< 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 prayed Jonah, unto Yahweh, his God, —out of the belly of the fish;
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 said—I cried—out of my distress—unto Yahweh, and he answered me, —Out of the belly of hades, called I, Thou didst hear 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 hast cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and, a flood, enveloped me, —All thy breakers and thy rolling waves, over me, passed.
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 driven out from before thine eyes, —Yet will I again have regard unto thy holy temple:
5 The water surrounded me, and threatened to drown me. Seaweed was wrapped around my head.
The waters, encompassed me, to the peril of my life, The roaring deep, enveloped me, —The sea-weed, was 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.
To the roots of the mountains, went I down, As for the earth, her bars, were about me, age-abidingly, —Then didst thou bring up—out of the pit—my life, O Yahweh 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, darkened itself over me, Yahweh, I remembered, —and my prayer, came in unto thee, unto thy holy temple.
8 All those who worship worthless idols are rejecting [you], the one who [could] act kindly toward them.
They who take heed to the vanities of falsehood, do, their own lovingkindness, forsake.
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, with the voice of praise, will sacrifice unto thee, What I have vowed, I will pay, —Salvation, belongeth to Yahweh!
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.
So then Yahweh spake unto the fish, —and it vomited out Jonah, upon the dry land.