Gwadzamoyo kwa Jona ne ngoni dza Yahwe
1 Ngono ngwenu ikoku kukakutha Jona kwazo kwazo ngono kagwadzamoyo. 2 Ndizo katembezela Yahwe eti, “Imwi Yahwe, apa ate iko ikoku kwandakaleba nditji ku shango ya kanyi kwedu kene? Ndizo wali ndakalibilidza atizhila ku Tashishi, ngoti ndakabe ndiziba kuti mu Ndzimu una ngoni ne lubu, una moyonlefu kakale uzhele ludo, Ndzimu unoshandukila kuhwisa zogwadza. 3 Ngono ngwenu, Yahwe, tolani butjilo gwangu, ngobe koyita ha ndingafa pana kuti nditjile.”
4 Yahwe bakashandula beti, “Apa unothama zwibuyanana kugwadzamoyo kene?”
5 Ipapo Jona kabhuda mu nzi nkulu ngono kanogala ku bhezhuba kwawo. Kazwibakila nshasha ikoko kagala kusi kwawo mu ntutshi akalindila kubona tjinoshingikalila nzi. 6 Yahwe Ndzimu bakamedza denjana bakalikudza kuti Jona alonge nsholo mu ntutshi kutebamisa kugwadzamoyo kukwe. Ngono Jona kashathila denjana ilelo nge shatho hwulu kwazo. 7 Koga kwakati tjimuka mazhokuyedza Ndzimu ukazhisa gonyana likaja denjana, ngono denjana likafa. 8 Kukati zhuba libhuda Ndzimu ukazhisa phepo inopisa ye ku bhezhuba, ngono zhuba likabhaya mu nsholo wa Jona kashoko timbama. Ndizo Jona kakumbila lufu gugwe eti, “Koyita ha ndingafa pana kuti nditjile.”
9 Koga Ndzimu ukashandula Jona uti, “Apa unothama zwibuyanana kugwadzilamoyo denjana ileli kene?”
Ngono iye kati, “Ndothama zwibuyanana kugwadzamoyo kuswikila lufu.”
10 Ngono Yahwe bakati, “Iwe unohwila zogwadza denjana lausakatukutilila nenguba kuli kulikudza, ilo lakabepo mu busiku, likafa tjimuka busiku. 11 Ngono apa imi ndisihwile ngoni Ninive, nzi nkulu zwingapa una bathu bangapinda zwiwulu zwili zana lina makumi mabili (120 000) basingathubukanye bubuya ne bubi, kakale una zwithuwo zwinjinji?”
Jonah Gets Angry with the Lord
1 Jonah was really upset and angry. 2 So he prayed:
Our Lord, I knew from the very beginning that you wouldn't destroy Nineveh. That's why I left my own country and headed for Spain. You are a kind and merciful God, and you are very patient. You always show love, and you don't like to punish anyone.
3 Now let me die! I'd be better off dead.
4 The Lord replied, “What right do you have to be angry?”
5 Jonah then left through the east gate of the city and made a shelter to protect himself from the sun. He sat under the shelter, waiting to see what would happen to Nineveh.
6 The Lord made a vine grow up to shade Jonah's head and protect him from the sun. Jonah was very happy to have the vine, 7 but early the next morning the Lord sent a worm to chew on the vine, and the vine dried up. 8 During the day the Lord sent a scorching wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah's head, making him feel faint. Jonah was ready to die, and he shouted, “I wish I were dead!”
9 But the Lord asked, “Jonah, do you have the right to be angry about the vine?”
“Yes, I do,” he answered, “and I'm angry enough to die.”
10 But the Lord said:
You are concerned about a vine that you did not plant or take care of, a vine that grew up in one night and died the next. 11 In that city of Nineveh there are more than 120,000 people who cannot tell right from wrong, and many cattle are also there. Don't you think I should be concerned about that big city?