Yeremiya 35
1 Kino kye kigambo kya Mukama ekyajjira Yeremiya mu bufuzi bwa Yekoyakimu kabaka wa Yuda, mutabani wa Yosiya nga kigamba nti,
[Several years earlier, ] when Jehoiakim was the King of Judah, Yahweh gave me this message:
2 “Genda eri ekika eky’Abalekabu obayite bajje mu kimu ku bisenge mu nnyumba ya Mukama obawe envinnyo banywe.”
“Go to the place where families of the Rechab clan live. Invite them to my temple. [When they arrive, ] take them into one of the inside rooms and offer them [some] wine.”
3 Awo ne ntwala Yaazaniya mutabani wa Yeremiya, mutabani wa Kabazziniya ne baganda be ne batabani be bonna, ekika kyonna eky’Abalekabu.
So I went to see Jaazaniah and all his brothers and sons who represented the Rechab clan. Jaazaniah was the son of [another man named] Jeremiah and grandson of Habazziniah.
4 Ne mbayingiza mu nnyumba ya Mukama, mu kisenge kya batabani ba Kanani mutabani wa Igudaliya omusajja wa Katonda. Kyali kiriraanye ekisenge kya bakungu, ekyali waggulu w’ekisenge kya Maaseya mutabani wa Sallumu omukuumi w’oluggi.
I took them to the temple, [and we went] into the room where the sons of Igdaliah’s son Hanan, who was a prophet, stayed. That room was next to the room that was used by the men who were in charge of the entrances to the temple. It was above the room that belonged to Maaseiah, who was the temple gatekeeper and the son of Shallum.
5 Ne nteeka ebibya ebijjudde envinnyo n’ebikopo ebimu mu maaso g’abasajja ab’ennyumba y’Abalekabu ne mbagamba nti, “Munywe ku nvinnyo.”
I set jugs of wine in front of them and urged them to drink some,
6 Naye ne baddamu nti, “Tetujja kunywa nvinnyo kubanga jjajjaffe Yonadabu mutabani wa Lekabu yatulagira nti, ‘Tewabanga n’omu ku mmwe wadde abaana bammwe anywanga envinnyo.
but they refused. They said, “We do not drink wine, because our ancestor Jehonadab, the son of Rechab, commanded us, saying ‘You and your descendants must never drink wine.
7 Era temuzimbanga ennyumba, wadde okusiganga ensigo wadde okusimba emizabbibu; temubanga na bintu bino byonna, naye mubeeranga mu weema zokka. Olwo munaawangaliranga mu nsi gye munaaberangamu.’
And you must not build houses or plant vineyards or [other] crops. Instead, you must always live in tents. If you obey those commands, you all will live for many years in this land.’
8 Twagondera ekiragiro kya jjajjaffe Yonadabu mutabani wa Lekabu kye yatulagira. Ffe wadde bakazi baffe wadde batabani baffe wadde bawala baffe tetunywangako ku nvinnyo,
[So] we have obeyed him in all those matters. We have never drunk wine. Our wives and our sons and our daughters [have also never drunk wine].
9 oba okuzimba ennyumba okusulamu oba okuba n’ennimiro ez’emizabbibu, oba ebibanja oba ebirime.
We have not built houses or planted vineyards or [other] crops or [worked in] fields.
10 Tusula mu weema era tugondedde bulambalamba byonna jjajjaffe Yonadabu bye yatulagira.
We have lived in tents. We have obeyed all the commands that Jehonadab, our ancestor, gave us.
11 Naye Nebukadduneeza kabaka w’e Babulooni bwe yazinda ensi eno ne tugamba nti, ‘Tugende e Yerusaalemi tuwone eggye ery’Abakaludaaya n’ery’Abasuuli,’ kyetuvudde tubeera mu Yerusaalemi.”
But when [the army of] King Nebuchadnezzar attacked this country, we said, ‘We must go to Jerusalem to escape from the armies of Babylonia and Syria.’ So, [we came] to Jerusalem and we are living [here].”
12 Awo ekigambo kya Mukama ne kijjira Yeremiya nti,
Then Yahweh gave this message to me: “This is what [I], the Commander of the armies of angels, the God whom the Israeli [people say that they belong to], say:
13 “Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama ow’Eggye, Katonda wa Isirayiri nti, Genda ogambe abantu ba Yuda n’ab’omu Yerusaalemi nti, ‘Temuyinza kubaako kye muyiga, ne mugondera ebigambo byange?
'Go and tell this to the people in Jerusalem and in [other places in] Judah: “Why do you not [RHQ] listen to me or learn something about how to obey me?
14 Yonadabu mutabani wa Lekabu yalagira batabani be obutanywa nvinnyo n’ekiragiro kino kyakumibwa. Okutuusa ne leero tebanywa nvinnyo, kubanga baagondera etteeka lya jjajjaabwe. Naye njogedde nammwe emirundi mingi, naye temuŋŋondedde.
The Rechab clan still do not drink wine, because their ancestor Jehonadab told them to not do that. [In contrast], I have spoken to you many times, but you refuse to obey me.
15 Emirundi mingi, natuma abaddu bange bonna bannabbi gye muli. Babagamba nti, “Buli omu ku mmwe ateekwa okuva mu makubo ge amabi akyuse ebikolwa bye, muleme kugoberera bakatonda balala okubaweereza, mulyoke mubeere mu nsi gye nabawa ne bajjajjammwe.” Naye temwanfaako wadde okumpuliriza.
Many times I sent prophets to you. They told you, 'Turn away from your wicked behavior, and do things that you should do. Stop worshiping other gods, in order that you will be able to live [peacefully] in this land that I gave to you and your ancestors.' But you would not pay attention to what I said or obey me.
16 Ab’enda ya Yonadabu mutabani wa Lekabu baakuuma ekiragiro jjajjaabwe kye yabalagira, naye abantu bano tebaŋŋondedde.’
The descendants of Jehonadab have obeyed their ancestor, but you have refused to pay attention to what I told you.
17 “Noolwekyo, bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama Katonda ow’Eggye, Katonda wa Isirayiri nti, ‘Muwulirize, ŋŋenda kuleeta ku Yuda ne ku buli muntu yenna atuula mu Yerusaalemi buli kibonoobono kye naboogerako. Nayogera nabo, naye tebampuliriza; nabayita, naye tebanziramu.’”
Therefore, this is what [I], the Commander of the armies of angels, the God whom you Israeli people [say you belong to], say: 'You have refused to listen to me and you did not answer when I called you. Therefore, I will cause the people in Jerusalem and [other places in] Judah to experience all the disasters that I said that I would cause to happen.'” '”
18 Awo Yeremiya n’agamba ennyumba y’Abalekabu nti, “Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama ow’Eggye, Katonda wa Isirayiri nti, ‘Mugondedde ekiragiro kya jjajjaammwe Yonadabu ne mukwata byonna bye yabalagira ne mutuukiriza byonna bye yabagamba.’
Then I turned to the Rechab clan and said, “This is what the Commander of the armies of angels, the God whom [we] Israelis [say we belong to], says: ‘You have obeyed what your ancestor Jehonadab told you. You have obeyed all his instructions.
19 Noolwekyo, bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama ow’Eggye, Katonda wa Isirayiri nti, ‘Yonadabu mutabani wa Lekabu talirema kuba na mwana we alimpeereza.’”
Therefore, this is what I say: “There will always be descendants of Jehonadab who will do work for me.”’”
