UJeremiya 35

35 ¹Izwi elafika kuJeremiya livela kuBaba wethu ezinsukwini zikaJehoyakimi indodana kaJosiya, inkosi yakwaJuda:

²“Hamba uye endlini yamaRekabi, ukhulume nawo, uwangenise egumbini eliseceleni lendlu yami, uwanike iwayini ukuba aliphuze.”

³Ngakho ngathatha uJahazaniya indodana kaJeremiya, indodana kaHabaziniya, nabafowabo nawo wonke amadodana akhe nayo yonke indlu yamaRekabi, ⁴ngawangenisa endlini kaBaba wethu, egumbini lamadodana kaHanani indodana ka-Igidaliya, umuntu kaBaba wethu, eceleni kwegumbi lezikhulu, ngaphezu kwegumbi likaMahaseya indodana kaShalumi, umlindisango. ⁵Ngabeka izitsha ezigcwele iwayini nezinkomishi phambi kwamadodana endlu yamaRekabi, ngathi: “Phuzani iwayini.”

⁶Kodwa athi: “Ngeke siphuze iwayini, ngokuba ubaba wethu uJonadabi indodana kaRekabi wasiyala wathi: ‘Nina nabantwana benu anisoze naphuza iwayini. ⁷Ningakhi indlu, ningatshali mbewu, ningatshali sivini; ningabi nalutho. Hlalani ematendeni zonke izinsuku zenu, ukuze nihlale izinsuku eziningi ezweni enigogobele kulo.’ ⁸Ngakho silalele uJonadabi indodana kaRekabi, ubaba wethu, kukho konke asiyale ngakho: ukuba singaphuzi iwayini zonke izinsuku zethu—thina, omkethu, amadodana ethu, namadodakazi ethu, ⁹nokuba singakhi izindlu zokuhlala. Asinasivini nansimu nambewu, ¹⁰kodwa sihlale ematendeni, silalela senza konke ubaba wethu uJonadabi asiyale ngakho. ¹¹Kodwa kwathi inkosi uNebukadinezari waseBabiloni ihlasela izwe, sathi: ‘Wozani, asiye eJerusalema ukuze sibalekele amabutho amaBabiloni nama-Aramiya.’ Ngakho sihlala eJerusalema.”

¹²Khona-ke izwi likaBaba wethu lafika kuJeremiya, lithi:

¹³Usho kanje uBaba wamabutho asezulwini, uBaba ka-Israyeli, uthi: Tshela abantu bakwaJuda nabahlali baseJerusalema uthi: Ngeke yini namukele ukuqondiswa, nilalele amazwi ami? kusho uBaba wethu. ¹⁴Umyalo kaJonadabi indodana kaRekabi wokuba abantwana bakhe bangaphuzi iwayini ugciniwe; kuze kube namuhla abaphuzi lutho, ngokuba balalela umyalo kayise. Kodwa mina ngikhulume kini kaningi, kepha aningilalelanga.

¹⁵Kaningi ngathuma kini zonke izinceku zami abaprofethi, ngithi: ‘Yilowo nalowo kini, phenduka endleleni yakho embi, ulungise izenzo zakho. Ningalandeli abanye onkulunkulu ukuba nibakhonze, khona niyakuhlala ezweni engalinika nina nokhokho benu.’ Kodwa anilalelanga, aninginakanga. ¹⁶Inzalo kaJonadabi indodana kaRekabi yawugcina umyalo kayise, kodwa lesi sizwe asingilalelanga.

¹⁷Ngakho uBaba wamabutho asezulwini, uBaba ka-Israyeli, uthi: “Ngizakwehlisela phezu kukaJuda naphezu kwabo bonke abahlali baseJerusalema zonke izinhlekelele engazikhuluma ngabo, ngokuba ngakhuluma kubo kodwa abalalelanga, ngabamemeza kodwa abaphendulanga.”

¹⁸UJeremiya wathi kuyo indlu yamaRekabi: “Usho kanje uBaba wamabutho asezulwini, uBaba ka-Israyeli, uthi: ‘Ngenxa yokuba nilalele umyalo kayihlo uJonadabi, nagcina yonke imiyalo yakhe, nenza konke aniyale ngakho, ¹⁹ngakho usho kanje uBaba wamabutho asezulwini, uBaba ka-Israyeli: uJonadabi indodana kaRekabi uyohlala enenzalo emi phambi kwami kuze kube phakade.’”