Babelithanda ILizwi LikaThixo

IMIYALEZO ebalulekileyo idla ngokuguqulelwa ngeelwimi ezininzi ukuqinisekisa ukuba iqondwa ngabantu abaninzi kangangoko kunokwenzeka. IBhayibhile eliLizwi likaThixo nayo inesigidimi esibalulekileyo. Nangona zabhalwa kudala, izinto eziseBhayibhileni “zabhalelwa ukuyalela thina,” ukuze zisithuthuzele zise zisenze sibe nethemba.—Roma 15:4.

Kusengqiqweni ke ngoko ukwenza iBhayibhile, enesona sigidimi sibalulekileyo kwezakhe zabhalwa, ifumaneke ngeelwimi ezininzi. Ukutyhubela imbali, abantu baye bazama ukuguqulela iBhayibhile nangona abanye babegula, bevalwa umlomo ngurhulumente okanye begrogriswa ngokubulawa. Babeyenzela ntoni lento? Kungenxa yokuba babelithanda iLizwi likaThixo. Le ngxelo ilandelayo isikrobisa kwimbali ebangela umdla yokuguqulelwa kweBhayibhile.

“AmaNgesi Awuqonda Bhetele UMthetho KaKristu Xa Ewufundiswa NgesiNgesi”

Ukuzalwa kukaJohn Wycliffe malunga nowe-1330, inkonzo yayiqhutywa ngesiLatini eNgilani. Kodwa bona abantu abaphantsi babethetha isiNgesi. Babencokola ngesiNgesi nabamelwane babo yaye bethandaza ngaso nakuThixo.

UWycliffe, owayengumfundisi womKatolika, wayesikhupha ngempumlo isiLatini. Kodwa ke, wayecinga ukuba kwakuphosakele ukuzifundisa ngesiLatini iZibhalo kuba wayesithi sasilulwimi lwezidwangube kuphela. Wabhala wathi: “Umthetho kaThixo ufanele ufundiswe ngolwimi oluqondwa lula ngabantu kuba eyona nto ifundiswayo liLizwi likaThixo.” Ngenxa yoko uWycliffe noogxa bakhe bayila iqela labantu ababeza kuguqulela iBhayibhile ngesiNgesi. Lo msebenzi wathatha iminyaka engama-20.

ICawa yamaKatolika ayizange iyithande le nguqulelo yeBhayibhile entsha. IThe Mysteries of the Vatican ichaza isizathu: “Kaloku amarhamente ayeza kukwazi ukuwubona umahluko phakathi kobuKristu bamandulo nendlela awayeqhuba ngayo amaKatolika alo mihla . . . Yatsho yacaca okwekat’ emhlophe ehlungwini indlela owawumkhulu ngayo umahluko phakathi kwemfundiso yoMseki wobuKristu kunye naleyo yesekela lakhe, phofu elalizimisele ngokwalo, [upopu].”

UPopu Gregory XI wakhupha imiyalelo emihlanu eyayityityimbisela umnwe uWycliffe. Kodwa lo mguquleli wayengazimiselanga ukugob’ uphondo. Wamphendula wathi: “AmaNgesi awuqonda bhetele umthetho kaKristu xa ewufundiswa ngesiNgesi. UMoses nabapostile bakaKristu bawuva ngolwimi lwabo umthetho kaThixo.” Malunga nonyaka we-1382, ngaphambi nje kokufa kwakhe, iqela likaWycliffe lakhulula inguqulelo yokuqala epheleleyo yeBhayibhile yesiNgesi. Kwiminyaka elishumi emva koko, omnye woogxa bakhe wakhulula inguqulelo ehlaziyiweyo nekwakulula ukuyifunda.

Ekubeni babengekho oomatshini bokushicilela kwakufuneka umbhalo-ngqangi ngamnye ukhutshelwe ngokucokisekileyo ngesandla, msebenzi lowo owawunokuthatha iinyanga ezilishumi! Yakhathazeka kakhulu icawa isakufumanisa ukuba iBhayibhile yayiza kufumaneka lula kangangokuba ubhishophu omkhulu wathi uza kumsika nabani na ofunda iBhayibhile. Emva kweminyaka engama-40 efile uWycliffe, ibhunga loopopu layalela ukuba embiwe amathambo akhe aze atshiswe, luze uthuthu lwawo lulahlwe kumlambo iSwift. Sekunjalo, abantu ababeyifuna ngokwenene inyaniso babesayifun’ apha iBhayibhile kaWycliffe. UNjingalwazi William M. Blackburn wathi: “Kwenziwa imibhalo emininzi yeBhayibhile kaWycliffe yaze yasasazwa ngokubanzi.”

IBhayibhile Kawonke Wonke

Yathi ingekapheli neminyaka engama-200, sabe isiNgesi esasisetyenziswe nguWycliffe singasathethwa. Yamkhathaza omnye umfundisi oselula wangaseBristol into yokuba abantu abaninzi bengaluqondi ulwimi ebhalwe ngalo iBhayibhile. Ngenye imini lo mshumayeli, uWilliam Tyndale, weva enye indoda efundileyo isithi kwakubhetele ukuba umntu angabinawo umthetho kaThixo kunokuba angabinawo okaPopu. UTyndale waphendula ngokuthi ukuba uThixo wayenokumvumela, kungekudala wayeza kuqinisekisa ukuba noyena mntu uphantsi uyazi ngaphezu komntu ofundileyo iBhayibhile.

UWycliffe wayeguqulele ngokusuka kwiVulgate yesiLatini yaye wayezikhuphela ngesandla iZibhalo. Ngowe-1524, uTyndale, owayesele emkile eNgilani waya eJamani, waqalisa ukuguqulela ngokusuka ngqo kwisiHebhere nesiGrike waza waqesha umatshini wokushicilela waseCologne. Kungekudala, iintshaba zikaTyndale zeva ukuba wayeguqulela zaza zacela iiNgwevu zaseCologne ukuba ziyihluthe imibhalo yakhe.

UTyndale wasabela kwidolophu yaseWorms, eJamani, waza waqhubeka nomsebenzi wakhe. Kungekudala emva koko, inguqulelo yesiNgesi yeZibhalo zesiGrike kaTyndale yathunyelwa eNgilani ngamathunz’ obumnyama. Kwisithuba nje seenyanga ezintandathu, kwakusele kuthengiswe imibhalo emininzi kakhulu kangangokuba kwabizwa intlanganiso ekhawulezileyo yoobhishophu eyayalela ukuba zitshiswe ezo Bhayibhile.

Ukuze kuyekiswe abantu ukufunda iBhayibhile kaTyndale kuze kunqandwe noqhekeko ekwakusithiwa wayelubangela, ubhishophu waseLondon wayalela uMhlekazi uThomas More ukuba abhale ileta eyayihlasela uTyndale. Eyona nto yayimcaphukise kakhulu uMore yayikukusebenzisa kukaTyndale igama elithi “ibandla” kunelithi “icawa,” nelithi “umdala” kunelithi “umfundisi.” La magama ayecel’ umngeni igunya likapopu kunye nomahluko phakathi kwabefundisi namarhamente. UThomas More wagxeka nokuguqulela kukaTyndale igama lesiGrike ua·gaʹpe ngokuthi “uthando” kunokuba athi “amalizo.” Incwadi ethi If God Spare My Life, ithi: “Nayo le ngcamango yayiza kuba yingozi ecaweni kuba ukusetyenziswa kwegama elaliwenza angabaluleki amalizo kwakuza kwenza abantu bangayikhuphi iminikelo emikhulu, ekwakusithiwa yeyokuvula indlela eya ezulwini.”

UThomas More wayekukhuthaza ukutshiswa “kwabawexuki,” yaye loo nto yabangela ukuba uTyndale akrwitshwe aze atshiselwe esibondeni ngo-Oktobha 1536. UThomas More, naye wanqunyulwa intloko emva kokuba exabene nokumkani. Noko ke, ngowe-1935 iCawa yamaRoma Katolika yamenza ingcwele, yaye ngonyaka wama-2000, uPope John Paul II wamvava ngelungelo lokuba yingcwele yezopolitiko.

UTyndale yena akazange ahlonelwe ngolo hlobo. Noko ke, ngaphambi kokuba afe, umhlobo kaTyndale uMiles Coverdale wazidibanisa zonke iincwadi ezaziguqulelwe nguTyndale zaba yiBhayibhile epheleleyo—inguqulelo yokuqala yesiNgesi yeelwimi zantlandlolo! Ngoko iLizwi likaThixo lalinokufundwa nangubani na. Kuthekani ngezinye iilwimi ezingesiso isiNgesi?

“Yayibonakala Ingenakwenzeka Loo Nto”

Nangona wayechaswa yintsapho nangabahlobo, umvangeli waseBritani uRobert Morrison owayenomnqweno wokupapasha iBhayibhile epheleleyo ngesiTshayina, wabhekisa amabombo eTshayina ngowe-1807. Kwakungekho lula ukuguqulela. UCharles Grant owayengumalathisi we-East India Company wathi: “Yayibonakala ingenakwenzeka loo nto.”

Ekufikeni kwakhe eTshayina, uMorrison wafumanisa ukuba amaTshayina ayegwetyelwa ukufa xa eye afundisa abantu basemzini ulwimi lwawo. Ukuze akhusele yena nabantu ababevumile ukumfundisa olo lwimi uMorrison wazivalela endlwini kangangexesha elithile. Enye ingxelo ithi: “Emva kokufunda iminyaka emibini wayesele ekwazi ukuthetha, ukufunda nokubhala isiMandarin kunye nesinye isiyelelana.” Kanye ngelo xesha, umlawuli wakhupha umyalelo owawusalela ukushicilelwa kweencwadi yaye nabani na owayewaphula wayegwetyelwa ukufa. UMorrison wagqiba ukuguqulela iBhayibhile epheleleyo ngesiTshayina ngoNovemba 25, 1819, nangona ubomi bakhe babusesichengeni.

Kwathi kufika owe-1836 kwabe sele kushicilelwe malunga nama-2 000 eBhayibhile ezipheleleyo, imibhalo yeZibhalo yesiGrike engama-10 000 neenxalenye ezingama-31 000 zeZibhalo zesiTshayina. Ukulithanda iLizwi likaThixo kwenza ‘into eyayibonakala ingenakwenzeka’ yenzeka.

IBhayibhile Esemqamelweni

Emva kweeveki ezimbini betshatile ngoFebruwari 1812, abavangeli baseMerika uAdoniram Judson nomfazi wakhe uAnn, bathabatha uhambo olude olwabafikisa eBurma ngowe-1813.a Bathi befika nje bazimisela ukufunda ulwimi lwesiBurma, olunye lwezona lwimi zinzima ehlabathini. Emva kweminyaka embalwa elufunda, uJudson wabhala: “Sifunda ulwimi lwabantu abaphila kwelinye icala lomhlaba abacinga ngendlela eyahluke kakhulu kweyethu . . . Asinazichazi magama yaye akukho mntu usichazela nentsingiselo yegama eli elinye.”

Iingxaki zokufunda olo lwimi azizange zimdimaze uJudson. Wayigqiba inguqulelo yakhe yeZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike yesiBurma ngoJuni 1823. Kamva, kwabakho imfazwe eBurma. UJudson wavalelwa entolongweni ebotshelelwe entsimbini ngamakhandela amathathu entsimbi ukuze angakwazi nokushukuma, kuba kwakurhanelwa ukuba wayeyintlola. Kwincwadi awayibhala ngobomi bukaJudson ngowe-1853, uFrancis Wayland wathi: “Enye yezinto zokuqala uMnu. Judson awazifunayo kwangoko emva kokuba yena neNkosikazi yakhe bevunyelwe ukuba badibane, yayiyinguqulelo yombhalo-ngqangi weTestamente Entsha.” Ngenxa yokoyikisela ukuba umoshwe kukutshisa nokufuma okungaphantsi kwendlu, uAnn wawuthungela ngaphakathi emqamelweni waza wawusa kumyeni wakhe owayevalelwe. Phezu kwazo nje ezo meko zimaxongo, loo mbhalo-ngqangi wasinda.

UJudson wakhululwa emva kokuba echithe iinyanga ezininzi entolongweni. Kodwa lwakhawuleza lwaphela uvuyo lwakhe. Kaloku kwakuloo nyaka, umfazi wakhe uAnn wahlaselwa ngumkhuhlane waza wafa emva kweeveki ezimbalwa. Emva nje kweenyanga ezintandathu intombi yakhe uMaria, eyayingekagqibi neminyaka le emibini isidla amazimba, nayo yabulawa sisifo esinganyangekiyo. UJudson waqhubeka nomsebenzi nangona intliziyo yakhe yayilihlwili. Ekugqibeleni iBhayibhile epheleleyo yagqitywa ngowe-1835.

Uyalithanda Na ILizwi LikaThixo?

Akunto intsha indlela aba baguquleli abakubonisa ngayo ukulithanda kwabo iLizwi likaThixo. Mandulo phayaa umdumisi wakwaSirayeli wavumela uYehova uThixo wathi: “Hayi indlela endiwuthanda ngayo umthetho wakho! Imini le yonke ndiwuxhalabele.” (INdumiso 119:97) IBhayibhile ayiyoncwadi nje emnandi. Inesigidimi esibalulekileyo. Ngaba ukukhuthalele ukulifunda rhoqo iLizwi likaThixo? Unokuqiniseka ukuba xa ulifunda uze ukwenze oko likutshoyo, ‘uya kuba noyolo ekukwenzeni kwakho.’—Yakobi 1:25.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 8]

“AmaNgesi awuqonda bhetele umthetho kaKristu xa ewufundiswa ngesiNgesi.”—JOHN WYCLIFFE

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 9]

UWilliam Tyndale nephepha leBhayibhile kaTyndale

[Inkcazelo]

UTyndale: Kwincwadi ethi The Evolution of the English Bible

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 10]

URobert Morrison nenguqulelo yakhe yeBhayibhile yesiTshayina

[Inkcazelo]

Ebanjwe kwiAsian Division of the Library of Congress

Igama likaRobert Morrison, elabhalwa nguW. Holl, kwiThe National Portrait Gallery Volume IV, epapashwe c. ngowe-1820 (litho), Chinnery, George (1774-1852) (emva kwe)/Private Collection/Ken Welsh/The Bridgeman Art Library International

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 11]

UAdoniram Judson nenguqulelo yakhe yeBhayibhile yesiBurma

[Inkcazelo]

Umbhalo kaJudson: Obhalwe nguJohn C. Buttre/Dictionary of American Portraits/Dover

[Inkcazelo Ngemifanekiso ekwiphepha 8]

UWycliffe: Kwincwadi ethi The History of Protestantism (Vol. I); Bible: Courtesy of the American Bible Society Library, New York