1, 2. Nowa n’umuryango we batangiye uwuhe mushinga, kandi se ni izihe ngorane bahuye na zo?

NOWA arahagurutse maze arinanura. Ngaho sa n’umureba yicaye ku ngiga nini y’igiti, agira ngo aruhuke ho gato ari na ko yitegereza iyo nkuge nini cyane. Godoro igishyushye irimo irazamura impumuro itari nziza mu kirere kandi harumvikana urusaku rw’ibikoresho bitandukanye by’ububaji. Aho yicaye, arimo aritegereza ukuntu akazi kashyushye n’ukuntu abahungu be bakora mu bice bitandukanye by’iyo nyubako nini yubakishwaga imbaho. We n’umugore we akunda cyane, abahungu be n’abagore babo bamaze imyaka ibarirwa muri za mirongo batangiye uwo mushinga. Nubwo iyo nkuge bari bayigeze kure, hari hakiri byinshi bagombaga gukora.

² Abantu bari batuye muri ako gace batekerezaga ko Nowa n’umuryango we bari barasaze. Uko iyo nkuge yagendaga ifata isura, ni ko abo baturanyi babo bagendaga barushaho kubannyega, bumva ko hatari kuzabaho umwuzure wari gukwira ku isi. Nowa yakomeje kubaburira ababwira iby’ako kaga kari kugarije isi, ariko bakumva ko bitari kuzabaho kandi ko bitanashoboka. Ntibiyumvishaga ukuntu umuntu w’umugabo yata igihe cye, akanagitesha abagize umuryango we bakora umushinga nk’uwo udafite epfo na ruguru. Ariko Yehova, Imana Nowa yasengaga, si uko yamubonaga.

3. Ni mu buhe buryo Nowa yagendanaga n’Imana?

³ Ijambo ry’Imana rivuga ko “Nowa yagendanaga n’Imana y’ukuri.” (Soma mu Ntangiriro 6:9.) Ibyo bisobanura iki? Ntibisobanura ko Imana yaje ku isi cyangwa ngo Nowa abe yaragiye mu ijuru. Ahubwo byumvikanisha ko Nowa yumviraga Imana ye cyane kandi akayikunda, ku buryo wagira ngo we na Yehova bari incuti zihora ziri kumwe. Imyaka myinshi nyuma yaho, Bibiliya yavuze ibya Nowa igira iti “binyuze kuri uko kwizera, yaciriyeho iteka isi” (Heb 11:7). Ibyo yabikoze ate? Muri iki gihe, ni irihe somo twavana ku kwizera kwe?

4, 5. Mu gihe cya Nowa, isi yari yarononekaye mu rugero rungana iki?

⁴ Nowa yakuriye mu bantu babi, kandi bagendaga barushaho kuba babi. Mu gihe cya sekuruza Enoki, na we akaba yari umuntu ukiranuka  kandi wagendanaga n’Imana, abantu bari babi. Enoki yari yarahanuye ko umunsi w’urubanza wari hafi kuzagera ku bantu bari batuye isi muri icyo gihe. Mu gihe cya Nowa, abantu bari barabaye babi cyane. Koko rero, Yehova yabonaga ko icyo gihe isi yari yarononekaye, bitewe n’uko yari yuzuye urugomo (Intang 5:22; 6:11; Yuda 14, 15). Ibyo byaterwaga n’iki?

⁵ Abana b’Imana ari bo bamarayika, badutsweho n’ingeso mbi. Umwe muri abo bana yari yaramaze kwigomeka kuri Yehova, ahinduka Satani Umwanzi kuko yaharabitse Imana kandi akagusha Adamu na Eva mu cyaha. Mu gihe cya Nowa, hari abandi bamarayika bigometse ku butegetsi bukiranuka bwa Yehova. Bavuye mu ijuru aho Imana yari yarabageneye gutura, baza ku isi maze batoranya abakobwa beza babagira abagore babo. Abo bamarayika b’abibone n’abanyamururumba bigometse, batumye abantu baba babi.​—Intang 6:1, 2; Yuda 6, 7.

6. Ni mu buhe buryo Abanefili batumye ibintu birushaho kuzamba, kandi se Yehova yiyemeje gukora iki?

⁶ Nanone, kuba abamarayika barakoze amahano bakaryamana n’abagore b’abantu, byatumye havuka abana b’ibyimanyi banini cyane kandi bafite imbaraga zidasanzwe. Abo bantu Bibiliya ibita Abanefili, bisobanura ngo “abagusha abandi,” ni ukuvuga abatura abandi hasi. Abo Banefili bari abagome bikabije, ku buryo byatumye urugomo rwiyongera cyane, kandi abantu bakarushaho kwigomeka ku Mana. Ntibitangaje rero kuba Umuremyi yarabonye ko “ububi bw’abantu bwari bwogeye mu isi, kandi ko igihe cyose ibitekerezo byo mu mitima yabo byabaga bibogamiye ku bibi gusa.” Ibyo byatumye avuga ko nyuma y’imyaka 120, yari kuzarimbura abantu babi bariho icyo gihe.​—Soma mu Ntangiriro 6:3-5.

7. Ni izihe ngorane Nowa n’umugore we bahuye na zo, igihe batozaga abana babo kudatora ingeso mbi z’abari babakikije?

 ⁷ Tekereza nawe kurerera abana mu isi imeze ityo! Ariko kandi, Nowa yarabishoboye. Yashatse umugore mwiza. Nowa amaze kugira imyaka 500, baje kubyarana abana b’abahungu batatu ari bo Shemu, Hamu na Yafeti. * Abo babyeyi bombi bari bafite inshingano yo kurinda abana babo kugira ngo badatora ingeso mbi z’abari babakikije. Ubusanzwe abana b’abahungu bakunda gutangarira abantu b’“abanyambaraga” n’“ibirangirire” kandi Abanefili ni uko bari bameze. Nubwo Nowa n’umugore we batashoboraga kurinda abana babo inkuru zavugaga ibigwi by’abo bantu b’ibihanyaswa, bashoboraga kubigisha ukuri gushimishije ku birebana na Yehova Imana, we wanga ibibi byose. Bagombaga gufasha abana babo kumenya ko Yehova yababazwaga n’urugomo no kwigomeka kw’abantu b’icyo gihe.​—Intang 6:6.

8. Muri iki gihe, ababyeyi b’abanyabwenge bakwigana bate urugero rwa Nowa n’umugore we?

⁸ Ababyeyi bo muri iki gihe bashobora kwiyumvisha neza ingorane Nowa n’umugore we bari bahanganye na zo. Muri iki gihe, urugomo no kwigomeka birogeye ku isi. Imigi myinshi usanga yuzuyemo insoresore zikora ibikorwa bibi. Imyidagaduro igenewe abana bato na yo yuzuyemo ibikorwa bibi nk’ibyo. Ababyeyi b’abanyabwenge bakora uko bashoboye kose kugira ngo barinde abana babo ingaruka z’ibyo bikorwa, babigisha ibirebana na Yehova Imana y’amahoro, izakuraho urugomo burundu (Zab 11:5; 37:10, 11). Ababyeyi bashobora kugira icyo bageraho nubwo abana babo baba bakikijwe n’abantu babi. Nowa n’umugore we na bo babigezeho. Abana babo barakuze bavamo abagabo beza, kandi bashaka abagore bari bafite icyifuzo nk’icyabo, cyo gushyira mu mwanya wa mbere ibyo Yehova Imana y’ukuri ashaka.

9, 10. (a) Ni irihe tegeko Yehova yahaye Nowa ryahinduye ubuzima bwe? (b) Yehova yabwiye Nowa ko inkuge yari kuba imeze ite kandi ko yari kumara iki?

⁹ Igihe kimwe, imibereho ya Nowa yarahindutse burundu. Yehova yamenyesheje uwo mugaragu we yakundaga umugambi we wo kurimbura isi y’icyo gihe. Imana yategetse Nowa iti “wibarize inkuge mu mbaho z’igiti cyitwa goferu.”​—Intang 6:14.

¹⁰ Iyo nkuge ntiyari ubwato nk’uko bamwe babitekereza. Ntiyagiraga umutwe w’imbere n’uw’inyuma, igice cy’ubwato cy’indiba, ingashya cyangwa ngo ibe yihese nk’uko ubwato buba bumeze. Urebye yari imeze nk’igisanduku kinini. Yehova yahaye Nowa ibipimo iyo nkuge yari kuzaba ifite, amusobanurira uko yari kuzaba iteye, amubwira n’uko yari kuzayihomesha godoro imbere n’inyuma. Yaje kubwira Nowa ati “ngiye guteza isi umwuzure w’amazi. . . . Ikintu cyose kiri ku isi  kizapfa.” Ariko Yehova yaramubwiye ati “uzinjire mu nkuge wowe n’abahungu bawe, n’umugore wawe n’abakazana bawe.” Nanone Nowa yagombaga kwinjizamo inyamaswa zihagarariye buri bwoko. Ibyari kuba biri mu nkuge ni byo byonyine byari kurokoka Umwuzure.​—Intang 6:17-20.

11, 12. Ni uwuhe murimo utoroshye Nowa yagombaga gukora, kandi se yawukoze ate?

¹¹ Umurimo Nowa yagombaga gukora ntiwari woroshye. Inkuge yagombaga kuba ari nini cyane, ifite metero 133 z’uburebure, metero 22 z’ubugari na metero 13 z’ubuhagarike. Kuva inkuge yabaho kugeza ubu, nta bundi bwato bw’igiti bwigeze bungana na yo. Ese Nowa yaba yarashakishije uko yahunga iyo nshingano, wenda yinubira ko igoye cyane, cyangwa agerageza guhindura amabwiriza yahawe ngo yiyorohereze akazi? Bibiliya isubiza icyo kibazo igira iti “nuko Nowa abigenza atyo, akora ibihuje n’ibyo Imana yari yamutegetse byose.”​—Intang 6:22.

¹² Kubaka iyo nkuge byatwaye imyaka ibarirwa muri za mirongo, wenda iri hagati ya 40 na 50. Bagombaga gutsinda ibiti, bakabyikorera, bakabisaturamo imbaho, bakazibaza maze bakaziteranya. Inkuge yagombaga kuba ifite amagorofa atatu, ibyumba n’umuryango mu rubavu. Birumvikana ko yari ifite n’amadirishya ahagana hejuru, ikagira n’igisenge cya mugongo wa tembo kugira ngo amazi y’imvura ashobore gutemba.​—Intang 6:14-16.

13. Ni uwuhe murimo wundi ushobora kuba waragoye Nowa cyane kuruta kubaka inkuge, kandi se abantu bawitabiriye bate?

¹³ Uko imyaka yahitaga indi igataha, ari na ko iyo nkuge yagendaga ifata isura, Nowa agomba kuba yarashimishwaga n’ukuntu umuryango we wamushyigikiraga. Icyakora, hari undi murimo bagombaga gukora, ukaba ushobora kuba wari ugoye kurusha kubaka iyo nkuge. Bibiliya ivuga ko Nowa yari “umubwiriza wo gukiranuka.” (Soma muri 2 Petero 2:5.) Ni yo mpamvu yagize ubutwari agafata iya mbere mu kuburira abantu b’icyo gihe bari babi kandi batubahaga Imana, ababwira ko isi yari hafi kurimburwa. Babyakiriye bate? Nyuma yaho, Yesu Kristo yagaragaje uko byari byifashe icyo gihe, avuga ko ‘batabyitayeho.’ Yavuze ko bari bahugiye mu mirimo yabo ya buri munsi, barya, banywa kandi bashyingiranwa, ku buryo batitaye ku miburo Nowa yabahaga (Mat 24:37-39). Nta gushidikanya ko abenshi bakwenaga Nowa n’abari bagize umuryango we. Birashoboka ko hari n’abamushyiragaho iterabwoba kandi bakamurwanya bikomeye. Bashobora no kuba baragerageje kuburizamo umushinga wo kubaka inkuge.

14. Ni iki imiryango y’Abakristo yo muri iki gihe yakwigira kuri Nowa n’umuryango we?

¹⁴ Ariko kandi, Nowa n’umuryango we ntibigeze bacika intege. Bakomeje gusohoza mu budahemuka inshingano bari barahawe, nubwo abantu b’icyo gihe bashyiraga inyungu zabo imbere, bakumva ko Nowa n’umuryango we bataye umutwe, ko ari abapfapfa kandi ko kubaka  inkuge nta cyo byari bimaze. Abagize imiryango ya gikristo muri iki gihe bashobora kuvana isomo rikomeye kuri Nowa n’umuryango we. Koko rero, Bibiliya ivuga ko turi mu “minsi y’imperuka” y’iyi si (2 Tim 3:1). Yesu yavuze ko igihe turimo cyari kuzaba kimeze nk’igihe Nowa yubatsemo inkuge. Kubera ko turi Abakristo, mu gihe abantu banze kwakira ubutumwa bw’Ubwami bw’Imana tubabwira, bakatugira urw’amenyo cyangwa bakadutoteza, byaba byiza twibutse uko byagendekeye Nowa. Si twe ba mbere twaba duhuye n’izo ngorane.

15. Ni ba nde Nowa yapfushije igihe yendaga kugira imyaka 600?

¹⁵ Nyuma y’imyaka ibarirwa muri za mirongo, inkuge yaruzuye. Igihe Nowa yendaga kugira imyaka 600 yari yaragiye apfusha abantu. Yapfushije se Lameki. * Nyuma y’imyaka itanu, yapfushije sekuru Metusela wari ufite imyaka 969, akaba ari we muntu waramye kurusha abandi bantu bose bavugwa muri Bibiliya (Intang 5:27). Metusela na Lameki babayeho mu gihe kimwe n’umuntu wa mbere ari we Adamu.

16, 17. (a) Ni ubuhe butumwa Nowa yahawe igihe yari afite imyaka 600? (b) Vuga ibintu bitazibagirana Nowa n’umuryango we babonye.

¹⁶ Nowa ageze mu mwaka wa 600 w’ubuzima bwe yabonye ubundi butumwa bwari buturutse kuri Yehova Imana, bugira buti “genda wowe n’abo mu rugo rwawe bose mwinjire mu nkuge.” Nanone Imana yabwiye Nowa ko yagombaga kwinjiza mu nkuge inyamaswa z’amoko  atandukanye, ku zidahumanye akinjiza indwi zo gutamba ibitambo, n’ebyiri ebyiri ku zindi zisigaye.​—Intang 7:1-3.

¹⁷ Ibyo bigomba kuba byari bishishikaje cyane. Sa n’ureba izo nyamaswa zibarirwa mu bihumbi, zituruka hirya no hino, zimwe zigendesha amaguru, izindi ziguruka, izindi zikurura inda naho izindi zikinagira. Zari zitandukanye mu buryo butangaje, haba mu miterere yazo, ubunini bwazo n’amahane yazo. Si ngombwa kwirirwa dutekereza uko Nowa yaba yaragerageje kwegeranya izo nyamaswa zose, azikabukira cyangwa akazagaza kugira ngo azinjize muri iyo nkuge. Iyo nkuru ivuga ko ‘zinjiye zigasanga Nowa mu nkuge.’​—Intang 7:9.

18, 19. (a) Dukwiriye kubona dute ibibazo abakunda kujora bashobora kubaza ku bihereranye n’inkuru ya Nowa? (b) Uko Yehova yarinze inyamaswa bigaragaza bite ubwenge bwe?

¹⁸ Bamwe mu bakunda kujora bashobora kubaza bati “ubwo se ibyo byari gushoboka bite? Izo nyamaswa zose zari kubana zite mu mahoro muri iyo nkunge, zibyiganira ahantu hato nk’aho?” Ariko zirikana ibi: ese Umuremyi w’isanzure ry’ikirere yananirwa gutegeka inyamaswa yaremye, ndetse akaba yanatuma zimwe zituza ntizigire amahane mu gihe bibaye ngombwa? Hashize igihe kinini nyuma yaho, Yehova Imana yagabanyijemo kabiri amazi y’Inyanja Itukura kandi ahagarika izuba. None se ubwo yari kunanirwa gukora ibyo byose byavuzwe mu nkuru ya Nowa? Birumvikana ko afite ubushobozi bwo kubikora, kandi koko yarabikoze.

¹⁹ Ni iby’ukuri ko Imana yashoboraga no gukiza izo nyamaswa ikoresheje ubundi buryo. Icyakora, yahisemo uburyo bwari kutwibutsa ko yahaye umuntu inshingano yo kwita ku byaremwe byose bifite ubuzima biri ku isi (Intang 1:28). Ku bw’ibyo, ababyeyi benshi bo muri iki  gihe bifashisha iyo nkuru ya Nowa, bakigisha abana babo ko Yehova aha agaciro abantu n’inyamaswa yaremye.

20. Kuki Nowa n’umuryango we bari bahuze cyane mu cyumweru cyabanjirije Umwuzure?

²⁰ Yehova yabwiye Nowa ko hari hasigaye icyumweru kimwe ngo Umwuzure uze. Icyo gihe uwo muryango ushobora kuba wari uhuze cyane. Ngaho tekereza ako kazi ko kwinjiza inyamaswa zose mu nkuge, kwinjiza ibyokurya byazo n’ibyo Nowa n’umuryango we bari kurya, kubipanga neza ndetse no gushyira mu nkuge bimwe mu byo uwo muryango wari utunze. Umugore wa Nowa, uwa Shemu, uwa Hamu n’uwa Yafeti bashobora kuba bari bahangayikishijwe no gukora ibyari bikenewe byose kugira ngo iyo nkuge imere nk’inzu yo kubamo.

21, 22. (a) Kuki tutagombye gutangazwa no kuba abantu bo mu gihe cya Nowa bataritaga ku byo yababwiraga? (b) Ni ryari abasekaga Nowa n’umuryango we babiretse?

²¹ None se twavuga iki ku bantu bo mu gihe cya Nowa? Nubwo biboneraga ibimenyetso bigaragaza ko Yehova yahaga imigisha Nowa n’umuryango we, ‘ntibabyitayeho.’ Icyo babonaga gusa ni inyamaswa zinjiraga mu nkuge. Ariko ntitwari dukwiriye gutangazwa no kuba batarabyitayeho. Abantu bo muri iki gihe ntibita ku bimenyetso bifatika bigaragaza ko turi mu minsi ya nyuma y’iyi si. Intumwa Petero yari yaravuze ko hari kuzabaho abakobanyi bakoba abari kuzaba bumvira imiburo ituruka ku Mana. (Soma muri 2 Petero 3:3-6.) Uko ni na ko abantu bo mu gihe cya Nowa bamukobaga we n’umuryango we.

²² Bamukobye kugeza ryari? Inkuru yo muri Bibiliya ivuga ko igihe Nowa yari amaze kwinjiza umuryango we n’inyamaswa mu nkuge, “Yehova yakinze urugi.” Niba bamwe muri ba bakobanyi bari hafi aho, nta gushidikanya ko icyo gikorwa Imana yakoze cyabacecekesheje. Niba kitarabemeje, bari kwemezwa n’imvura yaje kugwa, igakomeza kugwa kugeza igihe amazi yarengeye isi yose, nk’uko Yehova yari yarabivuze.​—Intang 7:16-21.

23. (a) Tuzi dute ko Yehova atishimiye ko abantu babi bo mu gihe cya Nowa barimbuka? (b) Muri iki gihe, kuki bihuje n’ubwenge kwigana ukwizera kwa Nowa?

²³ Ese Yehova yari yishimiye ko abo bantu babi bapfa? Oya rwose (Ezek 33:11). Ahubwo yabahaye igihe gihagije cyo kureka inzira zabo mbi bagakora ibikwiriye. Ese byari kubashobokera? Imibereho ya Nowa isubiza icyo kibazo. Kuba yaragendanaga na Yehova, akumvira Imana ye muri byose, byagaragaje ko kurokoka byashobokaga. Ku bw’ibyo, ukwizera kwe kwaciriyeho iteka isi y’icyo gihe, kugaragaza neza ko abantu bo mu gihe cye bari babi. Uko kwizera ni ko kwatumye arokokana n’abari bagize umuryango we. Nitwigana ukwizera kwa Nowa, natwe tuzarokokana n’abacu. Kimwe na Nowa, nawe ushobora kugendana na Yehova Imana akakubera incuti iteka ryose.