Anachita Khama Polimbikitsa Anthu Kuwerenga Baibulo

Anamwalirira m’dera lozizira kum’mawa kwa Siberia, ndipo anali atanamiziridwa zinthu zosiyanasiyana komanso atanyozedwa kwambiri. Ndi anthu ochepa chabe amene amakumbukira kuti munthu ameneyu anali mmodzi mwa anthu amene anathandiza kwambiri kupititsa patsogolo ntchito zauzimu pa moyo wa Agiriki anzake. Munthu wofunika amene ananyalanyazidwa chonchiyu anali Seraphim. Anafera khama lake polimbikitsa anthu kuwerenga Baibulo.

SERAPHIM anakhala ndi moyo panthawi yomwe dziko la Greece linali mbali ya Ufumu Waukulu wa Ottoman. Malinga ndi zimene ananena katswiri wina wa chipembedzo cha Greek Orthodox, dzina lake George Metallinos, nthawi imeneyo “sukulu zabwino zinali zochepa kwambiri” ndipo “anthu ambiri anali osaphunzira,” ngakhalenso atsogoleri azipembedzo.

Chigiriki cha anthu wamba chotchedwa Koine chinkasiyana kwambiri ndi Chigiriki chomwe anali kulankhula nthawi imeneyo, ndiponso Chigiriki chimene anthu a m’madera osiyanasiyana ankalankhula mogwirizana ndi madera awo. Kusiyana kumeneku kunakula kwambiri moti anthu osaphunzira sankathanso kumva Chigiriki cha Koine, cha m’Malemba Achigiriki Achikristu. Pamkangano womwe unayambika, tchalitchi chinasankha zolimbikitsa kugwiritsa ntchito Chigiriki cha Koine chomwe chinali chosamveka.

Nthawi imeneyi m’pamene Stephanos Ioannis Pogonatus anabadwa m’banja lina lotchuka, pachilumba cha Lesbos, ku Greece, cha m’ma 1670. Pachilumbachi panali umphawi ndiponso umbuli wadzaoneni. Chifukwa chakuti sukulu zinali zochepa, Stephanos anakakamizika kuphunzira pa pulayimale ina ya panyumba ya abusa pachilumbapo. Anadzozedwa kukhala dikoni wa Tchalitchi cha Greek Orthodox ali wamng’ono kwambiri, ndipo anapatsidwa dzina lakuti Seraphim.

Cha m’ma 1693, mtima wofuna kudziwa zinthu zambiri unapangitsa kuti Seraphim apite ku Constantinople (mzinda womwe tsopano ndi Istanbul, m’dziko la Turkey). Kenako, anayamba kudziwika ndi anthu otchuka a ku Greece, chifukwa chakuti anali waluso kwambiri. Sipanapite nthawi yaitali, gulu lina lakabisira la anthu onyadira dziko lawo ku Greece linam’tumiza kuti akaliimire kwa Czar Peter Wamkulu wa ku Russia. Paulendo wopita ndi kubwerera ku Moscow, Seraphim anadutsa m’madera ambiri ku Ulaya, komwe anaona kuti zinthu zinali kusintha pankhani za chipembedzo ndi maphunziro. Mu 1698, Seraphim anapita ku England ndipo ali ku London ndi ku Oxford anadziwana ndi anthu omwe anadzam’thandiza kwambiri pambuyo pake. Anakumana ndi Mkulu wa Mabishopu a Tchalitchi cha Angilikani, yemwe ndi mtsogoleri wa chipembedzo cha Angilikani, ndipo kudziwana ndi munthu ameneyu kunadzam’thandiza kwambiri patsogolo pake.

Anatulutsa Baibulo

Ali ku England, Seraphim anazindikira kuti anthu a m’dziko la Greece ankafunikira kwambiri kukhala ndi Baibulo latsopano ndi losavuta kumva la “Chipangano Chatsopano” (Malemba Achigiriki Achikristu). Pogwiritsa ntchito Baibulo lomwe linali litatulutsidwa kwa zaka zoposa 50 ndi mbusa Maximus, Seraphim anayamba kukonza  Baibulo latsopano, losaphonyetsa paliponse, ndiponso losavuta kumva. Anali ndi khama kwambiri poyamba ntchito yakeyi, koma sipanathe nthawi yaitali, ndalama zoyendetsera ntchitoyi zinam’thera. Nkhawa yake inatha Mkulu wa Mabishopu a Tchalitchi cha Angilikani atamulonjeza kuti amuthandiza ndalama zomwe anali kufunazo. Izi zinamulimbikitsa kwambiri Seraphim, moti anagula mapepala osindikizira Baibulo limenelo ndiponso anapeza munthu woti asindikize.

Koma ndalama zomwe anali nazo zinangokwanira kusindikiza Mauthenga Abwino a Mateyu, Marko, ndi theka la uthenga wa Luka. Kenako, kusintha kwa ndale ku England kunachititsa kuti Mkulu wa Mabishopu uja asiye kum’thandiza. Seraphim sanafooke, ndipo anapempha chithandizo kwa anthu ena olemera, moti mu 1703 anatulutsa Baibulo lakelo. Bungwe lina la zachipembedzo la Society for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts linam’thandiza kulipira ntchitoyi.

Baibulo lakale la Maximus, lomwe linali m’magawo awiri, linali ndi malemba oyambirira achigiriki. Motero, linali lalikulu komanso lolemera. Baibulo la Seraphim linasindikizidwa m’zilembo zing’onozing’ono, m’Chigiriki chamakono, laling’ono ndiponso lotsika mtengo.

Anathandizira Kuti Mkangano Ukule

“N’zosachita kufunsa kuti buku latsopano limeneli linathetsa vuto lomwe anthu anali nalo,” anatero George Metallinos. “Komabe, Seraphim anapezerapo mwayi wolimbana ndi kagulu ka atsogoleri achipembedzo komwe sikankafuna kuti [Baibulo] limasuliridwe.” Atsogoleri achipembedzowo anakwiya, Seraphim atafotokoza m’mawu oyamba m’Baibulo lakelo kuti watulutsa Baibulo limeneli ‘makamaka chifukwa cha ansembe ndi akuluakulu ena atchalitchi amene sankamva Chigiriki [cha Koine], kuti mothandizidwa ndi Mzimu Woyera athe kuwerenga ndi kumva malemba oyambirira, n’cholinga choti athe kumafotokoza tanthauzo lake kwa Akristu wamba.’ (The Translation of the Bible Into Modern Greek​—During the 19th Century) Motero Seraphim anadzilowetsa mu mkangano womwe unalipo m’Tchalitchi cha Greek Orthodox, wokhudza ntchito yomasulira Baibulo.

Pamkanganowo panali anthu amene anazindikira kuti kumvetsa Baibulo n’kofunika kwambiri kuti munthu akule mwauzimu ndiponso akhale ndi makhalidwe abwino. Anthu amenewa ankaonanso kuti atsogoleri a chipembedzo anafunika kuphunzira bwino Malemba. Komanso anthu omwe ankafuna kuti Baibulo limasuliridwewa ankakhulupirira kuti choonadi cha m’Malemba chingathe kufotokozedwa m’chinenero chilichonse.​—Chivumbulutso 7:9.

Anthu omwe sankafuna kuti Baibulo limasuliridwe ankafotokoza kuti Baibulo lililonse lomasuliridwa lingathe kusukulutsa mawu ndiponso kuthetsa mphamvu zimene tchalitchi chili nazo pa kafotokozedwe ndi pa ziphunzitso za m’Baibulo. Koma nkhawa yawo yeniyeni inagona pakuti Apulotesitanti anali kugwiritsa ntchito mpata womasulira Baibulo kuti afooketse Tchalitchi cha Greek Orthodox. Atsogoleri ambiri a tchalitchichi ankaona kuti anali ndi udindo woletsa mchitidwe uliwonse womwe ungasangalatse Apulotesitanti, zomwe zinaphatikizapo ntchito yothandiza kuti anthu wamba azitha kumvetsa Baibulo. Motero nkhani yomasulira Baibulo inavuta kwambiri pamkangano wa Apulotesitanti ndi Tchalitchi cha Orthodox.

Ngakhale kuti analibe maganizo alionse ochoka m’Tchalitchi cha Orthodox, Seraphim anafotokoza poyera umbuli ndiponso tsankho la atsogoleri achipembedzo omwe anali kukangana naye. M’mawu oyamba a Baibulo lake la “Chipangano Chatsopano” lija, iye analemba kuti: “Mkristu aliyense woopa Mulungu ayenera kuwerenga Baibulo Lopatulika” kuti “akhale wotsanzira Kristu ndi kumvera ziphunzitso [zake].” Seraphim anafotokoza kuti maganizo olepheretsa anthu kuphunzira Malemba anali a Mdyerekezi.

Anakhala ndi Adani Ambiri

Baibulo la Seraphim litafika ku Greece, atchalitchi anakwiya nalo kwambiri. Motero Baibulo latsopanoli linaletsedwa. Anatentha Mabaibulo amenewa, ndipo aliyense wopezeka akusunga kapena kuwerenga Baibulo limeneli ankaopsezedwa kuti achotsedwa mu mpingo. Bishopu Wamkulu Gabriel Wachitatu analetsa kuti Baibuloli lifalitsidwe ndipo anati n’losayenera ndiponso lopanda ntchito.

Ngakhale kuti Seraphim sanabwerere m’mbuyo, anazindikira kuti akufunika kukhala mosamala. Ngakhale kuti tchalitchi chinaletsa Baibuloli, ena mwa atsogoleri ake ndiponso anthu wamba anasangalala nalo. Ntchito yofalitsa Baibulo lakeli inamuyendera bwino kwambiri. Koma mkangano ndi  adani ake amphamvu aja unali utangoyambako chabe.

Zimene Zinachititsa Kuti Agwe M’mavuto Aakulu

Kuwonjezera pa khama lomwe anali nalo pofalitsa Baibulo lija, Seraphim ankagwiranso ntchito za magulu ofuna kusintha zinthu komanso onyadira dziko lawo. Pofuna kukwaniritsa zolinga zimenezo, iye anabwerera ku Moscow m’chilimwe cha 1704. Anakhala bwenzi lapamtima la Peter Wamkulu ndipo kwa kanthawi ndithu anakhala pulofesa pa sukulu ya Russian Royal Academy. Koma, podera nkhawa zimene zingachitikire Baibulo lake lija, Seraphim anabwerera ku Constantinople mu 1705.

Posindikizanso Baibulo lake lija m’chaka chomwecho, Seraphim anachotsamo mawu oyamba outsa mavuto aja. Anawonjezeramo mawu oyamba osavuta omwe analimbikitsa anthu kuwerenga Baibulo. Baibulo limeneli linafalitsidwa kwambiri, ndipo palibe chilichonse chosonyeza kuti atsogoleri a zipembedzo anakhumudwa nalo kwambiri.

Komabe, mu 1714 Alexander Helladius, Mgiriki wokonda kuyenda, amene sankafuna kuti Baibulo limasuliridwe, anachititsa kuti zinthu zimuipire kwambiri Seraphim. M’buku lake lakuti Status Præsens Ecclesiæ Græcæ (Tchalitchi Chachigiriki Masiku Ano), Helladius anadzudzula kwambiri anthu omasulira Mabaibulo komanso ananyoza Mabaibulo omwe anamasuliridwa. Helladius analemba mutu wathunthu wongofotokoza za Seraphim, momwe ananenamo kuti ndi mbava, mbuli ndiponso munthu wachinyengo ndi wopanda khalidwe. Kodi panali chilichonse choona pa zimene ananenazi? Wolemba mabuku wina, dzina lake Stylianos Bairaktaris anafotokoza maganizo anzeru omwe akatswiri ambiri a maphunziro ali nawo, pamene anati Seraphim anali ‘munthu waluso’ amene anavutitsidwa chifukwa chakuti ankadziwa zambiri kuposa anthu a m’nthawi yake. Komabe, buku la Helladius linam’lowetsa m’mavuto aakulu Seraphim.

Anayamba Kukayikiridwa

Pamene Seraphim anabwerera ku Russia mu 1731, Peter Wamkulu n’kuti atamwalira. Dikoni wachigirikiyu sanatetezedwenso ndi boma. Mfumukazi Anna Ivanovna, yomwe inali kulamulira panthawiyo, inali maso kwambiri ndi chilichonse chomwe chingathe kusokoneza ulamuliro wake. M’mwezi wa January, mu 1732, ku St. Petersburg kunamveka mphekesera yakuti kazitape wa dziko la Greece anali kuchita zinthu zotsutsana ndi ufumu wawo. Munthu amene anali kum’kayikirayo anali Seraphim. Anamangidwa n’kutumizidwa ku nyumba ya abusa ku Nevsky, kukafunsidwa mafunso. Kunyumbayo kunali buku la Helladius lija lomwe linadzudzula Seraphim pankhani zosiyanasiyana. Dikoniyu analemba maulendo atatu mfundo zodzitetezera pamlanduwo. Panatenga miyezi pafupifupi isanu akum’funsa, koma anali kum’kayikirabe.

Popeza panalibe umboni wogwira mtima wotsutsa Seraphim, sanam’patse chilango choti aphedwe. Koma, chifukwa cha zomwe Helladius ananena, akuluakulu a boma sanafune kumasula Seraphim. Dikoni wachigirikiyu analamulidwa kuti akakhale moyo wake wonse kundende, ku Siberia. Chigamulocho chinafotokoza kuti wapatsidwa chilangochi malinga ndi “nkhani yofalitsidwa ndi wolemba mabuku wa ku Greece, Helladius.” Mu July, 1732, Seraphim anafika kum’mawa kwa Siberia ali muunyolo n’kutsekeredwa m’ndende yankhanza kwambiri ya Okhotsk.

Patatha zaka pafupifupi zitatu, Seraphim anamwalira, ali yekhayekha ndiponso popanda munthu womukumbukira. Nthawi zina sankachita zinthu mwanzeru koma Baibulo lake ndi limodzi mwa Mabaibulo ambiri omwe ali m’Chigiriki chamakono panopa. * Ena mwa Mabaibulowo ndi Baibulo losavuta kumva la New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, lomwenso lili m’zinenero zambiri. Tiyenera kuyamikira kwambiri kuti Yehova Mulungu wasunga Mawu ake n’cholinga choti anthu kulikonse akhale ndi mwayi ‘wozindikira choonadi.’​—1 Timoteo 2:3, 4.

[Mawu a M’munsi]

[Chithunzi patsamba 12]

Peter Wamkulu

[Mawu a Chithunzi patsamba 10]

Photos: Courtesy American Bible Society