Jonah 3
1 Then came the word of Yahweh unto Jonah, the second time, saying:
Neno la Bwana likamjia Yona mara ya pili, akisema,
2 Arise, get thee unto Nineveh, the great city, —and cry against it the cry that I am bidding thee.
“Ondoka, uende Ninawi, mji ule mkubwa, na uhubiri ujumbe ule ambao nitakuagiza.”
3 So Jonah arose, and went his way unto Nineveh, according to the word of Yahweh, —Nineveh, being a city great before God, of three days’ journey.
Basi Yona akaondoka akaenda Niniawi kwa kutii neno la Bwana. Sasa Ninawi ilikuwa mji mkubwa sana, ilikuwa safari ya siku tatu.
4 So Jonah began to enter into the city, one day’s journey, —and he cried out and said—Yet forty days, and, Nineveh, is to be overthrown!
Yona akaanza kuingia ndani ya mji, na baada ya safari ya siku, akapaza sauti, akasema, “Katika siku arobaini Ninawi itaangamizwa.”
5 And the people of Nineveh believed in God, —and proclaimed a fast, and clothed themselves in sackcloth, from the greatest of them, even unto the least of them.
Watu wa Ninawi walimwamini Mungu na wakatangaza kufunga. Wote hwakavaa nguo za magunia, kutoka aliyemkubwa hata mdogo.
6 And the word reached unto the king of Nineveh, so he arose from his throne, and laid aside his robe from off him, —and covered him with sackcloth, and sat on ashes.
Mapema habari zilimfikia mfalme wa Ninawi. Akasimama kutoka kiti chake cha enzi, akavua vazi lake, akajivika magunia, akaketi katika majivu.
7 And he caused an outcry to be made—and said—throughout Nineveh, By decree of the king and of his great men, Be it known: —Man and beast, herd and flock, Let them taste, nothing, let them not feed, and, water, let them not drink:
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 Let both man and beast, cover themselves with sackcloth, and let them cry unto God, mightily, —Yea let them turn, every man from his wicked way, and from the violence which is in their hands:
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 knoweth whether God himself—may turn and grieve, —and turn away from the glow of his anger, that we perish not?
Nani anajua? Mungu anaweza kurejea na kubadili mawazo yake na kuacha ghadhabu yake kali ili tusiangamie.”
10 And God saw their doings, that they turned from their wicked way, —and God was grieved over the calamity which he had spoken of executing upon them, and executed it not.
Mungu akaona yale waliyoyafanya, wakaziacha njia zao mbaya. Kwa hiyo Mungu alibadili mawazo yake juu ya adhabu aliyowaambia angewafanyia, nae hakufanya hivyo.
