ANGEL THIANGHLIMTE SAK VE THEIH LOH HLA CHU!

Khawvela Kristian-te hla (hymns) zinga mite ngainat, lawm leh sak hlawh ber pawl, lar lamah pawh “a ber” a kai hial ang a tih ngam tur “Amazing Grace” (Khawngaihna mak, mawi leh duhawm) tih hla hi ka duh ṭhin em avangin mahni phâk ang tâwk tâwkin ka ṭhet darh a. A chhunga a awmze lairil ber chai chhuah hrâm tumin ka ching let ka ching let ve ṭhin. A mawina leh a ropuina piah lamah a phuahtu rilru hi eng ang nge ni ang tih leh a phuahtu John Newton tak pawh chu eng ang mi nge a nih chiah tih te hi ka ngaihtuah ve fo ṭhin. Heti tak maia Pathian khawngaihna hmu fuh a, chawi vâwng thiam, mahni insit ngawih ngawiha “kei ang mi hnaisai lo (a wretched like me)” han inti duh hial mihring chu a chanchin ka hre châk a. Ka theih ang tawkin ka chhui ta a, chanchin zawng a lo nei ngaihnawm nangiang mai.

A chanchin chipchiara sawi dawn chuan sawi tur tam tak a awm avangin he a hlaphuah ropui tak lo pian dan leh a chhehvel thu ṭhenkhat sawi pahin ama chanchin chu kan kalpah thuak chauh dawn a ni.

He kristiante hla chuam kum 1779-a phuahtu John Newton (1725 - 1807) hi kum 7 mi vel lek a nih laiin a nu-in a thihsan a. Zirna in pangngaia lehkha rei lo tê a zir hnu-ah, kum 11 mi ṭawn a nihin zirna tluang pangngai (formal education) chawlhsanin a pa lawng enkawlah hna a thawk ve ṭan a. A tleirawl chhuah leh tlangval a hriat chhoh hun chhunga a nun khaikhawmna tur ṭawngkam zawng dawn ila “hleihluaka nawmsipbâwlna leh thu awih lohna nun” tih hian a phawk ber awm e.

Mi chi tin chi tang hnuaiah lawng hrang hrangah a thawk kual lâwp lâwp a. African khawthlang tuipui kama thliarkar hrang hrangah sumdawng veivakte hnena hralh turin sal a vai khâwm ṭhin a. Chuti anga hun engemaw chen a beih hnu chuan ama pualin sal lawng a enkawl a ve ta a. Sala hralh tura mihângho vawkte mana man khawm a, hralh a, West Indies leh America ram vela han tawlh thlak chu a nunrawnthlak dan leh a nunchhiatthlak dan sawi kher a ngai lo vang.

Chuti anga sumdawnga khawvel hmun hrang hrang a thên tawn vel lai chuan Africa aṭanga England-a a haw kawngah thlipui hrohrang na zetin a nuai ta chiam mai a. Ni dangah pawh vawi duai lo tuifawn sang tak tak leh thlipui na tak takin a nuai chamchi tawh ṭhin. Hemi ṭuma mi tluka amah timangang leh tirâlkhel hi a la tawng ngai lo. A lawng, a bungrua, a innghahna zawng zawng leh ama nunna chena chân thei mai dinhmuna a han din takah chuan a thlabar nasa ta mai a. Hemi ṭum hian thi lo aruangin an chhuak ve hram a ni.

A hmaa uphuk lungmuana lo tâwngpâwng lungmuan ve ngawt ṭhin kha, amah ngeiin a hnua hlaa a sawi ang hian Pathian khawngaihna chuan hlauhna chang hriat a zirtir ta a ('Twas grace that taught my heart to fear). Pathian lampang ngaihsakna rilru pu-in, Pathian thu lamhawi lehkhabu te a chhiar a. Thomas a Kempis-a lehkhabu Imitation of Christ tih a chhiar leh tuipuia hlauhawm a tawnte chu Thlarau Thianghlimin hmanruaah hmangin Newton-a thinlungah chi ṭha a tuh a, chumi zarah chuan Krista chu a chhandamtu-ah pawmin a nun chu tihdanglamin a lo awm ta a. Hlauh nachang hriat zirtirtu khawngaihna vek khan chu a hlauhna chu a hnehsak ta a ni (And grace my fears relieved). A rin tirh darkarah Khawngaihna lo hlutzia chiang takin a hmu a, a hnu lehzelah pawh, “How precious did that grace appear/ The hour I first believed!” tiin sawi nuam a la ti em em mai a ni.

A pianthar hnu pawh hian hun engemaw chen chu sal phur lawng enkawltu Captain hna chu a thawk chhunzawm zel a. A thiltih chu dik zânin hre lo mah se mahni inthiam chawp nan kawng hrang hrangin hma a la ve bap bap a. Hralh tura a sal man khawmte duat zawkin a enkawl a. Pathianni apiangin an zinga mi 30 zel tan inkhawmna hun te a siamsak a. Hetianga a han tih pawh hian rilru chhungril takah amah leh amah a inthiam thei hlawl lo va. A mihringpui, Pathianin Ama anpuia a siamte ran anga tawlha han hralh vel chu a nunrawnthlak a ti telh telh a. A eizawnna chu bansan a duh ta a. England-ah kirin a tlangval chhuah hlim aṭanga a lo ngaihzawn tawh Mary Catlett chu kum 1750-ah nupuiah neiin chhungkua a dinpui a. A hnu kum 9 chhung chu Liverpool port-ah clerk hna a thawk zui ta a ni.

Hetih hun lai hian nasa taka chanchinṭha hril tura Pathian kohna a dawng a. A theih ang tawka ṭhahnem ngaiin rawngbawl turin a inbuatsaih a. A hunlaia evangelist lar tak tak George Whitefield leh John Wesley-a te unau rawngbawlna-in nasa takin amah a kaihhruai a, rawngbawl tura a inbuatsaihnaah a pui a ni.

Kum 39 mi a nihin Anglican Kohhran chuan rawngbawltu-ah a nemnghet a. Khaw te tak tê Olney-ah pastor hna chu a thawk ṭan a ni. A hnu kum 15 chhung (1764 - 1799) hi a rawngbawlna huvâng neih nasat lai leh rah a chhuah hnem ber lai a ni hial awm e.

Ama chanchin, a nunhlui te, a nun a inthlak danglam tak thute hi a thusawiah chuan mite hnehtu leh an nun khawihtu ber a nih avangin a telh âwl lo va.

Ama kohhran enkawlah chauh rawngbawl lovin, a hun laia Anglican rawngbawltute chin ngaih loh dan deuhin an khua leh a chhehvela puipunna hmun remchang apiangah vantlang inkhawm buatsaihin rawng a bawl ṭhin a ni. “Sal lawng captain ṭhin piangthar ta” thusawi ngaithla turin mipui, hmun hla tak tak aṭang tein an fuankhawm ruih ruih ṭhin.

A hun laia rawngbawltu dangte aia a kal fawr lehna pakhat chu a enkawl lai Olney Kohhranah khan Anglican kohhran danga an hlabu hman
ṭhin Sternhold and Hopkins Psalter chauh hman chu duhkhawp lovin Pathian hla chi dang dang a la lut a. Hla awmsate a tawngkhawp lo zel a, amahin phuah a ching chho ta a. He a thiltiha a phungbawm atan a ṭhenawm hnaia a ṭhianpa, thu leh hla khawvela hming lo chher tawh William Cowper chu a sawm a. An pahniha thawhrimna zarah hian kum 1779 khan hla 349 zet chuanna Olney Hymns hlabu an tichhuak ta a. Chu’ng zingah chuan vawiin thlenga khawvel dâpchhuak zo hla “Amazing Grace” hi a tel a ni.

A hmaa sal hmanga ei zawng ṭhin khan sal zalenna chu mut mawh hnar mawhah neiin theihtawpin a tlangaupui a. Mahni mihringpuite hnuaichhiah ṭhin khan an zalenna turin thithunamin tha a thawh ta zawk a. Politics lama hruaitu hmingthang tak tak William Wilberforce te angte nen inkungkaihna ṭha tak siamin sal chhuah zalenna turin beihpui an thlak tlang a. Kum 1807-a John Newton-a kum 82 mi ni a a thih kum khan British Parliament chuan a lalram chhung zawng zawngah sal chhuahna thu a puang ta hial a nih kha.

A thih ni thleng khan John Newton hian a nuna danglamna nasa tak thlentirtu Pathian Khawngaihna hi mak a titâwp thei lo va. A damchhungin Pathian khawngaihna mak, mawi leh duhawm, ani ang sual riangvai chhandamtu hi a hmuh hmaih thei tawh ngai hek lo. A tlakna khuarkhurum thuk tak aṭanga chawi chhuak a, a mit mentirtu khawngaihna hi a chaw tui ber pakhat a ni reng a ni.

A hla phuah zingah khan John Newton-a nun pumpui phawrchhuak zo ber thlang dawn ila inngaihtuah nawn ngai hauh lovin “Amazing Grace” kha a thur chhuah ngam ang. He hla hi chang ruk neia a phuah a ni a, a hla thupuiah pawh “Rinna thlirlêtna leh beiseina” tiin a vuah a. Bible chang 1 Chro 17:16,17 nghenchhana a phuah a ni. Lal Davida’n, "Aw, LALPA Pathian, tu nge maw ka nih a, ka chhûngte pawh tu nge maw an nih a, heti chen chen mi hruai?" tia a zawhna kha ani pawhin a zawt âwl lo mai a. Khati taka a lo tâl khaw lo tawh chung pawha him tak maia thawhrim, thlemna, hlauhawm kara thui tak hruaia a awm kha mak a ti em a, khawngaihna - phu loh duhsakna - tih chauh lo chuan sawi ngaihna a hre lo va, “'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,

And grace will lead me home.” a ti thlawt a ni. Ni e, khawngaihna mak tak kha a ni Newton-a kha chen him taka hruaia, Van In thlenga hruaitu chu.

Tuna khawvela kristian hlabu hrang hranga an telh ngai mang loh, a tira Newton-a phuah tel si chang thumte chu:

“The Lord has promised good to me,

His word my hope secures;

He will my shield and portion be

As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,

And mortal life shall cease,

I shall possess, within the veil,

A life of joy and peace.

The world shall soon dissolve like snow,

The sun refuse to shine;

But God, who called me here below,

Shall be forever mine.” tih te hi a ni.

He hla thluk hi a inziahna hrang hrangah chuan American folk melody, huana an sal chhawrho hla thluk “Loving Lamb” an tih mai a ni tiin an ziak a. He hla thluk an chhut chhuah hmasak berna ni a lang chu James P. Carrell leh David S. Clayton te hla bu buatsaih kum 1831-a chhuah Virginia Harmony tih kha a ni. He hla thluk hi a nihna tak takah chuan a phuahtu tak hriat theih a ni tawh lo. Chuvang chuan hlabu tihtlak deuh chinah chuan “Amazing Grace Phuahtu: John Newton, A thlûk: Hriat loh” tih hian a inchhu deuh zel a ni. A thluk hi West African-ho lungngaih zai (sorrow chant) nen hian a inzul em em mai a. John Newton-a sal phur lawng Captain a nih lai khan a sal man khawmte’n rum nghut nghut chunga lawng kar paha an sak
ṭhin kha John Newton-a bengah khan a thi thei lo vang a, “Amazing Grace” thluk atan hian a hmang ta a ni ang tih hi mi tam tak ngaihdan a ni. Ni e, khawngawihna mak chuan sal mantu ni ṭhin kha sal chhuahtu-ah a chantir a, mit del khan khua a hmuh phah ta miau mai a nih kha!

“Negro spiritual hla tam ber hi piano-a a fang dum (black notes) hmanga phuah a ni e," an ti
ṭhin, chuvangin he “pentatonic scale” hi “slave scale” an ti hial ṭhin. He hla pawh hi chuti ang tho va rem chhuah theih chu a ni. Chuvangin he hla thluk hi sal mihang tu emaw phuah ngei a nih chu a rinhlelhawm loh. Zaithiam lar Wintley Phipps chuan a rawngbawlnaah, “He hla hi Pathianin a duh dan ang thlapa a phuahtir a nih ka ring a ni. Sal hmanga sumdawngin sal hla thluk ringa Amazing Grace a phuah hi. Mi hang emaw mi ngo emaw, sal emaw, zalen emaw mi zawng zawng hi Pathian khawngaihna makina a phuar khawm vek kan ni a, tumah khawngaihna mitah chuan kan danglam lo. Vanram ka thlen hun chuan Abrahama leh Isaka te ho ai mahin Amazing Grace hla thluk phuahtu sal, a hming Hriatlohva hi hmuh hmasak ka duh a ni,” tiin a sawi hial a ni.

Pathian khawngaihna fak ning thei ngai lotu John Newton-a innghahna ber chu Vanrama nî anga kan ên hunah kum sang sawm pawh Pathian khawngaihna hla hi sa mah ila, kan sak ṭantirh lai aia sakna hun kan nei tlem chuang lo tur hi a ni:

“When we've been there ten thousand years,

Bright shining as the sun,

We've no less days to sing God's praise

Than when we'd first begun.”

He hla Mizo ṭawnga ṭha pangngai taka letlingtu hi Rev Dr RK Nghakliana (1929 - 1985) a ni a, he hla hi Kristian Hla Bu no. 432-ah a chuang a ni.

Hla phuahtu pakhat chuan a hla-ah “Angel thianghlimte sak ve theih loh hla chu Khawngaihna mak, mawi leh duhawm hi a ni,” tiin a lo phuah chhuak tawh a. He hla hi eng vanga angel thianghlimte’na sa ve thei lo nge an nih? tih zawhna hi rilruah a lo awm nghal a. Bawhchhiatna avanga Pathian nena leng dun thei tawh lo, ama laka mi hrang lo ni ta, Pathian nena inzawmna chat fithla hmak tawh mihringte Pathian khawngaihna avang chauha fa dinhmun luah leh ta tan lo chuan he hla hi tih takzeta sak ve theih ni nghal lo. Pathian khawngaihna avanga rinna hmanga chhandam mihring ni ve lo, bawhchhiatna suala tlu ve lo angel thianghlimte tan chuan, “Khawngaihna mak, mawi leh duhawm,” tih hla hian eng nge awmzia a neih ve tehlul reng ang ni!

He khawngaihna hla hian a thlen chin apiangah mite thinlung ram a la duai duai zel a. Khawngaihna châka rilṭam tuihal khawvel hmaa Pathian khawngaihna mak a lo lan meuh chuan khawvel hi a reh duk mai ṭhin zu ni a!

Amazing Grace

Words: John Newton, 1779 (stanzas 1-6);

Music: From Carrell & Clayton’s “Virginia Harmony” 1831

Tune name: Amazing Grace

Meter: CM (86.86)

Scripture reference: 1 Chro 17:16,17