約拿書 1

1 那時，上主的話傳給阿米泰的兒子約納說：

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonas the son of Amathi, saying,

2 「你起身往尼尼微大城去，向他們宣佈：他們的邪惡已達到我前」。

Rise, and go to Nineve, the great city, and preach in it; for the cry of its wickedness is come up to me.

3 約納卻起身，想躲開上主的面，逃到塔爾史士去：遂下到約培，找到一隻要開往塔爾史士的船，繳了船費，上了船，同他們往塔爾史士去，好躲開上主的面。

But Jonas rose up to flee to Tharsis from the presence of the Lord. And he went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tharsis: and he paid his fare, and went up into it, to sail with them to Tharsis from the presence of the Lord.

4 但是上主卻使海上起了大風，海中風浪大作，那隻船眼看就要被擊破。

And the Lord raised up a wind on the sea; and there was a great storm on the sea, and the ship was in danger of being broken.

5 水手們都驚慌起來，每人呼求自己的神，並將船上的貨物拋在海裏，為減輕載重。約納卻下到船艙，躺下沈睡了。

And the sailors were alarmed, and cried every one to his god, and cast out the wares that were in the ship into the sea, that it might be lightened of them. But Jonas was gone down into the hold of the ship, and was asleep, and snored.

6 船長走到他跟前，向他說：「怎麼，你還在睡覺﹖起來! 呼求你的神吧! 你的神也許會眷念我們，使我們不致喪亡」。

And the shipmaster came to him, and said to him, Why snorest thou? arise, and call upon thy God, that God may save us, and we perish not.

7 他們彼此說：「來，我們抽籤，以便知道，我們遇到這場災禍，是因誰的緣故」。他們便抽籤，約納竟抽中了。

And each man said to his neighbour, Come, let us cast lots, and find out for whose sake this mischief is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonas.

8 他們向他說：「請告訴我們：我們遇到這場災禍，是因什麼緣故﹖你是幹什麼的﹖從那裏來﹖你是什麼地方的人﹖屬於那一個民族﹖」

And they said to him, Tell us what is thine occupation, and whence comest thou, and of what country and what people art thou?

9 他回答他們說：「我是個希伯來人，我敬畏的，是那創造海洋和陸地的上天的上主天主。」

And he said to them, I am a servant of the Lord; and I worship the Lord God of heaven, who made the sea, and the dry [land].

10 那些人都很害怕，就對他說：「怎麼你做了這事﹖」人們都知道，他是從天主面前逃跑的，因為他已告訴了他們。

Then the men feared exceedingly, and said to him, What is this [that] thou hast done? for the men knew that he was fleeing from the face of the Lord, because he had told them.

11 他們又向他說：「我們該怎樣處置你，才能使海為我們而平靜﹖」因為海越來越洶湧了。

And they said to him, What shall we do to thee, that the sea may be calm to us? for the sea rose, and lifted its wave exceedingly.

12 他對他們說：「你們舉起我，將我拋在海裏，海就會為你們平靜下來，因為我知道，這場大風暴，臨到你們身上，只是因了我的緣故。」

And Jonas said to them, Take me up, and cast me into the sea, and the sea shall be calm to you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.

13 眾人雖然盡力搖櫓，想回到海岸，卻是不能，因為海上風暴，越來越洶湧。

And the men tried hard to return to the land, and were not able: for the sea rose and grew more and more tempestuous against them.

14 所以他們便呼求上主說：「上主! 求你不要因這一個人的性命，使我們全部喪亡；不要將無辜者的血，歸在我們身上，因為你是上主，就按你的意願作吧! 」

And they cried to the Lord, and said, Forbid it, Lord: let us not perish for the sake of this man's life, and bring not righteous blood upon us: for thou, Lord, hast done as thou wouldest.

15 他們於是舉起約納，將他拋在海裏，海遂平靜。

So they took Jonas, and cast him out into the sea: and the sea ceased from its raging.

16 眾人都極其敬畏上主，遂向上主祭獻，許下誓願。

And the men feared the Lord very greatly, and offered a sacrifice to the Lord, and vowed vows.

17 上主安排了一條大魚，吞了約納；約納在魚腹裏，三天三夜。

Now the Lord had commanded a great whale to swallow up Jonas: and Jonas was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights.