Mɛɛ Gbɛ Nɔ Wolo Lɛ Tsɔ Ehi Shi?

Blema niŋmaai yɛ henyɛlɔi ni ji adebɔɔ mli nibii—la, nu, kɛ fu ni efuɔ. Biblia lɛ yeee ehe kɛjɛɛɛ osharai nɛɛ amli. Saji ni aŋmala ni tsɔɔ bɔ ni fee ni etsɔ bei ni eho lɛ amli hiɛkpatamɔi amli ni ebatsɔ wolo ni mɛi anine eshɛ nɔ fe fɛɛ yɛ je lɛŋ lɛ sa kadimɔ waa yɛ blema niŋmaai lɛ ateŋ. Nakai yinɔsane lɛ sa hesusumɔ waa fe hiɛaŋhiɛaŋ nɔ kɛkɛ.

BIBLIA ŋmalɔi lɛ kpɛɛɛ amɛ wiemɔi lɛ yɛ tɛ nɔ; nakai nɔŋŋ hu amɛŋmalaaa yɛ sũ taoi ni sɛɛ tsɛɔ nɔ. Eka shi faŋŋ akɛ amɛŋmala amɛ wiemɔi lɛ yɛ nibii ni fiteɔ nɔ—adaa (ni akɛ Mizraim jwɛi ko ni hiɛ nakai gbɛi lɛ feɔ) kɛ wolo (ni akɛ kooloi ahe woji fee).

Mɛni ba klɛŋklɛŋ niŋmaai lɛ anɔ? Ekolɛ amɛtserɛ jeeŋmɔ yɛ blema Israel. Woloŋlelɔ Oscar Paret tsɔɔ mli akɛ: “Nu, fu ni nii lɛ fuɔ, kɛ gɔgɔmii sɔrɔtoi fɛɛ nyɛɔ amɛkɛ nɛkɛ nibii enyɔ ni aŋmaa nii yɛ nɔ [adaa kɛ kooloo hewolo] nɛɛ fɛɛ woɔ oshara mli pɛpɛɛpɛ. Wɔle kɛjɛ daa gbi niiashikpamɔ mli bɔ ni wolo, kɛ kooloo hewolo ni wa po, fiteɔ yɛ gbɛ ni waaa nɔ kɛji ekã shi kpetekplee aloo eyɛ tsu ni mli yɔɔ frɔ̃nɔɔ mli.”¹

Kɛji klɛŋklɛŋ niŋmaai lɛ bɛ dɔŋŋ lɛ, belɛ te fee tɛŋŋ ni Biblia ŋmalɔi lɛ awiemɔi lɛ hi shi aahu kɛbashi wɔgbii nɛɛ amli?

Niŋmalɔi ni Ŋmala Fitsofitso lɛ Baa Yi

Beni aŋmala klɛŋklɛŋ nɔ lɛ agbe naa lɛ, etsɛɛɛ kɛkɛ ni akɛ niji bɔi ekrokomɛi ŋmalamɔ. Yɛ anɔkwale mli lɛ, Ŋmalɛi lɛ ni akwɛɔ nɔ aŋmalaa ekomɛi lɛ batsɔ nitsumɔ ni mɛi tsuɔ yɛ blema Israel. (Ezra 7:6; Lala 45:2) Shi nibii ni aŋmala nii yɛ nɔ lɛ hu fiteɔ. Yɛ naagbee lɛ esa akɛ akɛ woji krokomɛi ni akɛ niji ŋmala lɛ aye amɛ najiaŋ. Beni klɛŋklɛŋ nɔ lɛ eko kwraa bɛ dɔŋŋ lɛ, nɛkɛ nɔ ni aŋmala nɛɛ baafee nɔdaamɔ nɔ kɛha wɔsɛɛ be woji ni akɛ niji ŋmala lɛ. Nɔ ni aŋmala ni akwɛɔ nɔ aŋmalaa ekrokomɛi nɛɛ tee nɔ aahu afii ohai abɔ. Ani mɛi ni kwɛ ekomɛi anɔ amɛŋmala yɛ afii ohai abɔ lɛ amli lɛ atɔmɔi lɛ tsake Biblia lɛ mli wiemɔi lɛ kwraa? Odaseyeli lɛ kɛɔ akɛ dabi.

Niŋmalɔi lɛ etu amɛhe amɛha waa diɛŋtsɛ. Amɛyɛ bulɛ ni mli kwɔ kɛha wiemɔi ni amɛŋmalaa lɛ. Amɛkwɛɔ nɔ amɛŋmalaa nii lɛ fitsofitso hu. Hebri wiemɔ ni atsɔɔ shishi akɛ “niŋmalɔ” lɛ ji so·pherʹ, ni etsɔɔ okadii lɛ ayibɔ kanemɔ ekomekome kɛ eŋmalamɔ. Kɛ wɔɔfee bɔ ni niŋmalɔi ni ŋmalaa ekroko lɛ aniŋmaa lɛ ja pɛpɛɛpɛ lɛ he mfoniri lɛ, susumɔ Masoretebii lɛ ahe okwɛ.a Woloŋlelɔ Thomas Hartwell Horne tsɔɔ mli yɛ amɛhe akɛ: “Amɛ . . . bu akɔntaa ni amɛna niŋmaa okadi ni yɔɔ Mose Woji Enumɔ [Biblia mli klɛŋklɛŋ woji enumɔ] lɛ teŋ tuuŋtu, nɔ ni ji wiemɔ kuku ni yɔɔ wolo fɛɛ wolo teŋ, kɛ shii abɔ ni [Hebri] alfabɛta niŋmaa okadii lɛ eko fɛɛ eko pueɔ yɛ Hebri Ŋmalɛi lɛ amli fɛɛ.”³

Enɛ hewɔ lɛ, niŋmalɔi ni he esa waa lɛ kɛ gbɛi pii ni atsɔɔ nɔ akwɛɔ akɛ fɛɛ ja pɛpɛɛpɛ lɛ tsuɔ nii. Bɔni afee ni amɛkashi niŋmaa okadi kome po yɛ Biblia lɛ mli wiemɔ lɛ mli lɛ, amɛtee shɔŋŋ aahu akɛ jeee akɛ amɛkaneɔ wiemɔi ni amɛŋmala lɛ ayibɔ kɛkɛ, shi moŋ amɛkaneɔ niŋmaa okadii lɛ hu. Susumɔ deŋmegbomɔ ni ebiɔ ni akɛkwɛ enɛ mli jogbaŋŋ lɛ he okwɛ: Abɔ amaniɛ akɛ amɛkane ni amɛná niŋmaa okadii komekomei 815,140 yɛ Hebri Ŋmalɛi lɛ amli!⁴ Mɔdɛŋbɔɔ ni amɛkɛtsu nii nɛɛ hã nibii ni amɛŋmala lɛ ja kɛmɔ shi.

Shi kɛlɛ, niŋmalɔi lɛ jeee mɛi ni tɔ̃ɔɔ. Ani odaseyeli yɛ ni tsɔɔ akɛ, yɛ afii ohai abɔ ni akwɛ nɔ aŋmala aahu lɛ fɛɛ sɛɛ lɛ, Biblia lɛ mli wiemɔi lɛ etee nɔ ehi shi bɔ ni abaanyɛ akɛ he afɔ̃ nɔ?

Nɔdaamɔnɔ ni Mli Wa Kɛha Hekɛnɔfɔɔ

Wɔyɛ yiŋtoo kpakpa ni wɔɔdamɔ nɔ wɔhe wɔye akɛ akɛ Biblia lɛ mli wiemɔ lɛ pɛpɛɛpɛ eha aahu kɛbashi wɔgbii nɛɛ amli tɔ̃ɔ. Odaseyeli lɛ ji woji ni akɛ niji ŋmala ni yɔɔ bianɛ—ni abuɔ akɔntaa akɛ eji Hebri Ŋmalɛi lɛ fɛɛ loo efãi komɛi ni falɛ shɛɔ 6,000 kɛ Kristofoi a-Ŋmalɛi ni yɔɔ Hela wiemɔ mli lɛ aaafee 5,000. Nɔ ni fata enɛɛmɛi ahe ji Hebri Ŋmalɛ lɛ mli wolo ni akɛ nine ŋma, ni ana yɛ afi 1947 mli, ni feɔ bɔ ni Ŋmalɛi lɛ aŋmalamɔ ja pɛpɛɛpɛ lɛ he nɔkwɛmɔnɔ lɛ. Kɛjɛ no sɛɛ kɛbaa nɛɛ, awieɔ he akɛ “woji ni akɛ niji ŋmala lɛ kpele fe fɛɛ ni akpá shi ana yɛ ŋmɛnɛŋmɛnɛ beaŋ.”⁵

Beni ekwɛɔ etooi yɛ nakai afi lɛ shishijee gbɛ lɛ, Bedouin obalanyo tookwɛlɔ ko yana tɛkplo ko yɛ Ŋshɔ ni Egbo lɛ masɛi. Ena sũ kpuji pii yɛ mli, shi amɛmli babaoo ji nɔ ni nɔ ko bɛ mli. Shi, ena wolokpo ko ni akɛ kooloo hewolo fee, ni aŋma Biblia mli wolo ni ji Yesaia lɛ mli saji yɛ mli, ni akota jogbaŋŋ yɛ klala mli yɛ kpuji lɛ ekome ni aŋa naa kpɛŋŋ mli. Anaa okadii yɛ nɛkɛ wolokpo ni abaa yi jogbaŋŋ, shi egbɔ nɛɛ he ni tsɔɔ akɛ kulɛ eefite ni asaa. Nɛkɛ obalanyo tookwɛlɔ nɛɛ yooo akɛ yɛ naagbee lɛ, abaagbala jwɛŋmɔ kɛba blema wolokpo ni ehiɛ yɛ edɛŋ nɛɛ nɔ yɛ jeŋ fɛɛ.

Mɛni sa kadimɔ waa nɛkɛ yɛ wolo krɛdɛɛ ni akɛ nine ŋma nɛɛ he? Yɛ afi 1947 mli lɛ, no mli lɛ Hebri ŋmalɛi lɛ fɛɛ ni akɛ niji ŋmala lɛ amli nɔ ni etsɛ fe fɛɛ ni yɔɔ lɛ yaa sɛɛ kɛyashɛɔ aaafee Ŋ.B. afii ohai nyɔŋma lɛ mli. Shi wolokpo nɛɛ yaa sɛɛ kɛyashɛɔ afii ohai enyɔ D.Ŋ.B.b—nɔ ni fe afii akpe kɛtsɔ hiɛ.c Woloŋlelɔi miisumɔ waa akɛ amɛaale bɔ ni wolokpo nɛɛ ji kɛ́ akɛto woji krokomɛi ni akɛ niji ŋmala yɛ sɛɛ mli kwraa lɛ ahe.

Yɛ nii amlitaomɔ ko ni afee lɛ mli lɛ, woloŋlelɔi kɛ Yesaia yitso 53 ni yɔɔ Ŋshɔ ni Egbo Wolokpo lɛ mli lɛ to Masorete niŋmaa ni afee yɛ afii akpe sɛɛ lɛ he. Wolo ko ni gbɛi ji A General Introduction to the Bible lɛ tsɔɔ nɔ ni jɛ nii amlitaomɔ lɛ mli ba lɛ mli akɛ: “Yɛ wiemɔi 166 ni yɔɔ Yesaia 53 lɛ mli fɛɛ lɛ, niŋmaa okadii nyɔŋma kɛ kpawo pɛ ji nɔ ni sane yɔɔ he. Niŋmaa okadii nɛɛ ateŋ nyɔŋma kɔɔ bɔ ni aspɛl wiemɔ lɛ aha lɛ he kɛkɛ, shi etsakeee shishinumɔ ni yɔɔ mli lɛ. Niŋmaa okadii krokomɛi ejwɛ hu fee bɔ ni aŋmaa wiemɔi lɛ ahãa lɛ mli tsakemɔi bibii, tamɔ wiemɔi ni akɛtsaa saji loo wiemɔi enyɔ ni afeɔ lɛ ekome lɛ nɛkɛ. Niŋmaa okadii etɛ ni eshwɛ lɛ feɔ wiemɔ ‘la,’ ni akɛfata he yɛ kuku 11 lɛ, ni etsakeee shishinumɔ ni yɔɔ mli lɛ tsɔ̃. . . . Enɛ hewɔ lɛ, yɛ yitso kome ni hiɛ wiemɔi 166 lɛ mli lɛ, wiemɔ kome pɛ (niŋmaa okadii etɛ) ji nɔ ni sane yɔɔ he, yɛ afii akpe ni atee nɔ akɛha aahu lɛ sɛɛ—ni wiemɔ nɛɛ tsakeee shishinumɔ ni yɔɔ ŋmalɛ kuku lɛ mli lɛ tsɔ̃.”⁷

Nilelɔ Millar Burrows, ni kɛ wolokpoi lɛ tsu nii aahu afii babaoo, ní etao nibii ni yɔɔ mli lɛ amli jogbaŋŋ lɛ, mu sane naa nakai nɔŋŋ akɛ: “Abaanyɛ awie sɔrɔtofeemɔi ni yɔɔ . . . Yesaia wolokpo lɛ kɛ Masorete niŋmaa lɛ mli lɛ ateŋ babaoo he akɛ amɛji tɔmɔi ni ba beni aŋmalaa lɛ. Yɛ enɛɛmɛi asɛɛ lɛ, yɛ fɛɛ mli lɛ, anaa gbeekpamɔ ni sa kadimɔ waa, yɛ no kɛ wiemɔi ni anaa yɛ blema woji ni akɛ niji ŋmala lɛ amli lɛ teŋ. Nɛkɛ gbeekpamɔ ni yɔɔ wolo ni akɛ nine ŋma ni etsɛ waa nɛɛ mli lɛ kɛ odaseyeli ni hekɛnɔfɔɔ yɔɔ mli hãa yɛ bɔ ni blema niŋmaa lɛ ja pɛpɛɛpɛ hã lɛ he.”⁸

Abaanyɛ akɛ “odaseyeli ni hekɛnɔfɔɔ yɔɔ mli” ahã yɛ Kristofoi a-Hela Ŋmalɛi ni akwɛ ekomɛi anɔ aŋmala lɛ hu he. Akɛ nɔkwɛmɔnɔ lɛ, Codex Sinaiticus, ni ji nibii ni akɛ niji ŋmala yɛ kooloo hewolo nɔ, ni yaa sɛɛ kɛyashɛɔ afii ohai ejwɛ Ŋ.B., ni ana yɛ afii ohai 19 lɛ mli lɛ, ye ebua ni amã bɔ ni Kristofoi a-Hela Ŋmalɛi ni akɛ niji ŋmala yɛ afii ohai abɔ sɛɛ lɛ ja pɛpɛɛpɛ hã lɛ nɔ mi. Yohane Sanekpakpa ni aŋma yɛ adaa nɔ lɛ fã ko ni ana yɛ Faiyūm kpokpaa lɛ nɔ, yɛ Mizraim lɛ, yaa sɛɛ kɛyashɛɔ Ŋ.B. afii ohai enyɔ lɛ klɛŋklɛŋ fã lɛ mli, nɔ ni shɛɛɛ afii 50 yɛ be mli ni aŋma klɛŋklɛŋ nɔ lɛ sɛɛ. Abaa yi aahu afii ohai abɔ yɛ shia ni egbi lɛ mli. Emli wiemɔi lɛ kɛ nɔ ni ana yɛ woji ni akɛ niji ŋmala yɛ sɛɛ mli kwraa lɛ amli lɛ kpãa gbee.⁹

Enɛ hewɔ lɛ odaseyeli lɛ mãa nɔ mi akɛ, yɛ anɔkwale mli lɛ, niŋmalɔi lɛ ŋma lɛ pɛpɛɛpɛ. Shi kɛlɛ, amɛtɔ̃. Woji ni akɛ niji ŋmala lɛ eko kwraa bɛ ni tɔmɔi bɛ mli—ni Ŋshɔ ni Egbo Wolokpo ni Yesaia wolo lɛ yɔɔ mli lɛ fata he. Ni kɛ́ nakai po lɛ, woloŋlelɔi enyɛ amɛyoo nɛkɛ sɔrɔtofeemɔi ni yɔɔ no kɛ klɛŋklɛŋ nɔ lɛ mli lɛ ni amɛjaje enɛɛmɛi.

Niŋmalɔi lɛ Atɔmɔi lɛ Jajemɔ

Ŋɔɔ lɛ akɛ akɛɛ gbɔmɛi 100 akwɛ wolo kakadaŋŋ ko ni aŋma lɛ nɔ ni amɛkɛ amɛniji aŋmala eko. Ŋwanejee ko bɛ he akɛ, kɛ hoo lɛ, niŋmalɔi nɛɛ ateŋ mɛi komɛi baatɔ̃. Shi kɛlɛ, amɛ fɛɛ amɛtɔ̃ŋ tɔmɔi koome lɛ nɔŋŋ. Kɛ́ okɔlɔ amɛniŋmaai sɔrɔtoi 100 lɛ fɛɛ ni okɛto he jogbaŋŋ lɛ, obaanyɛ okadi nɔ ni ji tɔmɔi lɛ ni ona wiemɔi diɛŋtsɛ ni aŋmala yɛ klɛŋklɛŋ niŋmaa lɛ mli lɛ, kɛji onako dã po.

Nakai nɔŋŋ hu mɛi ni kwɛ Biblia lɛ nɔ amɛŋmala ekomɛi lɛ tɔ̃ɔɔ tɔmɔi koome lɛ nɔŋŋ. Akɛni Biblia mli woji ni akɛ niji ŋmala lɛ akpei abɔ yɛ bianɛ ni abaanyɛ akɛto he ni akwɛ mli jogbaŋŋ hewɔ lɛ, niŋmaai ahe woloŋlelɔi enyɛ amɛkadi tɔmɔi lɛ, ni amɛnyɛ amɛna wiemɔi ni yɔɔ klɛŋklɛŋ niŋmaa lɛ mli lɛ, ni amɛtsɔɔ tsakemɔi ni he hiaa ni afee lɛ. Yɛ nii amlitaomɔ ni afee jogbaŋŋ nɛɛ hewɔ lɛ, wiemɔi ahe woloŋlelɔi enyɛ amɛfee niŋmaai ni ja fe fɛɛ yɛ wiemɔi ni aŋmala yɛ mli klɛŋklɛŋ lɛ amli. Nɛkɛ Hebri kɛ Hela niŋmaai ni asaa aŋmala lɛ ehee ekoŋŋ nɛɛ kɛ wiemɔi ni mɛi babaoo kpɛlɛɔ nɔ akɛ nomɛi yɔɔ shishijee niŋmaai lɛ amli lɛ tsuɔ nii, ni bei pii lɛ etsɔɔ tsakemɔi loo bɔ ni ekolɛ aŋma lɛ yɛ gbɛ̀i krokomɛi anɔ yɛ woji ni akɛ niji ŋmala lɛ ekomɛi amli lɛ yɛ shishigbɛ niŋmaai amli. Eheei ni niŋmaai ahe nilelɔi ŋmala lɛ ji nɔ ni Biblia shishitsɔɔlɔi kɛtsu nii ni amɛkɛtsɔɔ Biblia lɛ shishi kɛba ŋmɛnɛŋmɛnɛ beaŋ wiemɔi amli lɛ.

No hewɔ lɛ kɛ okane Biblia ko ni yɔɔ ŋmɛnɛŋmɛnɛ beaŋ shishitsɔɔmɔ mli lɛ, oyɛ yiŋtoi babaoo ni ooodamɔ nɔ oná hekɛnɔfɔɔ akɛ Hebri kɛ Hela niŋmaai ni akwɛ nɔ atsɔɔ shishi lɛ feɔ wiemɔi ni klɛŋklɛŋ Biblia ŋmalɔi lɛ kɛtsu nii lɛ he mfoniri kɛ anɔkwayeli ni sa kadimɔ jogbaŋŋ.d Nɔ ni aŋma afɔ̃ shi ni tsɔɔ bɔ ni Biblia lɛ ehi shi kɛtsɔ afii akpei abɔ ni akwɛ nɔ aŋmala ekrokomɛi lɛ mli fɛɛ lɛ ji nɔ ni ekaaa lɛɛlɛŋ. No hewɔ lɛ, Sir Frederic Kenyon, ni tsu nii akɛ British Museum nɔkwɛlɔ yɛ be kakadaŋŋ mli lɛ, baanyɛ ewie akɛ: “Enyɛŋ efee nɔ ni ama nɔ mi tsɔ̃ akɛ aaawie akɛ Biblia lɛ mli wiemɔi lɛ ji anɔkwale lɛɛlɛŋ . . . Anyɛŋ awie enɛ yɛ blema wolo ko kwraa he yɛ je lɛŋ.”¹⁰

[Shishigbɛ niŋmai]

[Mfoniri ni yɔɔ baafa 8]

Niŋmalɔi ni he esa waa báa Biblia lɛ yi

[Mfonirii ni yɔɔ baafa 9]

Ŋshɔ ni Egbo Wolokpo ni Yesaia wolo lɛ yɔɔ mli (mfoniri ni asha) lɛ tamɔ Masorete niŋmaa ni afee yɛ afii akpe sɛɛ lɛ pɛpɛɛpɛ