1, 2. (a) Bekuzokuba njani ukuphila kube iBhayibheli belingekho? (b) Yini engasisiza sifunde okunengi eBhayibhelini?

AKHUZIBUZE ukuthi bewuzokuphila njani thana iBhayibheli belingekho? Phela bengeze kwaba nento ezokutjengisa ukuthi kufuze uphile njani. Imibuzo onayo ngoZimu, ipilo, nekusasa bengeze yaphenduleka kuhle. Begodu bengeze wazi nokuthi uJehova wabaphatha njani abantu bakhe ekadeni.

² Siyathaba ngombana asikho ebujamweni obunjalo. uJehova usiphe iliZwi lakhe. Wasiqinisekisa nokuthi nakuliliZwi lakhe lona lizokuhlala unomphela. Umpostoli uPitrosi wadzubhula incwadi ka-Isaya 40:8. Nanyana iveseli lingakhulumi ngeBhayibheli ngokwalo kodwana likhuluma ngomlayezo ongaphakathi kwalo. (Funda 1 Pitrosi 1:24, 25.) Yeke kunengi esingakufunda eBhayibhelini khulukhulu nange silifunda ngelimi esilizwisisako. Abantu abalithandako iliZwi lakaZimu bangakufakazela lokho. Emakhulwini weminyaka kunabantu abazidela baragela phambili batjhugululela iBhayibheli nakwamanye amalimi ngitjho nanyana bekungasi lula ukwenza njalo. Koke lokho ebebakwenza bekukhambisana nentando kaZimu, kazi uZimu ufisa “boke abantu basindiswe bebafikelele elwazini leqiniso.”—1 Thim. 2:3, 4.

3. Sizokufunda ngani esihlokwenesi? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

 ³ Esihlokwenesi sizokufunda ngokuthi iliZwi lakaZimu liphumelele njani naphezu kwemiraro (1) yokutjhuguluka kwamalimi, (2) yetuthuko ngehlangothini lezepolotiki, okwabangela nokuthi kutjhuguluke amalimi ajayelekileko, (3) neyokukhandela abantu abatjhugululela iBhayibheli kwamanye amalimi. Alo kuzosisiza ngani ukubuyekeza imibuzo le? Kuzosenza silithande khulu iBhayibheli nomTloli walo, owasipha lona bona kusizakale thina.—Mik. 4:2; Rom. 15:4.

4. (a) Amalimi atjhuguluka njani njengombana isikhathi sikhamba? (b) Kubayini singathi alikho ilimi uZimu alithathela phasi, begodu lokho kukwenza uzizwe njani?

⁴ Isikhathi nasisolo sikhamba indlela abantu abakhuluma ngayo iyatjhuguluka. Amanye amagama ebekasetjenziswa angatjho enye into ehluke khulu namhlanjesi. Mhlamunye ukubonile lokhu nangelimi lakho. Kwenzeka soneso nangesiHebheru nesiGirigi, okumalimi amaBhayibheli amanengi ebewatlolwe ngawo. Phela isiHebheru nesiGirigi sanamhlanjesi asisafani nekadeni. Yeke abantu abanengi bengeze bakghona ukuzwisisa amalimi iBhayibheli ebelitlolwe ngawo kade, kungebangelo bekufuze kutjhugululelwe iBhayibheli emalimini abawazwisisako. Abanye babe bacabanga nokuthi nabazakuzwisisa iBhayibheli kufuze bafunde isiHebheru nesiGirigi sakade. Kodwana lokho bengeze kwabasiza ngendlela ebebacabanga ngayo. * Kuyathabisa ukwazi ukuthi iBhayibheli selitholakala ngamalimi angaba zii-3 000, liphelele namkha ingcenye yalo. Kuyatjho-ke ukuthi uJehova ufuna ukuthi iliZwi lakhe lifinyelele ‘ezizweni, eenkorweni, neenlimini zoke.’ (Funda isAmbulo 14:6.) Lokho akukwenzi na bona ufise ukutjhidela khudlwana kuZimu onethando nongakhethiko lo?—IzE. 10:34.

5. Kubayini iBhayibheli i-King James Version beliqakatheke kangaka?

⁵ Ngebanga lokuthi amalimi akhamba atjhuguluka, namalimi iBhayibheli elitlolwe ngawo nawo akhamba atjhuguluka. IBhayibheli elakhitjhwa kade kungenzeka lingasazwakali kuhle ngokukhamba kwesikhathi. Isibonelo salokho, liBhayibheli elatjhugululelwa esiNgisini i-King James Version, eyakhitjhwa ngomnyaka ka-1611. Kwaba liBhayibheli elaziwa khulu, amagama ebeliwasebenzisa aba nomthelela elimini lesiNgisi. * Kodwana into edanisako ngalo kukuthi belingalidumisi ibizo lakaZimu. Igama “lakaJehova” belivela kancani, bese kuthi emtlolweni wesiHebheru bekutlolwe elithi “KOSI” ngamaledere amakhulu okukulapho bekunebizo lakaZimu khona. Bese kwathi nakamva nase ligadangiswa godu, imitlolo yamaKrestu yesiGirigi kwasetjenziswa ibizo elithi “KOSI” ngamaledere amakhulu. Yeke iBhayibheli le yatjengisa indawo lapho ibizo lakaZimu okufuze libe khona ethastamendeni elidala.

6. Kubayini sithabe kangaka ngeBhayibheli i-New World Translation?

⁶ Nanyana kunjalo amagama asetjenziswa eBhayibhelini i-King James Version akhamba aba madala. Ngiso soneso nemaBhayibhelini wamanye amalimi. Maye uthi kuyathabisa na ukuba ne-New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, esebenzisa ilimi lanamhlanjesi. IBhayibheli le itholakala ngamalimi angaphezu kwayi-150 iphelele  namkha iingcenye zayo. Okutjho ukuthi inengi labantu ephasini loke lingakghona ukufunda iBhayibheli le ngelimi lalo. Indlela amagamalo abekeke kamnandi ngayo, ifinyelela iinhliziyo zethu. (Rhu. 119:97) Okuqakatheke khulu ngeBhayibheli le kukuthi ibuyisele ibizo lakaZimu endawenalo.

7, 8. (a) Kwenziwa yini bona amaJuda angasakghoni ukuzwisisa imiTlolo yesiHebheru? (b) Yini i-Greek Septuagint?

⁷ Zepolotiki nazo ziba ngunobangela wokuthi kube nelimi elaziwa babantu abanengi. Alo uZimu yini ayenzeko ukukhandela umraro lo ungadungi umlayezwakhe? Isibonelo esenzeka kade sisinikela ipendulo yombuzo lo. Phela iincwadi zokuthoma zeBhayibheli ezima-39 zatlolwa ma-Israyeli namkha amaJuda. Ngibo abantu bokuthoma ‘abaphathiswe umlayezo kaZimu.’ (Rom. 3:1, 2) Kodwana kwathi ekhulwini lesithathu, amaJuda amanengi bese angasasizwisisi isiHebheru. Kwenziwa yini lokho? Lokho kwenziwa kukuthi u-Alexander omKhulu waragela phambili athumba iindawo ezinengi, yeke lokho bekwenza bona kwande umBuso wamaGirigi. (Dan. 8:5-7, 20, 21) Njengombana umBuso loyo wanda, abantu abanengi kuhlanganise namaJuda bathoma ukukhuluma isiGirigi. Yeke njengombana amaJuda amanengi besekakhuluma isiGirigi nje, besele kubudisi ngabanengi ukuzwisisa imitlolo yesiHebheru. Alo yini ebeyizokuba sisombululo somraro lo?

⁸ Kwathi nase kuphakathi nekhulu lesithathu, iincwadi ezihlanu zeBhayibheli zatjhugululelwa elimini lesiGirigi zisuselwa elimini lesiHebheru. Ngekhulu lesibili bese itjhugululwe yoke imitlolo yesiHebheru. Zoke iincwadi ezabuthelelwakwezo zabizwa ngokuthi yi-Greek Septuagint. I-Septuagint le kwaba yitjhugululo yokuthoma yemiTlolo yesiHebheru eyaziwa khulu.

9. (a) I-Septuagint namanye amatjhuguluko adlala yiphi indima ebantwini ebebathanda ukufunda iliZwi lakaZimu? (b) Ngiyiphi incwadi oyithandako emiTlolweni yesiHebheru?

⁹ I-Septuagint yadlala indima ethe tjha ekutheni imiTlolo yesiHebheru ifundeke emaJudeni nebantwini abakhuluma isiGirigi. Akhucabange ukuthi kwabathabisa kangangani ukufunda iliZwi lakaZimu ngelimi abalimunyako! Bese kwathi ngokukhamba kwesikhathi iBhayibheli latjhugululelwa nakwamanye amalimi ajayelekileko njengesiSyriac, isiGothic, nesiLatin. Njengombana abantu bese bathoma ukufunda imiTlolo ecwengileko ngamalimi abawazwisisako, asingabazi ukuthi nabo baba neencwadi abazithandako eBhayibhelini njengombana nathi sinazo. (Funda iRhubo 119:162-165.) Kwamambala, iliZwi lakaZimu laphumelela naphezu komraro wokutjhuguluka kwamalimi.

10. Kubayini abantu abanengi ngesikhathi sakaJohn Wycliffe bekubudisi ukuthi babe namaBhayibheli?

¹⁰ Abantu abaseenkhundleni eziphakemeko bakhe balinga ukulisisa abantu ukufunda iBhayibheli. Kodwana ngebanga lokuthi abantu bebafuna ukufunda iBhayibheli, akhenge bahlulwe silingweso. Ngokwesibonelo, akhucabange ngesazi sezekolo esaphila kade ngekhulu le-14 uJohn Wycliffe. Besikholelwa ukuthi woke umuntu kufuze alifunde iliZwi lakaZimu. Kodwana ngesikhathi sakhe, abantu abavamileko e-England bekubabudisi kibo ukufumana amaBhayibheli. Enye into ebeyenza bona kube budisi kukuthi iBhayibheli belibiza khulu, phela belitlolwa ngesandla. Yeke bekubudisi ukuthi abantu bazithengele amaBhayibheli athi bona. Ngapha nenengi labantu belingakafundi. Iye khona kuliqiniso ukuthi  njengombana bebaya emasondweni, bebalizwa lifundwa iBhayibheli. Kodwana kubonakala ngasuthi bebangakuzwisisi ebekufundwa lokho. Kubayini sitjho njalo? Kazi ilimi ebelisetjenziswa nakufundwa iBhayibheli (the Vulgate) siLatin. Phela ngesikhathesi abantu abangakafundi bebangasazi isiLatin. Alo, yini ebeyizobasiza bathole umlayezo weBhayibheli?—IzA. 2:1-5.

11. Yadlala yiphi indima iBhayibheli i-Wycliffe?

¹¹ Ngo-1382 kwaba neBhayibheli lesiNgisi ebelibizwa ngokuthi yi-Wycliffe Bible. Abantu abanengi ebebalandela uWycliffe bebanayo iBhayibheli le. Kwaba nabantu ebebafuna ngeenhliziyo zabo zoke ukusiza abantu abangakaregi nabangakafundi bona bazi iliZwi lakaZimu, abantwabo bebaziwa ngokuthi maLollards. Bebakhamba iindawo ezihlukahlukeneko bakhamba batjhumayela kiyo yoke indawo ye-England. AmaLollards bewathi nakathola umuntu amfundele amavesi ambalwa eBhayibhelini le-Wycliffe, bese nakaqeda amtjhiyele neyakhe umuntu loyo ebeyitlolwe ngesandla. Lokho kwenza ukuthi abantu abanengi bajayelana neliZwi lakaZimu.

12. Benzani abafundisi ngemisebenzi kaWycliffe?

¹² Bathini-ke abafundisi nababona koke lokhu? Bahloya uWycliffe, iBhayibhelakhe nabalandeli bakhe. Iinkhulu zemasondweni zahlunguphaza amaLollards, zavusa nejima lokufuna woke amaBhayibheli ka-Wycliffe ukwenzela bona ziwaqede angasaba khona. Ngitjho nanyana sekahlongakele, uWycliffe wabizwa ngesihlubuki. Nakho lokho khenge kubanelise, bebasafuna ukumhlunguphaza. Kodwana umraro kukuthi besalahlongakele, yeke bengeze kwakghonakala ukuthi bamhlunguphaze. Inga-kghani baphela amandla ngoba nakhu sekahlongakele? Awa! Bayokugubha amathambakhe bese bawatjhisa, nabaqedako bathatha umlotha wawo bayowuphosela emlanjeni. Nanyana amaSondo bewenza koke angakwenza ekuqedeni amaBhayibheli lawo, akhenge akghone ukulisisa abantu ukufunda nokuzwisisa iBhayibheli. Phela nangemva kwamakhulu weminyaka, abantu abanengi e-Europe nakwezinye iinarha bathoma ukusekela ukutjhugululwa nekusizeni abantu abathathwa njengabaphasi bona babe namaBhayibheli.

13. Yini esiqiniseka ngayo, begodu lokho kukuqinisa njani ukukholwa kwethu?

¹³ Angekhe saphetha ngokuthi abantu abatjhugulula i-Septuagint, i-Wycliffe’s Bible,  ne-King James Version bebasetjenziswa nguZimu. Kodwana umlandwabo nowabanye abatjhugululi usenza sibone ukuthi uJehova usibulungile isithembiso sakhe sokuthi iliZwi lakhe lizokuhlala likhona nanyana kungenzekani. Lokho akukwenzi na uqiniseke bona zoke iinthembiso zakaJehova zizokufezeka nakanjani?—Jotj. 23:14.

14. IliZwi lakaZimu lisenza njani bona simthande khulu?

¹⁴ Ukubuyekeza umlando wokuphumelela kweBhayibheli akhenge kuqinise ukukholwa kwethu nje kwaphela, kodwana kusenze sathanda uJehova khulu. * Godu siyazibuza ukuthi kubayini uJehova asiphe iliZwi lakhe? Begodu kubayini akutjho kwazala umlomo ukuthi nakuliliZwi lakhe lona lizokuhlala likhona? Koke lokhu ukwenziswe kukuthi uyasithanda, yeke ufuna ukusifundisa bonyana kusikhambele kuhle. (Funda u-Isaya 48:17, 18.) Njengombana uJehova asithanda, yini thina esingayenza? Nathi asimthandeni begodu silalele yoke imithethwakhe.—1 Jwa. 4:19; 5:3.

15. Sizokucoca ngani esihlokweni esilandelako?

¹⁵ Akungabazeki ukuthi siyalithanda iliZwi lakaZimu, begodu sifuna ukufunda okunengi kilo ngendlela esingakghona ngayo. Yeke yini engasisiza sifumane okunengi ekufundeni kwethu iBhayibheli? Yini engasisiza sisebenzise iBhayibheli khulu nasitjhumayelako? Abafowethu ababeka iinkulumo zeBhayibheli, yini engabasiza basebenzise imiTlolo khulu? Yoke imibuzo le izokuphendulwa esihlokweni esilandelako.