Zemk'iinkomo magwalandini

Le yingqokolela yamaphepha awayebhalwe ngesiXhosa ngababhali bemveli yaza yapapashwa ngo-1906 eLondon. Babefuna ukuyipapasha apha emZantsi Afrika kodwa zaaphanza iinzame zabo kuba kaloku babengafuni nokuva abantu abafana nooSheperd abafika kweli bavula izikolo neecawa. Aba bahlali bemveli babebhala ngeziganeko ezeenzeka kwilizwe lomthonyama, ukufika kwempucuko kweli, iiNkosi nabanye abantu ababalulekileyo kwiSizwe esiNtsundu.

Intshayelelo

Mzi wakowethu sithi kuni, "Nango amalinge ethu okunikhonza." Incwadi yamabali enjengale, kunye nezibongo ezikhoyo esiXhoseni, sekuyiminyaka umbhali lo ebona ukuba iyafuneka emzini, ngokukodwa kwimpi entsha evelayo, engazinto ngezinto zomzi esinguwo. Ukufa kwamadoda amakhulu ebesazi amabali ethu, loo mabali ekungazuzwanga kuwo kuba engakhange abhalwe, kube yilahleko enkulu kuthi thina maXhosa. Ngoko ke nakuba siqale sekusemva, sithi masesihlanganisa imvuthuluka eseleyo yaloo mabali, ukuze izizukulwana ezizayo zazi okokuba kwakhe kwakho izizwe ezisithi. Sibe nosizi ukuthi sifake amanye amaphepha ababhali ababalulekileyo, singabi nakuwafaka aka-Rev.P.J Mzimba angebali lezizwe zaseMbo; oko ke kubangwe kukungaphendulu kwakhe akubhalelwa ebuzwa ukuba angafakwa na. Mhlawumbi kwi2nd edition angafunyanelwa indawo. Ekufakweni kwamaphepha abhalwe ngabanye sizame ukuwabeka namagama abo, mhlawumbi oonobambiso (nom deplume) abazibize ngabo.

Nangona kade kusithiwa masiyibhale ngesiNgesi le ncwadi, siye sayibhala ngesiXhosa, ukuze ibe nokufundwa ngabo bonke. Inkoliso yeencwadi ezibhalwe ngamadodana amnyama afundileyo zingesiNgesi. Loo nto ke ibangele okokuba zifundwe ngabambalwa, abanethamsanqa lokwazi isiNgesi, luthi ukhomokazi lungabinakuzifunda. Le ncwadi inezibongo ubukhulu becala, kuba izibongo yeyona ntetho bophele kuyo bonke ubuciko besiXhosa, yaye iyeyona ntetho ishwankathela zonke izafobe zokuthetha esi siXhosa.

Mhlawumbi abanye abanakuyiqonda ngenxa yokunqaba kwamazwi, nangokuswela umoya wokubonga. Inkoliso yezibongo zamaqabaiyakufunyanwa inamazwi achasekileyo kubantu basesikolweni abaluvo lu-ethe-ethe, abangathandiyo ukuba izinto zibizwe ngamagama azo. Sizamile ukuyilahla inxalenye yala mazwi, safana sawambathisa ngengubo yokuhlonipha. Kodwa ke asibanga nakuyenza kuwo onke amazwi loo nto. Kuba kuye kwabonakala okokuba xa sisenjenjalo siya kuba sitshabalalisa umoya nomphunga wembongi.

Kwabo baluvo lungathi lwenzakale singasuke sixelise imbongi yasemaNgesini uTennyson, sithi:-

'Vex not thou the poet's mind

With thy shallow wit:

Vex not thou the poet's mind;

For thou canst not fathon it."

Ke kwabo bothi bacinge ububi ngokuqubisana namazwi anjalo, sithi, "Ububi kocinga ububi." Izibongo zifakwe njengoko zamkelwe ngako emlonyeni wembongi; into eyenziweyo kukulungisa, ukuvana kwemigca (rhythm) namazwi. Inkoliso yezibongo zabantu ngabantu iyafana. Loo nto ibonakalisa okokuba iimbongi zezinye iindawo bezizandisa izibongo zazo ngokuvela kwezibongo kwezinye iimbongi.

Amazwi anqabileyo nangaqondwayo apha kwezi zibongo abhalwe bukekela (nge-italics). Ilizwi elibhalwe ngolo hlobo lichaziwe ekupheleni kwale ncwadi, phantsi kwegama lalowo ubongwayo. Phakathi kwabasincedileyo ekuqokoleleni le ncwadi ngokuthi basinik'imvume yokushicilela amaphepha abo, nokusithumela izibongo, nangezinye iindlela, ngombulelo omkhulu, sibalula laa manene alandelayo: Revs James Stewart, D.D.; W Anderson Soga, M.D.; Charles Pamla; Boyce Mama; W. Philip; L. Wauchope; Eben B.T Koti; John Knox Bokwe; Elijah Mdolomba; Chief Ebenezer Mhlambiso; Messrs. W.K. Ntsikana; Sol Kalipa; Zaze Soga; Theo Ndwandwa; Peka Nopondo; J.S Tshayingca; Meyi Faxi; W.B. Yiba; Ntothoviyane Mdodana; Samuel E. Mqhayi; W.D Soga; Ezekiel Mhlakaza; Pascoe Koti; J.N.J Tulwana; B. Booi; Mtoninji Sonkononkono; Jas. B. Mama; Usapho luka W.G. Gqobha, nabanye.

Ekuqokoleleni laa mabali, sifumane uncedo kwezi ncwadi zilandelayo: Holden's Native Past and Present: Isigidimi samaXhosa; Hammond Tooke, and Driver's Geneology of the Kaffir tribes; L.M.S. Reports of Missionaries. Singavuya xa kunokuthi nabanina onokubona iindawo eziphosekileyo azalathe ngokuthi abhalelel ku,

W. Benson Rubusana

East London, S.A

London,

November 24, 1905.