Incwadi YeBhayibheli Yama-25—IsiLilo
Umlobi: UJeremiya
Yalotshelwa: Eduze naseJerusalema
Ukuloba Kwaphela: 607 B.C.E.
1. Kungani incwadi yesiLilo yethiwe kahle?
LENCWADI yemiBhalo ephefumlelwe ngokuqinisekile yethiwe kahle. Iyisililo esizwakalisa ukudabuka okukhulu ngenxa yalesosenzakalo esiyinhlekelele emlandweni wabantu bakaNkulunkulu abakhethiwe, ukubhujiswa kweJerusalema ngo-607 B.C.E. nguNebukadinesari, inkosi yaseBabele. NgesiHeberu lencwadi yethiwe ngegama layo lokuqala, elithi ʼEh·khahʹ!, okusho ukuthi “Yeka!” Abahumushi beSeptuagint yesiGreki babiza lencwadi ngokuthi Threʹnoi, okusho “Izililo.” ITalmud yaseBabiloni isebenzisa igama elithi Qi·nohthʹ, elisho “Izililo; Izinkondlo zezililo.” NguJerome, ebhala ngesiLatin, owayetha ngokuthi iLamentationes, okuyilapho kuvela khona elesiNgisi elithi Lamentations.
2. Incwadi yesiLilo ifakwe kuliphi iqoqo futhi yabekwaphi eBhayibhelini?
2 Enguqulweni yeBhayibheli lesiZulu, incwadi yesiLilo ibekwa ngemva kwencwadi kaJeremiya, kodwa ohlwini lwesiHeberu, ngokuvamile itholakala kuyiHagiographa (iNgxenye Yesithathu YemiBhalo YamaJuda), noma imiBhalo, ikanye nesiHlabelelo seziHlabelelo, uRuthe, UmShumayeli, noEsteri—iqoqo elincane selilonke elaziwa ngokuthi amaMeghil·lohthʹ (Imiqulu) ayisihlanu. Kwamanye amaBhayibheli esiHeberu anamuhla, ibekwe phakathi kukaRuthe noma uEsteri nomShumayeli, kodwa kuthiwa kumakhophi asendulo yayilandela incwadi kaJeremiya, njengoba injalo emaBhayibhelini ethu namuhla.
3, 4. Yibuphi ubufakazi obubonisa ukuthi yalotshwa uJeremiya?
3 Lencwadi ayimusho umlobi wayo. Nokho, akukho kungabaza ngokuthi kwakunguJeremiya. KuyiSeptuagint yesiGreki, lencwadi inalesisandulela: “Kwenzeka, ngemva kokuba uIsrayeli esethunjiwe neJerusalema selichithiwe, ukuba uJeremiya ahlale phansi akhale futhi alililele lesililo iJerusalema athi.” UJerome wabheka lamazwi njengangamanga futhi wawakhipha enguqulweni yakhe. Nokho, ukuthi incwadi yesiLilo yalotshwa uJeremiya kuyisiko elamukelekayo lamaJuda futhi, phakathi kwezinye izinguqulo, kuqinisekiswa inguqulo yesiSiriya, iVulgate yesiLatin, iTargum kaJonathan, nayiTalmud yaseBabiloni.
4 Abanye abacusumbuli baye bazama ukuveza ukuthi uJeremiya akazange ayilobe incwadi yesiLilo. Nokho, iCommentary on the Holy Bible icaphuna “izincazelo ezicacile ngeJerusalema ezahl. 2 no-4, ngokusobala eziyimibhalo kafakazi wokuzibonela; ngokufanayo nomuzwa wokudabuka onamandla nomoya wobuprofethi okuzo zonke izinkondlo, kanye nesigqi, nokuhlelwa kwamazwi, nomcabango okuzo, konke okufana noJeremiya”a njengobufakazi bokuthi ilotshwe uJeremiya. Kunamazwi amaningi asencwadini yesiLilo afana nalawo asencwadini kaJeremiya, njengalawo abonisa ukudabuka okukhulu ‘kwamehlo amululeka imifula yamanzi (izinyembezi)’ (IsiL. 1:16; 2:11; 3:48, 49; Jer. 9:1; 13:17; 14:17) nawokucasukela abaprofethi nabapristi ngenxa yokonakala kwabo. (IsiL. 2:14; 4:13, 14; Jer. 2:34; 5:30, 31; 14:13, 14) Izindima ezikuJeremiya 8:18-22 neziku-14:17, 18 zibonisa ukuthi uJeremiya wayeyifanelekela kahle indlela yokulila esencwadini yesiLilo.
5. Yiziphi izizathu esifinyelela ngazo esikhathini eyalotshwa ngaso?
5 Isikhathi sokuloba ngokuvamile kuyavunywa ukuthi sasingokushesha ngemva kokuwa kweJerusalema ngo-607 B.C.E. Ukwesabeka kwakho kokubili ukuvinjezelwa nokushiswa komuzi kwakusekusha engqondweni kaJeremiya, futhi ukudabuka kwakhe kuvezwe ngokucacile. Omunye umkhulumeli uphawula ukuthi akukho nesisodwa isimo sosizi esivezwe ngokugcwele kunoma iyiphi indawo, kodwa ngasinye sivela ngokuphindaphindiwe ezinkondlweni eziningana. Khona-ke uthi: “Lokhu kuphazamiseka komcabango . . . kungobunye bobufakazi obunamandla kakhulu bokuthi lencwadi isondelene kakhulu nezenzakalo nemizwelo ehlose ukuyidlulisela.”b
6. Yini ethakazelisayo ekuhlelweni kwemisho nasendleleni incwadi yesiLilo elotshwe ngayo?
6 Isimo sencwadi yesiLilo siyathakazelisa kakhulu kunoma yisiphi isazi seBhayibheli. Kunezahluko ezinhlanu, okungukuthi, izinkondlo eziyisihlanu ezinesigqi. Ezokuqala ezine ziqala ngezinhlamvu zokuzikhumbuza, ivesi ngalinye liqala ngolunye lwezinhlamvu ezingu-22 zama-alfabethi esiHeberu ngokulandelana kwazo. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, isahluko sesithathu sinamavesi angu-66, kuwona amavesi amathathu ngokulandelana kwawo aqala ngohlamvu olufanayo ngaphambi kokuba adlulele kolunye uhlamvu olulandelayo. Inkondlo yesihlanu yona ayiqali ngezinhlamvu zokuzikhumbuza, nakuba inawo amavesi angu-22.
7. Yiluphi usizi uJeremiya aluzwakalisayo, kodwa yiliphi ithemba elisalayo?
7 Incwadi yesiLilo izwakalisa ukudabuka okukhulu ngenxa yokuvinjezelwa, ukuthunjwa, nokubhujiswa kweJerusalema uNebukadinesari, futhi ayidlulwa yinoma iyiphi incwadi ngokucacisa kwayo nobuciko bayo bokubanga usizi. Umlobi uzwakalisa ukudabuka okukhulu ngenxa yokushiywa, usizi, nokudideka akubonayo. Indlala, inkemba, nokunye okwesabisayo kuye kwabangela ukuhlupheka okwesabekayo kulomuzi—konke kunjengesijeziso esiqondile esivela kuNkulunkulu, ngenxa yezono zabantu, ezabaprofethi, nezabapristi. Nokho, ithemba nokholo kuJehova kuyasala, futhi imithandazo ecela ukubuyiselwa yenziwa kuye.
OKUQUKETHWE INCWADI YESILILO
8. Yikuphi ukuchithwa okuchazwe enkondlweni yokuqala, kodwa iJerusalema elenziwe samuntu lithini?
8 “Yeka ukuhlala kodwa komuzi owawunabantu abaningi!” Inkondlo yokuqala isiqalisa kanjalo isililo sayo. Indodakazi yaseSiyoni yayiyinkosazana, kodwa izithandwa zayo ziyishiyile futhi abantu bayo bathunjiwe. Amasango ayo ashiyiwe. UJehova uyijezisile ngenxa yobuningi beziphambeko zayo. Ilahlekelwe yinkazimulo yayo. Izitha zayo zihleka ukuwa kwayo. Ithotshiswe ngendlela emangalisayo futhi ayinamduduzi, futhi insali yabantu abakuyo ilambile. Iyabuza (iJerusalema elenziwe samuntu): ‘Bukhona yini ubuhlungu obunjengobuhlungu bami?’ Yelula izandla zayo bese ithi: “UJehova ulungile, ngokuba ngihlubukile izwi lakhe.” (1:1, 12, 18) Inxusa uJehova ukuba alethe inhlekelele ezitheni zayo ezeneme, njengoba nje enzile kuyo.
9. (a) Inhlekelele yehlele iJerusalema ivela kubani? (b) UJeremiya ukhuluma kanjani ngokuhlekwa usulu okunqwatshelwaniswe kulo nangezimo ezibuhlungu ezikulomuzi?
9 “Yeka ukwembesa kweNkosi indodakazi yaseSiyoni amafu ngentukuthelo yayo.” (2:1) Inkondlo yesibili ibonisa ukuthi uJehova ngokwakhe ophonse phansi ubuhle bukaIsrayeli. Wenze ukuba umkhosi neSabatha kukhohlakale, futhi ulahle phansi ialtare lakhe nengcwelengcwele. Wo, yeka izinto ezidabukisayo eJerusalema! UJeremiya uthi: “Amehlo ami ayaphela izinyembezi, izibilini zami ziyaxhaphazela; isibindi sami sithululelwe emhlabathini ngenxa yokuchitheka kwendodakazi yabantu bami.” (2:11) Uzoyifanisa nani indodakazi yaseJerusalema? Uzoyiduduza kanjani indodakazi yaseSiyoni? Abaprofethi bayo abasizanga ngalutho futhi abanelisanga. Manje abadlula ngendlela bayihleka usulu: “Yiwo lomuzi owawubizwa ngokuthi ubuhle obupheleleyo nentokozo yomhlaba wonke na?” (2:15) Izitha zayo zivule imilomo yazo zancimfa futhi zagedla amazinyo, zithi, ‘Lolu usuku ebesilulindele lokuba siwugwinye.’ Abantwana bayo bayaquleka ngenxa yendlala, abesifazane badla abantwana babo. Izidumbu zigcwele imigwaqo. “Akubangakho ngosuku lwentukuthelo kaJehova owasindayo nowasalayo.”—2:16, 22.
10. Njengesisekelo sethemba, yiziphi izimfanelo zikaNkulunkulu uJeremiya akhuluma ngazo?
10 Inkondlo yesithathu, yamavesi angu-66, igcizelela ithemba leSiyoni emseni kaNkulunkulu. Ngokungathekisa okuningi umprofethi ubonisa ukuthi uJehova obangele lokhu kuthunjwa nokuchithwa. Esimweni esibuhlungu, umlobi ucela uNkulunkulu ukuba akhumbule ukuhlupheka kwakhe futhi uzwakalisa ukholo emseni kaJehova wothando nasebubeleni bakhe. Amavesi amathathu alandelanayo aqala ngelithi “Kuhle” futhi abonisa ukufaneleka kokulindela insindiso kuJehova. (3:25-27, qhathanisa neNW.) UJehova uye wabangela usizi, kodwa futhi uyobonisa umusa. Kodwa okwamanje, naphezu kokusivuma isono sokuhlubuka, uJehova akathetheleli; uyivimbele imithandazo yabantu bakhe futhi wayenza “umphucuzo nemfucumfucu.” (3:45) Ngezinyembezi zosizi umprofethi ukhumbula ukuthi izitha zakhe bezimzingela njengenyoni. Nokho, uJehova wasondela kuye esemgodini futhi wathi: “Ungesabi.” Unxusa uJehova ukuba aphendule ngenxa yesihlamba sesitha: “Uyakubaxosha ngentukuthelo, ubabhubhise, bangabe besaba-khona phansi kwezulu likaJehova.”—3:57, 66.
11. Yiziphi izindlela intukuthelo evuthayo kaJehova ethululelwe ngazo eSiyoni, futhi ngani?
11 “Yeka ukufiphala kwegolide nokuguquka kwegolide elihle!” (4:1) Inkondlo yesine izwakalisa ukulilela inkazimulo egqwalile yethempeli likaJehova, elimatshe alo asabalele emigwaqweni. Amadodana ayigugu eSiyoni aye aba izinto ezingelutho, njengezitsha zobumba. Akukho manzi nasinkwa, futhi labo abakhulele ebukhazikhazini “sebesingatha izala.” (4:5) Isijeziso sikhulu nakakhulu kunesesono saseSodoma. AmaNaziri, ake aba ‘ahlambulukile kunongqoqwane, amhlophe kunobisi,’ aseye aba “mnyama kunelahle” futhi wonke ayashwabaniswa. (4:7, 8) Kungcono ukubulawa ngenkemba kunokufa ngendlala, ngesikhathi lapho abesifazane bepheka abantwana babo! UJehova uthulule intukuthelo yakhe evuthayo. Kwenzeke into engakholeleki—isitha singené emasangweni aseJerusalema! Ngani? “Ngenxa yezono zabaprofethi balo nobubi babapristi balo,” abachithe igazi labalungileyo. (4:13) UJehova akabanakile. Nokho, icala lendodakazi yaseSiyoni seliphelile, futhi ayisayikuphinde iyiswe ekuthunjweni. Manje sekungawe, ndodakazi yakwaEdomi, ukuba uphuze indebe ebabayo kaJehova!
12. Yikuphi ukunxusa kokuzithoba okwenziwa enkondlweni yesihlanu?
12 Inkondlo yesihlanu iqala ngokunxusa uJehova ukuba akhumbule abantu bakhe abayizintandane. Izakhamuzi zaseJerusalema zafanekiswa njengezikhulumayo. Okhokho babo abonile, futhi manje abantu kumelwe bathwale icala labo. Babuswa yizigqila, futhi bahlushwa iphango. Intokozo yenhliziyo yabo iphelile, futhi ukusina kwabo kuphenduke ukulila. Bayagula ezinhliziyweni. Ngokuzithoba baqaphela uJehova: “Wena-Jehova umi phakade; isihlalo sakho sobukhosi sikhona ezizukulwaneni ngezizukulwane.” Bayakhala: “Sibuyisele kuwe-Jehova, siyakubuya; yenza izinsuku zethu zibe-zintsha njengasendulo, ngokuba usilahlile nokusilahla, wasithukuthelela kakhulu.”—5:19-22.
ISIZATHU SOKUBA IBE NENZUZO
13. Yikuphi ukuqiniseka incwadi yesiLilo ekhuluma ngakho, nokho kungani inenzuzo ekuboniseni ukuqina kwesandla sikaNkulunkulu?
13 Incwadi yesiLilo izwakalisa ukuthembela kukaJeremiya okuphelele kuNkulunkulu. Ekujuleni kokudabuka, nasekunqotshweni okucindezelayo, lingekho nhlobo ithemba lenduduzo evela kunoma yimuphi umthombo ongabantu, lomprofethi ubheka phambili ekusindisweni isandla sikaNkulunkulu omkhulu wendawo yonke, uJehova. Incwadi yesiLilo kufanele ibangele ukulalela nobuqotho kubo bonke abakhulekeli beqiniso, kuyilapho ngesikhathi esifanayo inikeza isixwayiso esesabekayo ngokuqondene nalabo abadelela igama elikhulu kunawo wonke nalokho elikumelelayo. Umlando awuwubonisi omunye umuzi owalilelwa ngolimi oludabukisa kangako noluthinta inhliziyo. Ngokuqinisekile inenzuzo ekuchazeni ukuqina kwesandla sikaNkulunkulu ngokuqondene nalabo abaqhubekayo behlubuka, bentamo-lukhuni, futhi bengaphenduki.
14. Yiziphi izixwayiso zaphezulu neziprofetho eziboniswa incwadi yesiLilo okumelwe zigcwaliseke, futhi lencwadi ihlangana kanjani neminye imibhalo ephefumlelwe?
14 Incwadi yesiLilo inenzuzo futhi ekuboniseni ukugcwaliseka kwezixwayiso neziprofetho eziningana zaphezulu. (IsiL. 1:2—Jer. 30:14; IsiL. 2:15—Jer. 18:16; IsiL. 2:17—Lev. 26:17; IsiL. 2:20—Dut. 28:53) Phawula futhi ukuthi incwadi yesiLilo inikeza ubufakazi obucacile bokugcwaliseka kukaDuteronomi 28:63-65. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lencwadi iqukethe izikhombo eziningi ezibhekisela kwezinye izingxenye zemiBhalo engcwele. (IsiL. 2:15—IHu. 48:2; IsiL. 3:24—IHu. 119:57) UDaniyeli 9:5-14 ufakazela isiLilo 1:5 no-3:42 ekuboniseni ukuthi inhlekelele yeza ngenxa yeziphambeko zabantu.
15. Incwadi yesiLilo ikhomba phambili kuziphi ‘izinsuku ezintsha’?
15 Inhlupho esabekayo yeJerusalema iyadabukisa ngempela! Phakathi kwakho konke lokhu, incwadi yesiLilo izwakalisa ukuqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova uyobonisa umusa wakhe wothando futhi uyolikhumbula iSiyoni futhi alibuyise. (IsiL. 3:31, 32; 4:22) Ikhuluma ngethemba ‘ezinsukwini ezintsha’ ezinjengezinsuku zasendulo lapho iNkosi uDavide noSolomoni bebusa eJerusalema. Sisekhona isivumelwano sikaJehova noDavide sombuso waphakade! “Ububele bakhe abupheli. Busha ekuseni njalo.” Futhi buyoqhubeka busebenza kulabo abathanda uJehova, ngaphansi kokubusa koMbuso wakhe wokulunga, kuze kube yilapho zonke izidalwa eziphilayo ziyombonga khona zithi: “UJehova uyisabelo sami.”—5:21, qhathanisa neNW; 3:22-24.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a 1952, eyahlelwa nguJ. R. Dummelow, ikhasi 483.
b Studies in the Book of Lamentations, 1954, uNorman K. Gottwald, ikhasi 31.