‘Ukukhanyiswa Ngokucacile’ KweBhayibheli Okuvela Emtatsheni Omdala Kakhulu WaseRussia

IZAZI ezimbili zifunisisa imibhalo yesandla yeBhayibheli yasendulo. Ngamunye udabula ogwadule futhi afunisise emigedeni, ezigodlweni zezindela nasemaweni ayehlala abantu basendulo. Ngemva kweminyaka, zithuka zihlangana emtatsheni womphakathi omdala kakhulu waseRussia, lapho kuqoqelwe ndawonye eminye yemibhalo yesandla yeBhayibheli ethakazelisa kunayo yonke emhlabeni. Ayengobani la madoda? Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba la magugu awathola agcine eseRussia?

Imibhalo Yesandla Yasendulo—Abavikeli BeZwi LikaNkulunkulu

Ukuze simazi omunye walezi zazi, kumelwe sibuyele emuva ekuqaleni kwekhulu le-19 lapho inguquko yokucabanga yayisakazeka ngokushesha eYurophu. Lena kwakuyinkathi yentuthuko kwezesayensi nempumelelo kwezamasiko, okwathuthukisa umbono wokungabaza amasiko. Abacusumbuli babezama ukululaza igunya leBhayibheli. Empeleni, izazi zaveza ukukungabaza ukunemba kweBhayibheli ngokwalo.

Abavikeli beBhayibheli abathile abaqotho baqonda ukuthi abavikeli abasha—imibhalo yesandla yeBhayibheli yasendulo eyayingakatholakali—babezosekela ubuqotho beZwi likaNkulunkulu. Uma kwakungatholakala imibhalo yesandla emidala kunaleyo eyayikhona, yayizoba ubufakazi obuthule bokuba msulwa kweBhayibheli, ngisho noma kwase kuyisikhathi eside kwenziwa imizamo ephindaphindiwe yokubhubhisa noma yokuhlanekezela isigijimi salo. Leyo mibhalo yesandla yayingadalula nezingxenye ezimbalwa ezazihunyushwe ngendlela eyiphutha emibhalweni.

Ezinye zezimpikiswano ezivuthayo ngokunemba kweBhayibheli zaqubuka eJalimane. Kuleyo ndawo, uprofesa osemusha washiya ukuphila okunethezekile wathatha uhambo olwaluyomholela kokunye ukuvubukulwa okukhulu kunakho konke kwemibhalo yesandla yeBhayibheli. Igama lakhe kwakunguKonstantin von Tischendorf, isazi seBhayibheli ukwenqaba kwaso ukucusumbula okwasiholela empumelelweni ephawulekayo yokuvikela ukunemba kombhalo weBhayibheli. Uhambo lwakhe lokuqala lwamyisa ehlane laseSinayi ngo-1844 futhi lwaba impumelelo engakholeki. Ebhekabheka emgqonyeni kadoti wasesigodlweni sezindela wathola ikhophi yasendulo ye-Septuagint, noma inguqulo yesiGreki yemiBhalo YesiHebheru—endala kunawo wonke kwayesetholakele!

Ejabule, uTischendorf wakwazi ukuthatha imibhalo yesikhumba engu-43. Nakuba ayeqiniseka ukuthi kwakuneminye, lapho ebuyela ngo-1853 wathola isicucu kuphela. Yayikuphi eminye? Njengoba ayesephelelwe imali, uTischendorf wafuna umuntu ocebile owayezomxhasa, wayesenquma ukuphinde ashiye izwe lakubo aqhubeke nokufunisisa imibhalo yesandla yasendulo. Nokho, ngaphambi kokuba aqale lolu hambo, wayezocela usizo kumbusi waseRussia.

Umbusi WaseRussia Uba Nesithakazelo

Kungenzeka ukuthi uTischendorf, isazi esingumProthestani, wazibuza ukuthi kazi uyokwamukelwa kanjani eRussia, izwekazi elalisekela inkolo yobu-Orthodox yaseRussia. Okujabulisayo ukuthi iRussia yayisingene enkathini yoshintsho nenguquko. Ukugcizelelwa kwemfundo kwakuholele uMbusikazi uCatherine II (owaziwa nangokuthi uCatherine Omkhulu) ukuba akhe i-Imperial Library yaseSt. Petersburg ngo-1795. Njengoba yayingumtapo wokuqala womphakathi eRussia, yaba nokwaziswa okuningi okulotshiwe okungafundwa izigidi.

Njengoba yayidunyiswa njengomunye wemitapo emihle kakhulu eYurophu, i-Imperial Library yayinesithiyo esisodwa. Ngemva kweminyaka engu-50 wakhiwe, lo mtapo wawunemibhalo yesandla yesiHebheru eyisithupha kuphela. Awukwazanga ukuqhubeka unakekela isithakazelo esikhulayo sabantu baseRussia sokutadisha izilimi nezinguqulo zeBhayibheli. UCatherine II wayethumele izazi emayunivesithi aseYurophu ukuba ziyofunda isiHebheru. Ngemva kokuba sezibuyile, kwaqalwa izifundo zesiHebheru ezikoleni eziyinhloko zobufundisi zeSonto Lobu-Orthodox LaseRussia, futhi kwakuqala ngqá ukuba izazi zaseRussia ziqale ukuhumusha inguqulo enembile yeBhayibheli isuka olimini lwesiHebheru sasendulo iya kolwesiRashiya. Kodwa zaphelelwa imali futhi zabhekana nokuphikiswa okwakuvela kubaholi besonto ababesadla ngoludala. Ukukhanyiselwa kweqiniso kwakungakaqali kulabo ababefuna ulwazi ngeBhayibheli.

Umbusi waseRussia, u-Alexander II, washeshe wakubona ukubaluleka komsebenzi kaTischendorf futhi wawuxhasa. Naphezu “komona nokuphikiswa okweqile” okwakuvela kwabathile, ngesikhathi esebuya ohambweni lwakhe oluvela eSinayi uTischendorf wabuya nazo zonke ezinye izingxenye zekhophi ye-Septuagint.a Kamuva yabizwa ngokuthi i-Codex Sinaiticus futhi iwumbhalo wesandla weBhayibheli omdala kakhulu osekhona. Esebuyele emuva eSt. Petersburg, uTischendorf waphuthuma endaweni lapho kwakuhlala khona umbusi waseRussia, eSigodlweni Sasebusika. Wacela lo mbusi ukuba asekele “omunye wemisebenzi emikhulu kunayo yonke yokuhlaziya nokutadisha iBhayibheli”—uhlelo olunyathelisiwe lombhalo wesandla owawusanda kutholakala, okwathi kamuva lwabekwa e-Imperial Library. Lo mbusi wavumela phezulu, futhi kamuva uTischendorf owayejabule wabhala: “UNkulunkulu uhlinzeke isizukulwane sethu . . . ngeBhayibheli LaseSinayi ukuze lisikhanyisele ngokugcwele nangokucacile imibhalo elotshwe eZwini likaNkulunkulu, futhi ukuze lisisize sivikele iqiniso ngokuveza ukunemba kwalo.”

Amagugu EBhayibheli Avela ECrimea

Kunesinye isazi esasifunisisa amagugu eBhayibheli esishiwo ekuqaleni. Sasingubani? Eminyakeni embalwa ngaphambi kokuba uTischendorf abuyele eRussia, i-Imperial Library yanikezwa iqoqo lemibhalo emangalisayo kangangokuthi yavusa isithakazelo sombusi waseRussia futhi yaqoqela eRussia izazi ezazivela kulo lonke elaseYurophu. Azizange zikukholwe ezakubona. Phambi kwabo kwakuneqoqo elikhulu lemibhalo yesandla nezinye izinto. Ngokumangalisayo lalinamagugu angu-2 412, kanye nemibhalo yesandla kanye nemiqulu engu-975. Phakathi kwazo kwakunemibhalo yesandla yeBhayibheli engu-45 yakudala ngaphambi kwekhulu leshumi. Nakuba kwakungakholakali, yonke le mibhalo yesandla yayiqoqwe umuntu oyedwa zwí ogama lakhe lingu-Abraham Firkovich, isazi esingumKaraite ngaleso sikhathi esasineminyaka engaphezu kwengu-70 ubudala! Kodwa kwakungobani amaKaraite?b

Lo mbuzo wamthakazelisa kakhulu umbusi waseRussia. IRussia yayisibusa amazwe amaningi ngaphambili ayebuswa ngamanye amazwe. Lokhu kwabangela ukuba kube namaqembu ezizwe amasha embusweni. Indawo ekhangayo eseCrimea, ogwini loLwandle Olumnyama, yayigcwele abantu ababukeka njengamaJuda kodwa abanamasiko abantu baseTurkey futhi abakhuluma ulimi oluhlobene nesiTatar. La maKaraite athi adabuka kumaJuda ayedingiselwe eBhabhiloni ngemva kokubhujiswa kweJerusalema ngo-607 B.C.E. Nokho, ngokungafani namaJuda anorabi, ayeyenqaba iTalmud futhi egcizelela ukufunda imiBhalo. AmaKaraite aseCrimea ayenesifiso sokubonisa umbusi ubufakazi bokuhluka kwawo kumaJuda anorabi, ngaleyo ndlela awanike isikhundla esihlukile. Njengoba amaKaraite aveza imibhalo yesandla yasendulo, ayenethemba lokuthi yayizoveza ukuthi ayisizukulwane samaJuda ayefudukele eCrimea ngemva kokudingiselwa eBhabhiloni.

Lapho efunisisisa imibhalo yasendulo nemibhalo yesandla, uFirkovich waqala ezindaweni zokuhlala ezazisemaweni aseCrimea eChufut-Kale. Izizukulwane zamaKaraite zazihlala kulezi zindlu ezincane ezigwedwe emaweni futhi zikhulekela khona. AmaKaraite ayengawalahli amakhophi amadala emiBhalo anegama likaNkulunkulu, uJehova, ngoba ayebheka isenzo esinjalo njengokungcolisa okungcwele. Imibhalo yesandla yayigcinwa ngokucophelela enqolobaneni encane eyayibizwa ngesiHebheru ngokuthi i-genizah, okusho ukuthi “indawo yokuthukusa.” Ngenxa yokuthi amaKaraite ayelihlonipha ngokujulile igama likaNkulunkulu, leyo miqulu yayingavamile ukuthintwa.

Njengoba ama-genizah ayesenamakhulu eminyaka egcwele izintuli, uFirkovich wafunisisa ngokucophelela kuwo. Kwenye wathola umbhalo wesandla odumile wango-916 C.E. Wabizwa ngokuthi i-Petersburg Codex of the Latter Prophets, futhi ungomunye wamakhophi amadala kakhulu emiBhalo yesiHebheru ekhona.

UFirkovich wakwazi ukuqongelela imibhalo yesandla eminingi kakhulu, futhi ngo-1859 wanquma ukunikela ngemibhalo yakhe eminingi kuyi-Imperial Library. Ngo-1862, u-Alexander II wasiza ekuthengeleni umtapo leli qoqo lemibhalo elalibiza isamba esikhulu esingama-ruble angu-125 000. Ngaleso sikhathi, yonke imali eyayihlelelwa ukusetshenziselwa umtapo yayingaphansi kwama-ruble angu-10 000 ngonyaka! Kuleli qoqo kwakukhona ne-Leningrad Codex (B 19^A) edumile. Le codex eyango-1008 futhi iyikhophi ephelele yemiBhalo YesiHebheru futhi endala kakhulu kunayo yonke emhlabeni. Esinye isazi saphawula ukuthi “mhlawumbe iwumbhalo wesandla weBhayibheli obaluleke kakhulu, ngoba yafakazela ukuba iqiniso kombhalo weningi lezinhlelo ezihlaziyayo zanamuhla zeBhayibheli lesiHebheru.” (Bheka ibhokisi elihambisana nalesi sihloko.) Ngawo lowo nyaka ka-1862, kwakhishwa i-Codex Sinaiticus kaTischendorf futhi yenanelwa umhlaba wonke.

Ukukhanyiselwa Okungokomoya Namuhla

Lo mtapo manje osubizwa ngokuthi i-National Library of Russia ungomunye wemitapo enemibhalo yesandla yasendulo eminingi kunayo yonke emhlabeni.c Njengomlando waseRussia, igama lalo mtapo liye lashintshwa izikhathi ezingu-7 phakathi neminyaka engamakhulu amabili. Elinye igama lawo elidumile elithi i-State Saltykov-Shchedrin Public Library. Nakuba isiyaluyalu sangekhulu lama-20 singazange sishiye umtapo ungenamyocu, imibhalo yesandla ekuwo yasinda ngokuphelele kuzo zombili izimpi zezwe kanye nokuvinjezelwa kweLeningrad. Sizuza kanjani thina kuleyo mibhalo yesandla?

Imibhalo yesandla yasendulo ingumthombo onokwethenjelwa wezinguqulo zeBhayibheli eziningi zanamuhla. Yenza labo abafuna iqiniso ngobuqotho ukuba bajabulele inguqulo yemiBhalo Engcwele enembe kakhudlwana. Kokubili i-Codex Sinaiticus ne-Leningrad Codex kuye kwaba usizo kakhulu ekuhumusheni INguqulo Yezwe Elisha YemiBhalo Engcwele, ekhishwa oFakazi BakaJehova futhi kwakhishwa ephelele ngo-1961. Ngokwesibonelo, izinguqulo i-Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia ne-Biblia Hebraica kaKittel, ezasetshenziswa yiKomiti Yezwe Elisha Yokuhumusha IBhayibheli, zisekelwe kuyi-Leningrad Codex futhi zisebenzisa iTetragrammaton, noma igama likaNkulunkulu, izikhathi ezingu-6 828 embhalweni wokuqala.

Ngokwesilinganiso bambalwa abafundi beBhayibheli abaqaphelayo ukuthi ubenzele lukhulu kangakanani umtapo oseSt. Petersburg nemibhalo yawo yesandla, eminye yayo enegama lakudala lalo muzi, iLeningrad. Nokho, simkweleta kakhulu uMlobi weBhayibheli, uJehova, osinikeza ukukhanya okungokomoya. Ngakho umhubi wamncenga: “Thumela ukukhanya kwakho neqiniso lakho. Kwangathi kungangihola.”—IHubo 43:3.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

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UKWAZIWA NOKUSETSHENZISWA KWEGAMA LIKANKULUNKULU

Ngokuhlakanipha kwakhe, uJehova uye waqikelela ukuthi iZwi lakhe, iBhayibheli, liyalondolozwa kuze kube namuhla. Ukuzimisela kwababhali ukwenza umsebenzi wabo kuyo yonke iminyaka kuye kwahilela ukulilondoloza. Ababhali ababecophelela kakhulu kulaba kwakungamaMasorete, ababhali abangamaHebheru abayizingcweti ababhala kusukela ngekhulu lesithupha kuya kweleshumi C.E. IsiHebheru sasendulo sasibhalwa ngaphandle konkamisa. Njengoba isikhathi sasiqhubeka, lokhu kwandisa ingozi yokulahleka kwendlela efanele yokubiza amagama esiHebheru, ngoba kwakungena isi-Aramu esikhundleni saso. AmaMasorete anezela isimiso sokusebenzisa izimpawu zonkamisa emibhalweni yeBhayibheli ukuze abonise ukubizwa okufanele kwamagama esiHebheru.

Ngokuphawulekayo, izimpawu zonkamisa zamaMasorete ezikuyi-Leningrad Codex zenza umuntu akwazi ukubiza iTetragrammaton—ongwaqa abane besiHebheru abakha igama likaNkulunkulu—u-Yehwah’, Yehwih’, no-Yeho·wah’. Indlela ethi “Jehova” iyona eyaziwa kakhulu namuhla yokubiza leli gama. Igama likaNkulunkulu laliphila, kuyigama elijwayelekile kubalobi beBhayibheli nakwabanye ababephila ezikhathini zasendulo. Namuhla, igama likaNkulunkulu liyaziwa futhi lisetshenziswa izigidi ezivuma ukuthi ‘uJehova kuphela ongoPhezukonke emhlabeni wonke.’—IHubo 83:18.

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Igumbi lemibhalo yesandla e-National Library

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Umbusikazi uCatherine II

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UKonstantin von Tischendorf (phakathi) no-Alexander II, umbusi waseRussia

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U-Abraham Firkovich

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Both images: National Library of Russia, St. Petersburg

[Imithombo Yezithombe ekhasini 11]

Catherine II: National Library of Russia, St. Petersburg; Alexander II: From the book Spamers Illustrierte Weltgeschichte, Leipzig, 1898