Jonah 4
1 But this seemed very wrong to Jonah, and he was angry.
Kodwa uJona wacaphuka kakhulu wazonda.
2 And he made prayer to the Lord and said, O Lord, is this not what I said when I was still in my country? This is why I took care to go in flight to Tarshish: for I was certain that you were a loving God, full of pity, slow to be angry and great in mercy, and ready to be turned from your purpose of evil.
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 So now, O Lord, give ear to my prayer and take my life from me; for death is better for me than life.
Khathesi-ke Thixo, susa ukuphila kwami, ngoba kungcono kimi ukufa kulokuphila.”
4 And the Lord said, Have you any right to be angry?
Kodwa uThixo waphendula wathi, “Kambe ubona ulelungelo na lokuthi uzonde?”
5 Then Jonah went out of the town, and took his seat on the east side of the town and made himself a roof of branches and took his seat under its shade till he saw what would become of the town.
UJona waphuma wayahlala endaweni ethile ngempumalanga kwedolobho. Wazenzela khonapho idunjana wahlala emthunzini walo walindela ukubona okwakuzakwenzakala edolobheni lelo.
6 And the Lord God made a vine come up over Jonah to give him shade over his head. And Jonah was very glad because of the vine.
Kwasekusithi uThixo uNkulunkulu wakhulisa isihlahla esilamahlamvu kuJona samenzela umthunzi ekhanda lakhe ukuze ahlaliseke. UJona wathaba kakhulu ngaleli ivini.
7 But early on the morning after, God made ready a worm for the destruction of the vine, and it became dry and dead.
Kodwa emathathakusa ngelanga elilandelayo uNkulunkulu wathumela impehlane, eyaphehla isihlahla sacina sibuna.
8 Then when the sun came up, God sent a burning east wind: and so great was the heat of the sun on his head that Jonah was overcome, and, requesting death for himself, said, Death is better for me than life.
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 And the Lord said to Jonah, Have you any right to be angry about the vine? And he said, I have a right to be truly angry.
Kodwa uNkulunkulu wathi kuJona, “Ulelungelo na lokuthi uzonde ngenxa yesihlahla?” UJona wathi, “Yebo. Ngizonde kakhulu, kuthi kangife.”
10 And the Lord said, You had pity on the vine, for which you did no work and for the growth of which you were not responsible; which came up in a night and came to an end in a night;
Kodwa uThixo wathi, “Uyazihlupha ngesihlahla lesi loba ungazange usinakekele loba usikhulise. Lihlume ngobusuku laphinde lafa ngobusuku.
11 And am I not to have mercy on Nineveh, that great town, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons without the power of judging between right and left, as well as much cattle?
Kodwa iNiniva ilabantu abeqa izinkulungwane ezilikhulu elilamatshumi amabili abangehlukanisiyo isandla sabo sokudla kwesenxele, lenkomo ezinengi njalo. Bekungafanelanga yini na ukuthi ngilinqinekele idolobho elikhulu kangaka?”
