‘Mkuwa Woomba Kapena Nguli Yolira’

Ndani amene amafuna kukhala kokha phokoso lalikulu? “Ngati . . . ndiribe chikondi,” akutero mtumwi Paulo, “Ndikhala mkuwa woomba kapena nguli yolira.” (1 Akorinto 13:1) Paulo anali atangogogomezera kufunika kwa kugwiritsira ntchito mphatso zapadera zolandiridwa kupyolera mwa mzimu wa Mulungu kaamba ka phindu la mpingo wonse Wachikristu. Ngati chikondi chinali kusoweka, kunyada ndi kudzitukumula kungapangitse Mkristu kukhala ngati phokoso lokwezeka, losagwirizanitsika, logonthetsa lomwe linathamangitsa m’malo mokoka ena.​—Onani 1 Akorinto 12:4-9, 19-26.

Ife mopepuka timamvetsetsa lingaliro la nguli yomalira pafupi nafe, koma bwanji ponena za fanizo lina la Paulo, “mkuwa woomba”? (Chigriki, khal·kosʹ e·khonʹ) Ena alemba ichi “belu la phokoso” (Today’s English Version) ndi “belu loliranso” (New International Version). William Harris, akumalemba mu Biblical Archaeology Review, akuloza kuti e·khonʹ limachokera ku maziko ofananawo monga liwu la Chingelezi “echo,” chotero lingaliro la kulira komvekera patali kapena kuliranso. Ngakhale kuli tero, iye akunenanso kuti: “Nauni chalkos imagwiritsiridwa ntchito kulongosola unyinji wochulukira wa zinthu zochotsedwa kuchokera ku msanganizo wa copper ndi tin wotchedwa bronze kapena mkuwa​—chida chovala pa nkhondo, mipeni, macauldron, akalilore, ndalama, ngakhale mibulu. Koma palibe umboni wa kugwiritsiridwa ntchito kwa liwulo kaamba ka chiŵiya choseŵerera nyimbo.” Ndi lingaliro lotani, kenaka, lemene iye ali nalo?

Iye akulozera ku bukhu lolembedwa ndi Vitruvius, katswiri wodziŵa za makonzedwe a nyumba yemwe anakhalako m’zana loyamba B.C.E. Vitruvius analemba ponena za vuto la kutulutsa mawu m’malo oseŵerera omangidwa ndi zinthu zonga ngati marble ndipo ananena kuti zipangizo zapadera zobweza mawu zotchedwa e·kheiʹa zinali kugwiritsiridwa ntchito. Izi zinali zotengera zolira zopangidwa kuchokera ku bronze zomwe zinaikidwa kumbuyo kwa bwalo la zamaseŵera lozungulira kuthandizira kukulitsa ndi kutulutsa mawu. Zina za izi zinabweretsedwa ku Roma kuchokera ku bwalo la zamaseŵera lofunkhidwa mu Korinto chifupifupi zaka zana limodzi Paulo asanalembe kalata yake ku mpingo wa Korinto.

Plato, tikuuzidwa, analankhula za chotengera cha bronze kukhala chikubweza mawu mobwerezabwereza, monga mmene anachitira olankhula zopanda pake ena. Ichi chimagwirizana ndi kalongosoledwe ka Shakespeare kakuti “chotengera chopanda kanthu chimapanga phokoso lalikulu koposa.” Paulo angakhale anali ndi lingaliro lofananalo m’maganizo pamene iye analankhula za awo omwe anapanga zambiri ponena za mphatso zawo zapadera koma omwe analibe mphatso yaikulu koposa ya zonse​—chikondi. Iwo anafuula mokwezeka koma analibe chinthu chenicheni. Iwo anali ofanana ndi phokoso laukali, losagwirizanitsika m’malo mwa mawu okoka, osangalatsa. Bwanji ponena za inu? Kodi machitidwe anu ndi kalankhulidwe zimasonkhezeredwa ndi chikondi, kapena kodi muli ‘mkuwa woomba kapena nguli yolira’?