Sikhona Yini Isidingo Sokufunda IsiHebheru NesiGreki?
EKUQALENI, ingxenye enkulu yeBhayibheli yayibhalwe ngezilimi ezimbili nje kuphela, isiHebheru nesiGreki.a Ababhali ababekhuluma lezo zilimi babhala iBhayibheli beqondiswa umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu. (2 Samuweli 23:2) Ngakho, isigijimi abasibhala singachazwa ngokuthi ‘siphefumulelwe nguNkulunkulu.’—2 Thimothewu 3:16, 17.
Nokho, abantu abaningi abafunda iBhayibheli namuhla abasazi isiHebheru noma isiGreki. Kunalokho, kufanele bafunde inguqulo yeBhayibheli ebhalwe ngolimi lwabo. Cishe nawe kudingeka wenze okufanayo. Njengoba lezi zinguqulo zingasitsheli ukuthi ziphefumulelwe, kungenzeka uke wazibuza, ‘Ingabe ngingasiqonda ngokugcwele isigijimi seBhayibheli ngisebenzisa lezi zinguqulo, noma kufanele ngizame ukufunda isiHebheru nesiGreki?’
Izici Okungafanele Uzikhohlwe
Ngaphambi kokuba uphendule lo mbuzo, kunezici ezimbalwa okumelwe uzikhumbule. Esokuqala siwukuthi ukwazi nje isiHebheru noma isiGreki sasendulo akwenzi umuntu avele aqonde isigijimi seBhayibheli ngokuzenzakalelayo. Lapho ekhuluma namaJuda osuku lwakhe, uJesu wathi: “Nihlola imiBhalo, ngoba nicabanga ukuthi niyoba nokuphila okuphakade ngayo; yiyo kanye le efakaza ngami. Kodwa nokho anifuni ukuza kimi ukuze nibe nokuphila.” (Johane 5:39, 40) Yayiyini inkinga yawo? Ingabe ayengasiqondi isiHebheru? Cha, ayelwazi kahle lolo limi. Nokho, uJesu waqhubeka wathi: “Ngazi kahle ukuthi aninalo uthando lukaNkulunkulu.”—Johane 5:42.
Ngokufanayo, umphostoli uPawulu watshela amaKristu akhuluma isiGreki emzini waseKorinte lasendulo: “AmaJuda acela izibonakaliso namaGreki afuna ukuhlakanipha; kodwa thina sishumayela ngoKristu owabethelwa, oyimbangela yokukhubeka kumaJuda kodwa owubuwula ezizweni.” (1 Korinte 1:22, 23) Khona-ke, kusobala ukuthi ukukhuluma isiHebheru noma isiGreki kwakungekhona okunqumayo ukuthi umuntu uyasamukela isigijimi esitholakala eZwini likaNkulunkulu.
Isici sesibili siwukuthi nakuba abanye abantu namuhla bekhuluma isiHebheru noma isiGreki sanamuhla, lezi zilimi zihluke ngokuphelele olimini lwesiHebheru nolwesiGreki olwalukhulunywa ngesikhathi kubhalwa iBhayibheli. Abantu abaningi abakhuluma isiGreki namuhla bakuthola kunzima ukusiqonda ngokunembile isiGreki esiseBhayibhelini. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi kunamagama amasha aye anezelwa kulolu limi, athatha indawo yamadala futhi amaningi asasetshenziswa anezincazelo ezihlukile. Ngokwesibonelo, igama elihunyushwe ngokuthi “wayemuhle” encwadini yezEnzo 7:20 nakumaHebheru 11:23 lisho ukuthi “wayehlekisa” ngesiGreki sanamuhla. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kuye kwenziwa izinguquko eziningi ohlelweni lolimi nolwamagama.
Ngisho noma ungafunda isiHebheru noma isiGreki sanamuhla, akusho ukuthi uzoliqonda ngokunembe kakhudlwana iBhayibheli ngezilimi zalo zokuqala. Kungase kudingeke ukuba usebenzise izichazamazwi nezincwadi zolimi ukuze zikusize uqonde indlela lezi zilimi ezazisetshenziswa ngayo ngesikhathi izincwadi zeBhayibheli ziqala ukubhalwa.
Isici sesithathu siwukuthi ukufunda ulimi olusha kungase kube umsebenzi onzima kakhulu. Nakuba ekuqaleni kungase kube lula ukufunda izinkulumo ezimbalwa zolunye ulimi, kungase kudingeke uzikhandle iminyaka ukuze ukwazi ukuqonda umehluko wemisindo nemiqondo yamagama alolo limi. Yingakho lesi saga sesiNgisi singase sibe yiqiniso: Ulwazi oluncane luyingozi. Kanjani?
Lisho Ukuthini Leli Gama?
Wake wabuzwa yini umuntu ofunda ulimi lwakho ukuthi igama elithile lisho ukuthini? Uma kunjalo, uyazi ukuthi akulula ngaso sonke isikhathi ukuphendula lowo mbuzo. Kungani kungelula? Yingoba igama elilodwa lingase libe nezincazelo eziningana. Kungenzeka wamcela ukuba akunikeze isibonelo somusho onalelo gama. Ngaphandle kokwazi umongo, kungase kube nzima ngawe ukuthola ukuthi lelo gama lisho ukuthini. Ngokwesibonelo, ungase ubuzwe incazelo yegama lesiZulu elithi “ithambo.” Leli gama lingaba nezincazelo ezihlukahlukene kuye ngomongo wendaba. Lingase lisho isitho esiqinile esakha uhlaka lomzimba. Komunye umongo lingase lisetshenziswe lapho lichaza umuntu omude. Lingase lisho nomuntu owonde kakhulu. Leli gama liyasetshenziswa nalapho kuchazwa umuntu owafa kudala, kuthiwe usaba mathambo. Kodwa lapho lisetshenziswa enkulumweni ethi “bamba ithambo” livele libe nencazelo ehluke kakhulu, esho ukuxhawula. Iyiphi kulezi zincazelo enembile?
Isichazamazwi singase sikunike izincazelo ezihlukahlukene zegama. Ezinye zize zikunike uhlu lokuthi igama lisetshenziswa kanjani. Kodwa umongo wendaba yiwona oyokusiza uthole incazelo eqondile yalelo gama. Nasi isibonelo: Ake sithi awunalo ulwazi olungako ngezempilo futhi ufuna ukuthola imbangela yezimpawu zesifo esithile esikuhluphayo. Ungase ubheke isichazamazwi sezempilo. Singase sikutshele ukuthi izikhathi eziningi lezo zimpawu zisho isifo esithile, kodwa ngezinye izikhathi zingase zisho isifo esihluke ngokuphelele. Kungase kudingeke ukuba uthole ulwazi olwengeziwe ngaphambi kokuba wazi ukuthi uphethwe yini. Ngokufanayo, ukwazi ukuthi igama livame kakhulu ukusetshenziswa lapho kukhulunywa ngento ethile, ngeke kukusize uma usufunda indaba ebalulekile lapho kusetshenziswe khona lelo gama elifanayo kodwa selisho okuhlukile. Kumelwe uthole okwengeziwe ngomongo wendaba ngaphambi kokuba uliqonde.
Nalapho utadisha amagama aseBhayibhelini, kumelwe wazi umongo wendaba lawo magama asetshenziswe kuwo. Ngokwesibonelo, igama elithi ru’ach nelithi pneu’ma, amagama ayesetshenziswa olimini lokuqala, angase abe nezincazelo ezihlukahlukene, kuye ngomongo asetshenziswe kuwo. Ngezinye izikhathi angase ahunyushwe ngokunembile ngokuthi “umoya.” (Eksodusi 10:13; Johane 3:8) Kwezinye izindawo asho amandla okuphila asezidalweni eziphilayo, abantu nezilwane. (Genesise 7:22; IHubo 104:29; Jakobe 2:26) Izidalwa zasezulwini ezingabonakali nazo zichazwa ngokuthi zingumoya. (1 AmaKhosi 22:21, 22; Mathewu 8:16) Amandla kaNkulunkulu asebenzayo abizwa ngokuthi umoya ongcwele. (Genesise 1:2; Mathewu 12:28) Lona leli gama lisho umoya owenza umuntu abe nesimo esithile sengqondo, ukucabanga noma imizwelo, kanye nokuthambekela kokucabanga okubusa iqembu elithile labantu.—Joshuwa 2:11; Galathiya 6:18.
Nakuba isichazamazwi sesiHebheru noma sesiGreki singase sibe nalezi zincazelo, ukwazi umongo wendaba kuyokusiza ukuba uthole ukuthi iyiphi incazelo enembile.b Lokhu kusebenza lapho ufunda iBhayibheli ngezilimi zokuqala noma ufunda inguqulo yolimi lwakho.
Kulungile Yini Ukusebenzisa IBhayibheli Elihunyushiwe?
Abanye baye benza imizamo emikhulu yokufunda iBhayibheli elibhalwe ngesiHebheru noma ngesiGreki noma ngazo zombili lezi zilimi. Nakuba bazi ukuthi abaziqondi kangako, bayakujabulela ukufunda iBhayibheli ngezilimi zalo zokuqala futhi banomuzwa wokuthi abadlalanga ngesikhathi sabo ngokuzifunda. Nokho, uma ungazazi lezi zilimi, ingabe kufanele udumazeke futhi uyeke ukuzama ukuthola iqiniso leBhayibheli? Cha, akunjalo neze! Ziningi izizathu zalokho.
Esokuqala siwukuthi kuyafaneleka ukusebenzisa inguqulo yeBhayibheli yolunye ulimi. Empeleni, ababhali bemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki noma beTestamente Elisha, babevame ukusebenzisa iBhayibheli lesiGreki lapho becaphuna imiBhalo YesiHebheru.c (IHubo 40:6; Hebheru 10:5, 6) Nakuba babekhuluma isiHebheru futhi bengase bakwazi ukucaphuna imiBhalo YesiHebheru yokuqala, kusobala ukuthi babengenankinga yokusebenzisa inguqulo eyayifundwa abantu abaningi ababebabhalela.—Genesise 12:3; Galathiya 3:8.
Isizathu sesibili siwukuthi ngisho noma umuntu engaziqonda izilimi ezasetshenziswa lapho kubhalwa iBhayibheli, kodwa amazwi kaJesu angawafunda kuphela ezinguqulweni ezihunyushiwe. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi ababhali bamaVangeli bazibhala ngesiGreki izinto uJesu azisho ngesiHebheru.d Noma ubani ocabanga ukuthi ukufunda amazwi ezinceku zikaJehova ezithembekile zasendulo ngezilimi zokuqala kusho ukuthi unokuhlakanipha okukhethekile kufanele acabange ukuthi lokho kusho ukuthini. Ukuthi uJehova waphefumulela ukuba kulondolozwe amazwi ayesehunyushiwe eNceku yakhe enkulu kunazo zonke—ngolimi olwaluqondwa abantu abaningi ngaleso sikhathi—kubonisa ukuthi akubalulekile ukuthi iBhayibheli silufunda ngaluphi ulimi. Okubalulekile ukuthi sifunda umyalezo walo ophefumulelwe ngolimi esingaluqonda nolungasithinta inhliziyo.
Isizathu sesithathu siwukuthi ‘izindaba ezinhle’ eziseBhayibhelini zaziyotholwa abantu abathobekile ‘bazo zonke izizwe nezinhlanga nezilimi nabantu.’ (IsAmbulo 14:6; Luka 10:21; 1 Korinte 1:27-29) Ngokuvumelana nalokhu, abantu abaningi namuhla bangafunda ngezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu emaBhayibhelini abo abhalwe ngezilimi zabo ngaphandle kokuba kudingeke bafunde olunye ulimi. Izilimi eziningi zinezinguqulo ezihlukahlukene, okwenza abafundi bakwazi ukuzikhethela abayithandayo.e
Ngakho ungaqiniseka kanjani ukuthi uyaliqonda iqiniso eliseBhayibhelini? OFakazi BakaJehova baye bathola ukuthi ukutadisha iBhayibheli nabantu ngokudingida izihloko ezithile ngokuqondile kuyindlela esebenzayo yokuqonda umyalezo oseZwini likaNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo, badingida isihloko esithile ngokukhethekile, njengesithi “Umshado,” bese bebheka amavesi akhuluma ngaleso sihloko. Ngaleyo ndlela, bavumela ukuba ingxenye ethile yeBhayibheli ichazwe enye. Sicela wamukele isifundo seBhayibheli sasekhaya samahhala oFakazi BakaJehova abasiqhubela noma ubani othandayo. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ukhuluma luphi ulimi, uNkulunkulu ufisa ukuba “zonke izinhlobo zabantu zisindiswe futhi zifinyelele olwazini olunembile lweqiniso.”—1 Thimothewu 2:4; IsAmbulo 7:9.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a Ezinye izingxenye zeBhayibheli zazibhalwe ngesi-Aramu, ulimi olucishe lufane nesiHebheru esasetshenziswa lapho kubhalwa iBhayibheli. Izibonelo zalokhu zitholakala ku-Ezra 4:8 kuya ku-6:18 no-7:12-26, Jeremiya 10:11, noDaniyeli 2:4b kuya ku-7:28.
b Kumelwe uphawule ukuthi ezinye izichazamazwi ezinamagama eBhayibheli zimane zisho indlela igama eliye lahunyushwa ngayo enguqulweni ethile yeBhayibheli, njenge-King James Version, kunokuba zichaze lelo gama ngokuqondile ngaphandle kokuthonywa ezinye izinguqulo.
c Ngesikhathi sikaJesu Kristu nabaphostoli bakhe, zonke izincwadi zemiBhalo YesiHebheru zazitholakala ngesiGreki. Kamuva le nguqulo yabizwa ngokuthi i-Septuagint futhi yasetshenziswa kakhulu amaJuda akhuluma isiGreki. Izingcaphuno eziningi zemiBhalo YesiHebheru ezitholakala emiBhalweni YamaKristu YesiGreki zisekelwe kuyi-Septuagint.
d Kuthiwa ekuqaleni iVangeli likaMathewu labhalwa umphostoli uMathewu ngesiHebheru. Noma kunjalo, lokho okuye kwalondolozwa kuze kube namuhla kuyinguqulo yesiGreki yolimi lokuqala, okungenzeka ukuthi yabhalwa uMathewu ngokwakhe.
e Ukuze uthole ingxoxo yezindlela ezihlukahlukene zokuhumusha nendlela yokukhetha inguqulo enembile, bheka isihloko esithi “Ungayikhetha Kanjani Inguqulo YeBhayibheli Engcono Kakhulu?” kuyi-Nqabayokulinda ka-May 1, 2008.
[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 22]
I-Septuagint
AmaJuda akhuluma isiGreki ayephila ngesikhathi sikaJesu nabaphostoli aayeyisebenzisa kakhulu i-Septuagint yesiGreki. Lena inguqulo yolimi lwesiGreki yemiBhalo yesiHebheru. I-Septuagint ayiphawuleki nje kuphela ngokuba kwayo umzamo wokuqala wokuhumushela imiBhalo Engcwele kolunye ulimi, kodwa futhi lihlaba umxhwele nenani labantu abasebenza ekuyihumusheni. Iqembu labahumushi laqala ukuhumusha i-Septuagint ngekhulu lesithathu B.C.E., futhi lowo msebenzi waze waqedelwa abanye abahumushi ngemva kweminyaka engaphezu kweyikhulu kamuva.
AmaKristu ekhulu lokuqala ayisebenzisa zisuka nje i-Septuagint ukuze afakazele ukuthi uJesu wayenguKristu, uMesiya othenjisiwe. Aphumelela kakhulu kulokhu kangangokuthi abanye baqala ukubheka i-Septuagint njengenguqulo yamaKristu. Lokhu kwayenza yangathandeka kumaJuda futhi kwaholela ekutheni kukhiqizwe izinguqulo zesiGreki eziningi ezintsha. Enye yalezo zinguqulo yanyatheliswa umproselithe ogama lakhe lingu-Aquila ngekhulu lesibili C.E. Omunye umfundi weBhayibheli uchaza le nguqulo ngokuthi “inesici esingalindelekile.” Igama likaNkulunkulu elithi Jehova, elimelelwa izinhlamvu zasendulo zesiHebheru, livela kuyo yonke le nguqulo yesiGreki ka-Aquila.
[Umthombo]
Israel Antiquities Authority
[Izithombe ekhasini 23]
Kubalulekile ukuba sifunde isigijimi seBhayibheli esiphefumulelwe ngolimi esingaluqonda nolungasithinta inhliziyo