By Athanasius wase-Alexandria
Isahluko 3
Ngaleyondlela (u-Antonius) wachitha cishe iminyaka engamashumi amabili, ezivocavoca. Futhi emva kwalokhu, lapho abaningi benesifiso esivuthayo futhi befuna ukuncintisana nempilo yakhe, futhi lapho abanye babajwayelene naye befika futhi baphoqa umnyango wakhe, khona-ke u-Antony waphuma sengathi evela endaweni ethile engcwele, eqalwe ezimfihlakalweni zemfundiso futhi ephefumulelwe ngokwaphezulu. Futhi ke ngokokuqala ngqá wazibonakalisa evela endaweni yakhe enezivikelo eziqinile kulabo abeza kuye.
Sebembonile bamangala ukuthi umzimba wakhe usesimweni esifanayo, ukuthi wawungakhuluphali ngenxa yokunganyakazi, futhi wawungenziwe buthaka ngokuzila ukudla nokulwa namademoni. Wayenjengoba babemazi ngaphambi kokuzalwa kwakhe.
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Futhi abaningi ababekhona ababephethwe izifo, iNkosi yabaphulukisa ngaye. Futhi abanye wabahlanza emimoyeni emibi futhi wanika u-Antony isipho sokukhuluma. Futhi ngakho waduduza abaningi ababedabukile, nabanye, ababenobutha, waphenduka waba abangane, ephindaphinda kukho konke ukuthi akufanele bakhethe lutho emhlabeni kunothando lukaKristu.
Ngokukhuluma nabo nokubaluleka ukuba bakhumbule izinto ezinhle ezizayo kanye nobuntu esiboniswe nguNkulunkulu, ongazange ayigodle iNdodana yakhe, kodwa wayinikela ngenxa yethu sonke, wathonya abaningi ukuba bamukele ukuphila kwezindela. Ngakho-ke, izindela zavela kancane kancane ezintabeni, futhi ugwadule lwalugcwele izindela ezishiye ukuphila kwazo siqu futhi zibhalisele ukuphila ezulwini.
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Ngolunye usuku, lapho zonke izindela ziza kuye futhi zifuna ukuzwa izwi elivela kuye, wathi kuzo ngolimi lwesiCoptic: “ImiBhalo Engcwele yanele ukusifundisa konke. Kodwa kuhle ngathi ukuthi sikhuthazane ekukholweni futhi siqinise ngelizwi. Wena njengabantwana woza ungitshele njengobaba into oyaziyo. Futhi mina, njengoba ngimdala kunawe, ngizokwabelana nawe ngalokho engikwaziyo nengikuzuzile kokuhlangenwe nakho kwakho.”
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“Ngaphezu kwakho konke, ukunakekelwa kokuqala kwenu nonke kufanele kube: lapho niqala, ningaphumuli futhi ningadikibali emsebenzini wenu. Futhi ungasho ukuthi: “Sesibadala ngokuzincisha injabulo.” Kodwa kunalokho nsuku zonke kwandisa intshiseko yenu ngokwengeziwe, njengokungathi niyaqala. Ngoba konke ukuphila komuntu kufushane kakhulu uma kuqhathaniswa nenkathi ezayo. Ngakho ukuphila kwethu konke akulutho uma kuqhathaniswa nokuphila okuphakade.”
“Futhi yonke into emhlabeni idayiswa ngokwenani layo, futhi wonke umuntu uyashintshana ngokuthanda. Kodwa isithembiso sokuphila okuphakade sithengelwa into encane. Ngoba izinhlupheko zalesi sikhathi azilingani nenkazimulo esiyokwambulelwa yona esikhathini esizayo”.
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“Kuhle ukucabanga ngamazwi omphostoli athi: 'Ngifa nsuku zonke.' Ngoba uma futhi siphila sengathi siyafa nsuku zonke, khona-ke ngeke sone. La mazwi asho ukuthi: ukuvuka usuku ngalunye, ucabanga ukuthi ngeke siphile ukuze sibone ukuhlwa. Futhi, lapho silungiselela ukulala, ake sicabange ukuthi ngeke sivuke. Ngoba isimo sempilo yethu asaziwa futhi siholwa nguProvidence”.
“Lapho sinalesi simo sengqondo futhi siphila kanje nsuku zonke, ngeke sone, noma sifise okubi, noma sithukuthelele muntu, noma sizibekele ingcebo emhlabeni. Kodwa uma silindele ukufa nsuku zonke, ngeke sibe nampahla futhi sithethelele wonke umuntu konke. Futhi ngeke neze sigcine injabulo engcolile, kodwa siyoyifulathela lapho isidlula, silwa njalo futhi sikhumbula usuku lokwahlulelwa okubi.
“Ngakho-ke, siqala futhi sihamba indlela yomzuzi, masizame kakhudlwana ukufinyelela okungaphambili. Futhi makungabikho muntu obuyela emuva njengomkaLoti. Ngoba iNkosi yabuye yathi: “Akakho othi esebeké isandla sakhe egejeni, abuye abuyele emuva, ofanele umbuso wezulu.”
“Ningesabi lapho nizwa ubuhle, futhi ningamangali ngezwi. Ngoba ayikude nathi futhi ayidalwanga ngaphandle kwethu. Umsebenzi ukithi futhi kulula ukuwenza uma sifisa kuphela. AbakwaHellene bashiya izwe labo futhi bawele izilwandle ukuze bafunde isayensi. Kodwa-ke, asikho isidingo sokushiya izwe lakithi ngenxa yombuso wezulu, noma siwele ulwandle ngenxa yomsizi. Ngoba iNkosi yasitshela kusukela ekuqaleni: “Umbuso wezulu uphakathi kwenu.” Ngakho ubuhle budinga isifiso sethu kuphela.'
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Ngakho-ke, kulezo zintaba kwakukhona ama-monasteries angamatende, agcwele amakhwaya angcwele, ahlabelela, afunde, azila ukudla, athandaze ngezinhliziyo ezijabule ngethemba lekusasa futhi asebenze ukunikeza izipho. Babenothando futhi bevumelana phakathi kwabo. Futhi ngempela, kwakungabonakala ukuthi leli yizwe elihlukile lokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu kanye nobulungisa kubantu.
Ngokuba kwakungekho ongalungile nongalungile, akukho ukukhononda kumthelisi, kodwa ukubuthana kwabathile kanye nomcabango owodwa wokulunga kubo bonke. Ngakho-ke, lapho othile ephinda ebona izindlu zezindela nalokhu kuhleleka okuhle kwezindela, wababaza wathi: “Yeka ukuthi mahle kangakanani amatende akho, Jakobe, nezindawo zakho zokuhlala, Israyeli! Njengezigodi ezinomthunzi nezingadi ezizungeze umfula! nanjengemithi yenhlaba, eyatshalwa nguJehova emhlabeni, nanjengemisedari ngasemanzini. ( Num. 24:5-6 ).
Isahluko 4
Ngemva kwalokho on the Church wahlasela ukushushiswa okwenzeka ngesikhathi sokubusa Maximinus (emp. Maximinus Daya, inothi ed.). Futhi lapho abafel’ ukholo abangcwele belethwa e-Aleksandriya, u-Antony naye wabalandela, eshiya indlu yezindela futhi ethi: “Masihambe siyokulwa, ngoba bayasibiza, noma ake sizibonele thina izilwi.” Futhi wayenesifiso esikhulu sokuba ufakazi nomfel’ ukholo ngesikhathi esifanayo. Futhi engafuni ukuzinikela, wakhonza abavuma izono ezimayini nasemajele. Yayinkulu intshiseko yakhe yokukhuthaza labo ababebizwa ngokuthi abalweli enkantolo ukuba balungele ukuzidela, bamukele abafel’ ukholo futhi babaphelezele baze bafe.
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Futhi umahluleli, ebona ukungesabi kwakhe nokwabahamba nabo, kanye nentshiseko yabo, wayala ukuba kungabi namunye wezindela okufanele avele enkantolo, noma ahlale edolobheni nhlobo. Khona-ke abangani bakhe bonke banquma ukucasha ngalolo suku. Kodwa u-Antony kwamkhathaza kancane lokhu kangangokuthi waze wawasha nengubo yakhe, futhi ngakusasa wama phambili, ezibonisa kumbusi ngaso sonke isithunzi sakhe. Kwamangala bonke ngalokho; umbusi, edlula nebutho lakhe, naye wakubona. U-Antony wama wathula futhi engesabi, ebonisa ubuqhawe bethu bobuKristu. Ngoba wayefuna ukuba ufakazi nomfel’ ukholo ngokwakhe, njengoba sishilo ngenhla.
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Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi wayengenakuba umfel’ ukholo, wayebukeka njengomuntu ozilelayo. Nokho, uNkulunkulu wamlondoloza ukuze kuzuze thina nabanye, ukuze ekuzincishaniseni azifunde emiBhalweni, abe umfundisi wabaningi. Ngoba ngokubheka nje ukuziphatha kwakhe, abaningi bazama ukulingisa indlela yakhe yokuphila. Futhi lapho ukushushiswa ekugcineni sekuphelile futhi umbhishobhi obusisiwe uPeter waba umfel 'ukholo (ngonyaka ka-311 - inothi ed.), wabe eselishiya idolobha waphinde wathatha umhlalaphansi waya endlini yezindela. Lapho, njengoba kwaziwa kahle, u-Antony wazitika ngokuzincisha injabulo enkulu nakakhulu.
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Futhi ngakho, ngemva kokuhlala ngasese, futhi ekwenza umsebenzi wakhe ukuba achithe isikhathi esithile ngendlela yokuthi akazange avele phambi kwabantu, futhi angamukeli muntu, kweza kuye ujenene ogama lakhe linguMartinianus, owaphazamisa ukuthula kwakhe. Le nduna yempi yayinendodakazi eyayihlushwa imimoya emibi. Futhi njengoba elinde isikhathi eside emnyango futhi ecela u-Antony ukuba aphume ukuze athandazele ingane yakhe kuNkulunkulu, u-Antony akazange avume ukuba kuvulwe umnyango, kodwa walunguza phezulu wathi: “Ndoda, unginikani? ikhanda elingaka ngokukhala kwakho? Ngingumuntu njengawe. Kodwa uma nikholwa kuKristu, engimkhonzayo, hambani nikhuleke, futhi njengoba nikholwa, kuyakuba njalo.” Futhi uMartinian, ekholwa ngokushesha futhi ephendukela kuKristu ukuze athole usizo, wahamba futhi indodakazi yakhe yahlanzwa emoyeni omubi.
Futhi eminye imisebenzi eminingi emangalisayo yenziwa ngaye iNkosi, ethi: “Celani, niyophiwa!” ( Mat. 7:7 ). Kangangokuthi ngaphandle kokuvula kwakhe umnyango, abaningi kwabagulayo, ngokuhlala nje phambi kwendlu yakhe, babonisa ukholo, bathandaza ngobuqotho, futhi baphulukiswa.
ISAHLUKO Sesihlanu
Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi wayezibona ephazamisekile ngabaningi futhi akashiywanga ukuba ahlale e-hermitage, njengoba ayethanda ngokuqonda kwakhe, futhi futhi ngenxa yokwesaba ukuthi angase aziqhenye ngemisebenzi uJehova ayeyenza ngaye, noma ukuthi. omunye umuntu angamcabangela into enjalo, wathatha isinqumo sokuya e-Upper Thebaid kubantu abangamazi. Wathatha isinkwa kubazalwane, wahlala ngasogwini lomfula iNayile, wabheka ukuthi umkhumbi wawungadlula yini ukuze agibele ahambe naye.
Esacabanga ngalendlela, kweza kuye izwi livela phezulu: “Antonio, uyaphi futhi kungani?”. Futhi yena, ezwa izwi, akazange abe namahloni, ngoba wayejwayele ukubizwa kanjalo, futhi waphendula ngala mazwi: "Ngenxa yokuthi izixuku azingishiyi ngedwa, ngakho-ke ngifuna ukuya e-Upper Thebaid ngenxa yekhanda eliningi. engibangele abantu balapha, futhi ikakhulukazi ngoba bengicela izinto ezingaphezu kwamandla ami.” Futhi izwi lathi kuye: “Uma ufuna ukuba nokuthula kwangempela, ngena ujule ogwadule.”
Futhi lapho u-Antony ebuza: “Kodwa ubani ozongibonisa indlela, ngoba angimazi?”, izwi ngokushesha lamqondisa kwamanye ama-Arabhu (amaCopt, inzalo yamaGibhithe asendulo, azihlukanisa nama-Arabhu kokubili ngomlando wawo. nangokwesiko labo, inothi ed.), ababelungiselela ukuhamba ngale ndlela. Ehamba esondela kubo, u-Antony wabacela ukuthi bahambe nabo baye ogwadule. Futhi bona, njengokungathi ngomyalo wokunakekela, bamamukela kahle. Wahamba nabo izinsuku ezintathu nobusuku obuthathu waze wafika entabeni ende kakhulu. Amanzi acwebile, amnandi futhi abandayo kakhulu, aphuma ngaphansi kwentaba. Futhi ngaphandle kwakunensimu eyisicaba enamasundu ambalwa ayethela ngaphandle kokunakekela komuntu.
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U-Anthony, owalethwa uNkulunkulu, wayeyithanda indawo. Ngoba yiyo lendawo ayeyitshengiswe nguLowo owayekhuluma laye osebeni lomfula. Futhi ekuqaleni, esethole isinkwa kwabahamba naye, wahlala entabeni yedwa, kungekho muntu naye. Ngoba wagcina efikile endaweni ayibona njengeyakhe. Futhi ama-Arabhu ngokwawo, eseyibonile intshiseko ka-Antony, abe esedlula ngaleyo ndlela ngamabomu futhi amlethela isinkwa ngenjabulo. Kodwa wayenakho nokudla okuncane kodwa okushibhile kwamasundu. Ngakho, lapho abazalwane bezwa ngale ndawo, njengezingane ezikhumbula uyise, baqikelela ukuthi bamthumelele ukudla.
Nokho, lapho u-Antony ebona ukuthi kukhona abantu ababezabalaza futhi bekhandlekela lesi sinkwa, wazwela izindela, wacabanga wacela abanye ababeza kuye ukuba bamlethele igeja nembazo kanye nokolweni. Kwathi sekulethwe kuye konke lokho, wazungeza izwe elizungeza intaba, wafumana indawo encane kakhulu elungele lokho, waqala ukuyilima. Futhi ngenxa yokuthi wayenamanzi anele okunisela, wahlwanyela ukolweni. Futhi lokhu wayekwenza minyaka yonke, eziphilisa ngakho. Wajabula ngokuthi ngale ndlela wayengeke abhore muntu futhi kukho konke wayeqikelela ukuthi angathwali abanye umthwalo. Nokho emva kwalokho ebona ukuthi kukhona abasazofika kuyena naye watshala insangu ukuze isivakashi sikhululeke kancane emizameni yakhe kuloluhambo olunzima.
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Kodwa ekuqaleni, izilwane ezivela ogwadule, ezazifika zizophuza amanzi, zazivame ukulimaza izitshalo zakhe ezitshaliwe nezitshaliwe. Ngokuthobeka u-Antony wabamba esinye sezilwane futhi wathi kuzo zonke: “Kungani ningilimaza kuyilapho nginganilimazi? Hambani futhi ngegama likaNkulunkulu ningasondeli kulezi zindawo!” Futhi kusukela ngaleso sikhathi kuqhubeke, njengokungathi bethuswa umyalo, ababange besasondela endaweni.
Kanjalo wayehlala yedwa phakathi nentaba, enikela ngesikhathi sakhe esikhululekile emthandazweni nasekuzivivinyeni ngokomoya. Abazalwane ababemkhonza bambuza bathi: Beza inyanga nenyanga ukumphathela iminqumo, nodali, namafutha ezinkuni. Ngoba wayeseyikhehla.
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Wake wacelwa yizindela ukuba ehlele kubo futhi abavakashele isikhashana, wahamba nezindela ezazimhlangabeza, zafaka isinkwa namanzi ekameleni. Kodwa lolugwadule lwalungenamanzi ngokuphelele, futhi kwakungekho manzi okuphuza, ngaphandle kwaleyo ntaba kuphela lapho ayehlala khona. Futhi ngenxa yokuthi kwakungekho manzi endleleni yabo, futhi kushisa kakhulu, bonke babezifaka engozini. Ngakho-ke, ngemva kokuzungeza izindawo eziningi futhi bengawatholi amanzi, abakwazanga ukuqhubeka balala phansi. Balidedela ikamela, bephelelwe ithemba.
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Nokho, ikhehla, libona wonke umuntu esengozini, ladabuka kakhulu futhi osizini lwalo lwahosha kancane kubo. Wafika waguqa wagoqa izandla waqala ukuthandaza. Masinyane iNkosi yampompoza amanzi lapho yayimi khona ukukhuleka. Ngakho, ngemva kokuphuza, bonke bavuka. Sebegcwalise izimbiza zabo, babheka ikamela, balithola. Intambo yabhoda etsheni yabhajwa kuleyo ndawo. Base bemthatha bamphuzisa, babeka izimbiza phezu kwakhe, bahamba ngendlela eseleyo engenamyocu.
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Kwathi uma efika ezindlini zezindela zangaphandle, bonke bambuka babingelela njengobaba. Futhi yena, njengokungathi ulethe ukudla okuvela ehlathini, wababingelela ngamazwi afudumele, njengoba izivakashi zibingelelwa, futhi wazibuyisela ngosizo. Futhi futhi kwaba khona injabulo entabeni nokuncintisana ngentuthuko nesikhuthazo okholweni oluvamile. Ngaphezu kwalokho, naye wajabula, ebona, ngakolunye uhlangothi, intshiseko yezindela, futhi ngakolunye, udadewabo, owayesekhulile ebuntombini futhi engumholi wezinye izintombi.
Ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbalwa waya ezintabeni futhi. Futhi-ke abaningi beza kuye. Ngisho nabanye ababegula baba nesibindi sokukhuphuka. Futhi kuzo zonke izindela ezaziza kuye, wayelokhu enikeza lesi seluleko: Ukukholelwa eNkosini nokuyithanda Yona, ukuqapha imicabango engcolile kanye nezinjabulo zenyama, ukugwema ukukhuluma okuyize nokuthandaza ngokungaphezi.
ISAHLUKO SESITHUPHA
Futhi okholweni lwakhe wayekhuthele futhi ekufanelekela ngokuphelele ukunconywa. Ngoba akakaze axhumane nabaphikisanayo, abalandeli bakaMeletiyu, ngoba wayazi kusukela ekuqaleni ububi babo nokuhlubuka kwabo, futhi akazange akhulume ngendlela enobungane namaManichaean noma nezinye izihlubuki, ngaphandle kwaze kwaba yilapho ebafundisa, ecabanga. futhi ukumemezela ukuthi ubungane nokuxhumana nabo kuwukulimala nokubhujiswa komphefumulo. Kanjalo futhi wenyanya ukuhlubuka kwama-Arian, futhi wayala bonke ukuba bangasondeli kubo, noma bamukele imfundiso yabo yamanga. Kwase kufika kuye abathile bakwa-Ariya abahlanyayo, wabavivinya, wabathola ukuthi bangabantu ababi, wabaxosha entabeni, ethi amazwi nemicabango yabo kubi kunobuthi benyoka.
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Kwathi lapho ama-Ariya eqamba amanga ukuthi wayecabanga okufanayo nawo, wathukuthela, wathukuthela kakhulu. Wabe esehla entabeni, ngoba wayebizwe ababhishobhi nabo bonke abazalwane. Futhi lapho engena e-Aleksandriya, walahla ama-Arian phambi kwawo wonke umuntu, ethi lokhu kwaba ukuhlubuka kokugcina futhi umanduleli Umphik'ukristu. Futhi wafundisa abantu ukuthi iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ayiyona indalo, kodwa ukuthi iyiZwi nokuhlakanipha futhi ingeyongqikithi kaBaba.
Futhi bonke bajabula ukuzwa indoda enjalo ithuka imbuka ngokumelene noKristu. Futhi abantu bedolobha babuthana ndawonye bezobona u-Antony. AmaGreki angamaqaba, nalabo ababezibiza ngabapristi ngokwabo, beza esontweni bethi: “Sifuna ukubona umuntu kaNkulunkulu.” Ngoba wonke umuntu wamtshela kanjalo. Futhi ngoba lapho futhi iNkosi yahlanza abaningi kuyo imimoya emibi futhi yelapha labo ababehlanya. Futhi abaningi, ngisho nabahedeni, babefuna kuphela ukuthinta ikhehla, ngoba babekholelwa ukuthi bazozuza kukho. Futhi ngempela ngalezo zinsuku ezimbalwa abantu abaningi baba amaKristu ngendlela ayengakaze abone muntu eba ngayo unyaka wonke.
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Lapho eqala ukubuya futhi samphelezela, lapho sifika esangweni lomuzi, owesifazane wamemeza ngemva kwethu: “Yima, muntu kaNkulunkulu! Indodakazi yami ihlushwa imimoya emibi kabi. Ima ngiyakuncenga, ngingaze ngilimale uma ngigijima. Lizwa lokho, lancengwa yithi, lavuma ikhehla layeka. Futhi lapho owesifazane esondela, intombazane yaziphonsa phansi, futhi ngemva kokuba u-Antony ethandaza futhi ebiza igama likaKristu, intombazane yavuka iphulukisiwe, ngoba umoya ongcolile wawumshiyile. Khona-ke umama wabonga uNkulunkulu futhi wonke umuntu wabonga. Futhi wajabula, waya entabeni sengathi emzini wakhe.
Qaphela: Le mpilo yabhalwa nguSt. Athanasius Omkhulu, uMbhishobhi Omkhulu wase-Alexandria, unyaka owodwa ngemva kokufa kukaMfundisi u-Anthony the Great († January 17, 356), okungukuthi ngo-357 ngesicelo sezindela zaseNtshonalanga ezivela eGaul (d. France) kanye ne-Italy, lapho umbhishobhi omkhulu ayedingisiwe. Iwumthombo oyinhloko onembe kunayo yonke wokuphila, ukuxhashazwa, izimfanelo ezinhle nokudalwa kuka-St. Anthony the Great futhi yadlala indima ebaluleke kakhulu ekusungulweni nasekuchumeni kwempilo yezindela eMpumalanga naseNtshonalanga. Ngokwesibonelo, uAugustine encwadini yakhe ethi Confessions ukhuluma ngethonya elinamandla lalokhu kuphila ekuguqukeni kwakhe nasekuthuthukisweni kwakhe okholweni nasekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu.
