By Athanasius wase-Alexandria
Isahluko 3
Ngaloo ndlela (u-Antonius) wachitha malunga namashumi amabini eminyaka, ezilolonga. Kwaye emva koku, xa abaninzi babenomnqweno ovuthayo kwaye befuna ukukhuphisana nobomi bakhe, kwaye xa abanye babaqhelana naye beza kwaye banyanzela ucango lwakhe, ngoko uAntony waphuma njengoko evela kwingcwele ethile, eqaliswe kwiimfihlelo zemfundiso kwaye iphefumlelwe ngokobuthixo. Kwaye ke ngokokuqala ngqa wazibonakalisa evela kwindawo yakhe enqatyisiweyo kwabo babesiza kuye.
Bathe ke bakumbona, bamangaliswa kukuba umzimba wakhe ukwimeko efanayo, kuba ungazange utyetywe kukungashukumi, ungenziwanga buthathaka ngokuzila ukudla nangokulwa needemon. Wayenabo njengoko babemazi ngaphambi kokuzalwa kwakhe.
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Yathi ke into eninzi yababesifa zizifo, iNkosi yabaphilisa ngaye. Kwaye abanye wabahlambulula kwimimoya emdaka waza wanika uAntony isipho sokuthetha. Kwaye ngoko wabathuthuzela abaninzi ababesentlungwini, kwaye abanye, ababechasa, wajika waba ngabahlobo, ephindaphinda kubo bonke ukuba bafanele banganyuli nantoni na ehlabathini kuthando lukaKristu.
Ngokuthetha nabo kunye nokubacebisa ukuba bakhumbule izinto ezilungileyo ezizayo kunye nobuntu obubonakaliswe kuthi nguThixo, ongazange amgodle uNyana wakhe, kodwa wamnikela ngenxa yethu sonke, weyisela abaninzi ukuba bamkele ubomi be-monastic. Kwaye ke, iimonki zavela ngokuthe ngcembe ezintabeni, kwaye intlango yayizaliswe ziimonki ezabushiya ubomi babo bobuqu zabhalisa ukuhlala ezulwini.
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Ngenye imini, xa zonke iimonki zeza kuye zifuna ukuva ilizwi kuye, wathetha la mazwi kuzo ngolwimi lwesiCopt: “IZibhalo Ezingcwele zanele ukusifundisa yonk’ into. Ke kuhle ukuba sikhuthazane elukholweni, somelezwe lilizwi. Nina njengabantwana yizani nindixelele njengotata into eniyaziyo. Kwaye mna, ekubeni ndimdala kuwe, ndiza kwabelana nawe ngento endiyaziyo nendiyizuzileyo kumava.”
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Ngaphezu kwako konke, ukhathalelo lokuqala kuni nonke kufuneka lube: xa uqala, ungaphumli kwaye ungatyhafi kwimisebenzi yakho. Kwaye ungathi: "Sibadala ngokuzibandeza." Kodwa yonke imihla yongezani inzondelelo yenu ngakumbi nangakumbi, ngokungathi niyaqala. Kuba bonke ubomi bomntu bufutshane kakhulu xa buthelekiswa neminyaka ezayo. Ngoko ubomi bethu bonke abuyonto xa buthelekiswa nobomi obungunaphakade.”
“Kwaye yonke into esehlabathini ithengiswa ngokwexabiso layo, kwaye wonke umntu uyatshintshisana ngokufana. Kodwa isithembiso sobomi obungunaphakade sithengelwa into encinane. Ngokuba ezi ntlungu zeli xesha azilingani nozuko oluya kutyhilwa kuthi kwixesha elizayo”.
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“Kuhle ukucinga ngamazwi ompostile athi: ‘Ndifa yonke imihla.’ Kuba nokuba sithi sidle ubomi ngathi siyafa yonke imihla, asisayi kona. La magama athetha: ukuvuka suku ngalunye, ukucinga ukuba asiyi kuphila ukuze sibone ukuhlwa. Kwaye kwakhona, xa silungiselela ukulala, masicinge ukuba asiyi kuvuka. Kuba ubume bobomi bethu ayaziwa kwaye bukhokelwa nguProvidence”.
“Xa sinesimo sengqondo esinjalo yaye siphila ngolu hlobo yonke imihla, asisayi kona, singanqweneli ububi, singabi namsindo nakubani na, singaziqwebeli ubutyebi emhlabeni. Kodwa ukuba silindele ukufa yonke imihla, asiyi kuba nampahla kwaye sixolele wonke umntu. Kwaye asiyi kulugcina ubumnandi obungcolileyo, kodwa siya kuphambuka kuyo xa idlulayo, silwa rhoqo kwaye siyikhumbula imini yomgwebo owoyikekayo.
“Kwaye ke, siqala kwaye sihamba umendo womxhasi, masizame ngamandla ukufikelela koko kungaphambili. Makungabikho bani ubuya umva njengomkaLote. Kaloku neNkosi yathi: “Akukho namnye usibekileyo isandla sakhe ekhubeni, wabuya wabuya umva, ubufanelekele ubukumkani bamazulu.
“Musani ukoyika xa nisiva isidima, musani ukumangaliswa lilizwi elo. Kuba ayikude kuthi kwaye ayidalwanga ngaphandle kwethu. Umsebenzi ungaphakathi kuthi kwaye kulula ukuwenza ukuba sinqwenela kuphela. AbakwaHellene balishiya ilizwe labo baze bawele iilwandle ukuya kufunda isayensi. Nangona kunjalo, akufuneki ukuba sishiye ilizwe lethu ngenxa yobukumkani bamazulu, okanye siwele ulwandle ngenxa yomxhasi. Kuba iNkosi yasixelela kwasekuqaleni: “Ubukumkani bamazulu bungaphakathi kwenu.” Ngoko isidima sifuna kuphela umnqweno wethu.'
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Kwaye ke, kwezo ntaba kwakukho iimonki ezikwimo yeentente, zizele iikwayala ezingcwele, ezazicula, zifunde, zizila ukutya, zithandaza ngeentliziyo ezichwayitileyo zinethemba ngekamva kwaye zisebenzele ukunikela amalizo. Kwakhona babenothando nemvisiswano phakathi kwabo. Kwaye eneneni, kunokubonwa ukuba eli lilizwe elahlukileyo lokuhlonela uThixo nobulungisa ebantwini.
Kuba bekungekho ntswela-bulungisa nongcungcuthekiswayo, kungekho sikhalazo kumbuthi werhafu, kodwa ukubuthelana kweentanda kunye nengcamango enye yesidima kubo bonke. Ngoko ke, xa omnye wabona izindlu zoonongendi kwakhona nolu lungelelwaniso luhle kangaka lweemonki, wadanduluka wathi: “Hayi, ukuba kuhle kweentente zakho, Yakobi, nemizi yakho, Sirayeli! Njengeentili ezinomthunzi, njengemiyezo ejikeleze umlambo! kufana nemithi yekhala, eyatyalayo uYehova emhlabeni, njengemisedare ngasemanzini. ( Num. 24:5-6 ).
Isahluko 4
Emva koko kwiCawa yahlasela intshutshiso eyenzeka ngexesha lolawulo lukaMaximinus (emp. Maximinus Daya, note ed.). Kwaye xa abafeli-nkolo abangcwele baziswa e-Aleksandriya, emva koko uAntony wabalandela, eshiya ikhaya leemonki esithi: "Masihambe siye kulwa, kuba bayasibiza, okanye masizibonele abalweli ngokwethu." Yaye wayenomnqweno omkhulu wokuba lingqina nomfeli-nkolo kwangaxeshanye. Kwaye engafuni ukunikezela, wakhonza abavumisi emigodini nasezintolongweni. Yayinkulu inzondelelo awayenayo yokukhuthaza abo babebizwa ngokuba ngamajoni enkundleni ukuba balungele ukwenza idini, bamkele abafeli-nkolo baze bahambe nabo de bafe.
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Yaye umgwebi, ekubona ukungoyiki kwakhe nokwamaqabane akhe, kwanenzondelelo yabo, wayalela ukuba kungaveli namnye kwiimonki enkundleni, okanye ahlale esixekweni kwaphela. Emva koko abahlobo bakhe bagqiba kwelokuba bazifihle ngaloo mini. Kodwa uAntony wakhathazeka kancinane koku kangangokuba wade wahlamba nesambatho sakhe, kwaye ngosuku olulandelayo wema ngaphambili, ezibonisa kwirhuluneli ngesidima sakhe sonke. Bamangaliswa bonke oko, yaza irhuluneli, idlula nebutho layo lamasoldati, yabona nayo. UAntony wema ngxi engoyiki, ebonakalisa ubugorha bethu bobuKristu. Kungenxa yokuba wayefuna ukuba lingqina nomfeli-nkolo ngokwakhe, njengoko sitshilo ngasentla.
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Kodwa ngenxa yokuba wayengenakuba ngumfeli-nkolo, wayekhangeleka njengomntu ozileleyo. Noko ke, uThixo wamlondoloza ukuze kungenelwe thina nakwabanye, ukuze kukuzibandeza kwakhe izinto awayezifunde kwizibhalo, abe ngumfundisi wabaninzi. Kuba ngokujonga nje ihambo yakhe, abaninzi bazama ukuxelisa indlela yakhe yokuphila. Yathi yakuphela intshutshiso waza ubhishophu osikelelekileyo uPetros waba ngumfeli-nkolo (ngowama-311 – qaphela umhleli.), emva koko wasishiya isixeko waphinda warhoxa kwikhaya leemonki. Apho, njengoko kusaziwa, u-Antony waye wazinikela ekuzincameni okukhulu nangakumbi.
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Kwaye ke, emva kokurhoxa kwimfihlo, kwaye ekwenza umsebenzi wakhe ukuba achithe ixesha elithile ngendlela yokuba akazange avele phambi kwabantu, okanye amkele nabani na, kweza kuye injengele egama linguMartinianus, eyaphazamisa uxolo lwakhe. Lo mphathi-mkhosi wayenentombi eyayikhathazwa yimimoya emdaka. Kwaye njengoko wayelinde ixesha elide emnyango waza wacela u-Antony ukuba aphume ukuze athandazele umntwana wakhe kuThixo, u-Antony akazange avume ukuba kuvulwe ucango, kodwa wakroba phezulu waza wathi: “Mntundini, undinike ntoni? intloko enje ngokukhala kwakho? Ndingumntu njengawe. Kodwa ukuba niyakholwa kuKristu endimkhonzayo, yiyani nithandaze, kwaye njengoko nikholwa, kuya kuba njalo. Kwaye uMartinian, ekholelwa ngokukhawuleza waza waguqukela kuKristu ukuze afumane uncedo, wemka kwaye intombi yakhe yahlanjululwa ngumoya ombi.
Yaye eminye imisebenzi emininzi emangalisayo yenziwa ngaye yiNkosi, ethi: “Celani nophiwa! ( Mat. 7:7 ). Kangangokuba ngaphandle kokuvula kwakhe ucango, abaninzi kwabagulayo, ngokuhlala nje phambi kwendlu yakhe, babonisa ukholo, bathandaza ngokunyanisekileyo, baza baphiliswa.
ISAHLUKO Sesihlanu
Kodwa ngenxa yokuba wazibona ephazamisekile ngabaninzi kwaye akazange ashiywe ukuba ahlale kwi-hermitage, njengoko wayefuna ngokuqonda kwakhe, kwaye ngenxa yokuba wayenoloyiko lokuba angaziqhayisa ngemisebenzi uYehova awayeyenza ngaye, okanye loo nto. omnye umntu angamcingela into enjalo, wagqiba wazimisela ukuya eUpper Thebaid kubantu abangamaziyo. Wathabatha isonka kubazalwana, wahlala elunxwemeni loMlambo umNayile, ekhangela ukuba kungadlula na inqanawa, ekhwele kuyo, imke naye.
Wathi esacinga ngolu hlobo, kwavakala ilizwi kuye livela phezulu: “Antonio, uyaphi yaye ngoba?”. Kwaye yena, eliva ilizwi, akazange abe nazintloni, ngenxa yokuba wayeqhele ukubizwa ngaloo ndlela, kwaye waphendula ngala mazwi: "Ngenxa yokuba izihlwele azindishiyi ndedwa, ngoko ndifuna ukuya e-Upper Thebaid ngenxa yeentloko ezininzi. endiyibangele ngabantu balapha, ingakumbi ngenxa yokuba bendicela izinto ezingaphaya kwamandla am.” Laza ilizwi lathi kuye: “Ukuba ufuna ukuba noxolo lokwenene, ngena ngoku nzulu entlango.”
Kwaye xa u-Antony wabuza: "Kodwa ngubani na oya kundibonisa indlela, kuba ndingamazi?", ilizwi ngokukhawuleza lamkhokelela kwamanye ama-Arabhu (amaCopt, inzala yamaYiputa amandulo, ahluke kuma-Arabhu omabini ngembali yawo. nangenkcubeko yabo, qaphela umhleli), ababelungiselela ukuhamba ngale ndlela. Ehamba esondela kubo, uAntony wabacela ukuba bahambe nabo baye entlango. Yaye bona, ngokungathi ngokomyalelo wolungiselelo, bamamkela kakuhle. Wahamba nabo iintsuku ezintathu nobusuku obuthathu, wada waya kufika kwintaba ephakame kakhulu. Amanzi acwengileyo, aswiti nabanda kakhulu, aphuma phantsi kwentaba. Kwaye ngaphandle kwakukho intsimi ethe tyaba enemithi yesundu embalwa eyayithwala isiqhamo ngaphandle kokukhathalelwa ngumntu.
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U-Anthony, oziswe nguThixo, wayeyithanda le ndawo. Kuba le ikwayiloo ndawo wayembonise yona Lowo wayethetha naye ngaselunxwemeni lomlambo. Wathi ekuqaleni, amkele isonka kumadlelane akhe, wahlala entabeni yedwa, kungekho bani unaye. Kuba ekugqibeleni wade wafika kwindawo awayeyibona njengeyakhe. Kwaye ama-Arabhu ngokwawo, akubona inzondelelo ka-Antony, ngoko ngabom adlula loo ndlela kwaye amzisela isonka ngovuyo. Kodwa wayenakho ukutya okuncinci kodwa okungabizi mali ininzi kwemithi yesundu. Ngokuvisisana noko, abazalwana bathi bakuva ngale ndawo, njengabantwana abakhumbula uyise, bamthumelela ukutya.
Noko ke, uAntony wathi akubona ukuba kukho abantu ababetsala nzima yaye bebulaleka ngenxa yesi sonka, wazisizela iimonki, wazicingela waza wacela abathile kwabo babeze kuye ukuba bamphathele ikhuba nezembe nengqolowa. Ezithe ke zonke ezi zinto zaziswa kuye, wawujikeleza umhlaba, wafumana indawo encinane kakhulu, eyilungele loo nto, waqala ukuyilima. Yaye kuba wayenamanzi aneleyo okunkcenkceshela, wahlwayela ingqolowa. Kwaye oku wayekwenza minyaka le, efumana ubomi ngayo. Wayevuyiswa kukuba ngale ndlela wayengayi kukruqula mntu yaye kuyo yonke into wayekulumkele ukuthwalisa abanye ubunzima. Noko ke, emva koko, ebona ukuba kuseza abantu kuye, naye watyala umgquba, ukuze undwendwe lwakhe luphumle kancinci kwimigudu yakhe kolu hambo lunzima.
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Kodwa ekuqaleni, izilwanyana ezazivela entlango, ezazize kusela amanzi, zazidla ngokonakalisa izityalo zakhe ezilinyiweyo nezilinyiweyo. Ngokuthobeka uAntony wabamba elinye lala marhamncwa waza wathi kuwo onke: “Kutheni nindenzakalisa nje ngokuba ndinganinzakalisanga? Hambani niye ningasondeli kwezi ndawo ngegama likaThixo!” Kwaye ukususela ngelo xesha ukuya phambili, ngokungathi boyisiwe ngumyalelo, abazange baphinde basondele kuloo ndawo.
Ngaloo ndlela wayehlala yedwa kumbindi wentaba, enikela ixesha lakhe lokuphumla emthandazweni nasekuzilolongeni ngokomoya. Abazalwana ababelungiselela kuye babemcela, besiza kuye inyanga nenyanga, beze kumzisela iminquma, neentlumayo, namafutha omnquma. Kaloku wayesele emdala.
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Ngenye imini wacelwa ziimonki ukuba ehle eze kubo aze abatyelele okwethutyana, wahamba neemonki eza kumhlangabeza, zaza zakhwelisa isonka namanzi enkameleni. Kodwa le ntlango yayingenamanzi ngokupheleleyo, yaye kwakungekho manzi okusela konke konke, ngaphandle kwakuloo ntaba kuphela awayehlala kuyo. Yaye ngenxa yokuba kwakungekho manzi endleleni yabo, yaye kushushu kakhulu, bonke babezibeka esichengeni sokuzibeka esichengeni. Ngoko ke, emva kokujikeleza iindawo ezininzi yaye bengafumani manzi, ababanga nakuqhubela phambili baza balala phantsi. Bayindulula inkamela, bephelelwe lithemba.
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Nangona kunjalo, ixhego, libona wonke umntu osengozini, lalibuhlungu kakhulu kwaye kwintlungu yalo yasuka kancinci kubo. Apho waguqa, wasonga izandla waza waqalisa ukuthandaza. Kwangoko iNkosi yampompoza amanzi ampompoza apho ibimi khona ethandaza. Ngoko, emva kokusela, bonke baphila. Bayizalisa ke imiphanda yabo, bayikhangela inkamela, bayifumana. Kwathi, intambo leyo yajikeleza elityeni, yaxinga kuloo ndawo. Bamthabatha ke, bamseza, babeka imiphanda phezu kwakhe, baza bahamba indlela ingenawo nomkrwelo.
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Yaye akufika kwizindlu zoonongendi ezingaphandle, bonke bamjonga baza bambulisa njengoyise. Yaye, ngokungathi uzise umphako ehlathini, wababulisa ngamazwi afudumeleyo, njengoko iindwendwe zibuliswa, waza wazibuyisela ngoncedo. Kwaye kwakhona kwabakho uvuyo entabeni nokhuphiswano lwenkqubela nokhuthazo elukholweni. Ngaphezu koko, naye wavuya, ebona, kwelinye icala, inzondelelo yeemonki, kunye nodade wabo, owayesele ekhulile ebuntombini kwaye wayeyinkokeli yezinye iintombi ezinyulu.
Emva kweentsuku ezimbalwa waphinda waya entabeni. Ke kaloku kweza kuye abaninzi; Kwanabanye ababegula baba nobuganga bokunyuka. Yaye kuzo zonke iimonki ezazisiza kuye, wayesoloko enikela eli cebiso: Ukukholelwa eNkosini nokumthanda, ukuzilumkela iingcamango ezingcolileyo kunye neziyolo zenyama, ukuphepha ukuthetha okungenanto kunye nokuthandaza ngokungapheziyo.
Isahluko Sesithandathu
Yaye elukholweni lwakhe wayekhuthele yaye ekufanelekele ukunconywa ngokupheleleyo. Kuba akazange anxibelelane nokuba nenkohliso, abalandeli bakaMeletiyo, ngenxa yokuba wayebazi kwasekuqaleni ububi babo nowexuko lwabo, yaye akazange athethe ngendlela yobuhlobo namaManichae okanye nabanye abawexuki, ngaphandle nje kokuba ebafundisa, ecinga. kwaye ukuvakalisa ukuba ubuhlobo kunye nokunxibelelana nabo kuyingozi kwaye kutshabalalisa umphefumlo. Ngokunjalo wawenyanya nemfundiso yama-Arian, wabayalela bonke ukuba bangasondeli kubo, bangayamkeli imfundiso yabo yobuxoki. Ke kaloku, kwakufika kuye abathile bama-Ariyasi aphambeneyo, wabalinga, wabafumanisa ukuba bangamatshijolo, wabakhupha entabeni, esithi, Amazwi abo neengcinga zabo zinobuhlungu ngaphezu kobuhlungu benyoka.
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Kwaye xa ngaxa lithile ama-Ariya akhanyela ubuxoki, ukuba ucinga ngokufanayo nawo, wacaphuka, waza wacaphuka kakhulu. Wehla ke entabeni, kuba wayebizwa ngoobhishophu nabo bonke abazalwana. Kwaye xa wangena e-Aleksandriya, wabagwebela ama-Arian phambi komntu wonke, esithi lo ngumdlalo wokugqibela kunye nomanduleli womchasi-Kristu. Kwaye wafundisa abantu ukuba uNyana kaThixo akayondalo, kodwa ukuba uliLizwi noBulumko kwaye ungoyena ndoqo kaBawo.
Kwaye bonke bavuya kukuva umntu onjalo eqalekisa uqhekeko ngokuchasene noKristu. Kwaye abantu besixeko bathontelana kunye ukuza kubona uAntony. AmaGrike angabahedeni, nabo babezibiza ngokuba ngababingeleli bawo, beza ecaweni besithi: “Sifuna ukubona umntu kaThixo.” Kuba wonke umntu wamxelela njalo. Kulapho ke iNkosi yahlambulula abantu abaninzi koomoya abakhohlakeleyo, yaphilisa ababenempambano ngaye. Kwaye abaninzi, nabahedeni, babefuna kuphela ukuchukumisa indoda endala, kuba babekholelwa ukuba baya kuzuza kuyo. Kwaye ngenene ngezo ntsuku zimbalwa abantu abaninzi baba ngamaKristu njengoko wayengazange abone mntu esiba ngunyaka wonke.
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Yaye ekuqaliseni kwakhe ukubuya saza samkhapha, sakuba sifikile kwisango lesixeko, umfazi wakhwaza emva kwethu esithi: “Yima, mntu kaThixo! Intombi yam ikhathazwa yimimoya emdaka. Khawume, ndiyakucela, hleze ndingenzakali xa ndibaleka. Ithe yakuva lento, yacengwa sithi, ixhego lavuma layeka. Kwaye xa umfazi esondela, intombazana yawa phantsi, kwaye emva kokuba u-Antony ethandaza waza wakhankanya igama likaKristu, intombazana yavuka iphilile, kuba umoya ongcolileyo wawumshiyile. Emva koko umama wambonga uThixo kwaye wonke umntu wabulela. Wavuya ke, esiya entabeni, ngokungathi ugoduka.
Qaphela: Obu bomi babhalwa nguSt Athanasius Omkhulu, uBhishophu Omkhulu wase-Alexandria, unyaka emva kokufa kukaMfundisi Anthony Omkhulu († Januwari 17, 356), oko kukuthi ngo-357 ngesicelo seemonki zaseNtshona ezivela eGaul (d. France) kunye neItali, apho ubhishophu omkhulu wayeselubhacweni. Ngowona mthombo uphambili ochanekileyo wobomi, ukuxhaphaza, izinto ezintle kunye nendalo yeSt. Anthony Omkhulu kwaye wadlala indima ebaluleke kakhulu ekusekweni nasekuchumeni kobomi bemonki eMpuma naseNtshona. Ngokomzekelo, uAugustine kwincwadi yakhe ethi Confessions uthetha ngefuthe elinamandla lobu bomi ekuguqukeni kwakhe nasekuphuculeni ukholo nasekuhloneleni uThixo.
