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    The Book of Common Prayer (1662)
in Zulu

 

Zulu (also known as isiZulu) is one of the major languages of South Africa, an official language of that country and spoken as a first language by nearly 10,000,000 people in the eastern part of the country (primarily in kwaZulu-Natal Province). Zulu is a Bantu language, very closely related to Xhosa (as may be seen in the Xhosa BCP). A distinctive feature of South African Bantu languages are a series of "clicks"; these are indicated in writing using the letters c, q, and x for the different types of clicks.

The Book of Common Prayer has since gone through over a dozen editions in Zulu, of both the 1662 English BCP (presented here) and also the more recent South African BCP's. The BCP was first translated into Zulu in 1856 and was one of the earlier printed works in that language. This translation, presented here, was done by John William Colenso (1814-1883), the first Anglican Bishop of Natal. Colenso’s subsequent Zulu-language publications included a grammar and dictionary. Bishop Colenso is probably more famous for his unorthodox (for the time) theological views and subsequent refusal to resign his post, which resulted in the calling of the first Lambeth Conference in 1867. Several of his writings are online, thanks to Project Canterbury. The 1856 text is listed as 199:1 in David Griffiths' Bibliography of the Book of Common Prayer.

The other text given here was printed by the SPCK in 1915 and likely was a revision of a translation by Henry Calloway, one of the prominent missionaries in South Africa. It includes nearly the whole 1662 BCP. It appears as 199:9 in David Griffiths' Bibliography of the Book of Common Prayer
 


 

title page, 1856 Zulu BCP

title page, 1915 Zulu BCP

1856

 

CHURCH OF ENGLAND MISSIONS.

 

INCWADI YOKUKULEKA

JENGA-SO ISIMISO

SEBANHLA LAS’ENGLAND.

 

EMGUNGUNHLOVU:
MAY AND DAVIS.
1856.

 


 

1915

INCWADI YOKUTANDAZA EBANDHLENI

NEYOKWENZA AMASAKRAMENTE
NEZINYE IZINKONZO ZECHURCH
NJENGOKUMISIWE KULO
I CHURCH OF ENGLAND

KANYE NAMAHHUBO KA DAVID

ELUNGISELWE UKUHLATSHELELWA
NOMA UKUTSHIWO
EZINDHLINI ZESONTO

KANYE NESIMO NENDHLELA YOKUBEKA ABADIAKONI NOKUMISA ABAPRISTI

NGOKWESIZULU

 

[THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER IN THE ZULU LANGUAGE]

SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE
LONDON: NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE, W.C.
1915


 

Contents

Ukukuleka Kwemihla
  Daily Prayer
ILitany
  Litany
Izicelo
  Collects (for Sundays)
Psalms 1, 8, 15, 19, 23, 24, 33, 34, 36, 37, 65, 67, 84, 90, 95, 96, 97, 98, 100, 103, 104, 107, 111, 119, 145, 147, 148
Hymns
 

Thanks are due to Richard Mammana, who transcribed the 1856 text, and to Thomas Rae, who provided a copy of the book.
 

Bp. Colenso
Bishop Colenso

 

OKUSENCWADINI

1. PROPER LESSONS
2. PROPER PSALMS
3. CALENDAR
4. IZINSUKU EZINGMELE NEZAMAVIGIL, NEZOKUZITIBA EKUDHLENI NEZOKUZILA
5 NGENKONZO YABAFUNDISI
6. INKONZO YAKUSASA
    Morning Prayer
7. INKONZO YANTAMBAMA
    Evening Prayer
8. ISIVUMO SOKOLO ESITIWA ESIKA SAINT ATHANASIUS
    Athanasian Creed

9. ILITANY
    Litany
10. IMITANDAZO YOKUCELA NEYOKUBONGA YEZIKATI
EZITILE

    Prayers & Thanksgivings
11. AMAKOLEKTA, NAMAPISTOLA, NAMAVANGELI
    Collects, Epistles & Gospels
12. INKONZO YOKWENZA ISIDHLO SENKOSI
    Holy Communion
13. INKONZO YOKUBAPATIZA IZINGANE EYOKWENZIWA
EN
DHLINI YESONTO
    Public Baptism of Infants
14. INKONZO YOKUBAPATIZA IZINGANE EMAKAYA
    Private Baptism of Infants
15. INKONZO YOKUBAPATIZA ABANTU ABAKULILEYO
    Baptism of those of Riper Years
16. IKATEKISMA
    Catechism
17. INKONZO YOKUQINISA
    Confirmation
18. INKONZO YOKUTSHADISA ABANTU
    Marriage
19. INKONZO YOKUHAMBELA ABAGULAYO
    Visitation of the Sick
20. INKONZO YOKUBENZELA ABAGULAYO ISIDHLO SENKOSI
    Communion of the Sick
21. INKONZO YOKUMBELA ABAFILEYO
    Burial
22. INKONZO YOKUBONGA KWABESIFAZANE ABASANDUKUBELETA
    Churching of Women
23. ISISONGELO
    Commination
24. AMAHHUBO KADAVID
    Psalter
25. INKONZO YOKUBEKA ABADIAKONI
    Ordination of Deacons
26. INKONZO YOKUMISA ABAPRISTI
    Ordination of Priests

Download the entire book as PDF graphics.

 

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