Jerome​—Umuntu w’impirimbanyi mu buhinduzi bwa Bibiliya washyizwe mu majwi

KU ITARIKI ya 8 Mata 1546, Konsili yabereye ahitwa i Trente yatangaje ko ubuhinduzi bwa Bibiliya y’Ikilatini bwitwa Vulgate “bwemewe na Kiliziya [Gatolika] . . . kandi ko nta muntu n’umwe ugomba kwiha kugira, cyangwa kumva ko afite impamvu y’urwitwazo iyo ari yo yose yo kubwanga.” N’ubwo ubuhinduzi bwa Vulgate bwari bumaze imyaka isaga igihumbi burangiye, bwari bumaze igihe kirekire bwarashyizwe mu majwi, bwo hamwe na nyirabwo Jerome. Jerome uwo yari muntu ki? Kuki we n’ubuhinduzi bwe bwa Bibiliya bashyizwe mu majwi? Ni gute ubuhinduzi bwe bugira ingaruka ku buhinduzi bwa Bibiliya muri iki gihe?

Uko Yaje Kuba Intiti

Amazina ya Jerome y’Ikilatini, yari Eusebius Hieronymus. Yavutse ahagana mu mwaka wa 346 I.C., avukira i Stridon ho mu ntara y’Abaroma ya Dalmatie, hafi y’umupaka ugabanya u Butaliyani na Siloveniya muri iki gihe.a Ababyeyi be bari bifite mu rugero ruciriritse, kandi yasogongeye ku byiza bizanwa n’amafaranga akiri muto, yiga i Roma, yigishwa n’umuhanga mu kibonezamvugo wari uzwi cyane witwaga Donatus. Jerome yabaye umunyeshuri ufite impano mu kibonezamvugo, mu buhanga bw’imyandikire n’imivugire, no muri filozofiya. Muri icyo gihe, yatangiye no kwiga Ikigiriki.

Aho Jerome aviriye i Roma mu mwaka wa 366 I.C., yararorongotanye, amaherezo agera ahitwa Aquileia ho mu Butaliyani, aho yatangiriye gucengezwamo ibitekerezo byo kubaho mu buryo bwo kwibabaza. Amaze kureshywa n’ibyo bitekerezo byo gukabya kwiyanga, we n’agatsiko k’incuti ze bamaze imyaka myinshi yakurikiyeho bihingamo imibereho yo kwibabaza.

Mu mwaka wa 373 I.C., habayeho kirogoya itazwi yatumye abagize ako gatsiko batatana. Jerome amaze kumanjirwa, yatorongeye yerekeza iburasirazuba, anyura i Bituniya, i Galatiya n’i Kilikiya, maze amaherezo aza kugera muri Antiyokiya y’i Siriya.

Urwo rugendo rurerure rwaramushegeshe. Jerome yaguye agacuho kandi ararwara, akaba yari hafi kwicwa n’indwara yamuhindishaga umuriro. Yandikiye incuti ye agira ati “ayii, icyampa gusa nkabona Nyagasani Yezu Kristu aranjyanye akungejejeho. Wa mubiri wanjye wari usanzwe udakomeye n’igihe nabaga ntarwaye, ubu noneho waranegekaye.”

Nk’aho ubwo burwayi, iryo rungu, n’ibyo bitekerezo byarwaniraga mu mutima wa Jerome bitari bimuhagije, bidatinze yahuye n’indi ngorane​—iyo yo ikaba yari iyo mu buryo bw’umwuka. Yarose abona ngo “bamukurubana bamugeza imbere y’intebe y’imanza” y’Imana. Igihe yasabwaga kuvuga uwo ari we, Jerome yarasubije ati “ndi Umukristu.” Ariko uwari uyoboye iyo gahunda mu ijuru yaramukabukiye ati “urabeshya, uri umuyoboke wa Cicero, nta bwo uri umuyoboke wa Kristu.”

Kuva mbere hose kugeza icyo gihe, ibyifuzo bya Jerome bihereranye no kwiga byari byaragiye byibanda mbere na mbere ku kwiga ibitabo by’ubuvanganzo by’abapagani, aho kwibanda ku Ijambo ry’Imana. Yagize ati “umutimanama warandiye urandembya.” Kubera ko Jerome yari yiringiye ko agiye gusubiza ibintu mu buryo, yahize umuhigo muri izo nzozi ati “Nyagasani, nindamuka nongeye gutunga ibitabo by’isi, cyangwa nkongera gusoma bene ibyo bitabo, nzabe nkwihakanye.”

Nyuma y’aho, Jerome yavuze ko adashobora kuryozwa indahiro yarahiye arota. Icyakora, yiyemeje gusohoza umuhigo we​—nibura agakora iby’ingenzi biwukubiyemo gusa. Bityo rero, Jerome yavuye muri Antiyokiya ajya kwiherera i Khalkís, ho mu butayu bwa Siriya. Kubera ko yabagaho nk’umuntu wihaye Imana wibera ukwe, yirundumuriye mu byo kwiga Bibiliya hamwe n’ibitabo by’ubuvanganzo bw’ibya tewolojiya. Jerome yagize ati “nasomaga ibitabo by’Imana mbigiranye ishyaka riruta iryo nari narahoze mfite mbere y’aho mu gusoma ibitabo by’abantu.” Nanone kandi, yize ururimi rw’Igisiriya rwavugwaga muri ako karere, kandi atangira no kwiga Igiheburayo abifashijwemo n’Umuyahudi wari warahindukiriye Ubukristo.

Inshingano Yahawe na Papa

Jerome amaze hafi imyaka itanu aba wenyine, yagarutse muri Antiyokiya kugira ngo akomeze inyigisho ze. Ariko kandi, akihagera yasanze kiliziya yaracitsemo ibice mu buryo bwimbitse. Koko rero, igihe Jerome yari akiri mu butayu, yari yariyambaje Papa Damase amugisha inama, agira ati “kiliziya yacitsemo ibice bitatu, kandi buri gice muri ibyo kiramaranira kungira uwacyo.”

Amaherezo, Jerome yaje kwiyemeza kwifatanya na Paulin, umwe mu bantu batatu bari bariyise abepisikopi b’Antiyokiya. Jerome yemeye ko Paulin amugira umupadiri wo mu gice cye, ari uko na we abanje kumwemerera ibintu bibiri. Icya mbere, yifuzaga guhabwa umudendezo wo gukomeza ibyifuzo bye byo kwibera mu mibereho y’abihaye Imana. Hanyuma icya kabiri, yatsimbaraye avuga ko atagomba guhabwa inshingano izo ari zo zose zigenewe abapadiri, zo gukorera kiliziya runaka yihariye.

Mu mwaka wa 381 I.C., Jerome yaherekeje Paulin bajya muri Konsili y’i Constantinople, maze nyuma y’aho barakomeza bajyana i Roma. Papa Damase yahise abona ukuntu Jerome ari intiti kandi akagira n’ubuhanga mu by’indimi. Mu gihe cy’umwaka umwe, Jerome yazamuwe mu ntera, ahabwa umwanya w’icyubahiro wo kuba umunyamabanga wa Damase wihariye.

Igihe Jerome yari umunyamabanga, ntiyirindaga icyatuma avugwa nabi. Iyo yabaga abonye akantu atemera, yasaga n’aho ari we ubyikururira. Urugero, yakomeje kwiberaho mu buryo bwo kwibabaza, kandi aba mu rugo rwa papa rwari rurimo ubutunzi bwinshi kandi bw’akataraboneka. Byongeye kandi, kubera ko Jerome yagendaga acengeza amatwara y’imibereho ye yo kwibabaza, kandi akamagana ku mugaragaro ibikorwa by’abayobozi ba kiliziya byo gukabya kugira imyifatire y’isi, yagize abanzi benshi.

Ariko kandi, n’ubwo Jerome yari afite abanzi bamunengaga, yashyigikiwe na Papa Damase mu buryo bwuzuye. Papa yari afite impamvu zumvikana zo gutera Jerome inkunga yo gukomeza ubushakashatsi bwe bw’ibya Bibiliya. Muri icyo gihe, hakoreshwaga ubuhinduzi bwinshi bwa Bibiliya mu Kilatini. Ubwinshi muri bwo, bwari bwarahinduwe mu buryo bwo guhushura, bukaba bwari burimo amakosa yeruye kandi akomeye. Ikindi kintu cyari gihangayikishije Damase, ni uko ikibazo cy’indimi cyagendaga gitandukanya akarere k’u Burasirazuba n’ak’u Burengerazuba kiliziya yari ifitemo ijambo. Mu Burasirazuba, abantu bazi Ikilatini bari bake; kandi no mu Burengerazuba, abari bazi Ikigiriki bari bake kurushaho.

Ku bw’ibyo rero, Papa Damase yashakaga cyane kubona ubuhinduzi bw’Ikilatini bw’Amavanjiri bwasubiwemo. Damase yashakaga ubuhinduzi bwahuza neza neza n’Ikigiriki cy’umwimerere, ariko nanone bukaba buri mu mvugo y’Ikilatini inogeye amatwi kandi yumvikana neza. Jerome yari umwe mu ntiti nke zari ziriho, zashoboraga gukora ubuhinduzi bumeze butyo. Kubera ko yari azi neza Ikigiriki, Ikilatini n’Igisiriya, kandi akaba yari afite ubumenyi buhagije mu rurimi rw’Igiheburayo, yari ashoboye uwo murimo rwose. Bityo rero, Jerome abisabwe na Damase, yatangiye umushinga wari kuzafata imyaka isaga 20 yakurikiyeho y’imibereho ye.

Arushaho Gushyirwa mu Majwi

N’ubwo Jerome yakoranaga umuvuduko munini mu guhindura amavanjiri, yanabikoranye ubuhanga mu buryo bugaragara. Binyuriye mu kugenda agereranya inyandiko zose z’Ikigiriki zanditswe n’intoki zabonekaga muri icyo gihe, yagiye agira ibyo akosora mu mwandiko w’Ikilatini, haba mu bihereranye n’ukuntu umwandiko wanditse haba no mu biwukubiyemo ubwabyo, kugira ngo atume ubuhinduzi bwe buhuza neza n’umwandiko w’Ikigiriki.

Muri rusange, ubuhinduzi bwa Jerome bw’Amavanjiri ane bwakiriwe neza, kimwe n’uko byagenze ku mwandiko we w’Ikilatini wasubiwemo wa za Zaburi, ukaba wari ushingiye ku mwandiko w’Ikigiriki w’ubuhinduzi bwa Septante. Nyamara kandi, yari agifite abamunenga. Jerome yaranditse ati “ibiremwa runaka by’insuzugurwa byiyemezaga kunyibasira, binshinja ko nari narihatiye gukosora imirongo imwe n’imwe yo mu mavanjiri, nyuranyije n’ubutware bw’abakurambere hamwe n’igitekerezo cy’abantu bose.” Ibyo bikorwa byo kwamaganwa byarushijeho gukaza umurego nyuma y’urupfu rwa Papa Damase, mu mwaka wa 384 I.C. Kubera ko imishyikirano ya Jerome na papa mushya itari myiza cyane, yafashe umwanzuro wo kuva i Roma. Nuko Jerome yongera kwerekeza iburasirazuba.

Uko Yaje Guhinduka Intiti mu Rurimi rw’Igiheburayo

Mu muhindo w’umwaka wa 386 I.C., Jerome yatuye i Betelehemu, aho yaje kuguma mu gihe cyose cyari gisigaye cy’imibereho ye. Yari ari kumwe n’agatsiko k’abayoboke be b’indahemuka, hakubiyemo na Paula, umugore wari ukize akaba n’igikomerezwa wakomokaga i Roma. Paula yari yaremeye kugira imibereho yo kwibabaza, ibyo bikaba byari ingaruka zo kubwiriza kwa Jerome. Binyuriye ku bufasha bw’amafaranga yatangaga, hashinzwe ikigo cy’abihaye Imana, kiyoborwa na Jerome. Muri icyo kigo ni ho yakomereje ibikorwa bye byo mu rwego rw’ubuhanga, maze aza kuharangiriza igitabo gikomeye cyane kurusha ibindi byose yanditse mu mibereho ye.

Kuba muri Palestina, byatumye Jerome abona uburyo bwo kunonosora ubushobozi bwe bwo gusobanukirwa Igiheburayo. Yagiye ashaka abarimu benshi b’Abayahudi akabahemba, kugira ngo bamufashe gusobanukirwa bimwe mu bice bikomeye cyane by’urwo rurimi. Ariko kandi, n’ubwo yabaga afite umwarimu, nta bwo byari byoroshye. Ku bihereranye n’umwarimu umwe witwaga Baraninas w’i Tiberias, Jerome yagize ati “nagize impagarara kandi ntanga amafaranga, kugira ngo Baraninas yemere kujya anyigisha nijoro.” Kuki bigaga nijoro? Ni ukubera ko Baraninas yatinyaga ukuntu Abayahudi babibona, baramutse bamenye ko yifatanya n’ “Umukristo”!

Mu gihe cya Jerome, Abayahudi bakundaga kugira urw’amenyo Abanyamahanga bavugaga Igiheburayo, bitewe n’uko batashoboraga kuvuga neza amajwi avugirwa mu maraka. Ariko kandi, nyuma yo gushyiraho imihati myinshi, Jerome yashoboye kuvuga neza ayo majwi. Nanone kandi, Jerome yatiye amagambo menshi cyane mu rurimi rw’Igiheburayo, ayashyira mu Kilatini. Iyo ntambwe ntiyamufashije kujya yibuka amagambo gusa, ahubwo yanatumye imivugire y’Igiheburayo cyo muri icyo gihe itibagirana.

Jerome Ashyirwa mu Majwi Cyane Kurusha Ikindi Gihe Cyose

Umubare w’ibitabo byo muri Bibiliya Papa Damase yifuzaga ko Jerome yahindura, ntuzwi neza. Ariko kandi, nta gushidikanya ku birebana n’ukuntu Jerome yabibonaga. Jerome yari yarabishyizeho umutima we wose kandi yarabyiyemeje. Icyifuzo cye gikomeye, cyari icyo kugera ku kintu “kizagirira Kiliziya akamaro, gikwiriye kuragwa ab’ibihe bizakurikiraho bose.” Ku bw’ibyo rero, yiyemeje amaramaje gusubiramo ubuhinduzi bw’Ikilatini bwa Bibiliya yose uko yakabaye.

Ku bihereranye n’Ibyanditswe bya Giheburayo, Jerome yateganyaga gushingira umurimo we kuri Septante. Ubwo buhinduzi bw’Ikigiriki bw’Ibyanditswe bya Giheburayo bwari bwarahinduwe mbere na mbere mu kinyejana cya gatatu M.I.C., abenshi babonaga ko bwahumetswe n’Imana mu buryo butaziguye. Bityo rero, ubuhinduzi bwa Septante bwari bwarakwirakwiriye cyane mu Bakristo bo muri icyo gihe bavugaga Ikigiriki.

Ariko kandi, uko Jerome yagendaga ajya mbere mu murimo we, yaje kubona ibintu bidahuje mu nyandiko zinyuranye z’Ikigiriki zanditswe n’intoki, bimeze nk’ibyo yari yarahuye na byo mu Kilatini. Jerome yarushijeho kugenda amanjirwa. Amaherezo, yaje gufata umwanzuro w’uko kugira ngo akore ubuhinduzi bwiringirwa, yagombaga kwirengagiza inyandiko z’Ikigiriki z’intoki, hakubiyemo na bwa buhinduzi bwa Septante bwubahwaga cyane, maze akifatira umwandiko w’umwimerere w’Igiheburayo.

Uwo mwanzuro watumye abantu basakuza cyane. Hari bamwe baharabitse Jerome bavuga ko ari umuntu ugoreka inyandiko, utubaha Imana, waretse imigenzo ya kiliziya akajya gufatanya n’Abayahudi. Ndetse na Augustin​—umunyatewolojiya wari ku isonga rya kiliziya muri icyo gihe​—yahoraga yinginga Jerome ngo asubire ku mwandiko w’ubuhinduzi bwa Septante, agira ati “ubuhinduzi bwawe nibutangira gusomwa cyane muri za kiliziya nyinshi muri rusange, bizaba bibabaje cyane kuba muri uko gusoma Ibyanditswe, hazaboneka ibintu bidahuje hagati ya Kiliziya zikoresha Ikilatini na Kiliziya zikoresha Ikigiriki.”

Koko rero, impungenge Augustin yari afite, ni iz’uko kiliziya yari kuzacikamo ibice, mu gihe kiliziya z’i Burengerazuba zari kuba zikoresha umwandiko w’Ikilatini wahinduwe na Jerome​—afatiye ku myandiko y’Igiheburayo​—naho kiliziya zikoresha Ikigiriki zo mu Burasirazuba zo zigakomeza gukoresha ubuhinduzi bwa Septante.b Byongeye kandi, Augustin yavuze impungenge yaterwaga no guhigika Septante, maze hakemezwa ubuhinduzi bwari bushyigikiwe na Jerome wenyine.

Jerome yabyifashemo ate n’abo bantu bose bamurwanyaga? Nk’uko yari asanzwe ateye muri kamere ye, yimye amatwi abamunengaga. Yakomeje kwikorera yishingikirije ku Giheburayo mu buryo butaziguye, maze ahagana mu mwaka wa 405 I.C., aba arangije Bibiliya ye y’Ikilatini. Nyuma y’imyaka runaka, ubuhinduzi bwe bwaje guhimbwa izina rya Vulgate, bikaba byerekeza ku buhinduzi bwakiriwe n’abantu benshi muri rusange (ijambo ry’Ikilatini vulgatus, risobanurwa ngo “cyogeye, gikundwa n’abantu benshi”).

Inyandiko Zarambye Cyane

Ubuhinduzi bwa Jerome bw’Ibyanditswe bya Giheburayo, bwari burenze kure cyane ibyo gusubiramo umwandiko usanzwe uriho. Bwatumye uburyo bwo kwiga no guhindura Bibiliya bwakoreshejwe n’abantu bo mu bihe byakurikiyeho buhinduka. Umuhanga mu by’amateka witwa Will Durant, yagize ati “ubuhinduzi bwa La Vulgate ni yo nyandiko igikomeza kubonwa ko ikomeye kandi igira ingaruka nziza kurusha izindi zose zo mu kinyejana cya kane.”

N’ubwo Jerome yajyaga avuga amagambo akomeretsa kandi akagira kamere yo kudashaka kuniganwa ijambo, yakoze wenyine ubushakashatsi bw’ibya Bibiliya yishingikirije ku mwandiko wahumetswe w’Igiheburayo, adafite umwunganira. Yakoresheje ubushishozi, yiga neza kandi agereranya inyandiko za Bibiliya za kera z’Igiheburayo n’Ikigiriki zandikishijwe intoki, twe muri iki gihe tukaba tutagishobora kuzibona. Nanone kandi, umurimo we wahise ukurikirwa n’uw’Abamasoreti b’Abayahudi. Bityo rero, ubuhinduzi bwa Vulgate ni ikintu cy’ingenzi umuntu ashobora gufatiraho, kugira ngo agereranye ibintu asomye mu myandiko inyuranye ya Bibiliya.

Abakunda Ijambo ry’Imana, bashobora gushimira ku bw’imihati ihambaye y’uwo muntu w’impirimbanyi mu buhinduzi bwa Bibiliya washyizwe mu majwi, ibyo bakabikora bidashatse kuvuga ko borora imyifatire ye yo gukabya mu bintu, cyangwa ibitekerezo bye byo mu rwego rw’idini. Kandi koko, Jerome yageze ku ntego ye​—yageze ku kintu “gikwiriye kuragwa ab’ibihe bizakurikiraho bose.”

[Ibisobanuro ahagana hasi ku ipaji]

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 28]

Ishusho ya Jerome iri i Betelehemu

[Aho ifoto yavuye]

Garo Nalbandian

[Aho amafoto yo ku ipaji ya 26 yavuye]

Hejuru ibumoso, inyandiko y’intoki y’Igiheburayo: Uburenganzira bwatanzwe na Shrine of the Book, Israel Museum, Jerusalem; Hasi ibumoso, inyandiko y’intoki y’Igisiriya: Uburenganzira bwatanzwe na The Trustees of the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin; Hejuru ahagana hagati, inyandiko y’intoki y’Ikigiriki: Uburenganzira bwatanzwe na Israel Antiquities Authority