< Jonah 2 >
1 [While he was] inside the huge fish, Jonah prayed to Yahweh God, [whom] he [worshiped. After Yahweh told him that he would answer his prayer, ]
Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly.
2 Jonah said, “Yahweh, when I was greatly distressed [here], I prayed to you, and you heard what I [prayed]. When I was [about to descend way down into] the place where dead people go, you heard me when I called out [for you to help/save me]. (Sheol )
And he said: I called out of mine affliction unto the LORD, and He answered me; out of the belly of the nether-world cried I, and Thou heardest my voice. (Sheol )
3 You threw me [down] into the deep [water], into the bottom [DOU] of the sea. The currents of the sea swirled around me, and the huge waves crashed above me.
For Thou didst cast me into the depth, in the heart of the seas, and the flood was round about me; all Thy waves and Thy billows passed over me.
4 Then I thought, ‘You have banished me, and I will never be able to enter your presence again. I will never see your holy temple [in Jerusalem] again!’
And I said: 'I am cast out from before Thine eyes'; yet I will look again toward Thy holy temple.
5 The water surrounded me, and threatened to drown me. Seaweed was wrapped around my head.
The waters compassed me about, even to the soul; the deep was round about me; the weeds were wrapped about my head.
6 I sank down to where the mountains start rising [MET] [from the bottom of the sea]. I thought that forever [it would be as though] my body would be in a prison [MTY] [inside the earth] below me. But you, Yahweh God, whom I [worship], rescued me from going down to the place of the dead.
I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars closed upon me for ever; yet hast Thou brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God.
7 When I was almost dead [EUP], Yahweh, I (thought about/prayed to) you. You [heard] my prayer, up [there where] you [are, in] your holy temple.
When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the LORD; and my prayer came in unto Thee, into Thy holy temple.
8 All those who worship worthless idols are rejecting [you], the one who [could] act kindly toward them.
They that regard lying vanities forsake their own mercy.
9 But I will sing to thank [you], and I will offer a sacrifice to you. I will [surely] do what I have solemnly promised [to do]. Yahweh, you are the one who is [able to] save [us].”
But I will sacrifice unto Thee with the voice of thanksgiving; that which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is of the LORD.
10 Then Yahweh commanded the huge fish to vomit out Jonah, [and the fish did that], and [Jonah was able to get] to the land.
And the LORD spoke unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.