UJeremiya 35

1 Ilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela eNkosini ensukwini zikaJehoyakhimi indodana kaJosiya, inkosi yakoJuda, lisithi:

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah:

2 Yana endlini yamaRekabi, ukhulume lawo, uwalethe endlini yeNkosi kwelinye lamakamelo, uwanathise iwayini.

“Go to the house of the Rechabites, speak to them, and bring them to one of the chambers of the house of the LORD to offer them a drink of wine.”

3 Ngasengithatha uJahazaniya, indodana kaJeremiya, indodana kaHabaziniya, labafowabo, lawo wonke amadodana akhe, lendlu yonke yamaRekabi.

So I took Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah, the son of Habazziniah, and his brothers and all his sons—the entire house of the Rechabites—

4 Ngabaletha endlini yeNkosi, ekamelweni lamadodana kaHanani, indodana kaIgidaliya, umuntu kaNkulunkulu, elaliseduze lekamelo leziphathamandla, elalingaphezu kwekamelo likaMahaseya, indodana kaShaluma, umlindimbundu.

and I brought them into the house of the LORD, to a chamber occupied by the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah, a man of God. This room was near the chamber of the officials, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah son of Shallum the doorkeeper.

5 Ngasengibeka phambi kwamadodana endlu yamaRekabi izimbiza ezigcwele iwayini, lezinkezo, ngathi kibo: Nathani iwayini.

Then I set pitchers full of wine and some cups before the men of the house of the Rechabites, and I said to them, “Drink some wine.”

6 Kodwa bathi: Kasilinathi iwayini, ngoba uJonadabi, indodana kaRekabi, ubaba, wasilaya esithi: Linganathi iwayini, lina labantwana benu, kuze kube nininini.

“We do not drink wine,” they replied, “for our forefather Jonadab son of Rechab commanded us, ‘Neither you nor your descendants are ever to drink wine.

7 Njalo lingakhi izindlu, lingahlanyeli inhlanyelo, lingahlanyeli izivini, lingabi lazo; kodwa lihlale emathenteni zonke insuku zenu, ukuze liphile insuku ezinengi ebusweni bomhlaba lapho elihlala khona njengabezizwe.

Nor are you ever to build a house or sow seed or plant a vineyard. Those things are not for you. Instead, you must live in tents all your lives, so that you may live a long time in the land where you wander.’

8 Ngakho salilalela ilizwi likaJonadabi, indodana kaRekabi, ubaba, kukho konke asilaya ngakho, ukuthi singanathi iwayini zonke insuku zethu, thina, omkethu, amadodana ethu, lamadodakazi ethu;

And we have obeyed the voice of our forefather Jonadab son of Rechab in all he commanded us. So we have not drunk wine all our lives—neither we nor our wives nor our sons and daughters.

9 lokuthi singakhi izindlu zokuhlala kwethu; njalo singabi lesivini kumbe insimu kumbe inhlanyelo;

Nor have we built houses in which to live, and we have not owned any vineyards or fields or crops.

10 kodwa sihlala emathenteni, silalele senze njengakho konke uJonadabi ubaba asilaya khona.

But we have lived in tents and have obeyed and done exactly as our forefather Jonadab commanded us.

11 Kodwa kwathi lapho uNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni esenyukela elizweni, sathi: Wozani siye eJerusalema ngenxa yebutho lamaKhaladiya langenxa yebutho lamaSiriya. Sasesihlala eJerusalema.

So when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched into the land, we said: ‘Come, let us go into Jerusalem to escape the armies of the Chaldeans and the Arameans.’ So we have remained in Jerusalem.”

12 Laselifika ilizwi leNkosi kuJeremiya lisithi:

Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah:

13 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Hamba uthi ebantwini bakoJuda lakwabahlali beJerusalema: Kaliyikwemukela yini ukulaywa ukuthi lilalele amazwi ami? itsho iNkosi.

“This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: Go and tell the men of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem: ‘Will you not accept discipline and obey My words?’ declares the LORD.

14 Aqiniswa amazwi kaJonadabi, indodana kaRekabi, awalaya abantwana bakhe ukuthi banganathi iwayini; ngoba kabalinathanga kuze kube lamuhla, ngoba bawulalele umlayo kayise. Lami ngikhulumile kini ngivuke ngovivi ngikhuluma, kodwa kalingilalelanga.

The words of Jonadab son of Rechab have been carried out. He commanded his sons not to drink wine, and they have not drunk it to this very day because they have obeyed the command of their forefather. But I have spoken to you again and again, and you have not obeyed Me!

15 Futhi ngithume kini zonke inceku zami abaprofethi, ngivuka ngovivi ngibathuma, ngisithi: Ake liphenduke, ngulowo lalowo endleleni yakhe embi, lenze izenzo zenu zibe zinhle, lingalandeli abanye onkulunkulu ukuthi libakhonze, ukuze lihlale elizweni engalinika lina laboyihlo. Kodwa kalibekanga indlebe yenu, kalilalelanga kimi.

Again and again I have sent you all My servants the prophets, proclaiming: ‘Turn now, each of you, from your wicked ways, and correct your actions. Do not go after other gods to serve them. Live in the land that I have given to you and your fathers.’ But you have not inclined your ear or listened to Me.

16 Ngoba amadodana kaJonadabi, indodana kaRekabi, awuqinisile umlayo kayise awalaya wona, kodwa lababantu kabangilaleli,

Yes, the sons of Jonadab son of Rechab carried out the command their forefather gave them, but these people have not listened to Me.

17 ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi, uNkulunkulu wamabandla, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Khangelani, ngizakwehlisela phezu kukaJuda laphezu kwabakhileyo bonke beJerusalema bonke ububi engibukhulume ngabo; ngoba ngikhulumile kibo, kodwa kabalalelanga, ngibabizile, kodwa kabaphendulanga.

Therefore this is what the LORD God of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘Behold, I will bring to Judah and to all the residents of Jerusalem all the disaster I have pronounced against them, because I have spoken to them but they have not obeyed, and I have called to them but they have not answered.’”

18 Lakuyo indlu yamaRekabi uJeremiya wathi: Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Ngenxa yokuthi lilalele umlayo kaJonadabi uyihlo, lagcina yonke imilayo yakhe, lenza njengakho konke alilaya khona,

Then Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites: “This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘Because you have obeyed the command of your forefather Jonadab and have kept all his commandments and have done all that he charged you to do,

19 ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Kakuyikuqunywa muntu kuJonadabi indodana kaRekabi oma phambi kwami insuku zonke.

this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: Jonadab son of Rechab will never fail to have a man to stand before Me.’”