耶利米和利甲族
当约西亚的儿子约雅敬作犹大王的时候，耶和华的话临到耶利米，说：
The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying,
2“你去见利甲族的人，吩咐他们，领他们进入耶和华殿的一个房间，给他们酒喝。”Go unto the house of the Rechabites, and speak unto them, and bring them into the house of the LORD, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink.
3我就带哈巴洗尼雅的孙子雅利米雅的儿子雅撒尼亚，和他的兄弟，并他所有的儿子，以及利甲全族的人，Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, the son of Habaziniah, and his brethren, and all his sons, and the whole house of the Rechabites;
4领他们到耶和华的殿，进入伊基大利的儿子神人哈难儿子们的房间；那房间靠近官长的房间，在沙龙之子门口的守卫玛西雅的房间上面。And I brought them into the house of the LORD, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan, the son of Igdaliah, a man of God, which was by the chamber of the princes, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the keeper of the door:
5于是我在利甲族的人面前摆设盛满了酒的碗和杯，对他们说：“请喝酒。”And I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites pots full of wine, and cups, and I said unto them, Drink ye wine.
6他们却说：“我们不喝酒，因为我们祖先利甲的儿子约拿达曾吩咐我们说：‘你们与你们的子孙永不可喝酒，But they said, We will drink no wine: for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no wine, neither ye, nor your sons for ever:
7不可盖房子，不可撒种，也不可栽葡萄园，连拥有都不可；但一生的年日要住帐棚，使你们的日子在寄居的地面上得以长久。’Neither shall ye build house, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyard, nor have any: but all your days ye shall dwell in tents; that ye may live many days in the land where ye be strangers.
8凡我们祖先利甲的儿子约拿达所吩咐我们的话，我们都听从了。我们和我们的妻子儿女一生的年日都不喝酒，Thus have we obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab our father in all that he hath charged us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, nor our daughters;
9不盖房子居住，我们也没有葡萄园、田地和种子；Nor to build houses for us to dwell in: neither have we vineyard, nor field, nor seed:
10但住在帐棚里，听从并遵行我们祖先约拿达所吩咐我们的一切话。But we have dwelt in tents, and have obeyed, and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us.
11巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒上来攻打这地的时候，我们说：‘来吧，我们到耶路撒冷去，躲避迦勒底的军队和亚兰的军队。’这样，我们才住在耶路撒冷。”But it came to pass, when Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came up into the land, that we said, Come, and let us go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans, and for fear of the army of the Syrians: so we dwell at Jerusalem.
12耶和华的话临到耶利米，说：Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying,
13“万军之耶和华－以色列的神如此说：你去对犹大人和耶路撒冷的居民说，你们不肯领受训诲，听从我的话吗？这是耶和华说的。Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith the LORD.
14利甲的儿子约拿达所吩咐他子孙不可喝酒的话，他们已经遵守了；他们因为听从祖先的吩咐，直到今日都不喝酒。至于我，我一再警戒你们，你们却不肯听从我。The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father's commandment: notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto me.
15我一再差遣我的仆人众先知到你们那里去，说：‘你们各人当回头离开恶道，改正行为，不再随从事奉别神，如此，就必住在我所赐给你们和你们祖先的地上。’只是你们不侧耳而听，也不听我。I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me.
16利甲的儿子约拿达的子孙能遵守祖先所吩咐他们的命令，这百姓却不肯听从我！Because the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father, which he commanded them; but this people hath not hearkened unto me:
17因此，耶和华－万军之神、以色列的神如此说：看哪，我要使我所说的一切灾祸临到犹大人和耶路撒冷所有的居民。因为我向他们说话，他们不听从；我呼唤他们，他们也没有回应。”Therefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them: because I have spoken unto them, but they have not heard; and I have called unto them, but they have not answered.
18耶利米对利甲族的人说：“万军之耶和华－以色列的神如此说：因你们听从你们祖先约拿达的吩咐，谨守他的一切命令，照他所吩咐的去做，And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all that he hath commanded you:
19所以万军之耶和华－以色列的神如此说：利甲的儿子约拿达必永远不断有人侍立在我面前。”Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever.