Yeremia 35
1 Neno kutoka kwa Yahwe likamjia Yeremia katika siku za Yehoyakimu mwana wa Yosia mfalme wa Yuda, kusema,
[Several years earlier, ] when Jehoiakim was the King of Judah, Yahweh gave me this message:
2 “Nenda kwenye familia ya Warekabi na zungumza nao. Kisha uwalete kwenye nyumba yangu, mle ndani ya moyawapo ya vyumba, na uwape divai wanywe.”
“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 Hivyo nilimchukua Yaazania mwana wa Yeremia mwana wa Habasinia na ndugu zake, wanawe wote, na familia yote ya Warekabi.
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 Nikawapeleka wote kwenye nyumba ya Yahwe, katika vyumba vya wana wa Hanani mwana wa Igdalia, mtu wa Mungu. Vyumba hivi vilikuwa karibu na chumba cha viongozi, ambacho kilikuwa juu ya chumba cha Maaseya mwana wa Shalumu, mtunza lango.
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 Kisha nikaleta mabakuli na vikombe vilivyojaa divai mbele ya Warekabi na kusema kwao, 'Kunyeni divai.”
I set jugs of wine in front of them and urged them to drink some,
6 Lakini walisema, “hatutakunywa divai yoyote, kwa maana babu yetu, Yonadabu mwana wa Rekabu, alituamuru, Msinywe divai yoyote, ninyi wala uzao wenu, milele.
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 Pia, msijenge nyumba yoyote, kupanda mbegu zozote, wala kupanda shamba lolote la mizabibu; hivi siyo kwa ajili yenu. Kwa maana lazima muishi katika hema maisha yenu yote, ili kwamba muweze kuishsi siku nyingi katika nchi mnayoishi kama wageni.'
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 Tumeitii sauti ya Yonadabu mwana wa Rekabu, babu yetu, katika yote aliyotuamuru, kutokunywa divai maisha yetu yote, sisi, wake zetu, wana wetu, na binti zetu.
[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 Hatutajenga nyumba kwa ajili ya kuishi ndani, na hatutakuwa na shamba la mizabu, konde, wala mbegu ya kumiliki sisi.
We have not built houses or planted vineyards or [other] crops or [worked in] fields.
10 Tumeishi katika hema na tumetii na kufanya yote aliyotuamuru Yonadabu babu yetu.
We have lived in tents. We have obeyed all the commands that Jehonadab, our ancestor, gave us.
11 Lakini Nebukadreza mfalme wa Babeli alipoivamia nchi, tulisema, 'Njoo, lazima twende Yerusalemu ili tupone na mkono wa Wakaldayo na majeshi ya Waaramu. 'Kwa hiyo tunaishi Yerusalemu.”
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 Kisha neno la Yahwe likaja kwa Yeremia, likisema,
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 “Yahwe wa majeshi, Mungu wa Israeli, anasema hivi, 'Nenda na useme kwa wanaume wa Yuda na wakaaji wa Yeruslemu, 'Hamtapokea maelekezo na kulisikiliza neno langu? —hili ni tangazo la Yahwe.
'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 Maneno ya Yonadabu mwana wa Rekabu aliyowapa wanawe kama amri. wasinywe divai yoyote, yameheshimiwa hadi leo. Wameitii amri ya babu yao. Lakini mimi, nimekuwa nikifanya matangazo kwenu bila kukoma, lakini hamnisikilizi.
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 Niliwatuma kwenu watumishi wangu wote, manabii, nilikuwa nawatuma bila kukom ili waseme, 'Kila mtu auache uovu wake na kutenda matendo mema; asiwepo mtu wa kuifuata miungu mingine tena na kuiabudu. Bdala yake, rudini kwenye nchi niliyowapa ninyi na babu zenu,' bado hamtanisikiliza wala kutega maskio yenu kwangu.
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 Kwa maana uzao wa Yonadabu mwana wa Rekabu wamezishika amri za babu yao alizowapa, lakini watu hawa hupuuza kunisikiliza.”
The descendants of Jehonadab have obeyed their ancestor, but you have refused to pay attention to what I told you.
17 Kwa hiyo Yahwe, Mungu wa majeshi na Mungu wa Israeli, asema hivi, 'Angalia, Ninaleta juu ya Yuda na juu ya kila mtu anayeishi Yerusalemu, majanga yote niyotamka dhidi yao kwa sababu niliwaambia, lakini hawakusikiliza; niliwaita, lakini hawakuitika.”
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 Yeremia akasema kwa familia ya Warekabi, “Yahwe wa majeshi, Mungu wa Israeli asema hivi: mmezisikiliza amri za Yonadabu babu yenu na kuzishika zote—mmeyatii yote aliyowaamuru kufanya—
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 kwa hiyo Yahwe wa majeshi, Mungu wa Israeli, asema hivi, 'Siku zote kutakuwa na mtu kutoka uzao wa Yonadabu mwana wa Rekabu kwa ajili ya kunitumikia.”'
Therefore, this is what I say: “There will always be descendants of Jehonadab who will do work for me.”’”
