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 Yhwh came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, 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」。

Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before 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 Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of Yhwh, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of Yhwh.

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。

But Yhwh sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be 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。

Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.

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」。

So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that 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 they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.

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﹖」

Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of 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 unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear Yhwh, the God of heaven, which hath 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 were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of Yhwh, 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。

Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.

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 he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto 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。

Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was 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! 」

Wherefore they cried unto Yhwh, and said, We beseech thee, O Yhwh, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O Yhwh, hast done as it pleased thee.

15 他們於是舉起約納，將他拋在海裏，海遂平靜。

So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.

16 眾人都極其敬畏上主，遂向上主祭獻，許下誓願。

Then the men feared Yhwh exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto Yhwh, and made 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 Yhwh had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.