Om die verwarring rondom die WhatsApp boodskappe oor die gebruik van die woord "Nkosi" in ons Volkslied op te klaar, plaas ons graag die volgende gedagtes saamgestel deur Ds. Willem Botes. Hy het vanaf 02 Februarie 1976 tot Maart 2015 in Transkei sendingwerk onder die Xhosas gedoen en praat vlot Xhosa:
Luister ook na hierdie mooi Afrikaanse weergawe van Coenie de Villiers en Elvis Blue: KLIEK HIER
"Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika is 'n lied wat in 1897 deur Enoch Sontonga, 'n Xhosa leraar van die Metodiste Kerk naby Johannesburg geskryf is as 'n geestelike lied wat in die kerk gesing is. Ander verse is later deur Ds Samuel E Mqhayi in 1927 bygevoeg. Later is dit deur verskillende groepe aanvaar as hul lied. Dis ook as volkslied van 'n aantal lande na hul onafhanklikheid aanvaar. Die woord "Nkosi" is die naam van die Here. Ook die Heilige Gees word direk aangespreek en gevra om ons te seën. Daar is 'n ander woord wat ek graag wil regstel in die WhatsApp boodskappe wat die rondte doen. Die tweede sin hieronder word heel verkeerd geskryf. Volgens die Whatsapp staan daar: "Ma'o phakamiso umkhondo lwayo" Dit is verkeerde Xhosa, die woord "umkhondo" word ook nie gebruik nie. In Xhosa beteken daardie woord "spoor". Verder is die Afrikaanse vertaling "Kom lig die volk op na U" ook verkeerd. Hier is die regte vertaling: Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika (Lord Bless Africa); Maluphakanyisw' uphondo lwayo (May her glory be lifted high)
Laat ons as Christene, veral in hierdie Lydenstyd, dankbaar wees vir hierdie boodskappe. Die duiwel probeer mense versoek om weg te breek van die waarheid, maar die Here wil juis hê dat ons in die tyd weer opnuut sal dink oor wie Hy werklik vir ons is. Hy is my Here, in Xhosa: "Nkosi yam". Hy is NIE enige god nie, Hy is die enigste God, my Redder aan die kruis.
Dit is wonderlik dat die gebed wat Ds Sontanga in 1897 geskryf het, nou ons Volkslied kan wees - 'n gebed wat tot God bid om sy bewaring oor Afrika. Hoeveel lande het 'n gebed as hul Volkslied?
Ek het vir Sam Dandala, 'n Xhosa Christen-vriend van ons, wat lidmaat in Decoligny gemeente is, gevra om sy mening oor hierdie boodskappe te gee:
"Nkosi sikelela iAfrika","Lord Bless Africa".
Nkosi (please note the capitals) is a direct translation from the Hebrew word Yahweh which usually translated 'the Lord' and sometimes 'Yehovah'. To show a lot of respect Xhosas would use 'Nkosi yam' or 'my Lord' which also exist in the Old Testament as Adonay. These two names (with capital letters) are the names of the Lord and no one else.
"Nkosi sikelela iAfrika", "Lord Bless Africa" is a prayer that should be prayed by every Bible believing Christian in the continent of Africa. I believe that when Umfundisi Enoch Sontonga wrote this hymn originally, he did not envisage it becoming a national anthem, especially not of the Republic of South Africa which was then segregated, characterized by hatred, violence, oppression, injustice and the likes. Instead, like Moses of The Old Testament, he yearned to enter the Promised Land of freedom and democracy.
The question that I think I should answer is whether I would sing the National Anthem after I read what the detractors wrote about the above mentioned hymn as part of the National Anthem? The answer is "Yes, I will sing tomorrow, because I am a believer in the 'Lord' who revealed Himself to me, to be One True and Holy God, who reconciled us to Himself and one another." "The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.".. (Exodus 34 vs 6 – 7). That is the Lord I pray to. The Lord who revealed Himself as just.
This Lord is God in heaven and on earth. There is no other God but Him. No matter what, I must love this Lord my God with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my strength. (Deuteronomy 6 vs 4 – 5). This is because I know who this God is I worship. I cannot be tricked in worshipping a false idol. That is why I wail not doubt to sing, and worship this Lord Bountifully.
When we read the Old Testament, we can realize that the Israelites grew in their understanding from seeing Yahweh as one among many gods to understanding that there is only one God who is God over all nations, perhaps, just like it happened with my ancestors. It does not matter if they believed, as long as I know who the one and True God.
I appeal to all believers, to avoid imposing our culture, values, experiences, and political convictions on to scripture or worship in general, instead start being very critical of ourselves and ask who we are really serving when we disseminate divisive, hopeless and hateful messages. Paul in his exhortation to Ephesians 4 vs14 - 15 writes, "Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in things grow up into Him who is the head." Our aim is to build the body of Christ who are all believers, until we reach unity, in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
How will that happen when we are driven by fear, suspicion and hatred of one another, based on nothing that happened between us, but our distant ancestors.
FEAR NOT BECAUSE THE LORD IS IN CONTROL.
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