István Küzmics

The first issue of the Nouvi Zákon.

István Küzmics (1723 – December 22 1779) was a Slovene writer, translator, Evangelic priest in Hungary. Küzmics in the Prekmurian language (this is the regional variant of the Slovene language in the Prekmurje and West-Hungary) the New Testament with title Nouvi Zákon.

Quotes

• Who will disallow those Slovenes who live between the Mura and the Raba the right to translate these holy books into the language, in which they understand God talking to them through prophets and apostles' letters? God tells them too to read these books in order to get prepared for salvation in the faith of Jesus Christ. But they cannot receive this from Trubar's, Dalmatin's, Francel's, or other translations (versio). The language of our Hungarian Slovenes is different from other languages and unique in its own characteristics. Already in the aforementioned translations there are differences. Therefore, a man had to come who would translate the Bible and bring praise for God and salvation for his nation. God encouraged István Küzmics for this work, a priest from Surd, who translated – with the help of the Holy Spirit and with great diligence – the whole New Testament from Greek into the language you are reading and hearing. With the help (and expenses) of many religious souls, the Holy Bible was printed and given to you for the same reason Küzmics prepared Vöre Krsztsánszke krátki návuk, which was printed in 1754.
  • Sto de tak kráto naſim med Mürom i Rábom prebívajoucſim ſzlovenom tè ſz. Bo'ze knige na ſzvoj jezik, po ſterom ſzamom li vu ſzvoji Prorokov i Apoſtolov píſzmaj gucsécsega Bogà razmijo, obracsati? geto je nyim zapovidáva Goſzpodin Boug ſteti; da je moudre vcſiníjo na zvelicſanye po vöri vu Jezuſi Kriſztuſi; tou pa ni ſzTruberovòga, ni Dalmatinovoga, ni Frenczelovoga, niti znikakſega drügoga obracsanya (verſio) csakati ne morejo. Ár tej naſ Vogrſzki ſzlovenov jezik od vſzej drügi doſzta tühoga i ſzebi laſztvinoga mà. Kakti i vu naprek zracsúnani ſze veliki rázlocsek nahája. Zâto je potrejbno bilou tákſemi csloveki naprej ſztoupiti: kíbi vetom delao Bougi na díko ‘a’ ſzvojemi národi pa na zvelicsanye. Liki je i Goſzpodin Boug na tou nadigno Stevan Küzmicsa Surdánſzkoga Farara: kí je zGrcskoga pouleg premoucſi i pomáganya Dühà ſzvétoga zvelikom gyedrnoſztjom na ete, kákſega ſtés i csüjes, jezik czejli Nouvi Zákon obrnyeni i ſztroskom vnougi vörni düsícz vö zoſtámpani i tebi rávno tak za toga zroka, za ſteroga volo ti je 'z pred temtoga od nyega ſzprávleni Vöre Krſztsánſzke Krátki Návuk.Foreword of the Nouvi Zákon
• Vi szte szol zemlé: csi sze szol szkvari, sz kim sze bode solila? Nika ne valá vecs: nego da sz vő vr'ze, i szklácsi od lüdi. Vi szte szvetloszt etoga szvêta. Nemore meszto szkrito bidti, stero je na velikom brêgi polo'zeno. Niti ne vu'zgéjo poszvêta: naj ga pod korcz denejo: nego v poszvecsnyek, i szvêti vszêm, ki szo v hi'zi. Tak sze naj szvêti szvetloszt vasa pred lüdmi: da vidijo vasa dobra dela, i dicsijo Ocso vasega, ki je vu nebészaj.The Gospel of Saint Matthew: Salt and light. Nôvi Zákon (1848), rework Sándor Terplán.
  • Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

References

• Predgovor. Nouvi Zákon Stevan Küzmics, Pokrajinska in študijska knjižnica Murska Sobota 2008. Edit: Franc Kuzmič; Translations: in English Peter Lamovec; in Hungarian: Gabriella Bence; in Slovene: Mihael Kuzmič ISBN 978-961-6579-04-9.