1
Neno hili ndilo lililomjia Yeremia, kutoka kwa Bwana, katika siku za Yehoyakimu, mwana wa Yosia, mfalme wa Yuda, kusema,
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah:
2
Enenda nyumbani kwa Warekabi, ukanene nao, ukawalete nyumbani kwa Bwana, katika chumba kimoja, ukawape divai wanywe.
“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
Basi nikamtwaa Yaazania, mwana wa Yeremia, mwana wa Habasinia, na ndugu zake, na wanawe wote, na nyumba yote ya Warekabi;
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
nikawaleta ndani ya nyumba ya Bwana, ndani ya chumba cha wana wa Hanani, mwana wa Igdalia, mtu wa Mungu, kilichokuwa karibu na chumba cha wakuu, nacho kilikuwa juu ya chumba cha Maaseya, mwana wa Shalumu, bawabu;
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
nikaweka mabakuli yaliyojaa divai, na vikombe, mbele ya wana wa nyumba ya Warekabi, nikawaambia, Nyweni divai.
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
Lakini wakasema, Hatutakunywa divai; kwa maana Yonadabu, mwana wa Rekabu, baba yetu, alituamuru, akisema, Msinywe divai, ninyi wala wana wenu, hata milele;
“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
wala msijenge nyumba, wala msipande mbegu, wala msipande mizabibu, wala msiwe nayo; bali siku zenu zote mtakaa katika hema; mpate kuishi siku nyingi katika nchi ambayo mtakaa ndani yake hali ya wageni.
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
Nasi tumeitii sauti ya Yonadabu, mwana wa Rekabu, baba yetu, katika yote aliyotuamuru, kwamba tusinywe divai siku zetu zote, sisi, na wake zetu, na wana wetu, na binti zetu;
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
wala tusijijengee nyumba za kukaa; wala hatuna shamba la mizabibu, wala konde, wala mbegu;
Nor have we built houses in which to live, and we have not owned any vineyards or fields or crops.
10
bali tumekaa katika hema, nasi tumetii; tukafanya sawasawa na yote aliyotuamuru Yonadabu, baba yetu.
But we have lived in tents and have obeyed and done exactly as our forefather Jonadab commanded us.
11
Lakini ikawa, Nebukadreza, mfalme wa Babeli, alipopanda akaingia nchi hii, ndipo tukasema, Haya! Twende Yerusalemu, tukiliogopa jeshi la Wakaldayo, na tukiliogopa jeshi la Washami; basi hivyo tunakaa Yerusalemu.
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
Ndipo neno la Bwana likamjia Yeremia, kusema,
Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah:
13
Bwana wa majeshi, Mungu wa Israeli, asema hivi, Enenda ukawaambie wana wa Yuda, na wenyeji wa Yerusalemu, Je! Hamtaki kupokea mafundisho, myasikilize maneno yangu? Asema Bwana.
“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
Maneno ya Yonadabu, mwana wa Rekabu, aliyowaamuru wanawe, kwamba wasinywe divai, yametimizwa, na hata leo hawanywi; maana waitii hiyo amri ya baba yao; lakini mimi nimesema nanyi, nikiamka mapema na kunena, bali ninyi hamkunisikiliza mimi.
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
Pia naliwapeleka watumishi wangu wote, manabii, kwenu ninyi, nikiamka mapema na kuwapeleka, nikisema, Rudini sasa, kila mtu na aiache njia yake mbaya, mkatengeneze matendo yenu, wala msiwafuate miungu mingine, ili kuwatumikia, nanyi mtakaa katika nchi hii, niliyowapa ninyi na baba zenu; lakini hamkutega masikio yenu, wala hamkunisikiliza.
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
Basi, kwa kuwa wana wa Yonadabu, mwana wa Rekabu, wameitimiza amri ya baba yao aliyowaamuru, lakini watu hawa hawakunisikiliza mimi;
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
kwa sababu hiyo, asema Bwana, Mungu wa majeshi, Mungu wa Israeli; Tazama nitaleta juu ya Yuda, na juu ya wenyeji wote wa Yerusalemu, mabaya yote niliyoyatamka juu yao; kwa sababu nimesema nao, wasinisikilize; nimewaita, wala hawakuniitikia.
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
Naye Yeremia akawaambia watu wa nyumba ya Warekabi, Bwana wa majeshi, Mungu wa Israeli, asema hivi, Kwa sababu mmeitii amri ya Yonadabu, baba yenu, na kuyashika maagizo yake yote, na kutenda sawasawa na yote aliyowaamuru;
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
basi, kwa sababu hiyo, Bwana wa majeshi, Mungu wa Israeli, asema hivi, Yonadabu, mwana wa Rekabu, hatakosa kuwa na mtu wa kusimama mbele zangu hata milele.
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.’”