Indlela IBhayibheli Elafika Ngayo Kithi—Ingxenye Yesithathu

EBURMA, ngo-1824—Izinduna zenkosi zisanda kuphequlula endlini ka-Adoniram no-Ann Judson abayizithunywa zevangeli, zathatha konke ezicabanga ukuthi kubalulekile. Kodwa zishiye ingcebo eyigugu kakhulu—umbhalo wesandla weBhayibheli elihunyushiwe u-Ann ayewugqibe endaweni ecashile ngaphansi kwendlu. U-Adoniram, umhumushi, uhlala eboshwe ngamaketanga ejele elibhuza omiyane, ngenxa yokubekwa icala lokuba inhloli. Manje umswakama usuzokonakalisa lombhalo. Ungavikelwa kanjani? U-Ann uwuthungela emcamelweni oqinile, awuyise kumyeni wakhe ejele. Lomcamelo uyalondolozwa, futhi okuqukethe kuba ingxenye yeBhayibheli lokuqala lolimi lwaseBurma.

IBhayibheli liye labhekana nezingozi eziningi ezinjalo kuwo wonke umlando. Komagazini abandulele, siye sacabangela ukuhunyushwa nokusakazwa kweBhayibheli kusukela ekuqedweni kwalo kuze kube sekuqaleni kwawo-1600. IBhayibheli liye laqhubeka kanjani kusukela lapho kuze kube manje? Ingabe laliyoke litholakale kubo bonke abantu? I-Watch Tower Society iye yaba nayiphi indima?

Izithunywa Zevangeli Nezinhlangano ZeBhayibheli

Emazweni amaningi, eminyakeni yawo-1600 neyawo-1700 kwaba nokwanda okukhulu kokufundwa kweBhayibheli. IBhayibheli layithonya ngokukhethekile iNgilandi phakathi naleyo nkathi. Empeleni, izindaba nezimfundiso zeBhayibheli ziye zathonya cishe izingqondo zawo wonke umuntu ezweni, kusukela enkosini kuya kumfana olimayo. Kodwa ithonya leBhayibheli ladlulela ngalé kwalokho. Ngaleso sikhathi iNgilandi yayiwumbuso wezentengiselwano zasolwandle futhi inamazwe angaphansi kwayo, futhi amaNgisi athile ahamba neBhayibheli lapho ethatha uhambo. Lokhu kwabeka isisekelo sokwandiswa komkhankaso weBhayibheli.

Ngasekupheleni kwawo-1700, iBhayibheli lashukumisela abathile eNgilandi ukuba bacabange ngezidingo ezingokomoya zabantu bomdabu abasemazweni aqhelile oMbuso WaseBrithani. Nokho, akubona bonke abantu ababekhathazeka ngalokho. Abefundisi abaningi babekholelwa ekumiselweni kusengaphambili, ngakho-ke babekubheka njengentando kaNkulunkulu ukuba abantu abathile bangasindiswa. Lapho lowo owayezoba isithunywa sevangeli uWilliam Carey enikeza inkulumo evus’amadlingozi ukuze akhuthaze ukusekelwa komkhankaso wokuya eNdiya, othile wamemeza ethetha: “Hlala phansi, nsizwa; uma uNkulunkulu ethanda ukuguqula abahedeni, uyokwenza ngaphandle kosizo lwakho!” Noma kunjalo, uCarey waya eNdiya ngomkhumbi ngo-1793. Okumangazayo ukuthi wagcina ehumushele lonke iBhayibheli noma izingxenye zalo ezilimini ezingu-35 zaseNdiya.

Izithunywa zevangeli zaqaphela ukuthi ithuluzi lazo eliyisisekelo kwakuyiBhayibheli ngolimi lwendawo. Nokho, ubani owayezokwenza ukuba kutholakale amaBhayibheli? Ngokuthakazelisayo, umkhankaso owawuzosakaza amaBhayibheli emhlabeni wonke washukunyiswa intombazane yaseWales eneminyaka engu-16, uMary Jones, ingazi. Ngo-1800, uMary wahamba amakhilomitha angu-40 ngezinyawo eyothenga iBhayibheli lolimi lwesiWelsh kumfundisi othile. Wayeqongelele imali yakhe iminyaka eyisithupha, futhi lapho uMary ezwa ukuthi amaBhayibheli ayesethengiswe wonke, wakhala, edumele. Ethinteke ngokujulile, lomfundisi wanika uMary elinye lamaBhayibheli akhe.

Ngemva kwalokho, lomfundisi wacabanga ngabanye abaningi ababedinga amaBhayibheli, futhi waxoxa ngalenkinga nabangane bakhe baseLondon. Lokho kwaphumela ekusungulweni kwe-British and Foreign Bible Society ngo-1804. Injongo yayo yayilula: Ukwenza ukuba abantu bathole amaBhayibheli angabizi ngolimi lwabo, “angenawo amazwi achazayo asemaceleni.” Ngokukhipha lamazwi achazayo asemaceleni ekhasi, abasunguli baleNhlangano babenethemba lokuthi bayogwema impikiswano engokwemfundiso. Nokho, ezikhathini eziningana, leNhlangano yeBhayibheli yayihlukana phakathi ngokuphathelene neziNcwadi Ezingengcwele, ubhapathizo lokucwilisa nemfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu.

Intshiseko yasekuqaleni yasakazeka ngokushesha, futhi ngo-1813, kwase kumiswe izinhlangano ezisebenzelana nalena eJalimane, eNetherlands, eDenmark naseRussia. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, izinhlangano zeBhayibheli zanezelwa nakwamanye amazwe. Lapho izinhlangano zeBhayibheli zokuqala zibeka imigomo yazo, zazicabanga ukuthi ingxenye enkulu yomhlaba yayisebenzisa izilimi ezimbalwa nje eziyinhloko. Zazingazange zicabange ukuthi kwakunezinkulungwane zezilimi! Babembalwa kakhulu abahumushi ababazi isiHeberu nesiGreki ababengakwazi ukusihumushela ngokuqondile olimini lwabantu abavamile. Ngakho-ke, lapho i-British and Foreign Bible Society ixhasa umsebenzi wokuhumusha, ngokuvamile abahumushi babesekela umsebenzi wabo kuyi-King James Version yesiNgisi.

Ukushushiswa Komunye Umhumushi

Ingxenye enkulu yeBhayibheli inokulandisa nemifanekiso okusekelwe kulokho abantu abakubona nsuku zonke. Lokhu kwenza kube lula kakhulu ukulihumusha kunokuba bekuyoba njalo ukube lalibhalwe ngamazwi efilosofi angaqondakali. Nokho, njengokulindelekile, imizamo yokuqala yezithunywa zevangeli ngezinye izikhathi yayiphumela ekuhumusheni ngendlela edidayo noma ehlekisayo. Ngokwesibonelo, enye inguqulo engxenyeni ethile yaseNdiya yanika abantu umqondo wokuthi uNkulunkulu ungumuntu oluhlaza njengesibhakabhaka. Igama elasetshenziswa ekuhumusheni elithi “wasezulwini” enkulumweni ethi “uBaba wasezulwini” lalisho ukuthi “onombala wesibhakabhaka”—amazulu angokoqobo!

Ngokuphathelene nezithiyo abahumushi ababebhekana nazo, u-Adoniram Judson wabhala ngo-1819: ‘Uma sifunda ulimi olukhulunywa abantu kwenye ingxenye yezwe, abanemithetho yokukhuluma esingayijwayele, nezinhlamvu zamagama kanye namagama ahluke ngokuphelele kunanoma iluphi ulimi esake saluzwa; lapho singenasichazamazwi noma utoliki kodwa kufanele siqonde okuthile ngalolo limi ngaphambi kokuba sithole usizo lukathisha wokudabuka kulelo lizwe—kuwumsebenzi ngempela!’ Futhi umsebenzi wabahumushi abanjengoJudson wasiza kakhulu ekutholakaleni kweBhayibheli.—Bheka ishadi ekhasini 12.

U-Ann Judson wasiza umyeni wakhe kulomsebenzi onzima wokuhumusha. Kodwa abakwaJudson babhekana nokungaphezu kwezinkinga nje zokuhumusha. Lapho izinduna zenkosi zibamba u-Adoniram zimgquma ejele, u-Ann wayekhulelwe. Ngesibindi, wanxusa lezi zinduna ezingenazwela izinyanga ezingu-21 ukuba zikhulule umyeni wakhe. Lolo sizi kanye nokugula kwamhlukumeza. Ngemva nje kokukhululwa kuka-Adoniram, umkakhe owayenesibindi u-Ann nendodakazi yabo esencane babulawa imfiva. U-Adoniram wadabuka. Nokho, wathembela kuNkulunkulu ukuba amqinise futhi waqhubeka ehumusha, waqeda iBhayibheli lolimi lwaseBurma ngo-1835. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, kwavela nezinye izinselele ezingumshoshaphansi ngokuphathelene neBhayibheli.

Impikiswano NgeBhayibheli

Ngawo-1800 kwaba nempikiswano enkulu yezenhlalo nezombangazwe, ngezinye izikhathi eyayihilela iBhayibheli ngokuyinhloko. Ngokwesibonelo, nakuba i-Russian Bible Society yayixhaswa umbusi kanye neSonto Lobu-Orthodox LaseRussia ekusungulweni kwayo, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi bayihlakaza futhi bayivimbela. (Abaphikisi baleNhlangano kakade base beshise izinkulungwane zamaBhayibheli esikhathini esingangonyaka ngaphambi kwalokho.) Ngomfutho, abefundisi bobu-Orthodox base befuna ukuqeda lokho amaKristu okuqala ayekuqale ngentshiseko—ukusakazwa kweBhayibheli kuyo yonke indawo. Ngekhulu le-19 abaholi bobu-Orthodox bagcizelela ukuthi iBhayibheli lalisongela igunya leSonto neloMbuso. Ngokuphambene, inhlangano yabalweli bezinguquko zezombangazwe eyavela ngaleso sikhathi yabheka iBhayibheli, hhayi njengeliwusongo eziphathimandleni, kodwa kunalokho, njengesikhali seSonto noMbuso sokugcina uquqaba lwabantu luthobela umthetho. IBhayibheli lalihlaselwa nhlangothi zombili!

Eminyakeni eyalandela iBhayibheli labuye lahlaselwa “ngongqondongqondo.” Ngo-1831, uCharles Darwin wathatha uhambo ngomkhumbi olwaholela ekubeni asungule inkolelo-mbono yokuziphendukela kwemvelo. Ngo-1848, uMarx no-Engels bakhipha i-Communist Manifesto, eyayiveza ubuKristu njengethuluzi lokucindezela. Futhi phakathi naleso sikhathi, abacusumbuli bangabaza ubuqiniso bemiBhalo nokuthi abantu baseBhayibhelini babekhona ngempela yini ngokomlando—ngisho noJesu uqobo! Kodwa abanye abantu abacabangayo bakuqaphela ukuphaphalaza kwezinkolelo-mbono ezenqaba uNkulunkulu neBhayibheli, futhi baphendukela ekucwaningeni ukuze baqinisekise ukwethenjelwa kweBhayibheli. Omunye walaba kwakunguKonstantin von Tischendorf, isazi sezilimi esinekhono esingumJalimane.

Okwatholakala Kusiza Ekufakazeleni Ubuqiniso Bombhalo WeBhayibheli

UTischendorf wadabula elaseMpumalanga Ephakathi efuna imibhalo yeBhayibheli yesandla yasendulo, enethemba lokufakazela ngokungenakuphikwa ubuqiniso bombhalo wakuqala weBhayibheli. Ngo-1859, ngonyaka ofanayo uDarwin anyathelisa ngawo i-Origin of Species, uTischendorf wathola lokho okwakuyikhophi ephelele endala kunawo wonke aziwayo yemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki esigodlweni sezindela esiphansi kweNtaba iSinayi. Lekhophi yaziwa ngokuthi iCodex Sinaiticus futhi cishe yenziwa eminyakeni engaba ngu-50 ngaphambi kokuba uJerome aqede i-Vulgate yesiLatini. Nakuba ukufaneleka kokususa le-codex kulesi sigodlo sezindela kusaphikiswana ngakho, uTischendorf wayinyathelisa, ngaleyo ndlela enza izazi zikwazi ukuyithola.a

Ngenxa yokuthi iSinaiticus yayiphakathi kwemibhalo yesandla emidala kunayo yonke yolimi lokuqala, ayizange yembule nje kuphela ukuthi imiBhalo YesiGreki yayingashintshanga kodwa yasiza nezazi ukuba zithole amaphutha angena ngesinyenyela emibhalweni yesandla yamuva. Ngokwesibonelo, umbhalo obhekisela kuJesu kweyoku-1 Thimothewu 3:16 kuyiSinaiticus ufundeka kanje: “Yena wabonakaliswa enyameni.” Esikhundleni selithi “yena,” imibhalo yesandla eminingi eyayaziwa ngaleso sikhathi yayinesifushaniso selithi “Nkulunkulu,” esenziwa ngokushintsha kancane igama lesiGreki elithi “yena.” Nokho, iSinaiticus yenziwa eminyakeni eminingi ngaphambi kwanoma imiphi imibhalo yesandla yesiGreki enelithi “Nkulunkulu.” Ngakho, yembula ukuthi kamuva lombhalo washintshwa, ngokusobala ukuze kusekelwe imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu.

Kusukela esikhathini sikaTischendorf, kuye kwatholakala imibhalo yesandla eyengeziwe. Namuhla, ingqikithi YemiBhalo yesiHeberu yesandla eyaziwayo ingaba ngu-6 000, kanti eyesiGreki ingaphezu kuka-13 000. Ukuhlola ngokuqhathanisa lemibhalo kuye kwaphumela embhalweni wolimi lokuqala okungathenjelwa kuwo ngokuqinile. Kunjengoba isazi uF. F. Bruce sakubeka: “Ukuhluka kwezindlela efundeka ngayo . . . akubangeli kungatshazwa kweqiniso elingokomlando noma inkolo kanye nomkhuba wobuKristu.” Njengoba ukuhunyushelwa kweBhayibheli ezilimini eziningi kwaqhubeka, lolu lwazi olwengeziwe lwalungabazuzisa kanjani abantu?

I-Watch Tower Society NeBhayibheli

Ngo-1881 iqembu elincane eliqotho labafundisi nabafundi beBhayibheli lakha lokho kamuva okwaba i-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Ekuqaleni, lasakaza amaBhayibheli enziwe ezinye izinhlangano zeBhayibheli, kuhlanganise nemiBhalo YesiGreki kaTischendorf. Nokho, ngo-1890 lase lingene shí ekunyatheliseni iBhayibheli, lixhasa uhlelo lokuqala lwezinguqulo eziningana zeBhayibheli. Ngo-1926 leNhlangano yaqala ukunyathelisa iBhayibheli ngemishini yayo. Kodwa saya siba sobala ngokwengeziwe isidingo senguqulo yeBhayibheli ebukeziwe. Ingabe ulwazi olwazuzwa ekhulwini elandulele leminyaka kulokho okwatholakala kanye nasezazini lwalungahlanganiswa eBhayibhelini eliqondakalayo nelingabizi? Enalowo mgomo, ngo-1946 amalungu aleNhlangano aqala ukwenza inguqulo entsha yemiBhalo.

Inguqulo Eyodwa Ngezilimi Eziningi

Kwahlelwa ikomiti yokuhumusha yamaKristu agcotshiwe anolwazi ukuze kwenziwe i-New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures ngesiNgisi. Yanyatheliswa yaba imiqulu eyisithupha, kusukela ngo-1950 kuya ku-1960, kuqalwa ngemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki. Kusukela ngo-1963 iye yahunyushelwa ezilimini ezingu-27 ezengeziwe, futhi kunezinye ezisahunyushwa. Imigomo yezinye izilimi iyafana neyesiNgisi. Okokuqala, inguqulo kufanele inembe, isondele ngangokunokwenzeka emiqondweni yokuqala. Incazelo akumelwe isontwe ukuze ivumelane nemfundiso ethile. Okwesibili, inguqulo kufanele ingaguquguquki, ibambelele endleleni eyodwa yokuhumusha igama eliyinhloko uma nje umongo ukuvumela ukwenza kanjalo. Indlela enjalo isiza abafundi babone indlela abalobi beBhayibheli abasebenzisa ngayo amagama athile. Okwesithathu, inguqulo kufanele ibeke indaba ngezwi nezwi ngangokunokwenzeka, ngaphandle kokufiphaza umqondo. Ukuhumusha ngezwi nezwi kwenza umfundi akwazi ukuzwa izici zezilimi zokuqala nezindlela zokucabanga ezihlobene nazo. Futhi okwesine, kufanele abantu abavamile bakuthole kulula ukuyifunda nokuyiqonda.

Indlela yokubeka ngezwi nezwi ye-New World Translation yesiNgisi yenza kube lula ukuyihumushela kwezinye izilimi. Ngenxa yaleyo njongo, amaqembu eNhlangano ahumushayo manje asebenzisa amathuluzi athuthukisiwe e-computer ukuze asheshise umsebenzi wawo futhi awenze unembe kakhudlwana. Lendlela isiza abahumushi ukuba benzele igama ngalinye eliyinhloko uhlu lwamagama asho okufanayo olimini abahumushela kulo. Futhi ibenza bakwazi ukufunda izindlela igama ngalinye lesiHeberu nelesiGreki elihunyushelwe ngazo eBhayibhelini lesiNgisi.

Ukuhumusha kususelwa esiNgisini, kunokususela esiHeberwini nasesiGrekini ngokuqondile, kunezinzuzo ezibalulekile. Ngaphandle kokunciphisa isikhathi sokuhumusha, kwenza kube nokuvumelana okwengeziwe kuzo zonke izilimi. Ngani? Ngoba kulula kakhulu ukuhumusha ususela ngokuqondile kolunye ulimi lwanamuhla uyisa kolunye kunokuhumusha ususela olimini lwasendulo uyise ezilimini ezihlukahlukene zanamuhla. Phela, abahumushi bangakwazi ukuthintana nabantu abakhuluma izilimi zanamuhla hhayi ezazikhulunywa ezinkulungwaneni zeminyaka edlule.

Izindaba Ezinhle Zazo Zonke Izizwe

Kuningi kakhulu okungabhalwa ngabesilisa nabesifazane abazimisele abaye basiza ekwenzeni iBhayibheli libe incwadi etholakala kabanzi kunazo zonke emhlabeni. Emakhulwini eminyaka, kuye kwanyatheliswa okungenani izigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezine zamaBhayibheli nezingxenye zeBhayibheli ngezilimi ezingaphezu kwezinkulungwane ezimbili, ezikhulunywa abantu bomhlaba abangamaphesenti angaphezu kuka-90!

IBhayibheli labikezela ngokumenyezelwa koMbuso kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni wonke osukwini lwethu. Ukuze kufezwe lokhu, kusobala ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe uye waqondisa ekwenzeni ukuba manje iBhayibheli litholakale cishe embulungeni yonke. (Mathewu 13:47, 48; 24:14) Abahumushi nabanyathelisi beBhayibheli bakudala abanesibindi badela konke ukuze basinike iZwi likaNkulunkulu—okuwukuphela komthombo wokukhanya okungokomoya ezweni elimnyama ngokokuziphatha. Kwangathi isibonelo sabo singakushukumisela ekubeni ulifunde, uphile ngalo, futhi ngokuzimisela okufana nokwabo, ulihlanganyele nabanye leloZwi. Yebo, nsuku zonke, lisebenzise ngokugcwele iBhayibheli elinokwethenjelwa elisezandleni zakho!—Isaya 40:6-8.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ishadi ekhasini 12]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

Ukwanda Ekuhunyushweni Kwebhayibheli

Inani

Lezilimi

1 AmaJuda aqala ukuhumushela imiBhalo YesiHeberu

esiGrekini cishe ngo-280 B.C.E.

12 UJerome uqeda i-Vulgate yesiLatini cishe ngo-400 C.E.

81 I-British and Foreign Bible Society eyasungu-lwa ngo-1804

Inani Elilinganiselwayo Lezilimi Ngokweminyaka

522

1900

600

700

800

900

1 049

1950

1 100

1 200

1 300

1 471

1970

2 123

1996

2 200

2 300

2 400

[Umthombo]

Sources: Christianity Today, United Bible Society

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 9]

Mountain High Maps® Copyright © 1995 Digital Wisdom, Inc.

[Isithombe ekhasini 8]

UJudson waboshwa wathathwa

[Umthombo]

From the book Judson the Hero of Burma, by Jesse Page

[Izithombe ekhasini 10]

UTischendorf wasindisa umbhalo wesandla obalulekile kulesi sigodlo sezindela esisemthambekeni weNtaba iSinayi

[Umthombo]

Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.