Jonah 1
1 NOW the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kuJona indodana ka-Amithayi lathi:
2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.
“Hamba uye edolobheni elikhulu laseNiniva utshumayele ngokulisola kakhulu, ngoba ububi balo sebufinyelele kimi.”
3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
Kodwa uJona wabalekela uThixo waqonda eThashishi. Wehla waya eJopha, lapho afica khona umkhumbi owawusiya kuleyondawo. Eseyikhuphile imali yokugada, wangena umkhumbi waqonda eThashishi yena ebalekela uThixo.
4 But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.
UThixo wathumela isiphepho elwandlwe, kwaphenquka isavunguzane esasingathi sizawubhidliza umkhumbi.
5 Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.
Bonke abagwedli bawo besaba, ngulowo lalowo wakhala kunkulunkulu wakhe. Baphosela imithwalo elwandle ukuze baphungule ubunzima bomkhumbi. Kodwa uJona wayehlele endlwaneni engaphansi, emkhunjini, walala khona ubuthongo bukabhuka.
6 So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.
Induna yomkhumbi yaya kuye yathi, “Ungalala njani? Vuka ubize unkulunkulu wakho! Mhlawumbe yena uzasizwa ukuze singabhubhi.”
7 And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.
Abagwedli basebecebisana bathi, “Wozani, senze inkatho ukuze sibone ukuthi ngubani osibangele uhlupho lolu.” Bayenza inkatho, yadla uJona.
8 Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?
Basebembuza bathi, “Akusitshele, ngubani osibangele lonke lolu uhlupho na? Wenza msebenzi bani na? Uvela ngaphi? Ungowakuliphi ilizwe? Ungowasiphi isizwe na?”
9 And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land.
Waphendula wathi, “NgingumHebheru, ngikhonza uThixo, uNkulunkulu wasezulwini, owenza ulwandle kanye lomhlabathi.”
10 Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.
Lokhu kwabethusa, babuza bathi, “Wenzeni pho?” (Babekwazi ukuthi ubalekela uThixo ngoba wayevele esebatshelile.)
11 Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.
Ulwandle lwaselulokhu luqubuka lusiya phambili ngamandla. Ngakho basebembuza bathi, “Senzeni kuwe ukuze ulwandle luthule singalimali na?”
12 And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.
Waphendula wathi, “Ngiqukulani lingiphosele elwandle, luzathula. Ngiyazi ukuthi kungumlandu wami okwenze isiphepho esikhulu kangaka sehlela phezu kwenu.”
13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.
Kodwa amadoda azama ngamandla ukugwedlela emuva emhlabathini. Kodwa behluleka ngoba ulwandle lwaselusidla amahabula okudlula kuqala.
14 Wherefore they cried unto the Lord, and said, We beseech thee, O Lord, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O Lord, hast done as it pleased thee.
Khonapho basebekhala kuThixo bathi, “Oh, Thixo, ungasiyekeli sife ngoba sibulele indoda le. Ungasibeki umlandu wokubulala umuntu ongelacala, ngoba wena, Oh Thixo, wenzile njengokufisa kwakho.”
15 So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.
Basebethatha uJona bamphosela olwandle, ulwandle lwase luthula ukugubhaza.
16 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord, and made vows.
Lokhu kwenza amadoda lawo amesabe kakhulu uThixo, asesenza umhlatshelo kuThixo enza izifungo kuye.
17 Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
Kodwa uThixo waletha inhlanzi enkulukazi yamginya uJona, uJona wahlala phakathi kwenhlanzi insuku ezintathu lobusuku obuthathu.
