Йон 4

1 А това стана много мъчно на Йона, и възнегодува.

But Jonah was very distressed [that God had not destroyed Nineveh]. He became very angry. [The people of Nineveh were non-Jews, and Jonah did not think that God should act mercifully toward anyone who was not a Jew].

2 И помоли се Господу, казвайки: О, Господи, не беше ли това каквото казах още когато бях в отечеството си? Това бе причината, по която предварих да бягам в Тарсис, дето знаех, че си Бог жалостив и милосерд, дълготърпелив и многомилостив, който се разкайваш за злото.

He prayed to Yahweh, “O Yahweh, what you have done is what I thought that you would do, before I left home [RHQ]. That is why I [decided] immediately to run away, and go to Tarshish [city], because I knew that you, O God, act very kindly and compassionately [toward all people]. You do not quickly become angry with people who do evil things. You love people very much, and you change your mind about punishing [people who sin].

3 За това, моля ти се, Господи, вземи още сега живота ми; защото ми е по-добре да умра, отколкото да живея.

[So] now, O Yahweh, [since you will not destroy Nineveh city as you said you would], allow me to die, because it would be better for me to die than to [continue to] live.”

4 А Господ рече: Добре ли е да негодуваш?

Yahweh replied, “(Why is it right for you to be angry [about my not destroying the city]?/It is not right for you to be angry [about my not destroying the city]!) [RHQ]”

5 Тогава Йона излезе из града, и седна на източната страна от града, дето си направи колиба, под която седеше на сянка докле види какво ще стане с града.

Jonah [did not reply]. He went out of the city to the east [side of it]. He made a small shelter in order that he could sit under it and be protected from the sun. He sat under the shelter and waited to see what would happen to the city.

6 И Господ Бог определи да израсте една тиква, която се издигна над Йона, за да бъде сянка над главата му, та да го олечки от скръбта му. И Йона се зарадва твърде много за тиквата.

Then Yahweh God caused a vine to grow up [immediately] to shade Jonah’s head from the sun and make him [feel] more comfortable. Jonah was very happy about [having] the vine [over his head].

7 А когато се зазори на утринта Бог определи един червей, който порази тиквата, и тя изсъхна.

But before dawn the next day, God sent a worm that chewed the vine, with the result that the vine withered.

8 И щом изгрея слънцето Бог определи горещ източен вятър; и слънцето биеше върху главата на Йона, така щото премираше и поиска за себе си да умре, като казваше - По-добре ми е да умра, отколкото да живея.

Then, when the sun rose [high in the sky], God sent a very hot wind from the east, and the sun shone very strongly on Jonah’s head, with the result that he felt faint. He wanted to die, and he said, “It would be better for me to die than to [continue to] live!”

9 А Бог рече на Йона: Добре ли е да негодуваш за тиквата? И той каза: Добре е да негодувам, даже до смърт.

But God asked Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about [what happened to] the vine?” Jonah replied, “[Yes], it is right! [Now] I am very angry and I want to die!”

10 Тогава рече Господ: Ти пожали тиквата, за която не си се трудил, нито си я направил да расте, която се роди в една нощ и в една нощ загина.

But Yahweh said [to him], “You have been concerned about my [causing] that vine [to wither], even though you did not take care of it, and you did not make it grow. It just grew up during one night, and it completely withered [at the end of] the next night.

11 А аз не трябваше ли да пожаля оня голям град Ниневия, в който има повече от сто и двадесет хиляди души, които не умеят да различават дясната си ръка от лявата си ръка, освен многото добитък?

But there are more than 120,000 people in Nineveh who [are very young, and because of that], they cannot tell which is their right hand and which is their left hand, and there are also many cattle, [and none of these have done anything to displease me]. So (is it not right for me to be concerned about the people of that huge city, [and not want to destroy them]?/it is certainly right for me to be concerned about the people of that huge city [and not want to destroy them]!) [RHQ]”