Babelithanda IZwi LikaNkulunkulu

NGOKUVAMILE, ukwaziswa okubalulekile kuye kuhunyushelwe ezilimini eziningi ukuze kuqondwe abantu abaningi ngangokunokwenzeka. IBhayibheli, iZwi likaNkulunkulu, linesigijimi esibalulekile. Nakuba labhalwa kudala kakhulu, izinto ezikulo “zalotshelwa ukuba kufundiswe thina,” futhi ziyasiduduza zisinikeze nethemba ngekusasa.—Roma 15:4.

Ngakho-ke kunengqondo ukuba iBhayibheli litholakale ngezilimi eziningi ngoba liqukethe isigijimi esibaluleke kakhulu kwezake zabhalwa. Phakathi nawo wonke umlando, abantu baye bazikhandla behumusha iBhayibheli naphezu kokugula kakhulu, ukuvinjelwa ohulumeni ngisho nokusongelwa ngokubulawa. Kungani benza lokhu? Ngoba babelithanda iZwi likaNkulunkulu. Izindaba ezilandelayo zingamazwibela omlando omuhle kakhulu wokuhunyushwa kweBhayibheli.

“AmaNgisi Awuqonda Kangcono Umthetho KaKristu Uma Ubhalwe NgesiNgisi”

Ngesikhathi uJohn Wycliffe ezalwa cishe ngo-1330, izinkonzo zesonto eNgilandi zaziqhutshwa ngesiLatin. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, abantu abavamile babesebenzisa ulimi lwesiNgisi. Babekhuluma nomakhelwane babo ngesiNgisi, futhi bathandaze kuNkulunkulu ngesiNgisi.

UWycliffe, umfundisi wamaKatolika, wayesikhipha ngamakhala isiLatin. Kodwa wayekholelwa ukuthi kwakungafanele abantu bafundiswe ngesiLatin, ngoba sasiwulimi olwalukhulunywa izicwicwicwi kuphela. Wabhala: “Ulwazi lomthetho kaNkulunkulu kufanele lufundiswe ngolimi okulula ukuluqonda ngoba lokho okufundiswayo kuyizwi likaNkulunkulu.” Ngakho, uWycliffe nethimba lakhe basungula iqembu elalizohumushela iBhayibheli olimini lwesiNgisi. Lokhu kwathatha iminyaka engaba ngu-20.

ISonto LamaKatolika aliyithakaselanga le ndaba yenguqulo entsha. I-Mysteries of the Vatican iyachaza ukuthi kungani isonto lalingayifuni: “Abantu abavamile bakwazi ukuqhathanisa izimfundiso ezilula zobuKristu nezamaKatolika zangaleso sikhathi . . . Wavele wagqama umehluko phakathi kwezimfundiso zoMsunguli wobuKristu nezalowo owazibeka njengomholi [upapa].”

UPapa Gregory XI wakhipha izimemezelo ezinhlanu ezazilahla uWycliffe. Kodwa lo mhumushi akangenwanga amanzi emadolweni. Waphendula: “AmaNgisi awuqonda kangcono umthetho kaKristu uma ubhalwe ngesiNgisi. UMose wezwa umthetho kaNkulunkulu ngolimi lwakhe, ngokufanayo nabaphostoli bakaKristu.” Cishe ngo-1382, ngaphambi nje kokufa kukaWycliffe, ithimba lakhe lakhipha inguqulo yokuqala yeBhayibheli lesiNgisi eliphelele. Ngemva kweminyaka ethi ayibe yishumi, omunye wozakwabo wakhipha inguqulo ebukeziwe efundeka kalula.

Njengoba yayingakabi khona imishini yokunyathelisa, umbhalo ngamunye wakopishwa ngesandla ngokukhulu ukucophelela, futhi lo msebenzi wawungathatha izinyanga eziyishumi! Nokho, isonto lalikhathazeke kakhulu ngokuthi abantu babezoba namaBhayibheli abo kangangokuthi umbhishobhi omkhulu wakhipha izinsongo zokuthi noma ubani owayelifunda wayezobulawa. Ngemva kweminyaka engu-40 uWycliffe ashona, umkhandlu wopapa wayala abefundisi ukuba bagubhe isidumbu sakhe, bashise amathambo akhe, bese besakaza umlotha emfuleni iSwift. Naphezu kwakho konke lokho, abantu abaqotho ababefuna iqiniso bazama ukuthola iBhayibheli likaWycliffe. UProfesa William M. Blackburn wathi: “Kwenziwa amakhophi amaningi kakhulu eBhayibheli likaWycliffe, asakazwa kabanzi, futhi adluliselwa ezizukulwaneni ezilandelayo.”

IBhayibheli Labantu Abangafundile Kangako

Kungakapheli neminyaka engu-200, isiNgisi esasikhulunywa uWycliffe sase siphelile. Kwakumkhathaza kakhulu umshumayeli osemusha owayehlala ngaseBristol ukuthi abantu ababeqonda iBhayibheli babembalwa. Ngesinye isikhathi, umshumayeli, uWilliam Tyndale, wezwa indoda ethile efundile ithi kungcono ukungabi nomthetho kaNkulunkulu kunokungabi nokapapa. UTyndale waphendula wathi uma uNkulunkulu ayemvumela, wayezoqiniseka ukuthi ngisho nabantu abangafundile kangako babeyoba nolwazi olwengeziwe lweBhayibheli ukudlula abantu abafundile.

UWycliffe wayehumushe iBhayibheli esusela kuyi-Vulgate yesiLatin wabe esekopisha imiBhalo ngesandla. Ngo-1524, ngemva kokuba uTyndale esuke eNgilandi waya eJalimane, waqala ukuhumusha iBhayibheli esusela ngokuqondile emibhalweni yokuqala yesiHebheru nesiGreki, wabe esesebenzisa umshini wokunyathelisa owawuseCologne ukuze alinyathelise. Kungakabiphi, izitha zikaTyndale zezwa ngale nguqulo, zagqugquzela isiGele SaseCologne ukuba sikhiphe umyalo wokuba wonke lawo makhophi athathwe ngodli.

UTyndale wabalekela edolobhelni laseWorms, eJalimane, waqhubeka nomsebenzi wakhe. Ngemva kwesikhashana, amakhophi kaTyndale emiBhalo YesiGreki abhalwe ngesiNgisi ashushumbiswa ngomkhumbi ayiswa eNgilandi. Phakathi nezinyanga eziyisithupha, kwase kuthengiswe amakhophi amaningi kangangokuthi kwabizwa umhlangano ophuthumayo wababhishobhi, bakhipha umyalo wokuba lawo maBhayibheli ashiswe.

Ukuze bayekise abantu abaningi ekufundeni iBhayibheli futhi baqede inkolelo kaTyndale engahambisani nenkolo ethandwayo, umbhishobhi waseLondon wayala uSir Thomas More ukuba abhale incwadi ahlasele uTyndale. Okwakucasula uMore kakhulu ukusebenzisa kukaTyndale igama elithi “ibandla” esikhundleni selithi “isonto,” nelithi “umdala” esikhundleni selithi “umfundisi.” La magama ayebekela igunya likapapa inselele futhi ephakamisa imibuzo ngokuqondene nomahluko phakathi kwabefundisi nabantu abavamile. UThomas More wabuye wagxeka ukuhumusha kukaTyndale igama lesiGreki elithi a·gaʹpe ngokuthi “uthando” kunokuba athi “ukupha.” Incwadi ethi If God Spare My Life ithi: “Leli phuzu lalifaka iSonto enkingeni ngoba ukululazwa kokupha kwakungase kukhinyabeze iminikelo emikhulu elaliyithola, kwenze abantu bangakhiphi imali kapapa yokuthethelelwa izono, futhi banganikeli ngamafa abo okwakuthiwa mabanikele ngawo ukuze bazivulele indlela eya ezulwini.”

UThomas More wafaka umoya wokushiswa “kwezihlubuki,” okwaholela ekuklinyweni kukaTyndale nasekushiselweni kwakhe esigxotsheni ngo-October 1536. Naye uThomas More wagcina enqunywe ikhanda ngoba inkosi yayingasamthandi. Kodwa ngo-1935, iSonto LamaRoma Katolika lamemezela ukuthi ungusanta, futhi ngonyaka ka-2000, uPapa uJohn Paul II wahlonipha uMore njengosanta othembekile wosombusazwe.

UTyndale akazange akuthole ukuhlonishwa okunjalo. Kodwa ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe, umngane wakhe uMiles Coverdale, wahlanganisa izingxenye ezihlukahlukene zenguqulo kaTyndale wazenza zaba iBhayibheli eliphelele—inguqulo yokuqala yesiNgisi eyasuselwa ezilimini zokuqala! Ngisho nabantu abangafundile kangako base bengakwazi ukufunda iZwi likaNkulunkulu. Kuthiwani ngokuhunyushwa kweBhayibheli ngezinye izilimi ngaphandle kwesiNgisi?

“Wawubonakala Uyinto Engenakwenzeka”

Nakuba umndeni nabangane bakhe babengamsekeli, uRobert Morrison, umshumayeli wevangeli waseBrithani owayenesifiso sokunyathelisa iBhayibheli lesiShayina eliphelele wagibela umkhumbi waqonda eChina ngo-1807. Umsebenzi wakhe wokuhumusha wawungelula. UCharles Grant, ngaleso sikhathi owayengumqondisi we-East India Company, wathi: “Lo msebenzi wawubonakala uyinto engenakwenzeka.”

Lapho efika eChina, uMorrison wathola ukuthi abantu bakhona babenqatshelwe ukufundisa izifiki isiShayina futhi uma bezifundisa babethola isigwebo sentambo. Ukuze avikele yena nalabo ababevume ukumfundisa, uMorrison wazivalela endlini okwesikhashana. Omunye umbiko uthi “ngemva kokufunda iminyaka emibili, wayesekwazi ukukhuluma, ukufunda nokubhala isiMandarin nezinye izilimi zesigodi.” Phakathi naleso sikhathi, umbusi wakhipha isimemezelo esithi ukunyathelisa izincwadi zobuKristu kuyicala elibi, futhi okwenzayo uyobulawa. Naphezu kwalolo songo, uMorrison waqeda inguqulo yakhe yeBhayibheli lesiShayina eliphelele ngo-November 25, 1819.

Ngo-1836, kwase kunyatheliswe amaBhayibheli aphelele angaba ngu-2 000, amakhophi emiBhalo YesiGreki angu-10 000 nezingxenye ezingu-31 000 zemiBhalo ebhalwe ngesiShayina. Uthando ngeZwi likaNkulunkulu lwalwenze umsebenzi ‘owawubonakala uyinto engenakwenzeka’ ukuba wenzeke.

IBhayibheli Elisemqamelweni

Umshumayeli wevangeli waseMelika u-Adoniram Judson, nomkakhe u-Ann bashada ngoFebruary 1812, futhi ngemva kwamasonto amabili bathatha uhambo olude, ekugcineni bafika eBurma ngo-1813.a Ngaphandle kokupholisa amaseko, baqala ukufunda isiBurma, olunye lwezilimi ezinzima kakhulu emhlabeni. Ngemva kokufunda iminyaka embalwa, uJudson wabhala: “Sifunda ulimi olukhulunywa abantu abahlala kolunye uhlangothi lomhlaba nabacabanga ngendlela ehlukile kweyethu . . . Asinasichazamazwi, futhi akekho osihumushela amagama.”

Izinkinga zolimi azizange zimdikibalise uJudson. Waqeda inguqulo yakhe yesiBurma yemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki ngo-June 1823. Kamuva, kwaba nempi eBurma. Esolwa ngokuthi uyinhloli, uJudson wagqunywa ejele, waboshwa ngezinsimbi, waboshelwa ogodweni olude ukuze angakwazi nokunyakaza. Incwadi yango-1853 eyabhalwa uFrancis Wayland elandisa ngokuphila kukaJudson, ithi: “Enye yezinto zokuqala uMnu. Judson ayicela ngemva kokuba yena nomkakhe sebevunyelwe ukuhlangana bakhulume ngesiNgisi, kwakuwumbhalo wesandla weTestamente Elisha.” Esaba ukuthi uma ugqitshwe phansi emhlabathini wawungase wonakaliswe umswakama nesikhutha, u-Ann wawufaka emqamelweni wabe esewuthunga, wawuyisa kumyeni wakhe ejele. Lo mbhalo wesandla wasinda naphezu kwezimo ezinzima.

UJudson wakhululwa ngemva kokubhadla ejele izinyanga eziningi. Kodwa leyo njabulo yaba eyesikhashana. Ngasekupheleni kwalowo nyaka, u-Ann wahlaselwa umkhuhlane omubi kakhulu futhi washona emasontweni ambalwa alandela. Ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha, indodakazi yakhe uMaria eyayingakahlanganisi neminyaka emibili nayo yahlaselwa isifo esingalapheki. Nakuba ayedangele kakhulu, uJudson waqhubeka nomsebenzi wakhe. IBhayibheli eliphelele lagcina liqedwe ngo-1835.

Uyalithanda Yini IZwi LikaNkulunkulu?

Uthando ngeZwi likaNkulunkulu olwaboniswa yilaba bahumushi alulusha. Kwa-Israyeli wasendulo, umhubi wahlabelelela uJehova uNkulunkulu: “Yeka indlela engiwuthanda ngayo umthetho wakho! Uyinto engiyikhathalela usuku lonke.” (IHubo 119:97) IBhayibheli aliyona nje incwadi ehlaba umxhwele. Linomyalezo obalulekile. Ingabe ubonisa ukuthi uyalithanda iZwi likaNkulunkulu ngokulifunda njalo? Ungaqiniseka-ke ngokuthi uma ulifunda bese wenza lokho okufunda kulo, ‘uyojabula ngokwenza kanjalo.’—Jakobe 1:25.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 8]

“AmaNgisi awuqonda kangcono umthetho kaKristu uma ubhalwe ngesiNgisi.”—UJOHN WYCLIFFE

[Izithombe ekhasini 9]

UWilliam Tyndale nekhasi leBhayibheli alihumusha

[Umthombo]

Tyndale: From the book The Evolution of the English Bible

[Izithombe ekhasini 10]

URobert Morrison neBhayibheli lesiShayina alihumusha

[Imithombo]

In the custody of the Asian Division of the Library of Congress

Robert Morrison, engraved by W. Holl, from The National Portrait Gallery Volume IV, published c.1820 (litho), Chinnery, George (1774-1852) (after)/Private Collection/Ken Welsh/The Bridgeman Art Library International

[Izithombe ekhasini 11]

U-Adoniram Judson neBhayibheli lesiBurma alihumusha

[Umthombo]

Judson: Engraving by John C. Buttre/Dictionary of American Portraits/Dover

[Imithombo Yesithombe ekhasini 8]

Wycliffe: From the book The History of Protestantism (Vol. I); Bible: Courtesy of the American Bible Society Library, New York