Jonah 4
1 And it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.
Kodwa uJona wacaphuka kakhulu wazonda.
2 And he prayed unto Jehovah, and said, Ah, Jehovah, was not this my saying when I was yet in my country? Therefore I was minded to flee at first unto Tarshish; for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great loving-kindness, and repentest thee of the 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 And now, Jehovah, take, I beseech thee, 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 And Jehovah said, Doest thou well to be angry?
Kodwa uThixo waphendula wathi, “Kambe ubona ulelungelo na lokuthi uzonde?”
5 And Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shade, till he might see what would become of the city.
UJona waphuma wayahlala endaweni ethile ngempumalanga kwedolobho. Wazenzela khonapho idunjana wahlala emthunzini walo walindela ukubona okwakuzakwenzakala edolobheni lelo.
6 And Jehovah Elohim 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 trouble. And Jonah was exceeding glad because of the gourd.
Kwasekusithi uThixo uNkulunkulu wakhulisa isihlahla esilamahlamvu kuJona samenzela umthunzi ekhanda lakhe ukuze ahlaliseke. UJona wathaba kakhulu ngaleli ivini.
7 But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd, that it withered.
Kodwa emathathakusa ngelanga elilandelayo uNkulunkulu wathumela impehlane, eyaphehla isihlahla sacina sibuna.
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, so that he fainted; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, 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 And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, unto death.
Kodwa uNkulunkulu wathi kuJona, “Ulelungelo na lokuthi uzonde ngenxa yesihlahla?” UJona wathi, “Yebo. Ngizonde kakhulu, kuthi kangife.”
10 And Jehovah said, Thou hast pity on the gourd, for which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came 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 and I, should not I have pity on Nineveh, the great city, wherein are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also 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?”
