Igama LikaNkulunkulu Nabahumushi BeBhayibheli

EKUQALENI kwekhulu lokuqala, ngemva kokufa kowokugcina wabaphostoli, ukuwa okholweni lobuKristu okwakubikezelwe uJesu nabalandeli bakhe kwaqala ukuqina. Ukuhlakanipha kobuqaba nezimfundiso kwangena ebandleni; kwaba namahlelo nokuhlukana, kwathi ubumsulwa bokholo basekuqaleni bonakaliswa. Negama likaNkulunkulu layeka ukusetshenziswa.

Njengoba lobuKristu bokuhlubuka banda, kwaba nesidingo sokuhunyushwa kweBhayibheli lisuka esiHeberwini sokuqala nesiGreki liye kwezinye izilimi. Abahumushi balibeka kanjani igama likaNkulunkulu ezinguqulweni zabo? Ngokuvamile, babesebenzisa elithi “Nkosi” esikhundleni salo. Inguqulo eyayinamandla kakhulu ngalesosikhathi kwakuyiVulgate yesiLatini, inguqulo yeBhayibheli eyahunyushelwa esiLatinini esivamile nguJerome. UJerome wahumusha iTetragrammaton (YHWH) ngokusebenzisa elithi Dominus, “iNkosi.”

Ekugcineni, izilimi ezintsha, njengesiFulentshi, isiNgisi nesiPanish, zaqala ukuvelela eYurophu. Nokho, iSonto lamaKatolika alikukhuthazanga ukuhunyushelwa kweBhayibheli kulezilimi. Ngakho-ke, lapho amaJuda, esebenzisa iBhayibheli ngolimi lwesiHeberu sokuqala, enqaba ukubiza igama likaNkulunkulu uma elibona, “amaKristu” amaningi ezwa iBhayibheli lifundwa ngezinguqulo zesiLatini ezazingalisebenzisi lelogama.

Ngemva kwesikhathi, igama likaNkulunkulu labuye lasetshenziswa. Ngo-1278 lavela ngesiLatini encwadini ethi Pugio fidei (Dagger of Faith), kaRaymundus Martini, indela yaseSpain. URaymundus Martini walibhala ngokuthi Yohoua.a Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, ngo-1303, uPorchetus de Salvaticis waqeda incwadi eyayinesihloko esithi Victoria Porcheti adversus impios Hebraeos (Porchetus’ Victory Against the Ungodly Hebrews). Kuyona, naye wathinta igama likaNkulunkulu, elibhala ngokwehlukene ngokuthi Iohouah, Iohoua nokuthi Ihouah. Khona-ke, ngo-1518, uPetrus Galatinus wakhipha incwadi eyayinesihloko esithi De arcanis catholicae veritatis (Concerning Secrets of the Universal Truth) lapho ebhala khona igama likaNkulunkulu ngokuthi Iehoua.

Leligama labonakala okokuqala eBhayibhelini lesiNgisi lika-1530, lapho uWilliam Tyndale ekhipha inguqulo yezincwadi zokuqala ezinhlanu zeBhayibheli. Kulona wafaka igama likaNkulunkulu, libhalwe ngokuthi Iehouah, emavesini amaningana,b futhi embhalweni awenza kulenguqulo wabhala: “UIehovah igama likaNkulunkulu . . . Nokho uma ubona elithi NKOSI ngezinhlamvu ezinkulu (ngaphandle kokuba kuyiphutha lokunyathelisa) ngesiHeberu uIehovah.” Kusukela kulokhu kwaba nomkhuba wokusebenzisa igama likaJehova emavesini ambalwa kuphela kodwa kubhalwe ukuthi “NKOSI” noma “NKULUNKULU” kweziningi ezinye izindawo lapho kuvela khona iTetragrammaton embhalweni wesiHeberu.

Ngo-1611 kwakhishwa inguqulo yesiNgisi eyaba ngesetshenziswa kakhulu, iAuthorized Version. Kuyona, leligama lavela izikhathi ezine ngaphakathi. (Eksodusi 6:3; IHubo 83:18; Isaya 12:2; 26:4) Elithi “Jah,” okuwukufushaniswa okusankondlo kwaleligama, lalikumaHubo 68:4. Futhi leligama labonakala ngokugcwele emagameni ezindawo anjengokuthi “Jehova-Nisi.” (Eksodusi 17:15; AbAhluleli 6:24; Genesise 22:14) Nokho, ngokulandela isibonelo sikaTyndale, abahumushi ezikhathini eziningi basebenzisa elithi “NKOSI” noma “NKULUNKULU” esikhundleni segama likaNkulunkulu. Kodwa uma igama likaNkulunkulu lingavela emavesini amane, kungani lingenakuvela kuzo zonke ezinye izinkulungwane zamavesi elikuwo esiHeberwini sokuqala?

Kwakwenzeka okufanayo ngolimi lwesiJalimane. Ngo-1534 uMartin Luther wakhipha inguqulo yakhe ephelele yeBhayibheli, ayeyisekele ezilimini zokuqala. Ngesizathu esithile akazange alifake igama likaNkulunkulu kodwa wasebenzisa amanye amagama, njengoHERR (“NKOSI”). Nokho, wayelazi igama laphezulu, ngoba entshumayelweni yakhe ngoJeremiya 23:1-8, ayinikeza ngo-1526, wathi: “Leligama elithi Jehova, iNkosi, lingelikaNkulunkulu weqiniso kuphela.”

Ngo-1543 uLuther wabhala ngokucace ngokusobala: “Ukuthi bona [amaJuda] manje abathi igama likaJehova alinakubizeka, abazi ukuthi bathini . . . Uma lingase libhalwe ngepeni noyinki, kungani lingenakubizwa, okungokungcono kakhulu kunokuba libhalwe ngepeni noyinki? Kungani futhi bengathi alibhaleki, alifundeki noma alicabangeki? Uma sicabangela konke lokhu, kukhona okuthile okonakele.” Nokho, uLuther akazange azilungise izinto enguqulweni yakhe yeBhayibheli. Nokho, amanye amaBhayibheli esiJalimane eminyakeni eyalandela ayenalo leligama phakathi kuEksodusi 6:3.

Emakhulwini eminyaka alandela, abahumushi beBhayibheli baya ngakolunye lwezinhlangothi ezimbili. Abanye bakugwema ngokuphelele ukusebenzisa igama likaNkulunkulu, kanti abanye balisebenzisa kakhulu emiBhalweni yesiHeberu, kungaba ngesimo sokuthi Jehova noma ngesimo sikaYahweh. Ake sicabangele izinguqulo ezimbili ezaligwema leligama sibone ukuthi kungani lokho kwenziwa, ngokwabahumushi bazo.

Isizathu Sokuliyeka Kwabo

Lapho uJ. M. Powis Smith noEdgar J. Goodspeed bekhipha inguqulo yanamuhla yeBhayibheli ngo-1935, abafundi bathola ukuthi ezindaweni eziningi kwakusetshenziswe elithi NKOSI nelithi NKULUNKULU esikhundleni segama likaNkulunkulu. Isizathu sachazwa emazwini esandulela: “Kulenguqulo siye salandela isiko lamaJuda ayeqisa emthethweni safaka elithi ‘Nkosi’ esikhundleni segama elithi ‘Yahweh’ namazwi athi ‘Nkosi Nkulunkulu’ esikhundleni sokuthi ‘Nkosi Yahweh.’ Kuzo zonke izimo lapho elithi ‘Nkosi’ noma ‘Nkulunkulu’ limelele elokuqala elithi ‘Yahweh’ kusetshenziswe onobumbakazi abancane.”

Khona-ke, ngendlela ephambene ngokungavamile nesiko lamaJuda ayefunda uYHWH kodwa amphimisele ngokuthi “Nkosi,” isandulela sithi: “Ngakho-ke, noma ubani ofisa ukulondoloza ubumnandi bombhalo wakuqala angamane afunde ukuthi ‘Yahweh’ noma kuphi lapho ebona khona elithi NKOSI noma NKULUNKULU”!

Lapho ufunda lokhu, ngokushesha kufika nanku umbuzo: Uma ukufunda elithi “Yahweh” esikhundleni sokuthi “NKOSI” kulondoloza “ubumnandi bombhalo wakuqala,” kungani abahumushi bengazange basebenzise “uYahweh” enguqulweni yabo? Kungani bona, ngokwamazwi abo, ‘basebenzisa’ igama elithi “NKOSI” esikhundleni segama likaNkulunkulu ngaleyondlela basusa ubumnandi bombhalo wakuqala?

Abahumushi bathi babelandela isiko lamaJuda eqisayo. Kodwa ingabe lokho kuwukuhlakanipha ngomKristu? Khumbula, kwakungabaFarisi, abagcini besiko lamaJuda eqisayo, abaphika uJesu futhi wabatshela: “Nilenzé laba-yize izwi likaNkulunkulu ngesiko lenu.” (Mathewu 15:6) Ushintsho olunjalo ngempela luyalilulaza iZwi likaNkulunkulu.

Ngo-1952 iRevised Standard Version yemiBhalo yesiHeberu yakhishwa ngesiNgisi, futhi leliBhayibheli, lasebenzisa amanye amagama esikhundleni segama likaNkulunkulu. Lokhu kwakuphawuleka ngoba eyokuqala iAmerican Standard Version, leli elase liyinguqulo ebukeziwe yayo, yasebenzisa igama elithi Jehova kuyo yonke imiBhalo yesiHeberu. Ngakho-ke, ukukhishwa kwaleligama kwakuwukwehluka okuvelele. Kwakwenziwelani?

Esanduleleni seRevised Standard Version, siyafunda: “Ngezizathu ezimbili iKomiti iye yabuyela endleleni ejwayelekile yeKing James Version [okungukuthi, ukushiya igama likaNkulunkulu]: (1) igama elithi ‘Jehova’ alimeleli ngokuqondile noma iluphi uhlobo lwaleliGama elake lasetshenziswa ngesiHeberu; futhi (2) ukusebenzisa noma iliphi igama kuNkulunkulu oyedwa nowukuphela, njengokungathi bakhona abanye onkulunkulu okumelwe ahlukaniswe kubo, kwayekwa ebuJudeni ngaphambi kwesikhathi sobuKristu futhi akufanelekile neze ngenxa yokholo lwendawo yonke lweSonto lobuKristu.”

Ingabe lamaphuzu anesisekelo? Nokho, njengoba kubonisiwe ngaphambili, igama elithi Jesu alimeleli ngokuqondile isimo sasekuqaleni segama leNdodana kaNkulunkulu elalisetshenziswa abalandeli bayo. Kodwa lokho akuzange kubangele leKomiti ukuba igweme ukusebenzisa lelogama nokuba esikhundleni salo isebenzise isiqu esinjengokuthi “Mlamuleli” noma “Kristu.” Kuyiqiniso, leziziqu ziyasetshenziswa, kodwa ziyenezela egameni elithi Jesu, azifakwa esikhundleni salo.

Ngokuqondene nephuzu lokuthi abekho abanye onkulunkulu uNkulunkulu weqiniso okumelwe ahlukaniswe kubo, lokho akulona neze iqiniso. Kunezigidi zonkulunkulu abakhulekelwa abantu. Umphostoli uPawulu waphawula: “Bakhona onkulunkulu abaningi.” (1 Korinte 8:5; Filipi 3:19) Yebo, kukhona uNkulunkulu oyedwa kuphela weqiniso, njengoba uPawulu eqhubeka esho. Ngakho-ke, inzuzo enkulu yokusebenzisa igama likaNkulunkulu weqiniso iwukuthi limgcina ehlukile kubo bonke onkulunkulu bamanga. Ngaphandle kwalokho, uma ukusebenzisa igama likaNkulunkulu “kungafanelekile ngokuphelele,” kungani pho livela cishe izikhathi eziyizi-7 000 emiBhalweni yesiHeberu yakuqala?

Iqiniso liwukuthi, abahumushi abaningi ababanga nomuzwa wokuthi leligama, nokuphinyiselwa kwalo kwanamuhla, akufaneleki eBhayibhelini. Baye balihlanganisa ezinguqulweni zabo, futhi umphumela njalo uye waba inguqulo enikeza udumo kuMlobi weBhayibheli nenamathela ngokwethembeka embhalweni wakuqala. Ezinye izinguqulo ezisetshenziswa kakhulu ezilifakayo leligama inguqulo okuthiwa iValera (yesiPanish, eyakhishwa ngo-1602), inguqulo iAlmeida (yesiPutukezi, eyakhishwa ngo-1681), inguqulo yokuqala iElberfelder (yesiJalimane, eyakhishwa ngo-1871), kanye neBhayibheli lesiZulu esidala nesisha, emiBhalweni yesiHeberu (iTestamente Elidala). Ezinye izinguqulo, ngokuphawulekayo iJerusalem Bible, nazo zisebenzisa igama likaNkulunkulu njalo kodwa libhalwe ngokuthi Yahweh.

Manje funda ukukhulumela kwabanye abahumushi abalisebenzisa leligama ezinguqulweni zabo uqhathanise umbono wabo kanye nowalabo abaliyeka leligama.

Isizathu Sokuba Abanye Balifake Leligama

Nakhu ukuphawula kwabahumushi beAmerican Standard Version ka-1901: “[Abahumushi] bafinyelela esiphethweni sokuvumelana ngokuthi inkolelo yobuJuda, eyayicabangela iGama laPhezulu njengelingcwele kakhulu ukuba libizwe, akusamelwe ibuse enguqulweni yesiNgisi noma eyanoma iyiphi enye yeTestamente Elidala . . . LeliGama Lokukhunjulwa elichazwe kuEks. iii. 14, 15, futhi lagcizelelwa kanjalo ngokuphindaphindiwe embhalweni wokuqala weTestamente Elidala, lichaza uNkulunkulu njengoNkulunkulu ongokoqobo, njengoNkulunkulu wesivumelwano, uNkulunkulu wesambulo, uMkhululi, uMngane wabantu bakhe . . . Leligama lomuntu siqu, kanye nokuhlangana kwalo nobungcwele obukhulu, manje libuyiselwa endaweni embhalweni ongcwele lapho lifaneleke khona ngokungenakuphikwa.”

Ngokufanayo, esanduleleni se-Elberfelder Bibel yesiJalimane yokuqala siyafunda: “Jehova. Siye salibuyisela leligama likaNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli weSivumelwano ngoba umfundi uye wajwayelaniswa nalo iminyaka eminingi.”

USteven T. Byington, umhumushi weBible in Living English, uyachaza ukuthi kungani esebenzisa igama likaNkulunkulu: “Ukubhalwa kwalo nokuphinyiselwa akubalulekile kakhulu. Okubaluleke kakhulu kuwukwenza kukhanye ukuthi leli igama lakhe siqu. Kunemibhalo eminingana engenakuqondakala ngokufanele uma sihumusha leligama ngebizo elivamile njengokuthi ‘Nkosi,’ noma, okubi nangaphezulu, ngesichasiso esenziwe ibizo [ngokwesibonelo, oNgunaphakade].”

Indaba yenye inguqulo, kaJ. B. Rotherham, ingethakazelisayo. Wasebenzisa igama likaNkulunkulu enguqulweni yakhe kodwa wakhetha ukuthi Yahweh. Nokho, encwadini yamuva, ethi Studies in the Psalms, eyakhishwa ngo-1911, wabuyela kwelithi Jehova. Ngani? Uyachaza: “JEHOVA.—Ukusetshenziswa kwalendlela yegama lesiNgisi eliKhumbulekayo (Eks. 3:18) enguqulweni yamanje yencwadi yamaHubo akuveli kunoma ikuphi ukusola kokuthi ikuphi ukuphimisela okuqonde kangcono, njengokuthi uYahwéh; kodwa kuphela ngenxa yobufakazi obungokoqobo obukhethiwe bokufisela ukuthintana nezindlebe zomphakathi kanye namehlo endabeni yaloluhlobo, lapho into eyinhloko kuwukuqaphela igama laPhezulu eliqondiwe.”

KumaHubo 34:3 abakhulekeli bakaJehova bayanxuswa: “Mtuseni uJehova kanye nami, siphakamise igama lakhe kanyekanye.” Abafundi bezinguqulo zeBhayibheli ezilishiyayo igama likaNkulunkulu bangasabela kanjani ngokugcwele kulokhu kunxusa? AmaKristu ayajabula ngokuthi okungenani abanye abahumushi baye baba nesibindi sokulifaka igama likaNkulunkulu ekuhumusheni kwabo imiBhalo yesiHeberu, ngaleyondlela balondoloza lokho uSmith noGoodspeed abakubiza ngokuthi “ubumnandi bombhalo wakuqala.”

Nokho, izinguqulo eziningi, ngisho noma zilifaka igama likaNkulunkulu emiBhalweni yesiHeberu, ziyalishiya emiBhalweni yamaKristu yesiGreki, “iTestamente Elisha.” Siyini isizathu salokhu? Ingabe sikhona isizathu sokufaka igama likaNkulunkulu kulengxenye yokugcina yeBhayibheli?

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 17]

Abahumushi beAuthorized Version balifaka igama likaNkulunkulu, elithi Jehova, emavesini amane kuphela, basebenzisa uNKULUNKULU nelithi NKOSI kuyo yonke enye indawo

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 22]

Uma ukusebenzisa igama likaNkulunkulu “kungafanelekile ngokuphelele,” kungani livela cishe izikhathi eziyizi-7 000 emBhalweni wesiHeberu wakuqala?

[Ibhokisi/Izithombe ekhasini 20, 21]

Ukuzondwa Kwegama LikaNkulunkulu?

Okwamanje, ayikho inguqulo yeBhayibheli ekhona ngolimi lwesiBhunu (olukhulunywa abantu baseNingizimu Afrika abadabuka eDashi) enegama likaNkulunkulu. Lokhu kuyamangaza ngoba izinguqulo eziningi zezilimi zabaNsundu kulendawo zilisebenzisa ngokukhululekile leligama. Ake sibone ukuthi lokhu kwenzeka kanjani.

NgoAugust 24, 1878, kwenziwa isikhalo esinamandla emhlanganweni weSociety of True Afrikaners (G.R.A.) ukuba kube nenguqulo yeBhayibheli ngolimi lwesiBhunu. Eminyakeni eyisithupha kamuva, lendaba yaphakama futhi, futhi ekugcineni kwanqunywa ukuba kuqhutshekwe kuhunyushwe iBhayibheli lisuka ezilimini zokuqala. Lomsebenzi wanikezwa uS. J. du Toit, uMongameli Wemfundo eTransvaal.

Incwadi yeziyalezo eyayiya ku-du Toit yahlanganisa isiqondiso esilandelayo: “Igama loqobo leNkosi, elithi Jehova noma Jahvê, kufanele liyekwe lingahunyushiwe [okungukuthi, kungafakwa elithi Nkosi noma Nkulunkulu esikhundleni salo] yonke indawo.” US. J. du Toit wahumusha izincwadi zeBhayibheli eziyisikhombisa waziyisa esiBhunwini, futhi igama elithi Jehova lalikhona yonke indawo.

Nezinye izincwadi zaseNingizimu Afrika, ngesinye isikhathi zazinalo igama likaNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo, kuyiDe Korte Catechismus (The Short Catechism), kaJ. A. Malherbe, 1914, kwakunokulandelayo: “Lingubani iGama likaNkulunkulu eliphakeme kakhulu?” Impendulo? “UJehova, elibhalwe ngokuthi NKOSI ngonobumbakazi emaBhayibhelini ethu. Leli[gama] alikaze linikezwe noma isiphi isidalwa.”

KuyiDie Katkisasieboek (ikhathekizimu elakhishwa iFederated Sunday School Commission of the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa) kwavela umbuzo olandelayo: “Ingabe-ke asinakuphinde sisebenzise igama elithi Jehovah noma NKOSI? Yilokho amaJuda akwenzayo . . . Akuyona incazelo yomyalo leyo. . . . Singalisebenzisa iGama lakhe, kodwa hhayi ngeze.” Kuze kube muva nje, ezanyatheliswa futhi zethi Die Halleluja (incwadi yamaculo) bezinalo igama elithi Jehova kwamanye amaculo.

Nokho, inguqulo ka-du Toit ayizange ithandeke, futhi ngo-1916 iKhomishane Yokuhumusha iBhayibheli yamiswa ukuze inakekele ukukhiqizwa kweBhayibheli lesiBhunu. LeKhomishane yaba nesimiso sokulikhipha eBhayibhelini igama likaJehova. Ngo-1971 iBible Society of South Africa yakhipha “inguqulo yokulinga” yezincwadi ezimbalwa zeBhayibheli ngesiBhunu. Nakuba igama likaNkulunkulu lathintwa esingenisweni, alizange lisetshenziswe ngaphakathi kuleyonguqulo. Ngokufanayo, ngo-1979 inguqulo entsha ye“Testamente Elisha” namaHubo yakhishwa futhi nayo ngokufanayo yalikhipha igama likaNkulunkulu.

Ngokungaphezulu, kusukela ngo-1970 ukuphathwa kwegama likaJehova kuye kwasuswa kuyiDie Halleluja. Futhi uhlelo lwesithupha olubukeziwe lweDie Katkisasieboek, ekhishwa iDutch Reformed Church in South Africa nayo ayisalifaki leligama.

Eqinisweni, imizamo yokususa igama elithi Jehova ayigcini nje ngezincwadi. Isonto laseDutch Reformed ePaarl lalinetshe lapho kwakuqoshwe khona amazwi athi JEHOVAH-JIREH (“UJehova Uyonakekela”). Umfanekiso waleliSonto netshe lalo wavela kwekaOctober 22, 1974, iPhaphama! yesiBhunu. Kusukela lapho, lelitshe liye lasuswa kwafakwa elinye esikhundleni salo elinamazwi athi DIE HERE SAL VOORSIEN (“INKOSI Iyonakekela”). Isikhombo sombhalo nosuku lwalelitshe akuzange kushintshwe, kodwa igama elithi Jehova liye lasuswa.

Ngakho-ke, amaBhunu amaningi namuhla awalazi igama likaNkulunkulu. Amalungu esonto alaziyo ayakubalekela ukulisebenzisa. Amanye aze aphikisane ngalo, athi igama likaNkulunkulu iNKOSI futhi asole oFakazi BakaJehova athi basungula igama elithi Jehova.

[Izithombe]

Isonto laseDutch Reformed ePaarl, eNingizimu Afrika. Ekuqaleni, igama elithi Jehova laliqoshwe kulelitshe (ngenhla ngakwesokudla). Kamuva, lasuswa kwafakwa elinye (ngenhla ngakwesobunxele)

[Isithombe ekhasini 18]

Igama likaNkulunkulu esimweni sokuthi Yohoua lavela ngo-1278 encwadini ethi Pugio fidei njengoba kubonakala kulombhalo (ongaba owekhulu leminyaka le-13 noma le-14) wasemtatsheni wezincwadi eSte. Geneviève, eParis, eFrance (ikhasi 162b)

[Isithombe ekhasini 19]

Enguqulweni yakhe yezincwadi zokuqala ezinhlanu zeBhayibheli, eyakhishwa ngo-1530, uWilliam Tyndale wafaka igama likaNkulunkulu kuEksodusi 6:3. Wachaza ngokusebenzisa kwakhe leligama esanduleleni senguqulo yakhe

[Umthombo]

(Umfanekiso ngemvume yeAmerican Bible Society Library, New York)