Dari Sejarah Alkitab Indonesia
Perjanjian Bharu Bahasa Peranakan terbitan 1913 adalah semata-mata usaha keras W.G. Shellabear yang terdahulunya sudah pun terjemahkan dengan keseluruhan Kitab Perjanjian Bharu, menjadikan kegunaan terusan hingga sekarang.
Perkataan "Peranakan" bererti keturunan yang diperanakkan (kelahiran) di setempat (locality), yang pula ada berkaitan keturunan Tionghoa dari pendatang-pendatang kepada pemerintah Pulau Pinang, Melaka, Singapura (Straits Settlement) dan kepulauan Jawa pada abad ke-17 -- yang menggunakan loghat, atau patois, gabung dengan kata-kata Hokkien, Inggeris, Portugesa, dan Belanda, tanpa tata bahasa dan nahu (gramar) manakala Bahasa "Malay" ialah setulen-tulen Bahasa Baku Kianlah yang disambut dengan baik dan disanjung tinggi satu bahasa yang berhak milik tersendiri, tunggal dan diabadikan (made permanent).
Bagamana pun kegunaan bahasa peranakan semakin mendong, tertumpu saja kepada warga tua, membuat masyarakat itu resah, resap kembali kepada budaya asal dan pulang ke pangku asalnya.
Permintaan Kitab Peranakan kian merosot sehingga ada timbul tanya, penting ka cetak kembali? Ada pula merasa penting membuat demikian, sebab sejak 1950 tiada cetakan semula, dan apa yang ada pada tangan orang sudah pun sangat terpakai dan koyak mementingkan kecetakan semula. Sangatlah diharap dan didoakan agar cetak semula dengan koreksi akan gembirakan masyarakat peranakan dan mendorong pembaca dan pengajaran Kitab Injil sebagai firman Tuhan
LIM K THAM
General Secretary, Bible Society of Singapore
The Baba Malay New Testament was first published in 1913, It owed its existence to the labours of W.G. Shellabear, who had earlier translated the complete Bible in Malay. Since its publicatiin, it had been in continuing use by the Peranakan Christian up to present day.
The term Peranakan literally means 'descendants' or 'locally born' in Malay, and refers to the descendants of Chinese immigrants to the Straits Settlements (which comprised Penang, Malacca, and Singapore) and the Indonesian island of Java in or around the 17th Century.
Baba Malay is, as its name suggest, related to the Malay tongue. However, it is distinct from the latter in that it had incorporated many words from Hokkien, English, Portuguese, and Dutch into its vocabulary. It also has a simpler grammar and word order, having dropped many particles of proper Malay speech. Thus, the view that Baba Malay is properly a language in its own right is not without some basis.
The use of Baba Malay is, sadly, in the wane, being limited to the older members of the Peranakan community. Indeed, the entire community is in serious decline because of the assimilation of their members back into the mainstream Chinese culture. Correspondingly, the demand for Baba Malay scripture had also dwindled. In light of that, why bother to reprint the Baba Malay New Testament?
The reason is simply that there is a real need for it. At the moment, the Baba Malay New Testament is not available anywhere, for since 1950, it had been allowed to go out of print. The extant copies in the churches are worn an torn, and few copies are in private possession. This reprint will ensure an adequate and fresh supply.
We hope and pray this new issue of the Baba Malay New Testament, with corrections made to the text, will be cherished by members of the Peranakan community, and that it will facilitate the regular reading and study of the scripture which is God's Holy Word.
LIM K THAM
General Secretary, Bible Society of Singapore
- Lihat juga: Sejarah Perjanjian Baru Melayu Baba
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