Jonah 4
1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.
Kodwa uJona wacaphuka kakhulu wazonda.
2 He prayed to the LORD, and said, “Please, LORD, wasn’t this what I said when I was still in my own country? Therefore I hurried to flee to Tarshish, for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and you relent of doing harm.
Wakhuleka kuThixo wathi, “Awu Thixo, kakusikho lokhu yini engakutshoyo ngisesekhaya? Yikho okwangenza ngaphangisa ukubalekela eThashishi. Ngangikwazi ukuthi unguNkulunkulu olomusa lesihawu, ophuza ukuthukuthela njalo ogcwele uthando, uNkulunkulu odedayo ongasoze ehlise ukuhlupheka.
3 Therefore now, LORD, take, I beg you, my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.”
Khathesi-ke Thixo, susa ukuphila kwami, ngoba kungcono kimi ukufa kulokuphila.”
4 The LORD said, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
Kodwa uThixo waphendula wathi, “Kambe ubona ulelungelo na lokuthi uzonde?”
5 Then Jonah went out of the city and sat on the east side of the city, and there made himself a booth and sat under it in the shade, until he might see what would become of the city.
UJona waphuma wayahlala endaweni ethile ngempumalanga kwedolobho. Wazenzela khonapho idunjana wahlala emthunzini walo walindela ukubona okwakuzakwenzakala edolobheni lelo.
6 The LORD God prepared a vine and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head to deliver him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the vine.
Kwasekusithi uThixo uNkulunkulu wakhulisa isihlahla esilamahlamvu kuJona samenzela umthunzi ekhanda lakhe ukuze ahlaliseke. UJona wathaba kakhulu ngaleli ivini.
7 But God prepared a worm at dawn the next day, and it chewed on the vine so that it withered.
Kodwa emathathakusa ngelanga elilandelayo uNkulunkulu wathumela impehlane, eyaphehla isihlahla sacina sibuna.
8 When the sun arose, God prepared a sultry east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah’s head, so that he was faint and requested for himself that he might die. He said, “It is better for me to die than to live.”
Kwathi ilanga seliphumile uNkulunkulu wathumela umoya wempumalanga ohaqazayo, ilanga lavutha phezu kwekhanda likaJona waze waqaleka. Wafisa ukufa, wathi, “Kungcono kimi ukuthi ngife kulokuthi ngiphile.”
9 God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the vine?” He said, “I am right to be angry, even to death.”
Kodwa uNkulunkulu wathi kuJona, “Ulelungelo na lokuthi uzonde ngenxa yesihlahla?” UJona wathi, “Yebo. Ngizonde kakhulu, kuthi kangife.”
10 The LORD said, “You have been concerned for the vine, for which you have not laboured, neither made it grow; which came up in a night and perished in a night.
Kodwa uThixo wathi, “Uyazihlupha ngesihlahla lesi loba ungazange usinakekele loba usikhulise. Lihlume ngobusuku laphinde lafa ngobusuku.
11 Shouldn’t I be concerned for Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who can’t discern between their right hand and their left hand, and also many animals?”
Kodwa iNiniva ilabantu abeqa izinkulungwane ezilikhulu elilamatshumi amabili abangehlukanisiyo isandla sabo sokudla kwesenxele, lenkomo ezinengi njalo. Bekungafanelanga yini na ukuthi ngilinqinekele idolobho elikhulu kangaka?”
