Jonah 4

1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.

But this really upset Jonah, and he became very angry.

2 And he prayed to Jehovah, and said, I pray thee, O Jehovah, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I hastened to flee to Tarshish, for I knew that thou are a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relent thee of the evil.

He prayed to the Lord and told him, “Lord, wasn't this what I said when I was back home? That's why I ran away to Tarshish in the first place! For I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, very patient and full of kindhearted love, who relents from sending disaster.

3 Therefore now, O Jehovah, I beseech thee, take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.

So just kill me now, Lord, because I'd prefer to die than to live!”

4 And Jehovah said, Do thou well to be angry?

The Lord responded, “Do you have a good reason to be so angry?”

5 Then Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made himself a booth, and sat under it in the shade, till he might see what would become of the city.

Jonah left the city and sat down to the east of it. There he made himself a shelter so he could sit in the shade and watch what would happen to the city.

6 And Jehovah God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to deliver him from his misery. So Jonah was very glad because of the gourd.

The Lord God had a plant grow up and provide shade over Jonah's head to ease his discomfort. Jonah was very happy with the plant.

7 But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd, that it withered.

The next day at dawn the Lord had a maggot attack the plant and it withered.

8 And it came to pass, when the sun arose, that God prepared a sultry east wind, and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and requested for himself that he might die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.

Then as the sun came up the Lord arranged for a scorching east wind to blow, and the sun beat down on Jonah's head so that he became faint and wanted to die. “I'd rather die than live!” he said.

9 And God said to Jonah, Do thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even to death.

But the Lord asked Jonah, “Do you have a good reason to be so angry about the plant?” “Yes I do!” Jonah replied. “I'm angry enough to die!”

10 And Jehovah said, Thou have had regard for the gourd, for which thou have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night, and perished in a night.

Then the Lord told Jonah, “You're concerned about a plant which you did nothing about, and you didn't make it grow. It came up overnight and died overnight.

11 And should not I have regard for Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand men who cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand, and also much cattle?

Shouldn't I be concerned about the great city of Nineveh where one hundred and twenty thousand people live who don't know their right hand from their left, not to mention all the animals?”