Amatukuto ya Kulemba Baibolo mu ciGiriki Ca Ndakai

Kuti mwapapa ukwishiba ukuti mu Greece, icalo iciitwa limo limo ati intulo ya buntungwa bwa matontonkanyo, ni kale batendeka ukutukuta ukupilibula Baibolo mu lulimi lwa bantu yaweyawe. Lelo nani wingakanya ukulemba Baibolo mu ciGriki icayanguka ukuumfwa? Nga cinshi cingalenga umuntu ukukanya uyu mulimo?

UMO kuti atila abalanda iciGriki balipaalwa, pantu iciputulwa cikalamba ica Malembo ya Mushilo calembelwe mu lulimi lwabo. Na lyo line, iciGriki ca ndakai calipusana sana ne ciGriki ca muli Baibolo wa Septuagint uwa Malembo ya ciHebere e lyo ne ca mu Malembo ya Bwina Kristu aya ciGriki. Na kuba, pa myaka 600 iyapita, abalanda iciGriki abengi basanga ukuti iciGriki ca mu Baibolo calyafya ukuumfwa, caba kwati lulimi lwa ku calo cimbi. Amashiwi yapya yalipyana pa mashiwi ya kale, kabili amashiwi ayene, imishimbwile yayako ne fyo yakonkana fyalyaluka.

Bamanyuskripiti ba ciGriki abengi, ukutendekela ku ba muli ba200 ukufika na muli ba1500 baba bushinino bwa kuti kwali ukubombesha pa kupilibula Septuagint mu ciGriki ca ndakai. Mu mwanda wa mwaka uwalenga itatu, Gregory, shikofu wa ku Neocaesarea (c. 213-c. 270 C.E.), apilibwile ibuuku lya kwa Lukala Milandu mu ciGriki cayanguka ukufuma muli Septuagint. Mu mwanda wa myaka uwalenga 11, umuYuda we shina lya Tobias ben Eliezer uwaleikala mu Macedonia apilibwile ifiputulwa fimo ifya mabuuku yasano aya kubalilapo aya muli Septuagint mu ciGriki calelandwa ku bengi. Abikilemo ne filembo fya ciHebere pa kuti abaYuda ba ku Macedonia abalelanda fye iciGriki lelo abalebelenga ifilembo fya ciHebere bengamwenamo. Amabuuku ya kubalilapo yasano aya mu Baibolo ayabe fi fine yalisabankanishiwe mu Constantinople mu 1547.

Ulubuuto Lwasanikako mu Mfifi

Ilyo abena Ottoman batendeke ukuteka incende sha bantu balelanda iciGriki ishaletekwa no Buteko bwa Byzantine muli ba1400, abengi kulya tabasambilile. Nangu line icalici lya Orthodox lyalemwenamo sana mu Buteko bwa Ottoman, lyalekele abantu baliko ukuba abapiina kabili abashasambilila. Thomas Spelios, kalemba umuGriki atile: “Ico Icalici lya Orthodox na balaashikwe ukusambilisha balefwaya sana cali kucingilila abalepepako ku kusambilila ifisumino fya baShilamu na ba Roma Katolika. Ne ci calengele amasomo ya baGriki ukukanalunduluka.” Pali iyi nshita kushali isubilo, bamo abatemenwe Baibolo bamwene ukuti abantu bacushiwa balekabila ifyebo fyaba mwi buuku lya Amalumbo pa kuti bapembesulwe no kusansamushiwa. Ukufuma mu 1543 ukufika mu 1835, kwali amabuuku ya Amalumbo 18 ayapilibwilwe mu ciGriki calelandwa sana.

Maximus Callipolites, umushimbe mwaume uwaipeeleshe ku fya mapepo ku Callipolis, e wabalilepo ukupilibula Amalembo ya Bwina Kristu aya ciGriki yonse mu 1630. Cyril Lucaris, umukalamba wa Constantinople kabili uwali no kwalula Icalici lya Orthodox e watungulwile uyu mulimo. Lelo, mwi calici line, mwali abalesuusha Lucaris, abashalefwaya ukubombesha konse ukwa kwalula ifintu nelyo kusumina ukupilibula Baibolo mu lulimi lwalelandwa.a Balimwipeye abati ni shikamfutu. Na lyo line, Baibolo iyo Maximus apilibwile yalipulintilwemo ba Baibolo 1,500 mu 1638. Pa numa ya myaka 34, ilyo bashimapepo ba mu Orthodox mu Yerusalemu balelanda pa lwa iyi Baibolo, batile, Amalembo “tayafwile ukubelengwa ku bantuuntu fye lelo abafwile ukubelenga ni balya baishibe ifya ku mupashi ifyashika pa numa ya kufwailisha bwino.” Ici calolele mu kuti bashimapepo abasambilila e bali fye no kubelenga Amalembo.

Mu 1703, Seraphim, umuGriki kabili umushimbe mwaume uwa fya mapepo, uwa ku cishi ca Lesbos, alembulwile amalembo yapilibwile Maximus mu London no kwesha ukusabankanya yene. Ilyo abalashi ba buteko bwa England bafililwe ukumwafwilishako mu fya ndalama, apulintile amalembo alembulwile ukubomfya indalama shakwe. Mu mashiwi ya kucincimuna aya kutendekelako, Seraphim akomaile pa kuti “Umwina Kristu onse uwaipeela” alingile ukubelenga Baibolo, kabili apeele bashimapepo bakalamba abe calici umulandu wa kuti “balafwaisha ukufisa imibele yabo iyabipa pa kulenga abantu ukukanaishiba ifilanda Baibolo.” Nga fintu napamo abantu baleenekela, abalemulwisha mu Orthodox balimwikete mu Russia no kumutwala ku Siberia uko ailefwila mu 1735.

Ukulanda pa nsala ikalamba iya ku mupashi ku balelanda iciGriki pali ilya nshita, shimapepo umuGriki alandile amashiwi yakonkapo pa malembo yapilibwile Maximus ayo balembulwile pa numa, atile: “AbaGriki na bantu bambi balipokelele iyi Baibolo no kutemwa kabili balefwaisha ukuibelenga. Kabili baliibelengele. No kukalipwa balekalipwa kwalitontolweke ne citetekelo cabo muli Lesa . . . calikosele.” Lelo, bashimapepo babo baletiina ukuti abantu nga batendeka ukumfwikisha Baibolo, ifisumino ne micitile ya bashimapepo ifishali fya mu malembo kuti fyasokololwa. E co, mu 1823 e lyo na mu 1836, abalashi ba mu Constantinople bapeele icipope ca kuti boce amaBaibolo yonse ayapilibwilwe.

Kapilibula Washipa

Te mulandu no kukanya kwabipisha ukwaliko e lyo no kufwaisha ukwishiba Baibolo, kwaimine umuntu walumbuka uwabombeshe ukupilibula Baibolo mu ciGriki ca muno nshiku. Uyu muntu washipa ali ni Neofitos Vamvas, uwaishibe sana indimi kabili uwalumbwike pa mulandu wa kusoma Baibolo. Abengi bamwishibe ukuti na o ali ni “Kasambilisha wa Nko.”

Vamvas alisumine ukuti icalici lya Orthodox e lyalengele abantu ukuba abambuulu. Alishininwe sana ukuti pa kuti abantu bafume mu bumbuulu bwa ku mupashi, Baibolo yalekabila ukupilibulwa mu ciGriki calelandwa pali ilya nshita. Mu 1831, abasoma bambi balimwafwileko kabili atendeke ukupilibula Baibolo mu ciGriki balesambilisha ku masukulu. Apwile ukupilibula Baibolo mu 1850. Apo icalici lya Greek Orthodox talyamutungilile, abombele pamo na kabungwe ka British and Foreign Bible Society (BFBS) pa kupulinta no kusabankanya Baibolo apilibwile. Icalici lyatile ni “Protestanti,” kabili tapakokwele batendeke ukumukankamba.

Baibolo Vamvas apilibwile yalingene sana na Baibolo wa King James Version kabili uwakwete ne filubo fyaba muli ulya Baibolo pa mulandu wa kukanaishiba sana Baibolo ne ciGriki pali ilya nshita. Na lyo line, pa myaka iingi e Baibolo yalingene sana na Baibolo yalembwa mu ciGriki ca nomba iyo abantu bakwata. Icacindama ca kuti, ishina lya kwa Lesa lilasangwamo imiku ine, mu filembo “Ieová.”—Ukutendeka 22:14; Ukufuma 6:3; 17:15; Abapingushi 6:24.

Bushe abantu bayumfwile shani pa lwa iyi Baibolo pamo na yambi ayali ayayanguka ukuumfwa? Balitemenwe nga nshi! Ilyo ubwato umwali uwa mu kabungwe ka BFBS uwaleshitisha amaBaibolo bwafikile pa cishi cimo, “kuli wene kwaile amato umwali abaice abengi abalefwaya [amaBaibolo], ica kuti . . . aebele umukalamba wa baleensha ubwato ukuti bafumepo” epali asha amaBaibolo yonse pa cifulo cimo! Lelo, bakakaanya balicitilepo cimo mu kwangufyanya.

Bashimapepo ba mu Orthodox basokele abantu ukuti belashita aya maBaibolo. Ku ca kumwenako mu musumba wa Athens, balipokele amaBaibolo. Mu 1833, shikofu wa ku Orthodox uwa ku Krete aocele amaBaibolo ya “Cipingo Cipya” ayo asangile pa ciyanda ca bashimbe baume aba fya mapepo. Shimapepo umo alifishile Baibolo umo, kabili abantu baleikala mu mishi ya mupepi bafishile amaBaibolo yabo mpaka abakalamba ba fya mapepo bafumine pa cishi.

Ilyo papitile imyaka, aba mu Cilye Cashila mu Calici lya Greek Orthodox babindile uyu Baibolo wapilibwilwe na Vamvas pa cishi ca Corfu. Bakenye ukushitisha wene, kabili na maBaibolo yalipo baliyocele. Pa fishi fya Chios, Síros, na Mykonos, ubunkalwe bwa bashimapepo ba kulya bwalengele baleoca amaBaibolo. Lelo kwali no kuba ukukaanya ukupilibula Baibolo na kabili ku ntanshi.

Namfumu Atemwa Baibolo

Muli ba1870, Namfumu Olga uwa ku Greece alikutulwike ukuti abaGriki abengi bali tabalaishiba sana Baibolo. Apo asumine ukuti ukwishiba Amalembo kwali no kusansamusha no kupembesula inko, alibombeshe ukuti Baibolo ipilibulwe mu lulimi lwayanguka ukucila ilya Vamvas apilibwile.

Shikofu mukalamba uwa ku Athens na Prokopios umukalamba wa Cilye Cashila, ukwabula ukupeelwa insambu bakoseleshe namfumu ukubomba uyu mulimo. Lelo, ilyo aipwishe aba mu Cilye Cashila ukuti bamupeele ulusa, balikeene. Na lyo line, ali no mupampamina kabili alombele insambu cipya cipya, lelo, balikeene umuku walenga bubili, mu 1899. Asuulile kulya kukaanya, no kupingulapo ukusabankanya amaBaibolo yanono ukubomfya indalama shakwe. Acitile ci mu 1900.

Bakakaanya Abomankonso

Mu 1901, inyunshipepala ya The Acropolis iyalumbuka mu Athens, yasabankenye Ilandwe lya kwa Mateo ilyapilibwilwe mu ciGriki Cayanguka kuli Alexander Pallis, kapilibula uwalebombela mu Liverpool, ku England. Ico Pallis na banankwe baimininepo ‘kusambilisha abaGriki,’ no “kwafwa ukubukululo luko” lwaleloba.

Abalesambilila ifya mipepele ye calici lya Orthodox na bakafundisha wabo baitile uyu Baibolo ati “Ica kupumishako ifintu ifyo uluko lwacindamika sana,” icikowesha Baibolo. Joakim III umukalamba wa ku Constantinople alembele icikalata ca kukaanya uyu Baibolo. Ukukansana kwasanshishemo ne fya mapolitiki, kabili kwabomfiwe mu bucenjeshi ku bamapolitiki abalekansana.

Umulashi umo uwalebomba uko basabankanya ilyashi ku Athens atendeke ukusuusha Baibolo uo Pallis apilibwile, aleita abaitemenwe ati “bamukaana Lesa,” “bashikamfutu,” na “baletungilila ifyalo fimbi” abaiminine pa kupumfyanya icalo ca Greece. Ukufuma pa November 5 ukufika pa 8, 1901, amabumba ya bacishamo ukusungilila intambi she calici lya Greek Orthodox bacincishe abana be sukulu ukucita ifimfulunganya mu Athens. Basanshile amaofeshi ya bakasabankanya banyunshipepala ya The Acropolis, bashingulwike isano, bapokele isukulu likalamba ilya University of Athens, no kweba ubuteko ukuti buleke ukuteka. Ilyo ifimfulunganya fyabipiishe, abantu 8 balipaiwe ilyo balelwishanya na bashilika. Ubushiku bwakonkelepo, imfumu yaebele Prokopios, Shikofu mukalamba ukuleka bushimapepo, kabili pa numa ya nshiku shibili bacilolo ba buteko bonse balilekele bucilolo.

Pa numa ya mweshi umo abana be sukulu baimishe ifimfulunganya na kabili no koca Baibolo uo Pallis apilibwile pa cintubwingi. Basabankenye ifyo basuminishenye ukukaanya ukusabankanya uyu Baibolo no kusosa ati onse uukesha ukucite co ku ntanshi akakandwa icabipisha. Ici e co bacitile pa kukaanya abantu ukubomfya Baibolo walembelwe mu ciGriki ca ndakai. Yali ni nshita ya bubifi icine cine!

“Icebo ca kwa Lesa Caikalilila pe”

Icibindo ca kubomfya Baibolo walembelwe mu ciGriki ca ndakai califumishiwepo mu 1924. Ukutule lyo, icalici lya Greek Orthodox lyalicimfiwa mu kweshaesha kwaliko ukwa kutalusha Baibolo ku bantu. Pali ino nshita, Inte sha kwa Yehova balitungulula umulimo wa kusambilisha Baibolo mu Greece, nge fyo bacita mu fyalo fimbi. Ukutula 1905, balibomfya Baibolo yapilibwile Vamvas ku kwafwa abantu abengi nga nshi abalanda iciGriki ukwishiba icine ca mu Baibolo.

Pa myaka iingi, abasoma na baprofesa balibombesha ukupilibula Baibolo mu ciGriki ca muno nshiku. Pali lelo, kwaba amaBaibolo yalekanalekana ayapilibulwa mupepi na 30, ayapilibulwa yonse fye nelyo iciputulwa, kabili kuti yabelengwa na ku muGriki yaweyawe. Icintu cishaiwamina ico bakwata, ni Baibolo wa New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, uwafumine mu 1997 ku kwafwa amamilioni ya bantu 16 mu calo conse abalanda iciGriki. Iyi Baibolo iyasabankanishiwa ne Nte sha kwa Yehova, yabamo Icebo ca kwa Lesa icalembwa mu lulimi lwayanguka ukubelenga, ukuumfwa, yalilingana sana na malembo ya kutendekelako.

Ukutukuta ukupilibula Baibolo mu ciGriki ca ndakai kulangilila fye icishinka cacindama. Kulanga bwino bwino ukuti te mulandu no matukuto ya bantunse aya bunkalwe, “Icebo ca kwa Shikulu caikalilila pe.”—1 Petro 1:25.

[Futunoti]

[Icikope pe bula 27]

Cyril Lucaris e watungulwile umulimo wa kupilibula Amalembo ya Bwina Kristu aya ciGriki yonse umuku wa kubalilapo mu 1630

[Abatusuminishe]

Bib. Publ. Univ. de Genève

[Ifikope pe bula 28]

Amalembo yamo ayapilibulwa mu ciGriki cilandwa: Amalumbo yapulintilwe: (1) mu 1828 kuli Ilarion, (2) mu 1832 kuli Vamvas, (3) mu 1643 kuli Julianus. “Icipingo ca Kale” capulintilwe mu: (4) 1840 kuli Vamvas

Namfumu Olga

[Abatusuminishe]

AmaBaibolo: National Library of Greece; Namfumu Olga: Culver Pictures

[Abatusuminishe Ukubomfya Icikope pe bula 26]

Amacinda: Akabungwe ka The Trustees of the Chester Beatty Library, ku Dublin e kasuminishe ukuti amacinda yakopololwe

[Abatusuminishe Ukubomfya Icikope pe bula 29]

Amacinda: Akabungwe ka The Trustees of the Chester Beatty Library, ku Dublin e kasuminishe ukuti amacinda yakopololwe