UJeremiya 35
1 Leli yilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela kuThixo ekubuseni kukaJehoyakhimi indodana kaJosiya inkosi yakoJuda, elathi,
The word that came to Jeremias from the Lord in the days of Joakim the son of Josias king of Juda, saying:
2 “Yana endlini yamaRekhabi uwabize ukuba eze kwelinye lamakamelo endlu kaThixo uwanike iwayini anathe.”
Go to the house of the Rechabites: and speak to them, and bring them into the house of the Lord, into one of the chambers of the treasures, and thou shalt give them wine to drink.
3 Ngakho ngayathatha uJazaniya indodana kaJeremiya, indodana kaHabhaziniya, labafowabo kanye lamadodana akhe wonke lomuzi wonke wamaRekhabi.
And I took Jezonias the son of Jeremias the son of Habsanias, and his brethren, and all his sons, and the whole house of the Rechabites.
4 Ngabasa endlini kaThixo, ekamelweni lamadodana kaHanani indoda ka-Igidaliya umuntu kaNkulunkulu. Laliseduze lekamelo lezikhulu elalingaphezu kwelikaMaseya indodana kaShalumi umlindi wesango.
And I brought them into the house of the Lord, to the treasure house of the sons of Hanan, the son of Jegedelias the man of God, which was by the treasure house of the princes, above the treasure of Maasias the son of Sellum, who was keeper of the entry.
5 Emva kwalokho ngabeka imiganu eyayigcwele iwayini lezinkezo phambi kwabantu bomndeni wamaRekhabi, ngathi kubo, “Nathani iwayini.”
And I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites pots full of wine, and cups: and I said to them: Drink ye wine.
6 Kodwa bona baphendula bathi, “Iwayini kasilinathi ngoba ukhokho wethu uJehonadabi indodana kaRekhabi wasinika umlayo lo othi: ‘Lina loba inzalo yenu akumelanga linathe iwayini.
And they answered: We will not drink wine: because Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying: You shall drink no wine, neither you, nor your children, for ever:
7 Njalo lingakhi zindlu, lingahlanyeli kumbe lilime izivini; lingabi lokunye kwalezizinto, kodwa kumele lihlale emathenteni kokuphela. Ngalokho lizaphila isikhathi eside elizweni elizinzulane kulo.’
Neither shall ye build houses, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyards, nor have any: but you shall dwell in tents all your days, that you may live many days upon the face of the earth, in which you are strangers.
8 Sakulalela konke ukhokho wethu uJehonadabi indodana kaRekhabi asilaya khona. Thina labomkethu lamadodana ethu kanye lamadodakazi ethu asikaze silinathe iwayini,
Therefore we have obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all things that he commanded us: so as to drink no wine all our days: neither we, nor our wives, nor our sons, nor our daughters:
9 kumbe sakhe izindlu zokuhlala kuzo loba sibe lezivini, amasimu kumbe amabele.
Nor to build houses to dwell in, nor to have vineyard, or field, or seed:
10 Sihlala emathenteni njalo siyakulalela konke ukhokho wethu uJehonadabi asilaya khona.
But we have dwelt in tents, and have been obedient according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us.
11 Kodwa ekuhlaseleni kukaNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni ilizwe leli, sathi, ‘Wozani siye eJerusalema sibalekele amabutho amaKhaladiya kanye lawama-Aramu.’ Sahlala kanjalo eJerusalema.”
But when Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon came up to our land, we said: Come, let us go into Jerusalem from the face of the army of the Chaldeans, and from the face of the army of Syria: and we have remained in Jerusalem.
12 Ilizwi likaThixo laselifika kuJeremiya lisithi:
And the word of the Lord came to Jeremias, saying:
13 “UThixo uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Hamba uyetshela abantu bakoJuda labahlala eJerusalema ukuthi, ‘Kalifundi sifundo lilalele amazwi ami na?’ kutsho uThixo.
Thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel: Go, and say to the men of Juda, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem: Will you not receive instruction, to obey my words, saith the Lord?
14 ‘UJehonadabi indodana kaRekhabi walaya amadodana akhe ukuba anganathi iwayini, njalo umlayo lo wagcinwa. Kuze kube lamhla iwayini kabalinathi ngoba balalela umlayo kakhokho wabo. Kodwa mina sengakhuluma lani njalonjalo, kodwa kalingilalelanga.
The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, by which he commanded his sons not to drink wine, have prevailed: and they have drunk none to this day, because they have obeyed the commandment of their father: but I have spoken to you, rising early and speaking, and you have not obeyed me.
15 Ngathuma izinceku zami abaphrofethi kini kanenginengi. Bathi, “Ngamunye wenu kumele liphenduke ezindleleni zenu ezimbi lilungise lezenzo zenu; lingalandeli abanye onkulunkulu ukuba libakhonze. Ngalokho lizahlala elizweni engalipha lona lina labokhokho benu.” Kodwa kalinakanga, njalo kalingilalelanga.
And I have sent to you all my servants the prophets, rising early, and sending and saying: Return ye every man from his wicked way, and make your ways good: and follow not strange gods, nor worship them, and you shall dwell in the land, which I gave you and your fathers: and you have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened to me.
16 Inzalo kaJehonadabi indodana kaRekhabi iwulandele umlayo eyawuphiwa ngukhokho wayo, kodwa abantu laba mina kabangilalelanga.’
So the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have constantly kept the commandment of their father, which he commanded them: but this people hath not obeyed me.
17 Ngakho uThixo, uNkulunkulu uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi; ‘Lalelani, ngizakwehlisela phezu kukaJuda laphezu komuntu wonke ohlala eJerusalema wonke umonakalo engabathembisa wona. Ngabatshela, kodwa kabalalelanga; ngababiza, kodwa kabasabelanga.’”
Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel: Behold I will bring upon Juda, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them, because I have spoken to them, and they have not heard: I have called to them, and they have not answered me.
18 UJeremiya wasesithi kwabomndeni wamaRekhabi, “UThixo uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi, ‘Liwulalele umlayo kakhokho wenu uJehonadabi layilandela yonke imfundiso yakhe njalo lenza konke alilaya khona.’
And Jeremias said to the house of the Rechabites: Thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel: Because you have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and have kept all his precepts, and have done all that he commanded you:
19 Ngakho uThixo uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: ‘UJehonadabi indodana kaRekhabi kayikuswela umuntu wokungikhonza.’”
Therefore thus saith the Lord of host the God of Israel: There shall not be wanting a man of the race of Jonadab the son of Rechab, standing before me for ever.
