Igama LikaNkulunkulu—Elikushoyo Nokuphinyiselwa Kwalo

OMUNYE wabalobi beBhayibheli wabuza: “Ngubani oqoqele umoya ezandleni zakhe na? Ngubani obophile amanzi engutsheni yakhe na? Ngubani omisile yonke imikhawulo yomhlaba na? Ngubani igama lakhe, ngubani igama lendodana yakhe, uma ulazi, na?” (IzAga 30:4) Thina singathola kanjani ukuthi igama likaNkulunkulu lingubani? Lowo umbuzo obalulekile. Indalo iwubufakazi obunamandla bokuthi uNkulunkulu kumelwe ukuba ukhona, kodwa ayisitsheli igama lakhe. (Roma 1:20) Eqinisweni, sasingenakulokotha silazi igama likaNkulunkulu ngaphandle kokuba uMdali ngokwakhe asitshele. Futhi uye wakwenza lokho eNcwadini yakhe, iBhayibheli eliNgcwele.

Kwesinye isenzakalo esidumile, uNkulunkulu waliphimisela igama lakhe, eliphinda ezindlebeni zikaMose. UMose wabhala umlando walesosenzakalo oye walondolozwa eBhayibhelini kuze kube sosukwini lwethu. (Eksodusi 34:5) UNkulunkulu walibhala nokulibhala igama lakhe “ngomunwe” wakhe. Lapho esenikeze uMose lokho namuhla esikubiza ngokuthi iMiyalo Eyishumi, uNkulunkulu wayiloba phansi ngokuyisimangaliso. Umbhalo uthi: “Eseqedile [uNkulunkulu] ukukhuluma noMose eNtabeni yaseSinayi wamnika izibhebhe zombili zobufakazi, izibhebhe zamatshe, zilotshiwe ngomunwe kaNkulunkulu.” (Eksodusi 31:18) Igama likaNkulunkulu livela izikhathi eziyisishiyagalombili kweyokuqala iMiyalo Eyishumi. (Eksodusi 20:1-17) Ngaleyondlela uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe uye walembula igama lakhe kumuntu kokubili ngomlomo nangokuliloba. Ngakho-ke, lingubani lelogama?

Olimini lwesiHeberu libhalwa ngokuthi יהוה. Lezinhlamvu ezine, ezibizwa ngokuthi iTetragrammaton, zifundwa kusuka ngakwesokudla kuya ngakwesobunxele ngokwesiHeberu futhi ezilimini eziningi zanamuhla zingamelelwa ngokuthi YHWH noma JHVH. Igama likaNkulunkulu, elimelelwe yilezinhlamvu ezine, livela cishe izikhathi eziyizi-7 000 kwelokuqala “iTestamente Elidala,” noma imiBhalo yesiHeberu.

Leligama liyisimo sesenzo sesiHeberu esithi ha·wahʹ (הוה), esisho “ukuba,” futhi eqinisweni lisho ukuthi “Ubangela Ukuba.”a Ngaleyondlela, igama likaNkulunkulu limchaza njengaLowo ogcwalisa izithembiso zakhe kancane kancane futhi ngokungahluleki afeze izinjongo zakhe. UNkulunkulu weqiniso kuphela owayengaba negama elinencazelo enjalo.

Uyazikhumbula izindlela ezihlukene igama likaNkulunkulu elivele ngazo kumaHubo 83:18, njengoba kuboniswe engxenyeni eyandulelayo (ekhasini 5)? Ezimbili zalezozinguqulo zineziqu nje (“INKOSI,” “oNgunaphakade”) ezimelele igama likaNkulunkulu. Kodwa kwezimbili zazo, uYahweh noJehova, ungazibona izinhlamvu ezine zegama likaNkulunkulu. Nokho, ukuphinyiselwa kwehlukile. Ngani?

Liphinyiselwa Kanjani Igama LikaNkulunkulu?

Iqiniso liwukuthi, akekho owazi ngokuqinisekile ukuthi igama likaNkulunkulu laliphinyiselwa kanjani ekuqaleni. Ngani? Phela, ulimi lokuqala olwasetshenziswa ekubhaleni iBhayibheli kwakuyisiHeberu, futhi lapho kubhalwa ulimi lwesiHeberu, abalobi babebhala ngongwaqa kuphela—hhayi ngonkamisa. Ngakho-ke, lapho abalobi abaphefumlelwe bebhala igama likaNkulunkulu, nabo benza into efanayo babhala ongwaqa kuphela.

Ngesikhathi isiHeberu sasendulo sisewulimi olukhulunywa nsuku zonke, lokhu kwakungeyona neze inkinga. Ukuphinyiselwa kwaleliGama kwakujwayelekile kumaIsrayeli futhi uma elibona lilotshiwe ayefaka onkamisa ngaphandle kokucabanga (njengoba nje nanamhlanje uma sibona isifushaniso esithi “Ltd.” siyazi ukuthi simelele elithi “Limited” no“Nkkz.” umelele elithi “Nkosikazi”).

Kunezinto ezimbili ezenzeka ezashintsha lesisimo. Okokuqala, kwaba nomqondo wokukholelwa ezeni phakathi kwamaJuda wokuthi kwakungalungile ukubiza igama laphezulu ngokuzwakalayo; ngakho uma efika kulo ekufundeni kwawo iBhayibheli ayebiza igama lesiHeberu elithi ’Adho·naiʹ (“INkosi Enkulu”). Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba isikhathi sasiqhubeka, ulimi lwesiHeberu lwakudala ngokwalo lwayeka ukukhulunywa engxoxweni yansuku zonke, futhi ngalendlela ukuphinyiselwa kwegama likaNkulunkulu ngokwesiHeberu sakuqala kwagcina sekukhohlakele.

Ukuze baqiniseke ukuthi ukuphinyiselwa kolimi lwesiHeberu lulonke akulahleki, abayizazi zesiJuda bengxenye yesibili yenkulungwane yokuqala yeminyaka C.E. basungula isimiso samacashazi amelele onkamisa abangafakiwe, futhi bawabeka phakathi kongwaqa eBhayibhelini lesiHeberu. Ngaleyondlela-ke, kokubili onkamisa kanye nongwaqa kwakubhalwa phansi, nendlela-ke yokuphimisela yangaleso sikhathi yalondolozwa.

Uma kuziwa egameni likaNkulunkulu, esikhundleni sokubeka izimpawu zonkamisa ezifanelekile eduze kwalo, ezimweni eziningi babebeka ezinye izimpawu zonkamisa ukuze bakhumbuze umfundi ukuba athi ’Adho·naiʹ. Kulokhu-ke kwavela indlela yokubhala ethi Iehouah, futhi ekugcineni, elithi Jehova kwaba yindlela yokuphimisela eyamukelekayo yegama laphezulu ngesiZulu. Lokho kulondoloza izakhi ezidingekile zegama likaNkulunkulu ezisesiHeberwini sokuqala.

Ikuphi Ukuphimisela Oyokusebenzisa?

Nokho, ukuphimisela okunjengoYahweh kwavelaphi? Lezi izindlela eziye zasikiselwa izazi zanamuhla zizama ukuthola ukuphinyiselwa kwakuqala kwegama likaNkulunkulu. Ezinye—nakuba kungezona zonke—zinomuzwa wokuthi amaIsrayeli ngaphambi kwesikhathi sikaJesu cishe ayephimisela igama likaNkulunkulu ngokuthi Yahweh. Kodwa akekho ongaqiniseka. Mhlawumbe ayeliphimisela ngaleyondlela, mhlawumbe akunjalo.

Nokho, abaningi bakhetha ukuphimisela kokuthi Jehova. Ngani? Ngoba kwandile futhi kujwayeleke ngaphezu kukaYahweh. Pho, bekungebe ngcono yini ukusebenzisa indlela engase isondelane nokuphimisela kwasekuqaleni? Akunjalo ngempela, ngoba akunjalo ngokuvamile ngamagama eBhayibheli.

Ngokwesibonelo, uma sithatha isibonelo esivelele kakhulu, cabangela igama likaJesu. Wena uyazi yini ukuthi umkhaya kaJesu nabangane babembiza kanjani engxoxweni yansuku zonke ngesikhathi esakhula eNazaretha? Iqiniso liwukuthi, akekho umuntu owazi ngokuqinisekile, nakuba kungase kube yinto enjengoYeshua (noma mhlawumbe Yehoshua). Ngokuqinisekile babengambizi ngokuthi uJesu.

Nokho, lapho umlando wokuphila kwakhe ulotshwa ngolimi lwesiGreki, abalobi abaphefumlelwe abazange bazame ukulondoloza lokho kuphimisela kwesiHeberu kwakuqala. Kunalokho, bahumusha leligama ngesiGreki ngokuthi, I·e·sousʹ. Namuhla, livezwa ngokuhlukahlukene ngokolimi lomfundi weBhayibheli. Abafundi beBhayibheli lesiPanish bahlangana negama elithi Jesús (ophinyiselwa ngokuthi Hes·soosʹ). AmaNtaliyane alibhala ngokuthi Gesù (ophinyiselwa ngokuthi Djay·zooʹ). Kanti amaJalimane alibhala ngokuthi Jesus (ophinyiselwa ngokuthi Yayʹsoos).

Ingabe kumelwe siyeke ukusebenzisa igama likaJesu ngenxa yokuthi abaningi bethu, noma sonke, asikwazi ngempela ukuphinyiselwa kwalo kwasekuqaleni? Kuze kube manje, akekho umhumushi oye wasikisela lokho. Siyathanda ukulisebenzisa leligama, ngoba lichaza iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ethandekayo, uJesu Kristu, owanikela ngegazi lakhe ngenxa yethu. Ingabe bekungabonisa ukumazisa uJesu uma sisusa igama lakhe eBhayibhelini sifake esikhundleni salo isiqu nje esinjengokuthi “Mfundisi,” noma “Mlamuleli”? Yebo akunakuba njalo! Singabhekisela kuJesu uma sisebenzisa igama lakhe ngendlela elibizwa ngayo ngokuvamile olimini lwethu.

Kungenziwa ukukhulumela okufanayo futhi ngokuqondene nawo wonke amagama esifunda ngawo eBhayibhelini. Siwaphimisela ngolimi lwethu futhi asizami ukulingisa ukuphimisela kwakuqala. Ngaleyondlela-ke, sithi “Jeremiya,” hhayi Yir·meyaʹhu. Ngokufanayo sithi Isaya, nakuba osukwini lwakhe lomprofethi cishe wayaziwa ngokuthi uYesha῾·yaʹhu. Ngisho nezazi ezikwaziyo ukuphinyiselwa kwakuqala kwalamagama zisebenzisa ukuphimisela kwanamuhla, hhayi okwasendulo, uma zikhuluma ngabo.

Kungokufanayo futhi nangegama elithi Jehova. Ngisho nakuba ukuphinyiselwa kwanamuhla kokuthi Jehova kungase kungabi yindlela okwakuyiyo ncamashí ekuqaleni, lokhu akusisusi neze ekuqapheleni ukubaluleka kwaleligama. Lichaza uMdali, uNkulunkulu ophilayo, ongoPhezukonke uJesu athi kuye: “Baba wethu osezulwini, malingcweliswe igama lakho.”—Mathewu 6:9.

‘Alinakumelelwa’

Lapho abahumushi abaningi bekhetha ukuphimisela kokuthi Yahweh, iNew World Translation kanye neziningi ezinye izinguqulo ziyaqhubeka zisebenzisa elithi Jehova ngenxa yokulijwayela kwabantu emakhulwini eminyaka. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lisalondoloza ngendlela efanayo namanye, izinhlamvu ezine zeTetragrammaton, uYHWH noma JHVH.b

Ngaphambili, uprofesa ongumJalimane uGustav Friedrich Oehler wenza isinqumo esifanayo ngenxa yesizathu esifanayo. Ukhuluma ngokuphimisela okuhlukahlukene ebese ephetha ngokuthi: “Kusukela manje kuye phambili ngisebenzisa igama elithi Jehova, ngoba, eqinisweni, leligama manje seliye laba ngelemvelo enkulumweni yethu, futhi alinakumelelwa ngelinye.”—Theologie des Alten Testaments (Theology of the Old Testament), uhlelo lwesibili, eyashicilelwa ngo-1882, ikhasi 143.

Ngokufanayo, kweyakhe iGrammaire de l’hébreu biblique (Grammar of Biblical Hebrew), ka-1923, embhalweni osezansi ekhasini 49, oyisazi esingumJesuit uPaul Joüon uyaphawula: “Ezinguqulweni zethu, esikhundleni sohlobo (olunombandela) lokuthi Yahweh, siye sasebenzisa uhlobo lokuthi Jéhovah . . . okuwuhlobo lokuloba kwethu lwesiko olusetshenziswa ngesiFulentshi.” Abahumushi beBhayibheli kweziningi ezinye izilimi basebenzisa uhlobo olufanayo, njengoba kuboniswe ebhokisini elisekhasini 8.

Khona-ke, ingabe akulungile ukusebenzisa indlela enjengokuthi Yahweh? Akunjalo neze. Kumane kuwukuthi nje indlela yokuthi Jehova cishe iyona eyoqondakala ngokushesha kumfundi ngoba kuyindlela esize “yajwayeleka” ezilimini eziningi. Into ebalulekile kuwukuba silisebenzise leligama futhi silimemezele kwabanye. “Bongani uJehova, nibize igama lakhe, nizazise izenzo zakhe phakathi kwezizwe, nimemezele ukuthi igama lakhe liphakeme.”—Isaya 12:4.

Ake sibone indlela izinceku zikaNkulunkulu eziye zenza ngayo ngokuvumelana nalowomyalo phakathi namakhulu eminyaka.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 7]

Izazi ezihlukahlukene zinemibono ehlukahlukene ngendlela igama elithi YHWH elaliphinyiselwa ngayo kuqala.

KuyiMysterious Name of Y.H.W.H., ikhasi 74, uDr. M. Reisel wathi “ukuphinyiselwa kweTetragrammaton kumelwe ukuba ekuqaleni kwakuthi Y^eHūàH noma YaHūàH.”

UCanon D. D. Williams waseCambridge waqinisa ngokuthi “ubufakazi bubonisa futhi bucishe buqinisekise ukuthi uYāhwéh kwakungekhona ukuphinyiselwa kwangempela kweTetragrammaton . . . IGama ngokwalo cishe lalinguJĀHÔH.”—Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft (Periodical for Old Testament Knowledge), 1936, Umqulu 54, ikhasi 269.

Ohlwini lwezincazelo zamagama lweRevised Segond Version lwesiFrench, ikhasi 9, kwenziwa ukukhulumela okulandelayo: “Ukuphimisela kokuthi Yahvé okusetshenziswe ezinguqulweni ezithile zamuva kusekelwe kofakazi abambalwa basendulo, kodwa akukhona okuphethayo. Uma umuntu ecabangela amagama abantu ahlanganisa negama laphezulu, njengegama lesiHeberu lomprofethi uEliya (Eliyahou) ukuphinyiselwa kwalo kungafana nje nokuthi Yaho noma Yahou.”

Ngo-1749 isazi seBhayibheli esingumJalimane uTeller sasho okunye ukuphinyiselwa okuhlukile kwegama likaNkulunkulu esasikufundile: “UDiodorus waseSicily, uMacrobius, uClemens Alexandrinus, uSaint Jerome no-Origenes babhala uJao; amaSamariya, Epiphanius, Theodoretus, uJahe, noma Jave; iLudwig Cappel ifundeka kanje Javoh; Drusius, Jahve; Hottinger, Jehva; Mercerus, Jehovah; Castellio, Jovah; ne-le Clerc, Jawoh, noma Javoh.”

Ngaleyondlela kusobala ukuthi ukuphinyiselwa kwakuqala kwegama likaNkulunkulu akusaziwa. Futhi akubalulekile ngempela. Ukuba kwakunjalo, khona-ke uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe wayeyoqiniseka ukuba kulondolozelwe ukuba sikusebenzise. Into ebalulekile iwukusebenzisa igama likaNkulunkulu ngokwendlela yokuphimisela ejwayeleke olimini lwethu.

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 8]

Izindlela zegama laphezulu ezilimini ezihlukahlukene, ezibonisa ukwamukelwa emhlabeni wonke kwendlela ethi Jehova

IsiAwabakal - Yehóa

IsiBugotu - Jihova

IsiCantonese - Yehwowah

IsiDanish - Jehova

IsiDashi - Jehovah

IsiEfik - Jehovah

IsiNgisi - Jehovah

IsiFiji - Jiova

IsiFinnish - Jehova

IsiFrench - Jéhovah

IsiFutuna - Ihova

IsiJalimane - Jehova

IsiHungary - Jehova

Isi-Igbo - Jehova

IsiNtaliyane - Geova

IsiJapane - Ehoba

IsiMaori - Ihowa

IsiMotu - Iehova

IsiMwala-Malu - Jihova

IsiNarrinyeri - Jehovah

IsiNembe - Jihova

IsiPetats - Jihouva

IsiPolish - Jehowa

IsiPutukezi - Jeová

IsiRomani - Iehova

IsiSamowa - Ieova

IsiSuthu - Jehova

ISipanishi - Jehová

IsiSwahili - Yehova

IsiSwidi - Jehova

IsiTahiti - Iehova

IsiTagalog - Jehova

IsiTongan - Jihova

IsiVenda - Yehova

IsiXhosa - uYehova

IsiYoruba - Jehofah

IsiZulu - uJehova

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 11]

Elithi “Jehova” liye laziwa kabanzi njengegama likaNkulunkulu ngisho nasezincwadini ezingelona iBhayibheli.

UFranz Schubert wahlela iculo elithi “The Almightiness,” elalotshwa uJohann Ladislav Pyrker, lapho igama elithi Jehova livela khona kabili. Liyasetshenziswa futhi ekupheleni kwesigcawu sokugcina somdlalo kaVerdi i“Nabucco.”

Ngokungaphezulu, umculo ongokombhalo womqambi ongumFulentshi uArthur Honegger othi “INkosi UDavide” uqokomisa igama elithi Jehova, futhi umbhali ongumFulentshi odumile uVictor Hugo walisebenzisa ezincwadini zakhe ezingaphezu kwama-30. Kokubili yena noLamartine babhala izinkondlo ezithi “Jehovah.”

Encwadini ethi Deutsche Taler (The German Taler), eyakhishwa ngo-1967 yiGermany’s Federal Bank, kunomfanekiso wemali engenye yendala kakhulu enegama elithi “Jehovah,” iReichstaler ka-1634 evela kuyiDuchy of Silesia. Ngokuqondene nomfanekiso ongakolunye uhlangothi lwalemali, ithi: “Ngaphansi kwegama elinemisebe elithi JEHOVAH, eliphakama phakathi kwamafu, kunehawu elinomqhele nebhantshi lempi laseSilesia.”

Emnyuziyamu yaseRudolstadt, eMpumalanga Jalimane, ungase ubone esiphikeni sezingubo zempi ezazigqokwa uGustavus II Adolph, inkosi yekhulu le-17 yaseSweden, igama elithi JEHOVAH ngonobumbakazi.

Ngakho-ke, emakhulwini eminyaka ukuthi Jehova bekuyindlela yokuphimisela igama likaNkulunkulu eqashelwa emhlabeni wonke, futhi abantu abakuzwayo bayashesha ukuqonda ukuthi kukhulunywa ngobani. Njengoba uProfesa Oehler asho, “Leligama manje seliye laba ngelijwayelekile ekukhulumeni kwethu, futhi alinakumelelwa ngelinye.”—Theologie des Alten Testaments (Theology of the Old Testament).

[Isithombe ekhasini 6]

Ingxenye yomfanekiso wengelosi negama likaNkulunkulu, owatholakala ethuneni likaPapa Clement XIII, eSt. Peter’s Basilica, eVatican

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Imali eningi yayigxotshwa igama likaNkulunkulu. Lena, ka-1661, eyaseNuremberg, eJalimane. Lombhalo wesiLatini ufundeka kanje: “Ngaphansi kwamaphiko akho”

[Izithombe ekhasini 9]

Ezikhathini ezidlule, igama likaNkulunkulu esimweni sesiHeberu lalenziwa ingxenye yomhlobiso wezindlu zenkolo

Fourvière Catholic Basilica, Lyons, France

Bourges Cathedral, France

ISonto eLa Celle Dunoise, eFrance

ISonto eDigne, eningizimu France

ISonto eSão Paulo, eBrazil

Strasbourg Cathedral, eFrance

Saint Mark’s Cathedral, eVenice, eItaly

[Izithombe ekhasini 10]

Igama likaJehova njengoba libonakala emzini wezindela eBordesholm, eJalimane;

emalini yaseJalimane ka-1635;

phezu komnyango wesonto eFehmarn, eJalimane;

nasetsheni lethuna lika-1845 eHarmannschlag, eLower Austria