho bafika bavuyiswe kukufumana eyona mibhalo midala yeBhayibhile ikhoyo ehlabathini. Yayingoobani la madoda? Obo buncwane bawo baya kufika njani eRashiya?

Imibhalo-ngqangi Yamandulo—Abakhuseli BeLizwi LikaThixo

Ukuze sazi omnye waba baphengululi babini, simele sibuyele emva ekuqaleni kwenkulungwane ye-19 xa iYurophu yayibhudlwa yimimoya yokufika kweenkcuba-buchopho. Eli yayilixesha lenkqubela yenzululwazi nenkcubeko, elenza abantu bazithandabuza iinkolelo ezaziwayo. Uhlalutyo oluqatha lwenza yasingelwa phantsi iBhayibhile. Enyanisweni, abaphengululi bavakalisa amathandabuzo ngokuchana kweBhayibhile.

Abanye kwabo babethethelela iBhayibhile bagqiba ekubeni ukufunyanwa kwabakhuseli abatsha—imibhalo-ngqangi yeBhayibhile emidala engekafunyanwa—kungabavala umlomo abo bathandabuza ukuthembeka kweLizwi likaThixo. Ukufumaneka kwemibhalo-ngqangi emidala kunaleyo yayikho, kwakuza kuba bubungqina bokunyaniseka kweBhayibhile, nakuba kwakusele kukudala kusenziwa amalinge okutshabalalisa okanye okusingela phantsi isigidimi sayo. Loo mibhalo-ngqangi yayinokuveza neempazamo ezimbalwa eziye zenziwa xa kuguqulelwa.

EJamani kwavuka iimpikiswano ezitshis’ ibunzi ngokuthembeka kweBhayibhile. Njingalwazi uthile oselityendyana washiya ubomi obutofotofo wathabath’ uhambo olwakhokelela ekubeni afumane obona buncwane bubalulekileyo bakha bafunyanwa beBhayibhile. Igama lakhe wayenguKonstantin von Tischendorf, umphengululi weBhayibhile owathi ngenxa yokungavumelani kwakhe nohlalutyo oluqatha wakuthethelela ngempumelelo ukuthembeka kweBhayibhile. Uhambo lwakhe lokuqala kwintlango yeSinayi ngowe-1844 lwaba yimpumelelo gqitha. Ngokukhangela nje kwibhaskithi yenkunkuma wabona umbhalo wamandulo weSeptuagint, okanye inguqulelo yesiGrike yeZibhalo zesiHebhere—owona mbhalo mdala kweyakha yafunyanwa!

Engakwazi kuzibamba yimincili, uTischendorf wathabatha loo maphepha angama-43 wemka nawo. Nakuba wayekholelwa ukuba kukho eminye enokufumaneka apho, kodwa ukubuyela kwakhe ngowe-1853 wafumana icwecwana nje elincinane. Yayiphi eminye? UTischendorf waphelelwa yimali yokuqhubeka nomsebenzi wakhe waza wafuna inkxaso kwesinye isinhanha, waza wagqiba ekubeni aphinde ashiye ikhaya aye kukhangela imibhalo-ngqangi yamandulo. Noko ke, ngaphambi kokuba anduluke kwafuneka aye kuvela kumlawuli waseRashiya.

Umlawuli Uba Nomdla

Ekubeni uTischendorf wayengumphengululi wamaProtestanti, usenokuba wayezibuza indlela aza kwamkelwa ngayo eRashiya, ilizwe elikhulu elalizaliswe bubuOthodoki baseRashiya. Okuvuyisayo kukuba, eRashiya kwakusenzeka iinguqulelo nabantu beguquka. Ngenxa yokugxininisa kwimfundo, ngowe-1795 uKumkanikazi uCatherine II (owaziwa ngokuba nguCatherine Omkhulu) wakha i-Imperial Library eSt. Petersburg. Njengethala lokuqala likawonke-wonke eRashiya, izigidi zabantu zatsho zakwazi ukufumana inkcazelo ebhaliweyo esemgangathweni.

Ekubeni eli thala lalidume njengelinye lamathala aphambili eYurophu, kukho nto inye elasilela ngayo. Emva kweminyaka engama-50 lakhiwe, kwakusekho imibhalo-ngqangi yesiHebhere emithandathu kuphela kulo. Le mibhalo yayingenakumelana nomdla owawuseRashiya wokufuna ukufunda iilwimi eyayibhalwe ngazo iBhayibhile neenguqulelo zayo. UCatherine II wayethumele abaphengululi kwiiyunivesithi zaseYurophu ukuze bafunde isiHebhere. Ukubuya kwabo, kwasekwa izifundo zesiHebhere kwizikolo ezikhulu zabefundisi bobuOthodoki baseRashiya, yaye abaphengululi baseRashiya baqalisa ukuguqulela iBhayibhile kwisiRashiya ngokusuka ngqo kwinguqulelo echanileyo yamandulo yesiHebhere. Noko ke baphelelwa yimali baza bachaswa naziinkokeli zecawa ezingafuni nguqu. Ukukhanya kokwenene kwakungekafiki kwabo babefuna ukwazi iBhayibhile.

Umlawuli uAlexander II, wakhawuleza wakuqonda ukubaluleka kwephulo likaTischendorf waza walixhasa ngemali. Phezu kwawo nje “umona nenkcaso yabo banenzondelelo yempambano,” uTischendorf wabuya eSinayi ephethe loo mibhalo yayisele yeSeptuagint.a Kamva yabizwa ngokuba yiCodex Sinaiticus, ibe iseyenye yeyona mibhalo midala yeBhayibhile ekhoyo. Engaphozisanga maseko uTischendorf wabuyela eSt. Petersburg, kwibhotwe lomlawuli welo, i-Imperial Winter Palace. Wacela lo mlawuli ukuba axhase “elinye iphulo elikhulu lokuhlalutya nokufundisisa iBhayibhile”—uhlelo olwapapashwayo lwalo mibhalo yayisandul’ ukufunyanwa lwaza kamva lwagcinwa kwithala i-The Imperial Library. Lo mlawuli wavuma kwangoko, ibe uTischendorf owayechwayitile koku, kamva wabhala wathi: “Esi isizukulwana sifumene ukhokelo lukaThixo . . . ngale Bhayibhile iSinaitic, ukuze sifumane ukukhanya okupheleleyo kweyona nyaniso yeLizwi likaThixo elibhaliweyo, nokuze kusincede ekukhuseleni inyaniso yeBhayibhile ngokubonisa indlela ethembeke ngayo.”

Ubuncwane BeBhayibhile BaseCrimea

Kukho nomnye umphengululi oye wakhankanywa ekuqaleni naye owayekwiphulo lokufuna ubuncwane beBhayibhile. Wayengubani yena? Kwiminyaka embalwa ngaphambi kokuba uTischendorf abuyele eRashiya, ithala leencwadi iThe Imperial Library lathenjiswa imibhalo eyayibalasele kangangokuba umlawuli welo waba nomdla gqitha kuyo yaza yatsala abaphengululi bayo yonke iYurophu baya eRashiya. Kwakunzima ukukholelwa oko babekubona. Apho phambi kwabo kwakuthe thaca intlaninge yengqokelela yemibhalo-ngqangi nemibhalo ethile. Kwakukho ingqokelela yemibhalo engama-2 412, kuquka ama-975 emibhalo-ngqangi nemisongo. Phakathi kwayo kwakukho imibhalo-ngqangi yeBhayibhile engama-45 eyabhalwa ngaphambi kwenkulungwane yeshumi. Imangalisa injalo, yonke le mibhalo yafunyanwa kumntu omnye uAbraham Firkovich, umphengululi owayengumKaraite owayeneminyaka engaphezu kwama-70 ubudala! Kodwa yayingoobani amaKaraite?b

Lo mbuzo wawubangel’ umdla kumlawuli waseRashiya. IRashiya yayandise imida yayo yaya kuthi xhaxhe kwimimandla eyayikade ilawulwa ngamanye amazwe. Oko kwenza kwakho amaqela amatsha eentlanga kubukhosi bayo. Kummandla waseCrimea onemifanekiso ethi ndijonge, kunxweme loLwandle Olumnyama, kwakuhlala abantu ekubonakala ukuba bangamaYuda kodwa ababephila ngeendlela zaseTurkey yaye bethetha ulwimi oluyelele kwisiTatar. La maKaraite aphuma kumaYuda awayethinjelwe eBhabhiloni emva kokutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem ngowama-607 B.C.E. Kodwa, ngokwahlukileyo kumaYuda angoorabhi, wona ayeyikhaba iTalmud yaye egxininisa ekufundweni kweZibhalo. AmaKaraite aseCrimea ayefuna umlawuli welo azi ukuba ahlukile kumaYuda angoorabhi, ukuze aphathwe ngendlela eyahlukileyo. Xa eveza imibhalo-ngqangi yamandulo yawo amaKaraite, ayenethemba lokungqina ukuba ayinzala yamaYuda awafudukela apho eCrimea emva kokuthinjelwa eBhabhiloni.

Kwiphulo lakhe lemibhalo yamandulo, uFirkovich waqala eCremea kumawa awayehlala abantu baseChufut-Kale. Izizukulwana zamaKaraite zazihlala yaye zinqula kwezi zindlu zincinane zakhiwe ngamatye alo mawa. AmaKaraite zange ayitshabalalise imibhalo emidala yeZibhalo enegama likaThixo, uYehova ibe kubonakala ukuba ayekugqala njengokuhlambela izinto ezingcwele ukwenjenjalo. Le mibhalo-ngqangi yayibekwa kakuhle kwindlu encinane enguvimba eyayibizwa ngokuba yigenizah, igama elithetha “indawo yokuzimela” ngesiHebhere. Ekubeni amaKaraite ayelihlonela gqitha igama likaThixo, ezo ndawo zazingafane ziphazanyiswe.

Engatyhafiswanga luthuli lweenkulungwane olwaluzalise abo vimba, uFirkovich wakhangela ngocoselelo kulo ndawo. Komnye wabo wafumana umbhalo-ngqangi odumileyo owabhalwa ngowama-916 C.E. Wona ubizwa ngokuba yiPetersburg Codex of the Latter Prophets, ngomnye weyona mibhalo midala yeZibhalo zesiHebhere ekhoyo.

UFirkovich wavumbulula inqwaba yemibhalo-ngqangi, ibe ngowe-1859 wagqiba ekubeni anikele ngayo kwithala iThe Imperial Library. Ngowe-1862, uAlexander II wafak’ isandla ekuthengeni loo ngqokelela yemibhalo ukuze ifakwe kwelo thala ngesityhwentyhwe seeruble ezili-125 000. Ngelo xesha, isabelo semali sonyaka selo thala xa lilonke sasingadluli kwi-10 000 eeruble! Le mibhalo yayiquka odumileyo ekuthiwa yiLeningrad Codex (B 19^A). Wona ususela emva kunyaka we-1008 yaye ngowona mbhalo mdala opheleleyo weZibhalo zesiHebhere ukhoyo ehlabathini. Omnye umphengululi wathi “kusenokwenzeka ukuba ngowona mbhalo-ngqangi weBhayibhile ubalulekileyo, kuba uneyona ngxelo inqabileyo kwiinguqulelo zanamhlanje zeBhayibhile yesiHebhere.” (Bona ibhokisi ekweli nqaku.) Kwakuloo nyaka, ngowe-1862, ihlabathi lakuqhwabel’ izandla ukupapashwa kweCodex Sinaiticus kaTischendorf.

Ukukhanya Kokomoya Namhlanje

Eli thala namhlanje laziwa ngokuba Lithala Lesizwe laseRashiya ligcina eyona ngqokelela inkulu yemibhalo-ngqangi yamandulo.c Ngenxa yembali yeRashiya, igama leli thala liye latshintshwa izihlandlo ezisixhenxe kwisithuba nje seenkulungwane ezimbini. Elinye lamagama alo aziwayo lelithi The State Saltykov-Shchedrin Public Library. Nakuba eli thala lingazange lisinde kwisiphithiphithi senkulungwane yama-20, imibhalo-ngqangi yalo yasinda kuzo zombini iimfazwe zehlabathi nasekuthinjweni kweLeningrad. Singenelwa njani thina kule mibhalo-ngqangi?

Imibhalo-ngqangi yamandulo ngowona mthombo uthembekileyo weenguqulelo zeBhayibhile ezininzi namhlanje. Iye yanceda abo bayifuna ngokwenene inyaniso bafumana inguqulelo echanileyo yeZibhalo Ezingcwele. Le mibhalo-ngqangi, owaseSinayi nowaseLeningrad ibe luncedo gqitha kwiNguqulelo Yehlabathi Elitsha YeZibhalo Ezingcwele, epapashwe ngamaNgqina kaYehova kwakhululwa umqulu wayo opheleleyo ngowe-1961. Ngokomzekelo, iBiblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia neBiblia Hebraica kaKittel, ezisetyenziswe yiNew World Bible Translation Committee, zisuka kwiLeningrad Codex yaye zisebenzisa iTetragrammaton, okanye igama likaThixo, izihlandlo ezingama-6 828 kumbhalo wantlandlolo.

Bambalwa gqitha abafundi beBhayibhile abaziyo ukuba baye bancedwa gqitha leli thala lingaziwa kangako laseSt. Petersburg nayimibhalo-ngqangi yalo, eminye ebizwa ngegama langaphambili leso sixeko, iLeningrad. Ukanti, oyena mntu simele simbulele gqitha nguMbhali weBhayibhile, uYehova osinika ukukhanya kokomoya. Ngenxa yoko umdumisi wambongoza wathi: “Thumela ukukhanya kwakho nenyaniso yakho. Ngamana zingandikhokela.”—INdumiso 43:3.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 13]

IGAMA LIKATHIXO LIYAZIWA YAYE LIYASETYENZISWA

Ngobulumko, uYehova uye waqinisekisa ukuba iLizwi lakhe, iBhayibhile liyalondolozwa de kube namhlanje. Ukuzibhokoxa kwababhali kangangeenkulungwane kube negalelo ekulondolozweni kwalo. Abona babalaseleyo kubo ngamaMasorete, oompondo-zihlanjiwe bababhali besiHebhere abenza lo msebenzi ukususela kwinkulungwane yesithandathu ukusa kweyeshumi kwiXesha Eliqhelekileyo. IsiHebhere samandulo sasibhalwa ngaphandle kwezikhamisi. Njengoko ixesha lihamba, oku kwazisa ingozi yokungayazi ncam eyona ndlela yokubiza amagama njengoko isiHebhere sasithatyathelw’ indawo sisiAramaki. Xa ekhuphela iBhayibhile, amaMasorete eza nendlela yokwalatha kwizikhamisi ukuze kwaziwe indlela yokubiza kakuhle amagama esiHebhere.

Ngendlela ephawulekayo, ezo zikhamisi zamaMasoreti zikumbhalo-ngqangi iLeningrad Codex zibonisa indlela yokubiza iTetragrammaton—oonobumba abane besiHebhere abakha igama likaThixo—ngokuthi Yehwah’, Yehwih’, nokuthi Yeho·wah’. Ehlabathini lonke elo gama laziwa ngokuthi “Yehova.” Igama likaThixo laliyinto yokwenene, lisaziwa ngababhali beBhayibhile nangabanye abantu mandulo. Namhlanje igama likaThixo liyaziwa yaye lisetyenziswa zizigidi zabo bavumayo ukuba ‘nguYehova kuphela Oyena Uphakamileyo phezu komhlaba wonke.’—INdumiso 83:18.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]

Igumbi elinemibhalo-ngqangi kwiThala Lesizwe

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 11]

UKumkanikazi uCatherine II

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 11]

UKonstantin von Tischendorf (embindini) noAlexander II, umlawuli waseRashiya

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 12]

UAbraham Firkovich

[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 10]

Both images: National Library of Russia, St. Petersburg

[Inkcazelo Ngemifanekiso ekwiphepha 11]

Catherine II: National Library of Russia, St. Petersburg; Alexander II: From the book Spamers Illustrierte Weltgeschichte, Leipzig, 1898