Jonah 4
1 Toe Jonah loe poeknawm ai, paroeai palungphui.
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 To pongah Angraeng khaeah, Aw Angraeng, nang loe palungnathaih katawn, amlunghaih hoiah koi Sithaw ah na oh, amlunghaih hoi tuinom hoiah koi, palungphui han karai, raihaih thung hoi loisakkung Sithaw ah na oh pongah, Nineveh vangpui hae nam rosak mak ai, tiah ka panoek. Kaimah prae ah ka oh naah hae lok hae ka thuih boeh na ai maw? To pongah ni kai loe na hmaa hoiah Tarshish vangpui ah ka cawnh ving.
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 Aw Angraeng, vaihi ka hinghaih hae la halat ah; ka hing pongah loe duek hae kai han hoih kue, tiah lawk a thuih.
[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 Toe Angraeng mah anih khaeah, Tih kawng pongah maw palung na phui? tiah a naa.
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 To pongah Jonah loe vangpui thung hoiah tacawt ving moe, vangpui ni angyae bangah anghnut, to ah angmah ohhaih im tetta to sak moe, tahlip thungah anghnut; vangpui ah kaom han koi hmuen to khet hanah a zing.
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 To naah Jonah to raihaih thung hoiah loisak moe, anih to tahlipsak hanah, Angraeng Sithaw mah akung maeto amprawksak moe, anih ih lu ranui ah amzamsak. To pongah Jonah loe akung nuiah kating ai kawnhaih a tawnh.
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 Toe akhawnbang khodai naah loe akung to caak hanah Sithaw mah langkawk to patoeh, langkawk mah caak pongah akung loe azaem ving.
But before dawn the next day, God sent a worm that chewed the vine, with the result that the vine withered.
8 Ni tacawt naah Sithaw mah ni angyae bang hoiah kabae takhi to songsak, ni kabae mah Jonah ih lu to kangh pongah, anih loe thazok sut, to pongah anih loe duek hanah a koeh, Hing pongah loe duek hae kai hanah hoih kue, tiah a thuih.
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 To pacoengah Sithaw mah Jonah khaeah, Akung nuiah palung na phui han takung oh maw? tiah a naa. Anih mah, Duek duih khoek to palung ka phuihaih takung oh, tiah a naa.
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 Toe Angraeng mah, Nang loe qumto naah amprawk moe, qumto naah kadueh, nang mah khetzawn ih akung doeh na ai, na patit ih akung doeh na ai, akung maeto nuiah tahmenhaih na tawnh.
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 To tiah nahaeloe banqoi hoi bantang mataeng doeh pathlaeng thai ai kami sang cumvai, pumphaeto hoi pop parai moi pacahhaih, kalen parai Nineveh vangpui to ka pathlung mak ai maw? tiah a naa.
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]”
