THUHRILTU BU CHHUI ZAUNA

- Rev. Lalenkawla

Kumin Puitling Sunday School zirlaiah Bible-a lehkhabu pahnih kan zira. Estheri bu zir zoin
Thuhriltu bu kan zir chhunzawm leh ta a. Thuhriltu bu hi finna thu leh hla (wisdom literature)
kalhmanga ziah a ni a, Thuthlung Hlui bu zinga thu harsa pawl tak a ni awm e. Kan zirlaibu
ziaktu ngei pawh hian thuhmahruai lamah chuan, "Thuhriltu lah hi a sawi tui dawn chauh a,
eng mah loah a chhuah zel bawk si a, chang tam tak hrilh fiah ngai lo khawpa a chian laiin
chang ṭhenkhat chu han chhiara hriat thiam mai harsa tak, vawi hnih vawi thum chhiar pawha
hriat fiah theih chuang loh, hrilh fiah ngai tak a lo ni hlawm a," tiin a sawi nghe nghe. A ziaktu
leh a ziak hun thuah te, a thu awmzia leh thuchah chungchangah te ngaihdan inang lo tak tak a
awm nual a. Tun ṭumah hian chhui zauna a nih angin kan zirlaibua lang lem lo leh Bible zirna
lama mi thiamte ngaihdan hrang hrangte pawh luh chilh kan tum dawn a ni.

Lehkhabu mak leh danglam: Mark R. Sneed-a chuan Thuhriltu bu hi, "Bible zirtute lu tihaitu
leh tibuaitu ber pakhat" niina sawi a. James Crenshaw-a chuan, “Bible lehkhabu zinga mak leh
danglam ber" a ti a.1 C.L. Seow-a chuan Bible-a pawm a nih dan (canon) aṭanga thlirin
Thuhriltu bu hi Bible-a pawm anih dawn leh dawn loh thuah pawm theih chin ramri (margin)-
ah chiah a awm niin a sawi bawk.2 He lehkhabuah hian Pathian chu hmun hla taka awm, a laka
fimkhur ngai leh hlauhawm tak anga sawi ani a (5:1-2). Pathian chu an zinga a chen thu emaw
mihringte nena inlaichinna leh inpawhna an neih thuemaw sawi lan a ni lo a. Hetiang anih
avang hian Pedersen- achuan, "Thuhriltua Pathian kan hmuh hi mihringte tana Pathian ropui
anih rualin Pathian ṭihbaiawm, hmun hla taka awm leh mahni duh ang anga roreltu," niin a
sawi a. J.A. Loader-a pawhin, "Thuhriltu bu hian Pathian chu pawh phak loh leh danglam thut
thut ṭhin angin a tarlang a ni." a ti. A Pathian thu kalpui danah pawh hian thu har leh hriat
thiam harsa tak tak a awm a. Chung zinga pakhat chu 'Pathian ṭih chu malsawmna, Pathian
thu awih loh erawh chu chhiatna' (theology of retribution) thu ringhlel zawnga zirtirna lo
lang hi a ni a. Henthurin hi hmanlai aṭanga Hebrai-hote Pathian thu pawm dan leh finna bute
thu zirtir pawimawh ber pakhat a ni a. He thurin zirtirnaah hian mi fel chuan hlawhtlinna leh
hausakna lawmman a dawng ang a, mi sual tawpna erawh chu chhiatna leh thihna a ni ang, tih
a ni. Nimahsela, hemi kalh zawng hian Thuhriltu 7:15-ah chuan, "Ka nun eng mah lovah hian
engkim ka lo hmutaa; mi fel a fel chunga borala awma, misuak sual thil ṭha lo ti chunga dam
rei phian si angte hi," tiin kan hmu a. Heng bakah hian Thuhriltu thil thlirna hi rinhlelhna leh a
thim zawnga ngaihtuahna ina khat vek mai emaw tih tur a ni bawk a. "Eng mah lo mai" tih hi
a thunawn ang maiin a hmang nawn tluk tluk mai ani. Heng chhan hrang hrang avang hian
Thuhriltu bu hi lehkhabu mak leh danglam tak ani tih a chiang mai awm e.
A ziaktu leh a ziah hun chungchang: A bu ziaktu chungchang hi ngaihdan hlâwm lian tak
pahnihah ṭhen phawk theih ani a. A pakhat chu Solomana ziak ngei nia ngaihna ani a, a
pahnihna chu Solomona ni lo midang kutchhuak nia rinna a ni. Hei hian a ziah hun thua
ngaihdan hrang awm pawh a târlang nghal awme. Bung 1:1 thụ ṭan chhana hmang hian Juda-te
leh Kristián hmasate chuan Thuhriltu bu hi Solomona ziak ngei niin an ngai a. Bible zirna lo
ṭhang chho zelah erawh he ngaihdan hi pawm a ni vek lem lo a. Kum zabi 20-na ṭan tir lamah
khan GA. Barton-a chuan Thuhriltu bu hi Solomona ziak a nih a rin loh thu a sawi chhuak a. 3
Heta ṭang hian tunlaia mi thiam tam ber chuan Solomona hi a ziaktu tak a nih an ring meuh lo
a. Chutih laiin Solomoná ziak ngei nia pawmtu an la awm ve reng bawk.

Solomona ziah a nih ringhleltute ṭan chhan: Thuhriltu bu hi Solomona kutchhuak nia
rinhlelh tirtu lian ber pakhat chu he lehkhabua a ṭawngkam hmante hi ani. Bible dang ang loin
ṭawngkam kan hmuhte hi a danglam bik em em a. D.S. Margoliouth-a leh F.C. Burkitt-a te
chuan Thuhriltu bua Hebrai ṭawngte hi ṭawng dang ang maia danglam bik niin an sawi a. Kum
1945 khan F. Zimmermanna a chuan Thuhriltu bu hi a tirah tak chuan Aramaik ṭawnga ziah
niin Hebrai ṭawnga lehlinleh niin a sawi a. He ngaihdan hi C.C. Torreya a leh H.L. Ginsberg-a
te pawhin an ṭawmpui a. He pawm dan kal zelah hian Thuhriltu bu hi tlai khaw hnu deuha
Hebrai ṭawng leh Aramaik chawh pawlha ziah nia rinna a lian hle a ni. F. Delitzsch-a chuan
hemi chungchang hi zir chiangin achhung thuah hian Aramaik ṭawng nena inlaichin thumal 96
vel zet awmin a ngai a. Heng bakah hian Bible hmun danga lang lo Hebrai ṭawng danglam bik
tak pali awmin a sawi bawk.4 Heng ṭawngkam tam tak hi Solomona hnu lama ṭawngkauchheh
nia a hriat avangin Delitzsch-a chuan Solomona kutchhuak niin angai thei lo a, "Thuhriltu bu hi
Solomona kutchhuak anga kan pawm dawn a nih chuan Hebrai ṭawng hian chanchin chhui tur
(history) a nei lo tihna a ni ang," tiin a sawi nghe nghe. Aramaik ṭawng mai bakahnhian Persia
ṭawng nena inkungkaihna nei nia sawi a ni bawk a. Thuhriltua thumal pahnih- pardes (Eng.
garden, Miz. huan; Thu 2:5) leh pitgam (Eng. sentence/decree; Miz. thu/thupek; Thu 8:i1) tih
lo langte hi Persia ṭawng aṭanga an lak chhawn nia ngaih a ni a. Chutiang a nih chuan a ziah
hun thu pawh a tlai hle tihna a ni a, zirtu ṭhenkhat chuan hei hi ṭachhana hmangin he lehkhabu
hi Persia-ho hun lai emaw an hun hnu lam emawa ziah niin an sawi.

Solomona ziak nia ringhlel tutena bu chhung thua an ṭanchhan pakhat chu bung 1:12 thu hi a ni
a. He changah hian "Kei, thuhriltu hi Jerusalem-a Israel-te lal ka ni tawh" tiin kan hmua.
Solomona kha a thihni thlengin lal a nih thu Bible-ah tarlan a ni a. He lai changa "lal ni tawh"
(perfect tense) ang chauha sawiani hian Solomona kutchhuak ngei anih ati rinhlelhawm nia
sawi ani bawk.
Heng bakah hian he lehkhabu chanchin (history) chhuitute leh a thu kalpui dân (literature) zirtu
eng emaw zat chuan Solomona hun hnulama ziah niin an pawm a. Chung zinga ṭhenkhat chuan
Thuhriltu bu hi Grik-hote ngaihtuahna leh thu leh hla behchhana ziah niin an sawi a. Kum zabi
pariatna B.C. Velah a thim zawnga thil thlirna (pessimistic work) thuziak lar tak Works and
Days tih Hesiod-a ziah nen a inzûl hle a sawi a nia. Mi ṭhenkhat chuan finna chungchanga Grik
zirtirna te, Epicuras-a zirtirna te nen an khaikhin bawk.

Mi thiam ṭhenkhat chuan Thuhriltu bu hi Persia leh Grik mite hunlaia Juda chanchin nen
hmehbel an tum bawk a. Barton-a chuan bung 4:13-a "tleirawl fing" tih hi B.C. 205-na vela
Grik lal ṭhutthleng luahtu Ptolemy V kha niin a ngai a. Deltizsch-a chuan bung 6:3-in a sawi hi
Persia lal Artezerzia II (Mnemon-a) leh Artezerzia III (Ochus-a) te hi niin a sawi a. Chutiang
bawkin 4:13- 16 thuin a kawh chu lal Kura niin 9:14-16 hi Athens lal Themistoclesa a
chungchang sawinaah a ngai bawk. Whybray-a chuan Thuhriltu bua himna leh hausakna
chungchang te, sumdawnna ṭawngkam "hlawkna/hlep" (profit) tih lo langte hian Ptolemy
hunlaia he lehkhabu hi lo piang chhuakah a ngai a ni.

Solomona ziah a ni tih pawmtute ṭan chhan: Thuhriltu bu hi Solomona kutchhuak ngei a ni
tih pawmtute chuan a chunga ringhleltute ngaihdan hrang hrangte hi sawifiah an tum a. A
ṭawngkam chungchang chipchiar taka zir chiangtu D. Fredericks-a chuan Thuhriltu bua Hebrai
ṭawng lo langte hi ṭawng thar leh danglam a nih loh thu a sawi a. Saltang chhuah hnu lama ziah
anga sawi hi thil dik tawk lo ni ah a ngai bawk. 5 Hebrai ṭawng hrang hrang- Bible thu ziakna
ṭawng hmasa lam te, a hnu lam deuha mi te, Temple pahnihna huna an hman te leh Mishna
Hebrai ṭawng te nena khaikhinin Thuhriltu bua Hebrai ṭawng tam zawk hi saltan hma
ṭawngkam ngei niin a ngai a. Tlai khaw hnu deuha Hebrai ṭawng leh Mishna Hebrai ṭawngte
chu a awm ve pheuh pheuh chauh niin a sawi. Aramaik ṭawng aṭanga lehlin anga
Zimmermann-an a sawi pawh hi thu belhchian tawk loah an ngai bawk. Persia-ho ṭawngkam
aṭanga hawh pardes leh pitgam thumal lo lang avanga Persia-ho hunlaia ziah anga sawi pawh
hi dik tawk loah'an ngai a. Archer-a chuan heng ṭawngkam pahnihte hi Sanskrit ṭawng aṭanga
lakchhâwn zawk niina ngai a. Sanskrit ṭawng hi Solomon an ram dangte nena sumdawnna a
kalpui lai aṭang daih tawha hman ṭhin niin a sawi bawk. Pope-a pawhin Hebrai thumal pardes
tih leh Grik thumal paradeisos tih Persia ṭawng aṭanga lak nia sawi hi a rinhlelhawm thu a sawi
bawk.6 Thuhriltu bu hi Solomona ziah ngei nia pawmtute chuan Thuhriltu Hebrai ṭawng hman
hi a danglam deuh bik avanga tlai khaw hnua ziah a ni tihna a ni chuang lo niin an sawi a. Bible
bu dang- Malakia, Estheri leh Chronicles bute nen pawha Hebrai ṭawng hi a inzul hle nia sawi a
ni.
A chhung thua hnial khân a an hman 1:12 thu a "lal ka lo ni tawh" (I was king- perfect tense)
tih hi "lal ka ni" (I have been king- lal ka ni tawh a, ka ni chhunzawm zel) ti pawha lehlin
theih nia sawi a ni a. Hebrai grammar-ah hian a chang chuan hun kal tawha thil tih
(past/perfect)hi tuna thil tih mek (present) ang pawha hmán theih a ni, an ti bawk. 7

A thukal hmang leh chanchin chhuina aṭanga Grik-ho hunlai leh finna thuziak nena hmeh bel
ngawt hi dik tawk lo a ngai in Solomona hun laia Aigupta leh Babulon-ho thu leh hla nen a
inhnaih hle niin an sawi ve thung a. Mi ṭhenkhat chuan Aigupta zirtirna zinga Instructions to
Ptahhotep (Aia hniam leh aia ropuite chunga awm dan tur zirtirna) tih te, Instruction of King
Amenemhet (Sorkar hnathawkte hnathawh fakna) te, Instruction for King Merikare
(Politics, nun dan ṭha leh sakhaw lam thurawn) te leh Teaching of Amenemope(finna thu
zirtima) te nen an khaikhina. Kum zabi 14-na B.C. vela ziak, thuhriltu bu ang thova a chhe lam
zawnga thil thlirna The Man Tired of Life te, The Admonitions of a Prophet te leh The
Songs of the Harper tih te nen pawh a inhnaih hle. Babulon thu leh hla zinga The Pessimistic
Dialogue of a Master and Slave leh The Complaint of a Sage over the Injustice of the
World tih thuziakte pawh hi Thuhriltu bute nen huang khata khung theih niin an ngai a. A
hnuhnung zawk phei hi chu "Babulon-hote Thuhriltu bu" tiin an sawi ṭhin a. Babulon-ho
thawnthu Epic of Gilgamesh pawh hi Thuhriltu 9:7-9 nen an sawi zawm bawk.

A chunga kan târlan tak ang hian Thuhriltu bu ziaktu leh a ziah hun chungchang hi thil sawi
chian awlai lo ang reng tak a ni a. Kan zirlaibu thuhmahruai lama sawi ang hian ngaihdân
tlanglawn takah chuan Israel lal Solomona ziah nia ngaih a ni a. A chhung thua sum leh pai thu
te, hausakna leh finna thu te, sumdawnna leh nawmchenna thu te, rethei nêkchêpna leh
tihduhdahna thu te hian Persia hun emaw, Grik-ho hun laia Juda ram dinhmun a phawk ṭha viau
mai a. Eng pawh nise, Solomona ziah anih pawhin tlai khawhnua ennawn leh tihchhuah a nih a
rinawm.

Engtin nge kan zirang? : Thuhriltu bu hi hrilhfiah dan kawng hrang hrang a awma. Zirmite
chuan Thuhriltu thil thlir dan hi kawng hrang hrang a sawifiah theih niin an ngai a. Hetiangin:

1. A thim zawng leh ringhlel zawnga thlirna: He thlirna aṭang hi chuan Thuhriltu bua
mihring nun kan hmuh hi hriatthiam har leh awmze nei lo a ni a. Scott-a chuan Thuhriltu buah
hian engkim mai hi ruat lawk vek nia a lan laiin mi tumahin an chunga thil thleng tur chu a
hrethiam chuang lo va, mihring nun chu hriatthiam har tak niin a sawi. Crenshaw-a pawhin
Thuhriltu hian mihring nun hi awmze nei lo, Pathian pawh hmun hla taka awm, fiah theih loh
leh danglam thut thut thei niin a ngai a. Thihna chuan engkim a thlak danglam ṭhin avangin
mihring chuana hrisel ṭhat laiin a nun chu a chen tur a ni tih hi Thuhriltu thuchah ber niin a
sawi. He thlirna hi kawng ṭhenkhata dik awm taka a lan laiin Thuhriltu thusawia a thim lai chin
chauh a lawra. Thuhriltu bua thuchah pumpui a thlir kim loh avangin he hrilhfiahna hian mi a
hruai sual thei a ni. A lehlam zawnga thlir chuan a chhe lam zawng leh a thim zawnga thlirna hi
thu leh hla ziah dan kal hmang (literature) chi khat a ni ve bawk a. Hei hian a thuchah zawng
zawng pawh a ṭha lo ta vek e tih lam a kawk lo a. A phênah thu ril tak leh thuchah ṭha tak a
inphum ṭhin a, chu chuan rah ṭhả tak a chhuah ṭhin a ni.

2. A êng zawnga thlirna: A chunga târ lan let thawka Thuhriltu bu thlirna awm chu a êng
zawnga thlirna a ni. He ngaihdan hi R.N. Whybray-a chuan tarlangin Thuhriltu bua a thim
zawnga thlirna Bible chang pasarih a la chhuak a (1:12-2:26; 3:1-15;3:16-22; 5:9-19; 8:10-15;
9:1-10; 11:7-12:7). Heng Bible changah te hian a tir lam chu thim viau mah se a tawp lamah
chuan hlim fuihna a awm vek a. Heng changin tarlan a tum ber chu hring nun harsatna leh
buaina hrang hrang karah hian miin a tih theih ṭha ber chu engkima lungawi hi a ni tiin a sawi.
He thlirna aṭang hian Whybray-a chuan Thuhriltu hi a thim zawnga thil zirtirtu ni loin hlimna
thuchah puangtu (preacher of joy) a ni, a ti.

3. Rinna humhalhna thuziak (apologetic work): Eaton-a chuan Thuhriltu buhi rinna
humhalhna leh humhimna thuziak niina ngai ve thung a. He lehkhabuah hian khawvel mit
aṭanga thil thlirna leh rinna mit aṭanga thlirna a awma. Thuhriltu hian Pathian hming leh rinna
chu khawvel thil laka humhalh leh humhima tum tlat a. A bu chhunga thu tam zawkah hian
Pathian hnathawh lang tam lovin a thim zawng leh lungchhiatthlak zawnga thil thlirna tam hle
mah se Pathian hming a lo lan aṭang chuan khawvel thil thlirnate chu paih thlak a ni a, mihring
hlimna te (2:25; 3:12; 5:18, 20; 9:7; 11:7-9) leh Pathian thilphalna ten a luah khat ta zawk a ni,
a ti.

4. Finna (philosophy) lam hawithuziak: Mi thiam ṭhenkhat chuan Thuhriltu bu hi philosophy

chi khat Existentialist philosophy an tih nen inanna thui tak neiin an ngai a. He philosophy
hian Pathian chu engtia lo awm nge a nih tih te, mihring lo awm chhan leh nun awmzia chhan a
tum a. M. Fox-a chuan he philosophy ang deuh chiah hian Thuhriltuin a tum ber pakhat chu
mihring nun ṭobul leh nun awmzia chhui chhuah hi a ni a ti. He thlirna hi chuan Thuhriltu bu hi
philosophy nena lâkhran theih loh leh inkawp tlat niin a ngai a. Chumi rilru pu chunga chhiar
leh zir turah an ngai a ni.
5. Grik culture dona thuziak: Thuhriltu bu hi Grik hunlaia (BC 300-200) ziak nia pawmtute
chuan Grik-ho nunphung, hnam zia, finna, thiamna darh zel tur dona thuziak a ni an ti a. Grik-
hote hian an awp ramte chu an culture, finna leh ṭawng hmangtein chim ral an tum ṭhin a. Juda-
ho chunga ro an rel lai pawh khan Juda mi tam tak chu an culture hmangin an hneh a, Juda mi
an nihna bosan ṭhak khawpin heng an finna leh thiamna hmangte hian an thunun a ni. An hnam
borala tluchhe mai tur hre rengin Thuhriltu chuan heng finna thiamna leh hausakna te hi
'engmah lo mai mai' (Heb. hebel) ani a. Pathian ṭiha a thuzawm zawk hi an hnam damna tur
leh din chhuahna tur zawk a nih thu a kawhhmuh niin an ngai a ni.

Tlangkawmna: Thuhriltu bu hi lehkhabu mak leh danglam tak a nih thu kan sawi tawh a. A
thu lak dan pawh hi a rit zawng leh a chhe lam hlir tih mai tura ni. Mahse, Bible-a he lehkhabu
lo tel ve hian Bible thil thlir dan zauzia a tilang a. Pathian ṭhatna rinhlelh rum rum chang awm
ṭhin mah se, keimahni chauh hi lovin hmanlai Pathian mite pawh kan awm dan angin an lo
awm ve fo tih a lang chiang a, chu chuan beiseina thar mi thinlungah a siam a. Kan nun hi ho
hlein lang mah se, awmze thûk zawk a nei tih chiang takin tarlan a ni. Thuhriltu thlirna hrang
hrang kan tarlan tak zingah hian dik ber leh pawmawm ber thlan chhuah fak chu thil harsa a ni
mai thei e. Thuhriltu bu kan zir hian heng thlirna chi hrang hrangte hi la kawp thiam ila. Thu
harsa leh khirh deuh kan luhchilh hunah pawh kan thlirna tizautu atan a ṭangkai thei awm e.

Endnotes:

1. Mark R. Sneed, The Politics of Pessimism in Ecclesiastes:A Social-Science Perspective

(Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature), 1.

2. C. L. Seow, Ecclesiastes: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary, AB

18C (New York: Doubleday, 1997), 4

3. G. A. Barton, Ecclesiastes, International Critical Commentary (Edinburgh: T & T Clark,

1912), 58–59

4. F. Delitzsch, Ecclesiastės (Grand Rapids:Eerdmans, n.d.),190–96

5. DD. C. Fredericks, Joheleth's Language (Lewiston, N.Y.: Edwin Mellen, 1988)

6. MM. Pope, Song of Songs, AB (Garden City: Doubleday, 1977), 31

7. PP. Jóüon, A Grammar of Biblical Hebrew, rev., edited by T. Muraoka (Rome:

Pontifical Biblical Institute, 1991), III.i.
8. Duane A. Garrett, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs. The New American
Commentary 14 (Nashville: Broadman.& Holman Publishers, 2001), 272-279.