Incwadi “Ekhuluma” Izilimi Eziphilayo
Uma ulimi okubhalwe ngalo incwadi lufa, leyo ncwadi nayo iyafa. Bambalwa abantu namuhla abangase bakwazi ukufunda izilimi zasendulo iBhayibheli elalibhalwe ngazo. Kodwa lona lisekhona. Liye lasinda ngenxa yokuthi liye “lafunda ukukhuluma” izilimi zabantu eziphilayo. Abahumushi “abalifundisa” ukukhuluma ezinye izilimi babebhekana nezingqinamba ezazibonakala zingenakunqobeka ngezinye izikhathi.
UKUHUMUSHA iBhayibheli—njengoba linezahluko ezingaphezu kuka-1 100 namavesi angu-31 000—kuwumsebenzi omkhulu. Nokho, emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka, abahumushi abazinikele bayamukela ngenjabulo lenselele. Abaningi babo babezimisele ukubhekana nobunzima ngisho nokufa ngenxa yomsebenzi wabo. Umlando wokuthi iBhayibheli lahunyushelwa kanjani ezilimini zesintu uyindaba ephawulekayo yokuphikelela nobuhlakani. Cabanga nje ngejuphwana lalowo mlando ovusa amadlingozi.
Inselele Eyayibhekene Nabahumushi
Uyihumushela kanjani incwadi olimini olungenawo umbhalo obhalwa phansi? Abahumushi abaningi beBhayibheli babebhekene nenselele enjalo. Ngokwesibonelo, u-Ulfilas wekhulu lesine C.E. wazimisela ukuhumushela iBhayibheli olimini olwalusetshenziswa ngaleso sikhathi kodwa lungabhalwa—isiGothic. U-Ulfilas wayinqoba lenselele ngokusungula onkamisa besiGothic abayizinhlamvu ezingu-27, ayebasekele ngokuyinhloko konkamisa besiGreki nabesiLatini. Ukuhumushela kwakhe lonke iBhayibheli olimini lwesiGothic kwaqedwa ngaphambi kuka-381 C.E.
Ekhulwini lesi-9, izelamani ezimbili ezikhuluma isiGreki, uCyril (owayethiwe ngelithi Constantine ekuqaleni) noMethodius, bobabili ababeyizazi futhi benolwazi oluhle lwezilimi, babefuna ukuhumushela abantu abakhuluma iSlav iBhayibheli. Kodwa iSlavonic—ulimi olungaphambi kwezilimi zamaSlav anamuhla—sasingabhalwa phansi. Ngakho lezi zelamani ezimbili zasungula onkamisa ukuze zenze inguqulo yeBhayibheli. Ngakho iBhayibheli manje lakwazi “ukukhuluma” nabantu abaningi ngokwengeziwe, basezweni lamaSlav.
Ekhulwini le-16 leminyaka, uWilliam Tyndale waqala ukuhumushela iBhayibheli esiNgisini elisusela ezilimini zakuqala, kodwa wabhekana nokuphikiswa okunzima okuvela eSontweni nakuHulumeni. UTyndale, owayefunde e-Oxford, wayefuna ukuveza inguqulo eyayizoqondwa ngisho ‘nawumfana obamba igeja.’1 Kodwa ukuze akufeze lokhu, kwadingeka abalekele eJalimane, lapho ‘iTestamente lakhe Elisha’ lesiNgisi lanyatheliswa khona ngo-1526. Lapho lamakhophi eshushumbiselwa eNgilandi, iziphathimandla zathukuthela kangangokuba zaqala ukuwashisa obala. Kamuva uTyndale wakhashelwa. Ngaphambi nje kokuba aklinywe futhi isidumbu sakhe sishiswe, washo lamazwi ngezwi elikhulu: “Nkosi, vula amehlo eNkosi yaseNgilandi!”2
Ukuhunyushwa kweBhayibheli kwaqhubeka; abahumushi babengeke bavinjelwe. Ngo-1800, okungenani izingxenye ezithile zeBhayibheli “zase zifunde ukukhuluma” izilimi ezingu-68. Khona-ke, lapho kwakhiwa ama-Bible Society—ikakhulukazi i-British and Foreign Bible Society, eyasungulwa ngo-1804—iBhayibheli ngokushesha “lafunda” izilimi ezengeziwe ezintsha. Izinsizwa eziningi zaya kwamanye amazwe ngokuzithandela njengezithunywa zevangeli, injongo eyinhloko yeningi lazo iwukuhumusha iBhayibheli.
Ukufunda Izilimi Zase-Afrika
Ngo-1800, kwakunezilimi ezimbalwa kuphela ezibhalwayo e-Afrika. Ezinye izilimi eziningi ezikhulunywayo kwadingeka zilinde kuze kube yilapho othile esungula indlela yokuzibhala. Izithunywa zevangeli zeza futhi zizofunda lezi zilimi, kungekho zinsiza-kufunda noma izichazamazwi. Ngakho zasebenza kanzima zisungula indlela yokubhala, futhi ngemva kwalokho zafundisa abantu ukufunda lokho okubhaliwe. Lokhu zazikwenzela ukuba ngolunye usuku abantu bakwazi ukufunda iBhayibheli ngolimi lwabo.3
Esinye salezo zithunywa zevangeli sasingesaseScotland uRobert Moffat. Ngo-1821, eneminyaka engu-25, uMoffat waqala lomkhankaso phakathi kwabantu base-Afrika eseningizimu abakhuluma isiTswana. Ukuze afunde ulimi lwabo olungabhalwa phansi, wazihlanganisa nalaba bantu, ngezinye izikhathi engena phakathi kulelo lizwe ukuze ayohlala phakathi kwabo. “Laba bantu babenomusa,” ebhala kamuva, “amaphutha engangiwenza kulolu limi ayebenza bafe insini. Kwakungenzeki nakanye ukuba umuntu alungise igama noma umusho engangiwushilo ngaphambi kokuba aqale alingise indlela engikhulume ngayo ukuze ahlekise abanye.”4 UMoffat wabekezela kwaze kwaba yilapho ekugcineni eselwazi kahle ulimi, esesungule nendlela yokulubhala phansi.
Ngo-1829, ngemva kokuba esebenze phakathi kwabeTswana iminyaka engu-8, uMoffat waqeda ukuhumusha iVangeli LikaLuka. Ukuze linyatheliswe, wahamba ibanga elingamakhilomitha angu-970 ngenqola yezinkabi eya ogwini wabe esethatha umkhumbi walibhekisa eCape Town. Lapho, umbusi wamnikeza imvume yokusebenzisa umshini kahulumeni wokunyathelisa, kodwa uMoffat kwakudingeka azihlelele yena amagama futhi azinyathelisele ngokwakhe, ekugcineni lakhishwa leli Vangeli ngo-1830. Ngokokuqala ngqá, abeTswana base bengafunda ingxenye ethile yeBhayibheli ngolimi lwabo. Ngo-1857, uMoffat waqeda ukuhumushela lonke iBhayibheli esiTswaneni.
Kamuva uMoffat wachaza ukuthi abeTswana bazizwa kanjani lapho beqala ukuthola iVangeli LikaLuka. Waphawula: “Kwakunabantu abaningi engangibabona behamba ibanga elide bezothola amakhophi kaSanta Luka. . . . Ngangiye ngibabone bethola izingxenye zencwadi kaSanta Luka, bekhala, bezinkonkoshela ezifubeni zabo, bese bechiphiza izinyembezi zokubonga, kuze kube yilapho ngibatshela ngokuphindaphindiwe ukuthi, ‘Nizongcolisa izincwadi zenu ngezinyembezi.’”5
Abahumushi abazinikele njengoMoffat banikeza abantu base-Afrika abaningi ithuba lokuqala lokuxhumana ngokubhala—abanye babo ekuqaleni ababengasiboni isidingo sokulubhala phansi ulimi. Nokho, abahumushi babekholelwa ukuthi babenikeza abantu base-Afrika isipho esiyigugu ngisho nangaphezulu—iBhayibheli ngolimi lwabo. Namuhla iBhayibheli, liphelele noma ingxenye yalo, “likhuluma” ngezilimi zase-Afrika ezingaphezu kwezingu-600.
Ukufunda Izilimi Zase-Asia
Nakuba abahumushi base-Afrika bazama kanzima ukusungula izindlela zokubhala izilimi ezikhulunywayo, ngakolunye uhlangothi lomhlaba, abanye abahumushi babebhekana nesithiyo esihlukile—ukuhumushela ezilimini ezibhalwa ngendlela eyinkimbinkimbi. Leyo kwakuyinselele eyayibhekene nalabo ababehumushela iBhayibheli ezilimini zase-Asia.
Ekuqaleni kwekhulu le-19, uWilliam Carey noJoshua Marshman baya eNdiya futhi bazifunda kahle eziningi zezilimi zakhona ezibhalwayo. Ngosizo lukaWilliam Ward, umshicileli, banyathelisa izinguqulo okungenani zezingxenye ezithile zeBhayibheli cishe ngezilimi ezingu-40.6 Ngokuphathelene noWilliam Carey, umlobi uJ. Herbert Kane uyachaza: “Wasungula indlela enhle, eshelelayo, esangxoxo [yolimi lwesiBengali] eyayithatha isikhundla sendlela eyayisetshenziswa kudala, ngaleyo ndlela eyenza iqondakale kakhudlwana futhi ikhange kubafundi banamuhla.”7
U-Adoniram Judson, onkaba yakhe ise-United States, waya eBurma, kwathi ngo-1817 waqala ukuhumushela iBhayibheli olimini lwesiBurma. Echaza ubunzima bokwazi kahle ulimi lwamazwe aseMpumalanga kuze kube sezingeni lokukwazi ukuhumusha iBhayibheli, wabhala: ‘Uma sifunda ulimi olukhulunywa abantu kwenye ingxenye yezwe, abanendlela yokucabanga ehlukile kweyethu, abanemithetho yokukhuluma esingayijwayele, abanezinhlamvu zamagama kanye namagama ahluke ngokuphelele kunanoma iluphi ulimi esake saluzwa; lapho singenasichazamazwi noma utolika kodwa kufanele siqonde okuthile ngalolo limi ngaphambi kokuba sithole usizo lukathisha wokudabuka kulelo lizwe—kuwumsebenzi ngempela!’8
KuJudson, kwasho umsebenzi onzima weminyaka engu-18. Ingxenye yokugcina yeBhayibheli lesiBurma yanyatheliswa ngo-1835. Nokho, ukuhlala kwakhe eBurma kwamhluphekisa kakhulu. Lapho esematasa ngaleyo nguqulo, wamangalelwa ngokuba yinhloli futhi ngenxa yalokho wachitha iminyaka ethi ayibe mibili ejele elaligcwele omiyane. Ngokushesha ngemva kokukhululwa kwakhe, umkakhe nendodakazi yakhe eyayisencane babulawa imfiva.
Lapho uRobert Morrison owayeneminyaka engu-25 efika eChina ngo-1807, waqala umsebenzi onzima ngendlela eyisimanga wokuhumushela iBhayibheli olimini lwesiShayina, olungolunye lwezilimi ezibhalwayo eziyinkimbinkimbi kakhulu. Wayenolwazi oluncane kakhulu lwesiShayina, ayeqale ukusifunda eminyakeni emibili kuphela ngaphambili. UMorrison kwakumelwe abekezelele umthetho waseChina, owawenzelwe ukuba ugcine iChina izibusa. Abantu baseChina babenqatshelwe ukuba bafundise abantu abavela kwamanye amazwe ulimi, lokho kwakunesigwebo sokufa. Ukuba umuntu ovela kwelinye izwe ahumushele iBhayibheli olimini lwesiShayina kwakuwukona okufanelwe isigwebo sokufa.
Engesabi kodwa eqaphile, uMorrison waqhubeka elufunda lolu limi, elufunda ngokushesha. Ingakapheli iminyaka emibili wathola umsebenzi wokuba umhumushi we-East India Company. Phakathi nosuku, wayesebenzela lenkampani, kodwa ngasese nangaphansi kosongo oluqhubekayo lokuthi angase abanjwe, wayehumusha iBhayibheli. Ngo-1814, ngemva kweminyaka engu-7 eseChina, imiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki yayisikulungele ukunyatheliswa.9 Eminyakeni emihlanu kamuva, esizwa uWilliam Milne, waqeda imiBhalo YesiHeberu.
Kwakuyimpumelelo enkulu—iBhayibheli manje lase “likhuluma” ngolimi olusetshenziswa abantu abaningi kunanoma iluphi emhlabeni. Ngenxa yabahumushi abanekhono, labe selihunyushelwa nakwezinye izilimi zase-Asia. Namuhla, izingxenye zeBhayibheli zitholakala ngezilimi zase-Asia ezingaphezu kuka-500.
Kungani amadoda anjengoTyndale, uMoffat, uJudson, noMorrison azikhandla iminyaka eminingi kangaka—amanye aze afaka nokuphila kwawo engozini—ukuze nje ahumushele abantu angabazi, futhi kwezinye izimo, abantu ababengenalo nolimi olubhalwayo? Ngokuqinisekile ayengakwenzeli ukuthola udumo noma inzuzo yemali. Ayekholelwa ukuthi iBhayibheli liyiZwi likaNkulunkulu nanokuthi kufanele “likhulume” nabantu—bonke abantu—ngolimi lwabo.
Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi unomuzwa wokuthi iBhayibheli liyiZwi likaNkulunkulu noma cha, mhlawumbe uzovuma ukuthi uhlobo lomoya wokuzidela olwaboniswa yilabo bahumushi abazinikele aluvamile neze kuleli lizwe lanamuhla. Ingabe incwadi ebangela ukungabi nabugovu okungaka akufanele yini ukuba siyicubungule?
[Ishadi ekhasini 12]
(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)
Inani lezilimi iBhayibheli eliye lanyatheliswa ngazo izingxenye zalo noma liphelele kusukela ngo-1800
68 107 171 269 367 522 729 971 1 199 1 762 2 123
1800 1900 1995
[Isithombe ekhasini 10]
UTyndale uhumusha iBhayibheli
[Isithombe ekhasini 11]
URobert Moffat
[Isithombe ekhasini 12]
U-Adoniram Judson
[Isithombe ekhasini 13]
URobert Morrison