Ukuba “Mnene” Noma Ukuba “Yizingane”—Ikuphi?
KWEYOKU-1 THESALONIKA 2:7 umphostoli uPawulu uzichaza yena nayekanye nabo njengalabo ababa “mnene phakathi kwenu njengokuba umdlezane ondla abantwana bakhe.” Ezinye izinguqulo (The Bible in Basic English; Todayˈs English Version) kulelivesi zithi “mnene.” kodwa ezinye izinguqulo (Westminster Version; American Translation) zisebenzisa igama elithi “izingane” noma “abantwana.” Wenziwa yini lomehluko?
Abahumushi balandela elilodwa lamagama amabili ahlukene atholakala emiqulwini nasemiBhalweni yesiGreki. Eminye imiqulu yesiGreki (Textus Receptus, Tischendorf, Merk) nemibhalo isebenzisa igama elithi eʹpi·oi, elisho ukuba “mnene,” kodwa eminye imiqulu yesiGreki (Westcott and Hort, Nestle-Aland) nemibhalo inegama elithi neʹpi·oi, elisho ukuthi “izingane.”
Ngokuqondene nalokhu, iThe New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology (Umqulu 1, 1975, ikhasi 282) yaphawula: “Kunamagama amabili akweyoku-1 Thesalonika 2:7: (a) elithi ēpioi, (saba mnene phakathi kwenu); (b) nelithi nēpioi (izingane). Igama elandulela leli [kulelivesi] ligcina ngo-n, futhi kubonakala sengathi lo-n uye waphindeka ngephutha ngesikhathi kubhalwa. Ngaphezu kwalokho ukuhunyushwa kwaleligama lesibili kuholela ezinkingeni. Ngoba evesini 7b akuyena uPawulu ozifanisa ‘nabantwana’ kodwa abaseThesalonika; yena nayekanye nabo babefana nomdlezane (trophos).” Ngokufanelekileyo-ke, izinguqulo eziningi zifundeka lapha ngokuthi “mnene” kunokuthi zithi “izingane.”
Kodwa kungani uPawulu lapha asebenzisa igama elithi “mnene”? Lokhu kwakungenxa yothando loqobo nokukhathalela okungakulimazi ukukhula okungokomoya kwalabo yena nezinye izithunywa zevangeli ayekanye nazo ayebafundisa. (1 Thesalonika 2:8) UW. E. Vine (An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, eyabhalwa ngokwesibili ngo-1962, Umqulu 2, ikhasi 145) liphawula ukuthi elithi eʹpi·os “lalivame ukusetshenziswa ababhali abangamaGreki njengelichaza umdlezane onabantwana abahluphayo noma uthisha onabafundi abangezwa, noma umzali onabantwana abanjalo. Kweyoku-1 Thes. 2:7, umphostoli ulisebenzisa ngokuqondene nokuziphatha kwakhe nokwezithunywa zevangeli ezikanye naye kwabaseThesalonika asebephendukile.” Uma sifundisa abantu iZwi likaNkulunkulu, kwangathi singakhumbula ubumnene obaboniswa uPawulu nayekanye nabo futhi silingise isibonelo sabo.