UJeremiya 35
1 Ilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela eNkosini ensukwini zikaJehoyakhimi indodana kaJosiya, inkosi yakoJuda, lisithi:
The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the days of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, the king of Judah, saying:
2 Yana endlini yamaRekabi, ukhulume lawo, uwalethe endlini yeNkosi kwelinye lamakamelo, uwanathise iwayini.
“Go to the house of the Rechabites, and speak to them, and lead them into the house of the Lord, into one of the halls of the treasuries. And you shall give them wine to drink.”
3 Ngasengithatha uJahazaniya, indodana kaJeremiya, indodana kaHabaziniya, labafowabo, lawo wonke amadodana akhe, lendlu yonke yamaRekabi.
And so I took Jaazaniah, the son of Jeremiah, the son of Habazziniah, and his brothers, and all his sons, and 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 led them into the house of the Lord, to the treasury of the sons of Hanan, the son of Igdaliah, a man of God, which was near the treasury of the princes, above the storehouse of Maaseiah, the son of Shallum, who was the guardian of the entrance.
5 Ngasengibeka phambi kwamadodana endlu yamaRekabi izimbiza ezigcwele iwayini, lezinkezo, ngathi kibo: Nathani iwayini.
And I placed before the sons of the house of the Rechabites bowls filled with wine, and chalices. And I said to them, “Drink wine.”
6 Kodwa bathi: Kasilinathi iwayini, ngoba uJonadabi, indodana kaRekabi, ubaba, wasilaya esithi: Linganathi iwayini, lina labantwana benu, kuze kube nininini.
And they responded: “We will not drink wine. For Jonadab, the son of Rechab, our father, instructed us, saying: ‘You shall not drink wine, you and your sons, in perpetuity.
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.
And you shall not build houses, and you shall not sow any seeds, and you shall not plant or have vineyards. Instead, you shall live in tents all your days, so that you may live many days upon the face of the earth, in which you are sojourners.’
8 Ngakho salilalela ilizwi likaJonadabi, indodana kaRekabi, ubaba, kukho konke asilaya ngakho, ukuthi singanathi iwayini zonke insuku zethu, thina, omkethu, amadodana ethu, lamadodakazi ethu;
Therefore, we have obeyed the voice of Jonadab, the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he has commanded us, so that we do not drink wine all our days, we and our wives, our sons and daughters.
9 lokuthi singakhi izindlu zokuhlala kwethu; njalo singabi lesivini kumbe insimu kumbe inhlanyelo;
And we do not build houses in which to live. And we do not have vineyard, or field, or seed to sow.
10 kodwa sihlala emathenteni, silalele senze njengakho konke uJonadabi ubaba asilaya khona.
Instead, we live in tents, and we have been obedient in accord with all that Jonadab, our father, has instructed us.
11 Kodwa kwathi lapho uNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni esenyukela elizweni, sathi: Wozani siye eJerusalema ngenxa yebutho lamaKhaladiya langenxa yebutho lamaSiriya. Sasesihlala eJerusalema.
But when Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, had ascended to our land, we said: ‘Come and let us enter into Jerusalem, before the face of the army of the Chaldeans, and before the face of the army of Syria.’ And we have remained in Jerusalem.”
12 Laselifika ilizwi leNkosi kuJeremiya lisithi:
And the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying:
13 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Hamba uthi ebantwini bakoJuda lakwabahlali beJerusalema: Kaliyikwemukela yini ukulaywa ukuthi lilalele amazwi ami? itsho iNkosi.
“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Go, and say to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem: Will you not accept discipline, so that you obey my words, says 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, the son of Rechab, in which he instructed his sons, so that they would not drink wine, have prevailed. And they have not drunk wine, even to this day. For they have obeyed the instruction of their father. But I have spoken to you, rising and speaking from early morning, and you did not obey 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.
And I have sent to you all my servants, the prophets, rising at first light, and sending, and saying: ‘Convert, each one from his wicked way, and make your intentions good. And do not choose to follow strange gods, nor shall you worship them. And then you shall live in the land which I gave to you and to your fathers.’ And yet you have not inclined your ear, and you have not heeded me.
16 Ngoba amadodana kaJonadabi, indodana kaRekabi, awuqinisile umlayo kayise awalaya wona, kodwa lababantu kabangilaleli,
So the sons of Jonadab, the son of Rechab, have remained firm in the commandment of their father, which he instructed to them, while this people has not been obedient 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.
For this reason, thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will lead over Judah and over all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every evil that I have declared against them. For I have spoken to them, and they have not listened. I have called to them, and they have not responded to me.”
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: “Thus says 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 has instructed you,
19 ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Kakuyikuqunywa muntu kuJonadabi indodana kaRekabi oma phambi kwami insuku zonke.
because of this, thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: There will not be a man lacking from the stock of Jonadab, the son of Rechab, standing in my sight, for all days.”
