Jonah's Prayer
1 From inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the Lord his God:
2 When I was in trouble, Lord,
I prayed to you,
and you listened to me.
From deep in the world
of the dead,
I begged for your help,
and you answered my prayer.
3 You threw me down
to the bottom of the sea.
The water was churning
all around;
I was completely covered
by your mighty waves.
4 I thought I was swept away
from your sight,
never again to see
your holy temple.
5 I was almost drowned
by the swirling waters
that surrounded me.
Seaweed had wrapped
around my head.
6 I had sunk down deep
below the mountains
beneath the sea.
I knew that forever,
I would be a prisoner there.
But, you, Lord God,
rescued me from that pit.
7 When my life was slipping away,
I remembered you—
and in your holy temple
you heard my prayer.
8 All who worship worthless idols
turn from the God
who offers them mercy.
9 But with shouts of praise,
I will offer a sacrifice
to you, my Lord.
I will keep my promise,
because you are the one
with power to save.
10 The Lord commanded the fish to vomit up Jonah on the shore. And it did.
Ntembezelo wa Jona mu ntumbu we hwobe
1 Ipapo Yahwe bakazhisa zhihwobe lisishoma kumidza Jona, ngono Jona wakagala mu ntumbu we hwobe mazhuba matatu ne masiku matatu. 2 Kudwa mu ntumbu we hwobe Jona katembezela Yahwe Ndzimu uwe 3 eti,
“Ndakalilila kuna Yahwe ndili mu kumanikana,
ngono bakandidabila;
kudwa mukatikati kwe gomba le lufu, alila,
ngono makahwa hwi langu.
4 Makandiposela mukatikati mu ntumbu we gungwa,
ngono mikubila ikandikombeledza,
mabundo ne matuthu ose e gungwa kapinda pezhugwi kwangu.
5 Ipapo akumbula nditi,
‘Ndakatatigwa kutjena ne mesho enyu.
Ngono ndowolinga tjini kakale ku ng'umba yenyu yakayengemala?’
6 Gungwa gwakandikwididza gukashoko ndibulaya.
Ndili mukatikati kwe vula isishoma,
Imwi Yahwe, Ndzimu we bupenyu gwangu!
7 Ndakadelukila kusi kusi ku midzi ye matombo,
ngono mazhalilo e shango ye lufu akandizhalilila nge kusingapele.
Koga makandidusa mu gomba,
imwi Yahwe, Ndzimu wangu.
8 Kwakati meya yangu ipela mundili,
akumbula Yahwe;
ntembezelo wangu ukazha kumuli
mu ng'umba yenyu yakayengemala.
9 Ibabo banothigamila midzimu isi ye tjimwe,
banolasha kugalikabgwe kwabo kwe lebeswa.
10 Koga imi nge hwi linoboka,
ndomudusila tjibhayilo
sekwa ndakatuna ndowoshingikadza.
Jidzo lodwa kuna Yahwe!”
Ipapo Yahwe bakalebeleka ne hwobe,
ngono ikathwila Jona kuzhe ku shango.