Jonah 3
1 Then the Lord spoke to Jonah for a second time.
Neno la Bwana likamjia Yona mara ya pili, akisema,
2 “Go immediately to the great city of Nineveh and announce the message I'm giving you.”
“Ondoka, uende Ninawi, mji ule mkubwa, na uhubiri ujumbe ule ambao nitakuagiza.”
3 Jonah did what God told him. He set out and went to Nineveh, a city that was so big it took three days to walk through it.
Basi Yona akaondoka akaenda Niniawi kwa kutii neno la Bwana. Sasa Ninawi ilikuwa mji mkubwa sana, ilikuwa safari ya siku tatu.
4 Jonah went into the city, walking for one day, shouting out, “In forty days Nineveh will be destroyed!”
Yona akaanza kuingia ndani ya mji, na baada ya safari ya siku, akapaza sauti, akasema, “Katika siku arobaini Ninawi itaangamizwa.”
5 The people of Nineveh believed in God. They announced a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.
Watu wa Ninawi walimwamini Mungu na wakatangaza kufunga. Wote hwakavaa nguo za magunia, kutoka aliyemkubwa hata mdogo.
6 When the news of what was happening reached the king of Nineveh he came down from his throne, took off his robe, put on sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
Mapema habari zilimfikia mfalme wa Ninawi. Akasimama kutoka kiti chake cha enzi, akavua vazi lake, akajivika magunia, akaketi katika majivu.
7 Then the king and the nobles issued a proclamation throughout Nineveh: “No person, no animal, no herd, and no flock, shall eat or drink anything.
Alitoa tangazo ambalo lilsemalo, “katika mji wa Ninawi, kwa mamlaka ya mfalme na wakuu wake, msiruhusu mtu wala mnyama, ng'ombe wala kundi, asionje kitu chochote. Wao wasile wala kunywe maji.
8 Every person and every animal is to wear sackcloth. Everyone is to pray sincerely to God, give up the evil things they do, and stop using violence.
Lakini watu na wanyama wawe wamefunikwa kwa magunia na walie kwa sauti kubwa kwa Mungu. Kila mtu ageuke na kuacha njia yake mbaya na kutoka katika udhalimu uliyopo mikononi mwake.
9 Who knows? God may change his mind and relent. He may decide not to destroy us in his fierce anger.”
Nani anajua? Mungu anaweza kurejea na kubadili mawazo yake na kuacha ghadhabu yake kali ili tusiangamie.”
10 God saw what they had done—that they had given up their evil ways—so he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened.
Mungu akaona yale waliyoyafanya, wakaziacha njia zao mbaya. Kwa hiyo Mungu alibadili mawazo yake juu ya adhabu aliyowaambia angewafanyia, nae hakufanya hivyo.
