Incwadi YeBhayibhile 25—IZililo

Umbhali: NguYeremiya

Indawo Eyabhalelwa Kuyo: Kufutshane NeYerusalem

Ukugqitywa Kokubhalwa Kwayo: Ngowama-607 B.C.E.

1. Kutheni le nto incwadi yeZililo ithiywe kakuhle nje?

LE NCWADI yeZibhalo eziphefumlelweyo ngokuqinisekileyo ithiywe kakuhle. Iyimbonakaliso yentlungu enzulu ngenxa yaloo ntlekele yehlayo kwimbali yabantu bakaThixo abanyuliweyo, ukutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem ngowama-607 B.C.E. nguNebhukadenetsare, ukumkani waseBhabhiloni. NgesiHebhere le ncwadi ibizwa ngegama layo lokuqala elithi, ʼEh·khahʹ!, elithetha ukuthi “Njani!” Abaguquleli beSeptuagint yesiGrike le ncwadi bayithiye igama lokuba yiThreʹnoi, gama elo elithetha “Izimbonono; Izililo.” ITalmud yaseBhabhiloni isebenzisa ibinzana elithi Qi·nohthʹ, elithetha “Izimbonono; Imihobe Yosizi.” YayinguJerome, owayebhala ngesiLatini, owayithiya igama lokuba yiLamentationes, gama elo elisuka kulo elesiNgesi elithi Lamentations.

2. Ikuludwe lwayiphi ingqokelela incwadi yeZililo yaye ifumaneka phi eBhayibhileni?

² Kwiinguqulelo zesiNgesi zeBhayibhile, incwadi yeZililo ilandela incwadi kaYeremiya, kodwa kwimibhalo engcwele yesiHebhere, ngokuqhelekileyo ifunyanwa kwiHagiographa okanye iMibhalo, ndawonye neNgoma yazo iiNgoma, uRute, INtshumayeli noEstere—iqela elincinane eliyingqokelela elaziwa njengeeMeghil·lohthʹ (Imiqulu) ezintlanu. Kwezinye iiBhayibhile zanamhla zesiHebhere, ibekwa phakathi kukaRute okanye uEstere neNtshumayeli, kodwa kwimibhalo yamandulo kuthiwa yayilandela incwadi kaYeremiya, njengoko isenjenjalo kwiBhayibhile yethu yanamhlanje.

3, 4. Bubuphi ubungqina obukhoyo bokuba yabhalwa nguYeremiya?

³ Le ncwadi ayilichazi igama lombhali.a Ukanti, kubonakala ngathi yayinguYeremiya. KwiSeptuagint yesiGrike, le ncwadi inale ntshayelelo: “Yaye kwenzeka ukuba, emva kokuba uSirayeli ethinjiwe neYerusalem iphanzisiwe, uYeremiya wahlala phantsi wantywizisa waza ngokulusizi wavakalisa esi sililo ngeYerusalem waza wathi.” UJerome wawagqala ebubuxoki la mazwi waza wawasusa kwinguqulelo yakhe. Noko ke, into yokuba zibe IZililo zabhalwa nguYeremiya yinkolelo yamaYuda eyamkelekileyo kwaye phakathi kwezinye, iqinisekiswa yinguqulelo yaseSiriya, iVulgate yesiLatini, iTargum kaJonathan, neTalmud yaseBhabhiloni.

⁴ Bambi abahlalutyi baye bazama ukungqina ukuba incwadi yeZililo ayizange ibhalwe nguYeremiya. Noko ke, iA Commentary on the Holy Bible icaphula njengobungqina bokuba ngumbhali kukaYeremiya “iindlela ezicacileyo echazwa ngazo iYerusalem kwisahluko 2 nese-4, zahluko ezo ngokucacileyo ezibhalwe lingqina lokuzibonela; ngokukwanjalo isimo sovelwano olukhulu nesibuprofeti sayo yonke le mibongo, kwakunye nesimbo ebhalwe ngaso, ukhetho lwamagama nengcamango edluliselwayo, mpawu ezo ezihambisana nesakhono sokubhala sikaYeremiya.”b Kukho amabinzana amaninzi afanayo kwiZililo nakuYeremiya, anjengalawo entlungu egqithiseleyo ‘yamehlo ahla amanzi (iinyembezi)’ (IZili. 1:16; 2:11; 3:48, 49; Yer. 9:1; 13:17; 14:17) nalawo angamahlazo abaprofeti nababingeleli ngenxa yokonakala kwabo. (IZili. 2:14; 4:13, 14; Yer. 2:34; 5:30, 31; 14:13, 14) Izicatshulwa ezikuYeremiya 8:18-22 nezikwisahluko 14:17, 18 zibonisa ukuba uYeremiya wayekufanelekele kakuhle ukuyibhala ngendlela ebonakalisa intlungu incwadi yeZililo.

5. Kungayiphi indlela yokuqiqa esithi ngayo siqonde ixesha eyabhalwa ngalo?

⁵ Kuvunyelwana ngokubanzi ngelokuba ixesha eyabhalwa ngalo lalisemva nje kokutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem ngowama-607 B.C.E. Uloyiko olwalubangelwa kukungqingwa nokutshiswa kwesi sixeko kwakusakhanya engqondweni kaYeremiya, yaye indlela awayenxunguphele ngayo ivakaliswe ngokucacileyo. Omnye umhlalutyi uphawula ukuba akukho nanye indawo ayichaza kuyo ngokupheleleyo intlungu yakhe, kodwa uyichaza kancinane kancinane ngokuphindaphindiweyo kwimibongo eliqela. Wandula ke athi: “Oku kuphixaniswa kweengcamango . . . kubobunye ubungqina obuvakalayo ngokwenene bokuba le ncwadi yabhalwa kamsinya nje emva kokwenzeka kweziganeko neemvakalelo ebalisa ngazo.”c

6. Yintoni ebangel’ umdla ngesimbo nendlela ebhalwe ngaso incwadi yeZililo?

⁶ Indlela ebhalwe ngayo incwadi yeZililo iyebangel’ umdla gqitha kumfundi weBhayibhile. Kukho izahluko ezihlanu, oko kukuthi, uncuthu lwemibongo emihlanu. Ezokuqala ezine ziluhlobo lombongo weacrostic, ndinyana nganye yawo iqalisa ngomnye woonobumba abangama-22 abalandelelanayo bealfabheti yesiHebhere. Kwelinye icala, isahluko sesithathu sineendinyana ezingama-66, ukuze iindinyana ezintathu ezilandelelanayo ziqalise ngonobumba okwamnye ngaphambi kokudlulela kunobumba olandelayo. Umbongo wesihlanu awubhalwanga ngokolandelelwano loonobumba, nangona nawo uneendinyana ezingama 22.

7. Yintlungu yantoni evakaliswa nguYeremiya, kodwa liliphi ithemba elisalayo?

⁷ Incwadi yeZililo ivakalisa intlungu egqithiseleyo ngenxa yokungqingwa, ukuthinjwa nokutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem nguNebhukadenetsare, kwaye ayodlulwa naloluphi na uncwadi ngenxa yokucaca nokuvuselela kwayo usizi. Umbhali uvakalisa intlungu enzulu ngenxa yokuphanziswa, udandatheko nokudideka akubonayo. Indlala, ikrele nezinye izinto ezimanyumnyezi ziye zezisa usizi oloyikekayo kwesi sixeko—zizonke ezi zinto zinjengesohlwayo esivela ngokungqalileyo kuThixo, ngenxa yezono zabantu, abaprofeti nababingeleli. Noko ke, kukho ithemba nokholo kuYehova yaye iya kuye imithandazo yokufuna ukubuyiselwa.

OKUQULETHWE ZIZILILO

8. Kukuphi ukuphanziswa okuchazwa kumbongo wokuqala, kodwa iYerusalem emntwisiweyo ithini?

⁸ “Yoo! Uhleli wodwa, umzi obantu baye bebaninzi!” Umbongo wokuqala usiqalisa ngaloo ndlela isililo sawo. Intombi enguZiyon yayingumthethelikazi, kodwa izithandane zayo ziyishiyile nabantu bayo bathinjiwe. Amasango ayo akanamntu. UYehova uyohlwayile ngenxa yobuninzi bokreqo lwayo. Ilahlekelwe bubuhle bayo. Iintshaba zayo ziyakuhleka ukuwa kwayo. Yoyiswe ngendlela emangalisayo ibe ayinamthuthuzeli, yaye abantu bayo abaseleyo balambile. Yona (iYerusalem emntwisiweyo) iyabuza: “Kukho na umvandedwa onjengomvandedwa wam?” Yolula izandla zayo ize ithi: “Ulilungisa uYehova; ngokuba bendiphikise umlomo wakhe.” (1:1, 12, 18) Ibiza uYehova ukuba ahlisele intlekele phezu kweentshaba zayo ezinemihlali, kwananjengokuba enzile kuyo.

9. (a)Ivela kubani intlekele eyehlela iYerusalem? (b) Uthini uYeremiya ngezigxeko ezibhekiswa kuyo neemeko ezoyikisayo ezisesixekweni?

⁹ “Yoo! Iyitheni na iNkosi yam ukuyisibekela kangaka ngomsindo wayo intombi enguZiyon?” (2:1) Umbongo wesibini ubonisa ukuba nguYehova ngokwakhe oye wasikhahlela emhlabeni isihombo sikaSirayeli. Uye wabangela ukuba ulityalwe umbhiyozo neSabatha, kwaye uye wasihlambela isibingelelo nengcwele yakhe. Enjani yona ukuba lusizi imibono eyenzeka eYerusalem! UYeremiya udanduluka athi: “Amehlo am aphela ziinyembezi, ziyabila izibilini zam, isibindi sam siphalalele emhlabeni, ngenxa yokwaphuka kwentombi yabantu bakowethu.” (2:11) Úya kuyifanisa nantoni na intombi enguYerusalem? Úya kuyithuthuzela njani intombi enguZiyon? Abaprofeti bayo bangqineke bengento yanto yaye benganelisi. Ngoku abantu abadlula ngendlela ngokugculelayo bayayihleka besithi: “Ngulo mzi na, lo kuthiwa kuphela kwenzwakazi, yimihlali yehlabathi lonke?” (2:15) Iintshaba zayo ziyikhamisela umlomo, ziyikhalisel’ umlozi kwaye ziyitshixizela amazinyo, zisithi, ‘Yiyo le imini ebesiyithembile ukuba siyiginye.’ Abantwana bayo bafa isiqaqa yindlala, yaye abafazi badla inzala yabo. Izidumbu ziqungquluze ezitratweni. “Akwabakho usindayo, usalayo, ngemini yomsindo kaYehova.”—2:16, 22.

10. Ziziphi iimpawu zikaThixo uYeremiya azikhankanya njengezingunobangela wokuba nethemba?

¹⁰ Umbongo wesithathu, weendinyana ezingama-66, ugxininisa ukuba iZiyon inethemba lenceba kaThixo. Ngezikweko ezininzi umprofeti ubonisa ukuba nguYehova obangele ukuthinjwa nokuphanziswa kwayo. Kule meko ingaginyisi mathe, umbhali ucela uThixo ukuba akhumbule iintsizi zakhe kwaye ubonakalisa ukholo kwiimfesane nakwiinceba zikaYehova. Iindinyana ezintathu ezilandelelanayo ziqalisa ngebinzana elibalaselisa ‘ukulunga’ kwaye zibonisa ukufaneleka kokulindela usindiso oluvela kuYehova. (3:25-27) UYehova ubangele usizi, kodwa kwakhona uya kubonakalisa inceba. Kodwa okwangoku, phezu kwako nje ukuzohlwaya ngenxa yokuvukela kwabo, uYehova akabaxoleli; uzigqubuthele ukuze angayiva imithandazo yabantu bakhe yaye ubenze “inkunkuma, imvuthuluka.” (3:45) Elila ezimathontsi umprofeti ukhumbula ukuba iintshaba zakhe bezimzingela ngokungathi zizingela intaka. Noko ke, uYehova wasondela kufutshane kuye emhadini waza wathi: “Musa ukoyika.” Ubongoza uYehova ukuba aphendule ukungcikiva kotshaba: “Basukele ngomsindo, ubatshabalalise, bangabikho phantsi kwamazulu kaYehova.”—3:57, 66.

11. Uphalazwe ngaziphi iindlela umsindo kaYehova eZiyon, ibe ngoba?

¹¹ “Yoo! Isuke igolide yaba mncumevu; isuke ecikizekileyo, elungileyo, yaba yeyimbi”! (4:1) Umbongo wesine ulilela ubuqaqawuli obuphelayo betempile kaYehova, ematye ayo aphalazwa ezitratweni. Oonyana abanqabileyo beZiyon abasaxabisekanga kangako, banjengemiphanda yodongwe. Akukho manzi kungekho sonka, kwaye abo bakhulele ebuncwaneni “bawola amazala.” (4:5) Isohlwayo singaphezulu nakweso sesono seSodom. ABahlulwa, ababekade ‘beqaqambile ngaphezu kwekhephu kwaye bemhlophe ngaphezu kwamasi,’ baye baba “mnyama ngaphezu kocolothi” kwaye banqinile. (4:7, 8) Kulunge ngakumbi ukuba babe bebebulewe ngekrele kunokuba babulawe yindlala, ngexesha laxa abafazi babaphekayo abantwana babo! UYehova ukuphalazile ukuvutha komsindo wakhe. Okungakholelekiyo kwenzekile—utshaba lusemasangweni eYerusalem! Yaye kutheni? “Kungenxa yezono zabaprofeti bayo, nobugwenxa bababingeleli bayo,” abaphalaze igazi lamalungisa. (4:13) UYehova ubugqubuthele ubuso bakhe ngakubo. Noko ke, ubugwenxa bentombi enguZiyon bufikelele esiphelweni sabo, kwaye akayi kubuya athinjwe kwakhona. Ngoku lithuba lakho, ntombi yakwaEdom, ukusela iwayini ekrakra yomsindo kaYehova!

12. Sisiphi isibongozo sokuzithoba esenziwa kumbongo wesihlanu?

¹² Umbongo wesihlanu uqalisa ngesibongozo esibhekiswa kuYehova sokukhumbula abantu bakhe abaziinkedama. Abemi baseYerusalem bafanekiswa njengabathethayo. Ngooyisemkhulu babo abonileyo, kwaye abantu ngoku bamele bathwale ubugwenxa babo. Balawulwa ngabakhonzi abangento, kwaye bathuthunjiswa lulophu lwendlala. Iphelile imihlali yentliziyo yabo, yaye ukungqungqa kwabo kujike kwaba kukumbambazela. Intliziyo yabo ibuhlungu. Ngokuthobekileyo bayavuma kuYehova besithi: “Wena, Yehova, uhleli ngonaphakade; itrone yakho ikwisizukulwana ngesizukulwana.” Bayadanduluka besenjenje: “Sibuyisele kuwe, Yehova; sobuya; hlaziya imihla yethu njengokwamandulo. Ungaba usicekise mpela na, wanoburhalarhume kuthi ngokukhulukazi na?”—5:19-22.

ISIZATHU SOKUBA IBE YINGENELO

13. Yiyiphi intembelo ebonakaliswa kwincwadi yeZililo, ukanti kutheni iyingenelo nje ekuboniseni umgwebo oqatha kaThixo?

¹³ Kwincwadi yeZililo kubonakaliswa intembelo epheleleyo awayenayo uYeremiya kuThixo. Xa esentlungwini enzulu kwaye edimazekile, engenalo ngokupheleleyo ithemba lokufumana intuthuzelo kuwo nawuphi na umthombo wabantu, lo mprofeti ukhangela phambili ekusindisweni nguThixo omkhulu wendalo iphela, uYehova. Incwadi yeZililo ifanele ikhuthaze intobelo nengqibelelo kubo bonke abanquli bokwenyaniso, ngoxa ngaxeshanye inikela isilumkiso esoyikekayo ngokuphathelele abo bangalinanziyo igama elilelona likhulu noko likumelayo. Asikho embalini esinye isixeko esitshatyalalisiweyo esathi salilelwa ngamazwi alusizi nachukumisa ngolu hlobo. Ngokuqinisekileyo iyingenelo ekuchazeni umgwebo oqatha kaThixo kwabo baqhubeka bevukela, bengoontamo-lukhuni kwaye bengaguquki.

14. Ziziphi izilumkiso neziprofeto zikaThixo eziboniswa yincwadi yeZililo njengezizalisekileyo, kwaye le ncwadi iqhagamshelana njani neminye imibhalo ephefumlelweyo?

¹⁴ Incwadi yeZililo ikwayingenelo ekuboniseni ukuzaliseka kwezilumkiso neziprofeto ezininzi zikaThixo. (IZili. 1:2—Yer. 30:14; IZili. 2:15—Yer. 18:16; IZili. 2:17—Lev. 26:17; IZili. 2:20—Dut. 28:53) Kwakhona phawula ukuba incwadi yeZililo inikela ubungqina obucacileyo ngenzaliseko yeDuteronomi 28:63-65. Ngaphezu koko, le ncwadi ineembekiselo ezininzi ezikwezinye iinxalenye zeZibhalo ezingcwele. (IZili. 2:15—INdu. 48:2; IZili. 3:24—INdu. 119:57) UDaniyeli 9:5-14 uxhasa IZililo 1:5 nesahluko 3:42 ekuboniseni ukuba intlekele yehla ngenxa yezikreqo zabantu.

15. Yiyiphi ‘imihla ehlaziyekileyo’ eyalatha kuyo incwadi yeZililo?

¹⁵ Eneneni libangel’ intlungu ishwangusha elehlele iYerusalem! Phakathi kwako konke oku, incwadi yeZililo ivakalisa intembelo yokuba uYehova uya kubonakalisa imfesane nenceba nokuba uya kuyikhumbula iZiyon aze ayibuyise. (IZili. 3:31, 32; 4:22) Ibonakalisa ithemba ‘lemihla ehlaziyekileyo’ njengemihla yakudala xa uKumkani uDavide noSolomon babelawula eYerusalem. Usekho umnqophiso kaYehova noDavide wobukumkani bukanaphakade! “Azipheli iimfesane zakhe. Zintsha imiso ngemiso.” Yaye ziya kuqhubeka zikho kwabo bamthandayo uYehova de, kulawulo loBukumkani bakhe bobulungisa, yonke indalo ephilayo idanduluke ngombulelo isithi: “Isabelo sam nguYehova.”—5:21; 3:22-24.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]