Jonah 4
1 Jonah, however, was greatly displeased, and he became angry.
Kodwa uJona wacaphuka kakhulu wazonda.
2 So he prayed to the LORD, saying, “O LORD, is this not what I said while I was still in my own country? This is why I was so quick to flee toward Tarshish. I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion—One who relents from sending disaster.
Wakhuleka kuThixo wathi, “Awu Thixo, kakusikho lokhu yini engakutshoyo ngisesekhaya? Yikho okwangenza ngaphangisa ukubalekela eThashishi. Ngangikwazi ukuthi unguNkulunkulu olomusa lesihawu, ophuza ukuthukuthela njalo ogcwele uthando, uNkulunkulu odedayo ongasoze ehlise ukuhlupheka.
3 And now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.”
Khathesi-ke Thixo, susa ukuphila kwami, ngoba kungcono kimi ukufa kulokuphila.”
4 But the LORD replied, “Have you any right to be angry?”
Kodwa uThixo waphendula wathi, “Kambe ubona ulelungelo na lokuthi uzonde?”
5 Then Jonah left the city and sat down east of it, where he made himself a shelter and sat in its shade to see what would happen to the city.
UJona waphuma wayahlala endaweni ethile ngempumalanga kwedolobho. Wazenzela khonapho idunjana wahlala emthunzini walo walindela ukubona okwakuzakwenzakala edolobheni lelo.
6 So the LORD God appointed a vine, and it grew up to provide shade over Jonah’s head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was greatly pleased with the plant.
Kwasekusithi uThixo uNkulunkulu wakhulisa isihlahla esilamahlamvu kuJona samenzela umthunzi ekhanda lakhe ukuze ahlaliseke. UJona wathaba kakhulu ngaleli ivini.
7 When dawn came the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant so that it withered.
Kodwa emathathakusa ngelanga elilandelayo uNkulunkulu wathumela impehlane, eyaphehla isihlahla sacina sibuna.
8 As the sun was rising, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint and wished to die, saying, “It is better for me to die than to live.”
Kwathi ilanga seliphumile uNkulunkulu wathumela umoya wempumalanga ohaqazayo, ilanga lavutha phezu kwekhanda likaJona waze waqaleka. Wafisa ukufa, wathi, “Kungcono kimi ukuthi ngife kulokuthi ngiphile.”
9 Then God asked Jonah, “Have you any right to be angry about the plant?” “I do,” he replied. “I am angry enough to die!”
Kodwa uNkulunkulu wathi kuJona, “Ulelungelo na lokuthi uzonde ngenxa yesihlahla?” UJona wathi, “Yebo. Ngizonde kakhulu, kuthi kangife.”
10 But the LORD said, “You cared about the plant, which you neither tended nor made grow. It sprang up in a night and perished in a night.
Kodwa uThixo wathi, “Uyazihlupha ngesihlahla lesi loba ungazange usinakekele loba usikhulise. Lihlume ngobusuku laphinde lafa ngobusuku.
11 So should I not care about the great city of Nineveh, which has more than 120,000 people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well?”
Kodwa iNiniva ilabantu abeqa izinkulungwane ezilikhulu elilamatshumi amabili abangehlukanisiyo isandla sabo sokudla kwesenxele, lenkomo ezinengi njalo. Bekungafanelanga yini na ukuthi ngilinqinekele idolobho elikhulu kangaka?”
