UJerome—Ingqalabutho Yokuhunyushwa KweBhayibheli Okwaphikiswana Ngayo

NGO-APRIL 8, 1546, uMkhandlu WaseTrent wamemezela ukuthi i-Vulgate yesiLatini “iye yagunyazwa iSonto [lamaKatolika] . . . nokuthi makungabikho muntu olokothayo ayenqabe nganoma iziphi izaba.” Nakuba i-Vulgate yayiqedwe esikhathini esingaphezu kwenkulungwane yeminyaka ngaphambili, yona nomhumushi wayo, uJerome, kwase kunesikhathi eside kuphikiswana ngako. Wayengubani uJerome? Kungani kwakuphikiswana ngaye nangenguqulo yakhe yeBhayibheli? Umsebenzi wakhe ukuthinta kanjani ukuhunyushwa kweBhayibheli namuhla?

Indlela Aba Ngayo Isazi

Igama likaJerome lesiLatini kwakungu-Eusebius Hieronymus. Wazalwa cishe ngo-346 C.E. eStridon, esifundeni saseRoma, iDalmatia, eduze nomngcele wanamuhla ophakathi kwe-Italy neSlovenia.a Abazali bakhe babecebe ngokulingene, futhi wajabulela inzuzo yokuba nemali esemncane, wafundiswa isazi sohlelo lolimi esaziwayo uDonatus eRoma. UJerome waba umfundi onesiphiwo ohlelweni lolimi, ekukhulumeni nasekubhaleni nakuyifilosofi. Phakathi nalesi sikhathi waqala nokufunda isiGreki.

Ngemva kokusuka eRoma ngo-366 C.E., uJerome wazulazula, wagcina esese-Aquileia, e-Italy, lapho ezwa khona okokuqala ngombono wokuzincisha. Ethathwe yile mibono yokuzincisha ngokweqile, yena neqembu labangane bakhe bachitha iminyaka eminingana eyalandela behlakulela indlela yokuphila yokuzincisha.

Ngo-373 C.E., isiphazamiso esingaziwa sabangela ukuba leli qembu lihlakazeke. Edangele, uJerome wahamba washona ngasempumalanga wadabula iBithiniya, iGalathiya, neKhilikhiya waze wayofika e-Antiyokiya, eSiriya.

Wabhekana nemiphumela yohambo olude. Ekhathele futhi enempilo ebuthaka, uJerome wacishe wabulawa imfiva. Lapho ebhalela umngane wakhe, wathi: “O, ukube nje iNkosi uJesu Kristu ibingangithwala ngokushesha ingilethe kuwe. Umzimba wami ontengantengayo, obuthakathaka noma ngingaguli, uye wawohloka.”

Ngaphezu kokugula, isizungu nokuntula ukuthula kwangaphakathi, uJerome wabhekana nolunye usizi—olungokomoya. Ephusheni wazibona “ehudulelwa phambi kwesihlalo sokwahlulela” sikaNkulunkulu. Lapho kuthiwa makazichaze, uJerome wathi: “NgingumKristu.” Kodwa lowo owayengamele waphendula ngokhahlo: “Unamanga, ungumlandeli kaCicero hhayi kaKristu.”

Kuze kube yileso sikhathi uJerome wayethanda ngokuyinhloko ukufunda izincwadi zobuqaba zasendulo kuneZwi likaNkulunkulu. Uthi: “Ngahlushwa umlilo kanembeza.” Enethemba lokulungisa izinto, ephusheni lakhe uJerome wafunga: “Nkosi, uma ngingaphinde ngibe nezincwadi zezwe, noma uma ngingaphinde ngizifunde, ngiyobe ngiphika Wena.”

Kamuva, uJerome wagomela ngokuthi wayengenakuba necala ngesifungo ayesenze ephusheni. Nokho, wayezimisele ukusifeza isifungo sakhe—okungenani ngokwesimiso. Ngakho uJerome wasuka e-Antiyokiya wayohlala yedwa eChalcis ogwadule lwaseSiriya. Ephila njengonkom’ idlayodwa, wagxila ekutadisheni iBhayibheli nezincwadi zemfundiso yenkolo. UJerome wathi: “Ngafunda izincwadi zikaNkulunkulu ngentshiseko enkulu kunaleyo engangifunda ngayo izincwadi zabantu.” Wafunda nolimi lwendawo lwesiSiriya futhi waqala nokufunda isiHeberu ngosizo lomJuda owayeguqukele ebuKristwini.

Ukuthunywa Ngupapa

Ngemva kweminyaka ethi ayibe mihlanu ephila njengendela, uJerome waphindela e-Antiyokiya eyoqhuba izifundo zakhe. Nokho, lapho efika wathola ukuthi isonto lihlukene phakathi kakhulu. Yebo, lapho ayesesogwadule, uJerome wayecele iseluleko sikaPapa uDamasus, ethi: “Isonto lihlukene laba amaqembu amathathu, futhi iqembu ngalinye limagange ukungiletha ngakulo.”

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uJerome wanquma ukuzihlanganisa noPaulinus, enye yamadoda amathathu ayeke azibiza ngababhishobhi base-Antiyokiya. UJerome wavuma ukugcotshwa uPaulinus ngaphansi kwemibandela emibili. Okokuqala, wayefuna ukukhululeka ukuba aphishekele izifiso zakhe zokuba indela. Okwesibili, wagcizelela ukuthi wayengafuni ukuba nezibopho zobupristi zokukhonza isonto elithile.

Ngo-381 C.E., uJerome waphelezela uPaulinus baya eMkhandlwini WaseConstantinople futhi ngemva kwalokho waqhubekela naye eRoma. UPapa uDamasus washeshe waphawula ukuthi uJerome wayefundile futhi enamakhono ezilimini. Kungakapheli nonyaka, uJerome wayesekhushulelwe esikhundleni esihloniphekayo sokuba unobhala kaDamasus.

Njengoba ayesengunobhala, uJerome wayengazigwemi izimpikiswano. Empeleni, wayebonakala ebangela ukuba zibe khona. Ngokwesibonelo, waqhubeka ephila njengomuntu ozincishayo esigodlweni esinethezekile sikapapa. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngokukhuthaza indlela yakhe yokuphila yokuzincisha nangokukugxeka kakhulu ukweqisa kwabefundisi ezintweni zezwe, uJerome wazenzela izitha eziningi.

Nokho, naphezu kokuba uJerome ayegxekwa, uPapa uDamasus wamsekela ngokuphelele. Upapa wayenesizathu esihle sokukhuthaza uJerome ukuba aqhubeke nokucwaninga ngeBhayibheli. Ngaleso sikhathi, kwakusetshenziswa izinguqulo eziningana zeBhayibheli zesiLatini. Eziningi zalezi zazihunyushwe ngokunganaki, zinamaphutha asobala. Okunye okwakukhathaza uDamasus kwakuwukuthi ulimi lwaluhlukanisa ingxenye yaseMpumalanga neyaseNtshonalanga yesonto. Babembalwa eMpumalanga ababazi isiLatini; bembalwa nakakhulu eNtshonalanga ababazi isiGreki.

Ngakho-ke, uPapa uDamasus wayeyilangazelela kakhulu inguqulo yamaVangeli ebukeziwe yesiLatini. UDamasus wayefuna inguqulo eyayiyokuveza ngokunembile okushiwo isiGreki sokuqala, kodwa ibe ibekwe ngesiLatini esishelelayo nesicacile. UJerome wayengomunye wezazi ezimbalwa ezazingakwazi ukwenza inguqulo enjalo. Njengoba ayekhuluma isiGreki, isiLatini nesiSiriya ngokushelela futhi esazi ngokwanele isiHeberu, wayewufanelekela kahle lowo msebenzi. Ngakho, ethunywe nguDamasus, uJerome waqala umsebenzi owawuzothatha iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-20 yokuphila kwakhe.

Ukuphikiswa Kuyaqina

Nakuba ayewahumusha ngokushesha okukhulu amaVangeli, uJerome wayesebenza ngendlela ecacile nebonisa ukuba nolwazi. Eqhathanisa yonke imibhalo yesandla yesiGreki eyayikhona ngaleso sikhathi, walungisa umbhalo wesiLatini, elungisa kokubili indlela yokubhala nokuqukethwe, ukuze awuvumelanise ngokuseduze nombhalo wesiGreki.

Inguqulo kaJerome yamaVangeli amane kanye nenguqulo ebukeziwe yesiLatini yamaHubo, eyayisekelwe embhalweni wesiGreki we-Septuagint, kwamukelwa kahle kakhulu iningi. Nokho, babesekhona ababemphikisa. “Izidalwa ezithile ezinendelelo,” kubhala uJerome, “zazingihlasela ngamabomu zingisola ngokuthi ngangizame ukulungisa izindinyana ezisemavangelini, ngokumelene negunya labasendulo nombono walo lonke izwe.” Lokhu kusola kwaqina ngemva kokufa kukaPapa uDamasus ngo-384 C.E. Ubuhlobo bukaJerome nopapa omusha babungebuhle, ngakho wanquma ukuyishiya iRoma. UJerome waphinde walibangisa empumalanga.

Indlela Aba Ngayo Isazi SesiHeberu

Ngo-386 C.E., uJerome wazinza eBetlehema, lapho ayezohlala khona ukuphila kwakhe konke. Wayehamba neqenjana labalandeli abathembekile, kuhlanganise noPaula, owesifazane ocebile waseRoma owayehlonishwa. UPaula wayemukele indlela yokuphila yokuzincisha ngenxa yokushumayela kukaJerome. Ngokusekela kukaPaula ngokwezimali, kwamiswa isigodlo sezindela esasiqondiswa uJerome. Lapho, waqhubeka nomsebenzi wakhe wezazi futhi waphothula umsebenzi omkhulu kunayo yonke ekuphileni kwakhe.

Ukuhlala kukaJerome ePalestine kwamnika ithuba lokuthuthukisa ukuqonda isiHeberu. Wakhokhela abafundisi abaningana abangamaJuda ukuze bamsize ekuqondeni ezinye zezici ezinzima kakhudlwana zalolu limi. Ngisho noma ayenomfundisi, kwakungelula. Ngokuqondene nomunye umfundisi, uBaraninas waseTiberiyu, uJerome wathi: “Yeka ukuthi kwakunzima futhi kubiza kanjani ukuba uBaraninas angifundise ebusuku.” Kungani babefunda ebusuku? Ngenxa yokuthi uBaraninas wayesaba indlela umphakathi wamaJuda owawuyombheka ngayo ngokuzihlanganisa ‘nomKristu’!

Ezinsukwini zikaJerome, ngokuvamile amaJuda ayeklolodela abeZizwe ababekhuluma isiHeberu ngokuhluleka kwabo ukuphimisela kahle imisindo eyenziwa ngomphimbo. Nokho, ngemva komzamo omkhulu, uJerome wakwazi ukuyazi le misindo. UJerome waguqula namagama amaningi esiHeberu wawenza abhalwa ngesiLatini. Lesi sinyathelo asimsizanga kuphela ukuba awakhumbule la magama kodwa salondoloza nendlela yesiHeberu yokuphimisela yangaleso sikhathi.

Ukuphikiswa Okukhulu Kakhulu KukaJerome

Akucacile ukuthi uPapa uDamasus wayehlose ukuba uJerome ahumushe ingxenye engakanani yeBhayibheli. Kodwa ayinakungatshazwa indlela uJerome ayeyibheka ngayo le ndaba. UJerome wayegxile kakhulu kulokho ayekwenza futhi ezimisele. Isifiso sakhe esikhulu sasiwukuba enze okuthile “okuwusizo eSontweni, okuzifanelekelayo zonke izizukulwane ezizayo.” Ngakho wanquma ukwenza inguqulo ebukeziwe yesiLatini yalo lonke iBhayibheli.

EmiBhalweni YesiHeberu, uJerome wayehlose ukusekela inguqulo yakhe kuyi-Septuagint. Le nguqulo yesiGreki yemiBhalo YesiHeberu, eyahunyushwa okokuqala ngekhulu lesithathu leminyaka B.C.E., yayibhekwa ngabaningi njengephefumulelwe uNkulunkulu ngokuqondile. Ngakho, i-Septuagint yasakazeka kabanzi kumaKristu angaleso sikhathi ayekhuluma isiGreki.

Nokho, lapho uJerome eqhubeka nomsebenzi wakhe, wathola ukungafani phakathi kwemibhalo yesandla yesiGreki, okwakufana nalokhu ayekuthole kweyesiLatini. UJerome wakhungatheka ngokwengeziwe. Ekugcineni, wafinyelela esiphethweni sokuthi, ukuze enze inguqulo enokwethenjelwa, kwakuzodingeka angayisebenzisi imibhalo yesandla yesiGreki, kuhlanganise ne-Septuagint eyayihlonishwa kakhulu, aye ngqó embhalweni wokuqala wesiHeberu.

Lesi sinqumo sabangela ukukhononda okukhulu. UJerome wabizwa ngokuthi ngumuntu owenza imibhalo ibe amanga, ohlambalaza uNkulunkulu, olahla amasiko esonto ukuze avune amaJuda. Ngisho no-Augustine—isazi sezimfundiso zenkolo sesonto esiyinhloko sangaleso sikhathi—wancenga uJerome ukuba abuyele embhalweni we-Septuagint ethi: “Uma inguqulo yakho isiqala ukufundwa kakhulu emasontweni amaningi, kuyoba into edabukisayo ukuthi, lapho kufundwa umBhalo, kube nomehluko phakathi kwamaSonto esiLatini namaSonto esiGreki.”

Yebo, u-Augustine wayesaba ukuthi isonto lalingase lihlukane phakathi uma amasonto aseNtshonalanga esebenzisa umbhalo wesiLatini kaJerome—osekelwe emibhalweni yesiHeberu—kuyilapho amasonto esiGreki aseMpumalanga esasebenzisa inguqulo i-Septuagint.b Ngaphezu kwalokho, u-Augustine wezwakalisa ukukungabaza ukuba kuyekwe i-Septuagint kusetshenziswe inguqulo okwakunguJerome kuphela owayengayivikela.

Wasabela kanjani uJerome kubo bonke labo baphikisi? Ngokobuntu bakhe, uJerome akazange abashaye mkhuba abaphikisi bakhe. Waqhubeka ehumusha esusela ngokuqondile esiHeberwini, futhi ngonyaka ka-405 C.E., wayeseliqedile iBhayibheli lakhe lesiLatini. Eminyakeni ethile kamuva inguqulo yakhe yethiwa ngokuthi i-Vulgate, okuyigama elibhekisela enguqulweni eyamukelwa kabanzi (igama lesiLatini elithi vulgatus lisho into “evamile, ethandwayo”).

Impumelelo Ehlala Njalo

Inguqulo kaJerome yemiBhalo YesiHeberu yayingaphezulu kakhulu kokuba umbhalo obukeziwe walowo owawukhona. Yashintsha indlela yokutadisha nokuhunyushwa kweBhayibheli, ngokwenzuzo yezizukulwane ezizayo. Isazi-mlando uWill Durant sathi: “IVulgate iyaqhubeka iyincwadi ephumelela kakhulu nenethonya elikhulu ekhulwini lesine leminyaka.”

Nakuba uJerome ayekhuluma ngokubhingqa futhi engumuntu othanda izimpikiswano, eyedwa wenza ukucwaningwa kweBhayibheli kwaphinde kwagxila embhalweni wesiHeberu ophefumulelwe. Ebonisa ukukhalipha, watadisha futhi waqhathanisa imibhalo yesandla yeBhayibheli yesiHeberu neyesiGreki yasendulo thina esingasenayo namuhla. Umsebenzi wakhe wandulela nowamaMasorete angamaJuda. Ngakho, i-Vulgate iyincwadi yokucwaninga ewusizo ekuqhathaniseni izindlela ezihlukahlukene imibhalo yeBhayibheli ehunyushwe ngazo.

Ngaphandle kokuvuna ukuziphatha kwakhe okweqisayo noma imibono yakhe engokwenkolo, abathandi beZwi likaNkulunkulu bangayazisa imizamo yenkuthalo yale ngqalabutho yokuhunyushwa kweBhayibheli okwaphikiswana ngayo. Futhi, uJerome wawufeza ngempela umgomo wakhe—wenza okuthile “okuzifanelekelayo zonke izizukulwane ezizayo.”

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 28]

Isithombe sikaJerome eBetlehema

[Umthombo]

Garo Nalbandian

[Imithombo Yezithombe ekhasini 26]

Top left, Hebrew manuscript: Courtesy of the Shrine of the Book, Israel Museum, Jerusalem; Bottom left, Syriac manuscript: Reproduced by kind permission of The Trustees of the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin; Top center, Greek manuscript: Courtesy of Israel Antiquities Authority