Sɛnea Adesamma Hwehwɛ Wɔn Nkrabea Mu

DƐN nti na gyidi a nkurɔfo wɔ wɔ nkrabea mu no atrɛw saa? Efi teteete no, nnipa ahwehwɛ nneɛma a ayɛ asetra mu ahintasɛm mu ahwɛ sɛ wobehu atirimpɔw bi wɔ nneɛma a ɛresisi no mu a. Abakɔsɛm kyerɛwfo Helmer Ringgren kyerɛkyerɛ mu sɛ: “Ɛha na ‘nyame’, ‘nkrabea’, ne ‘biribi a ɛbɛbɔ mu kwa’ ho asɛm ba mu, sɛ́ ebia dekode a esi no fi obi, biribi, anaa emfi biribiara no.” Nkrabea ho gyidi horow, anansesɛm ne bɔsrɛmka ayɛ abakɔsɛm mu ma.

Jean Bottéro a ɔhwehwɛ tete Asiria ne Babilonfo nneɛma mu ka sɛ: “Mesopotamia amammerɛ anya yɛn amammerɛ so nkɛntɛnso kɛse,” na ɔde ka ho sɛ tete Mesopotamia anaa Babilon na “nneɛma a ɛboro nnipa ahoɔden so a ɛda adi sɛ ɛyɛ ɔsom nnyinaso a akyɛ sen biara, no ho nsusuwho ne agyinatu fii ase.” Na ɛhɔ nso na nkrabea gyidi no fii ase.

Nkrabea Gyidi no Fibea

Nneɛma a wɔatutu fam ahu wɔ Mesopotamia amanfo so wɔ baabi a mprempren wɔfrɛ hɔ Iraq no bi ne tete nkyerɛwee a akyɛ sen biara a nnipa nim no bi. Tete Mediterraneafo nkyerɛwee a ɛwɔ abopon ɔpepem pii so no ma yehu nnipa a na wɔwɔ tete Sumer ne Akkad ne kurow a agye din, Babilon no asetra ani so yiye. Sɛnea Samuel N. Kramer a otutu fam hwehwɛ tetefo nneɛma mu kyerɛ no, “nnipa amanehunu, titiriw bere a wonhu nea efi no, bɛyɛɛ dadwen” maa Sumerfo no. Mmɔden a wɔbɔe sɛ wobehu nea ɛde ba no ma wobenyaa nkrabea adwene no.

Joan Oates a otutu fam hwehwɛ tetefo nneɛma mu no ka wɔ ne nhoma Babylon mu sɛ, “ná Babilonni biara wɔ n’ankasa nyame anaa nyamewa.” Ná Babilonfo no gye di sɛ “anyame no ahyehyɛ adesamma nyinaa nkrabea ato hɔ, sɛ ankorankoro ne kuw.” Sɛnea Kramer kyerɛ no, ná Sumerfo no gye di sɛ “anyame a wodi amansan yi so no na wɔhwɛ hyehyɛɛ bɔne, atosɛm, ne nsɛmmɔnedi sɛ ɛka anibue ho.” Nkrabea mu gyidi a nkurɔfo wɔ atrɛw, na wonni ho agoru koraa.

Babilonfo no susuwii sɛ wobetumi ahu anyame no adwene denam abosonkɔm so—“ɔkwan bi a wɔfa so ne anyame di nkitaho.” Abosonkɔm a wɔhyehyɛe no yɛ mmɔden a wɔbɔe sɛ wɔbɛka nea ebesi daakye denam nneɛma ne nsɛm a esisii mu a wɔhwehwɛe fefeefe na wɔkyerɛɛ ase no so. Ná wɔtaa hwehwɛ adaeso, mmoa su, ne mmoa ayamde mu. (Fa toto Hesekiel 21:21; Daniel 2:1-4 ho.) Wɔyɛɛ nsɛm a esisii a na wɔnhwɛ kwan anaa nea na ɛntaa nsi a wosusuw sɛ ɛma wohu daakye mu no ho kyerɛwtohɔ wɔ dɔte-pon so.

Sɛnea Édouard Dhorme a ɔyɛ Franseni nhomanimfo wɔ tete amammerɛ horow ho no kyerɛ no, “sɛ yɛsan yɛn akyi kɔhwehwɛ tete Mesopotamiafo abakɔsɛm mu a, yehu sɛ na adebisa ne abosonkɔm kɔ so wɔ hɔ.” Ná abosonkɔm yɛ wɔn asetra mu ade titiriw. Nokwarem no, Ɔbenfo Bottéro ka sɛ “wobetumi de biribiara asi hɔ ahwehwɛ mu anaa wɔnam abosonkɔm so asi ho gyinae . . . Wɔde amansan yi nyinaa sii hɔ sɛ adanse a wɔnam so betumi akyerɛ nea ebesi daakye, sɛ wogye bere hwehwɛ mu yiye a.” Enti ná Mesopotamiafo pɛ nsoromma mu a wɔhwɛ de ka nea ɛbɛba daakye paa.—Fa toto Yesaia 47:13 ho.

Nea ɛka ho no, Babilonfo no de sedeɛ anaa ntonto dii dwuma wɔ abosonkɔm mu. Deborah Bennett kyerɛkyerɛ mu wɔ ne nhoma Randomness mu sɛ ná wɔde eyinom di dwuma sɛ “wɔde beyi mmɔden a nnipa betumi abɔ anya nsɛm tebea so tumi no afi hɔ na ama anyame no anya kwan ayɛ nea wɔpɛ.” Nanso, na wommu gyinae a anyame no sisi no sɛ biribi a wontumi nyɛ ho hwee. Ná obi betumi akwati nkrabea bɔne denam anyame no a obeguan atoa wɔn so.

Nkrabea Mu Gyidi Wɔ Tete Misraim

Wɔ afeha a ɛto so 15 A.Y.B. mu no, na nkitahodi a ɛkɔ akyiri da Babilonfo ne Misrifo ntam. Wɔde nyamesom mu nneyɛe ahorow a na nkrabea mu gyidi bata ho kaa wɔn amammerɛ a edii nsesa no ho. Dɛn nti na Misrifo gyee nkrabea gyidi no toom? Sɛnea John R. Baines a ɔyɛ Misrifo tete amammerɛ ho ɔbenfo wɔ Oxford Sukuupɔn mu kyerɛ no, “ná [Misrifo] nyamesom no fã kɛse no ara fa mmɔden a wɔbɔ sɛ wɔbɛte nsɛm a wontumi nhu mu ase na wɔayɛ nneɛma bɔne a esisi no ho biribi ho.”

Wɔ Misraim anyame pii mu no, wɔkaa Isis ho asɛm sɛ ɔne “awuraa a nkwa wɔ no, nea odi nkrabea ne hyɛberɛ so.” Misrifo no de wɔn ho hyɛɛ abosonkɔm ne nsoromma mu hwɛ nso mu. (Fa toto Yesaia 19:3 ho.) Abakɔsɛm kyerɛwfo bi ka sɛ: “Ná nyansa mu a wofi bisabisa anyame no nsɛm no nni ano.” Nanso, ɛnyɛ Misraim nko ne ɔman a ɛfaa nkrabea mu gyidi no fii Babilon.

Hela ne Roma

Jean Bottéro ka sɛ, sɛ yɛka nyamesom ho asɛm a, “tete Hela nyaa ne nyamesom mu gyidi no fã kɛse no ara fii Babilon.” Ɔbenfo Peter Green kyerɛkyerɛ nea enti a na Helafo ani gye nkrabea mu gyidi no ho paa mu sɛ: “Wɔ wiase a obi nhu nea ɛreba, na nnipa ampɛ sɛ wɔn ankasa gyinaesi ahorow ho asodi bɛda wɔn so, na wɔtee nka mpɛn pii sɛ wɔayɛ sɛ abaduaba a Nkrabea mu ahintasɛm a wɔyɛ ho hwee a ɛnyɛ yiye na ɛkɛntɛn wɔn so mu no, ná abosonkɔm [nkrabea a anyame na ahyehyɛ] ne ɔkwan biako a wobetumi afa so akyerɛ sɛnea obi daakye bɛyɛ. Sɛ obi wɔ nimdeɛ anaa nhumu soronko a, na obetumi akyerɛ obi Nkrabea. Ebia nea wɔbɛka akyerɛ obi no renyɛ no dɛ de, nanso anyɛ yiye koraa no, kɔkɔbɔ a odi kan nya boa ma ɔda ne ho so.”

Awerɛhyem a na nkrabea mu gyidi ma ebinom nya akyi no, na wɔsan de katakata nneɛma so di nsɛmmɔne. Nkrabea ho gyidi no boae ma ɔmanfo traa ase komm, ma ɛno nti, sɛnea abakɔsɛm kyerɛwfo F. H. Sandbach kyerɛ no, “na atumfoɔ a wodi tumi no ani begye gyidi a na nkurɔfo wɔ sɛ Ɔdomankoma bi na edi wiase no nyinaa so no ho.”

Dɛn ntia? Ɔbenfo Green kyerɛkyerɛ mu sɛ saa gyidi yi “bɛyɛɛ tumi—a wɔde dii dwuma wɔ abrabɔ fam, nyamekyerɛ, ne kasa mu—a wɔde bu man: ɛno ne anifere kwan so tumi a ano yɛ den sen biara a Helafo atumfoɔ no de bae na ama wɔatra hɔ daa. Sɛ biribi nya si pɛ a, na ɛkyerɛ sɛ wɔahyɛ ato hɔ sɛ ensi; na esiane sɛ ɔdomankoma pɛ adesamma yiye nti, na ade biara a wɔnam nkrabea so ahyɛ no ntumi nyɛ ade bɔne.” Nokwarem no, ɛma wonyaa “ahoɔden de yɛɛ atirimɔdenne a wɔpɛ.”

Hela nhoma ahorow mu nsɛm da no adi sɛ wogyee nkrabea mu gyidi no toom kɛse. Tete nhoma ahorow no bi wɔ hɔ a wɔkyerɛw no sɛ anwensɛm, anansesɛm, ne awerɛhosɛm—a na nkrabea mu gyidi ayɛ mu ma. Wɔ Helafo anansesɛm mu no, wɔde anyamewa abiɛsa a wɔfrɛ no Moirai na egyinaa hɔ maa onipa nkrabea. Ná Clotho ne nea nkwa kura no, Lachesis na ɛkyerɛ bere tenten a ɛsɛ sɛ nkwa di, na Atropos ne nea otwa nkwa so bere a aso no. Ná Romafo nso wɔ anyame baasakoro a ɛte saa ara a na wɔfrɛ no Parcae.

Ná Romafo ne Helafo no ho pere wɔn sɛ wobehu wɔn nkrabea. Enti, wosuaa nsoromma mu hwɛ ne abosonkɔm fii Babilon na wɔtrɛw mu. Romafo no frɛɛ nsɛm a esisi a na wogyina so ka nea ebesi daakye no portenta, anaa nsɛnkyerɛnne. Wɔfrɛɛ nkrasɛm a saa nsɛnkyerɛnne ahorow yi de mae no omina. Eduu afeha a ɛto so abiɛsa A.Y.B. mu no, ná nsoromma mu hwɛ abegye ntini wɔ Hela, na wɔ afe 62 A.Y.B. mu no, wobenyaa Helafo nsoromma ho mfonini a wɔde ka daakye asɛm a edi kan. Ná Helafo no ani gye nsoromma mu hwɛ ho araa ma sɛnea Ɔbenfo Gilbert Murray kyerɛ no, nsoromma mu hwɛ “bɛkɛntɛn Helafo adwene so sɛnea yare foforo tu nnipa bi a wɔte supɔw bi a atew ne ho so atese no.”

Helafo ne Romafo de abosonkɔm anaa asumansɛm dii dwuma kɛse wɔ mmɔden a wɔbɔe sɛ wobehu nea ebesi daakye no mu. Wosusuw sɛ anyame no nam so ne nnipa dii nkitaho. (Fa toto Asomafo no Nnwuma 16:16-19 ho.) Dɛn na efii gyidi ahorow yi mu bae? Nyansapɛfo Bertrand Russell kae sɛ: “Ehu besii anidaso ananmu; asetra atirimpɔw bɛdanee asiane a wɔbɛkwati mmom sen sɛ wɔbɛyɛ biribi pa wɔ asetram.” Nsɛm a ɛte saa ara maa akyinnyegye sɔree wɔ Kristoman mu.

“Kristofo” Kyerɛ Wɔn Adwene Wɔ Nkrabea Ho

Kristofo a wodi kan no traa wiase a na Helafo ne Romafo adwene wɔ hyɛberɛ ne nkrabea ho wɔ so nkɛntɛnso denneennen mu. Sɛ nhwɛso no, wɔn a na wɔfrɛ wɔn Asɔre Agyanom de Hela nyansapɛfo te sɛ Aristotle ne Plato nhoma dii dwuma kɛse. Asɛmmisa biako a wɔbɔɔ mmɔden sɛ wɔde ho mmuae bɛma ne sɛ, Ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na Onyankopɔn a onim biribiara, tumi nyinaa wɔ no, ‘Nea ofi mfiase ka awiei asɛm,’ no atumi ayɛ ɔdɔ Nyankopɔn? (Yesaia 46:10; 1 Yohane 4:8) Wosusuwii sɛ, sɛ Onyankopɔn fi mfiase nim awiei asɛm a, ɛnde ɛda adi sɛ na wahu asie sɛ onipa bɛyɛ bɔne ma ɛde amanehunu kɛse aba.

Origen a na ɔyɛ tete Kristofo akyerɛwfo a na wɔbɔ mmɔden paa no mu biako kae sɛ nneɛma a ehia sɛ yɛma no tra yɛn adwene mu no biako ne hokwan a nnipa wɔ sɛ wɔpaw nea wɔpɛ. Ɔkyerɛwee sɛ: “Nokwarem no, Kyerɛwnsɛm mu nsɛm pii wɔ hɔ a ɛkyerɛ pefee sɛ nnipa wɔ hokwan sɛ wɔyɛ nea wɔpɛ.”

Origen kae sɛ ka a yɛbɛka sɛ yɛn nneyɛe ho asodi no fi tumi bi a aniwa ntumi nhu no “nyɛ nokware na ntease biara nnim nso, na mmom ɛyɛ asɛm a obi a ɔpɛ sɛ ɔbɔ adwene a ɛne sɛ nnipa wɔ hokwan sɛ wɔyɛ nea wɔpɛ no gu ka.” Origen kyerɛɛ mu sɛ ɛmfa ho sɛ Onyankopɔn betumi ahu nsɛm a ebesisi nnidiso nnidiso ansa na asi no, eyi nkyerɛ sɛ ɔno na ɔma asɛm bi si anaa ɔhyɛ sɛ ɔkwan biara so ebesi. Nanso, ɛnyɛ nnipa nyinaa na wogye toom.

Asɔre Agya a na wogye no tom paa Augustine (354-430 Y.B.), maa ntease a na ɛwɔ asɛm no mu yɛɛ hwanyann bere a ɔkaa sɛ nnipa nni nsɛm a esisi so tumi no. Augustine na ɔmaa nkrabea bɛkaa Kristoman nkyerɛkyerɛ ho. Nnipa pii gyinaa ne nhoma a nea edi mu akoten ne De libero arbitrio so susuw nsɛm ho wɔ Mfinimfini Mmere no mu. Awiei koraa no, akyinnyegye no kowiee Ɔsesɛw mu, maa Kristoman mu paapaee wɔ nkrabea ho asɛm no mu.a

Gyidi a Abu So

Nanso, ɛnyɛ Atɔe fam aman mu nkutoo na nkrabea ho adwene wɔ. Nkramofo pii ka sɛ “mektoub”—wɔakyerɛw ato hɔ—bere a asiane bi ato wɔn no, de kyerɛ sɛ wogye nkrabea di. Ɛwom sɛ Apuei fam som pii si so dua sɛ ankorankoro wɔ wɔn nkrabea so tumi de, nanso wɔn nkyerɛkyerɛ no fã bi rekɔyɛ sɛ yenni nea esi so tumi.

Sɛ nhwɛso no, Karma gyidi a ɛwɔ Hindusom ne Buddhasom mu no kyerɛ nkrabea a wontumi nkwati a obi asetra a atwam mu nneyɛe na ɛhyɛ too hɔ. Wɔ China no, na nkyerɛwee a edi kan koraa a wohui no wɔ akyekyere abena a na wɔde di dwuma wɔ asumansɛm mu no so. Nkrabea gyidi no ka nneɛma a na Amerikafo ankasa gye di no ho. Sɛ nhwɛso no, Astekfo yɛɛ nkrabea kalenda a na wɔde kyerɛ ankorankoro nkrabea. Nkrabea mu gyidi horow abu so wɔ Afrika nso.

Gye a nnipa pii gye nkrabea adwene tom no kyerɛ ankasa sɛ nnipa fi awosu mu pɛ sɛ wogye tumi a ɛboro wɔn ahoɔden so di. Wɔ John B. Noss nhoma Man’s Religions mu no, ɔka sɛ: “Nyamesom nyinaa ka wɔ ɔkwan bi so sɛ onipa nne ne ho, na ontumi nne ne ho nso. Wɔne tumi bi a edi Abɔde ne Nnipa so a emfi n’ankasa mu wɔ abusuabɔ a ɛho hia. Wonim kakra anaa wonim pefee sɛ wonni tumi a ɛde ne ho a ebetumi atew ne ho afi wiase no ho atra ase.”

Nea ɛka hia a yehia sɛ yegye Onyankopɔn di ho no, yefi awosu mu hia nso sɛ yɛte nea ɛrekɔ so wɔ wiase no ase. Nanso, nsonsonoe wɔ gye a yebegye atom sɛ Ɔbɔadeɛ bi a tumi nyinaa wɔ no wɔ hɔ, ne gye a yebegye adi sɛ wahyɛ yɛn nkrabea ato hɔ a yentumi nyɛ ho hwee no mu. Dɛn koraa na yebetumi ayɛ wɔ yɛn daakye ho? Afã bɛn na Onyankopɔn wɔ wɔ mu?

[Ase hɔ asɛm]

[Kratafa 5 mfonini]

Babilonfo nsoromma mu hwɛ kalenda, 1000 A.Y.B.

[Asɛm Fibea]

Musée du Louvre, Paris

[Kratafa 7 mfonini]

Ná Helafo ne Romafo wɔ gyidi sɛ anyamewa baasa na ɛhyehyɛɛ nnipa nkrabea

[Asɛm Fibea]

Musée du Louvre, Paris

[Kratafa 7 mfonini]

Misrifo Isis, “nea odi nkrabea ne hyɛberɛ so”

[Asɛm Fibea]

Musée du Louvre, Paris

[Kratafa 8 mfonini]

Wɔde Chinafo nkyerɛwee a edi kan a ɛwɔ akyekyere abena so no dii dwuma wɔ asumansɛm mu

[Asɛm Fibea]

Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica, Taipei

[Kratafa 8 mfonini]

Wohu owia atrae sɛnkyerɛnne no wɔ Persiafo adaka yi ho

[Asɛm Fibea]

Photograph taken by courtesy of the British Museum