Jonah 1

1 And the word of the Lord was maad to Jonas,

The worde of the Lord came also vnto Ionah the sonne of Amittai, saying,

2 sone of Amathi, and seide, Rise thou, and go in to Nynyue, the greet citee, and preche thou ther ynne, for the malice therof stieth vp bifore me.

Arise, and goe to Nineueh, that great citie, and crye against it: for their wickednesse is come vp before mee.

3 And Jonas roos for to fle in to Tharsis, fro the face of the Lord. And he cam doun to Joppe, and foond a schip goynge in to Tharsis, and he yaf schip hire to hem; and he wente doun in to it, for to go with hem in to Tharsis, fro the face of the Lord.

But Ionah rose vp to flee into Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went downe to Iapho: and he founde a ship going to Tarshish: so he payed the fare thereof, and went downe into it, that he might go with them vnto Tarshish, from the presence of the Lord.

4 Forsothe the Lord sente a greet wynd in the see, and a greet tempest was maad in the see, and the schip was in perel for to be al to-brokun.

But the Lord sent out a great winde into the sea, and there was a mightie tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.

5 And schip men dredden, and men crieden to her god; and senten vessels, that weren in the schip, in to the see, that it were maad liytere of hem. And Jonas wente doun in to the ynnere thingis of the schip, and slepte bi a greuouse sleep.

Then the mariners were afraide, and cryed euery man vnto his God, and cast the wares that were in the ship, into the sea to lighten it of the: but Ionah was gone downe into the sides of the ship, and he lay downe, and was fast a sleepe.

6 And the gouernour cam to him, and seide to hym, Whi art thou cast doun in sleep? rise thou, clepe thi God to help, if perauenture God ayenthenke of vs, and we perische not.

So the shipmaster came to him, and saide vnto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? Arise, call vpon thy God, if so be that God wil thinke vpon vs, that we perish not.

7 And a man seide to his felowe, Come ye, and caste we lottis, and wite we, whi this yuel is to vs. And thei kesten lottis, and lot felle on Jonas.

And they saide euery one to his fellowe, Come, and let vs cast lottes, that we may know, for whose cause this euill is vpon vs. So they cast lottes, and the lot fell vpon Ionah.

8 And thei seiden to hym, Schewe thou to vs, for cause of what thing this yuel is to vs; what is thi werk, which is thi lond, and whidur goist thou, ether of what puple art thou?

Then said they vnto him, Tell vs for whose cause this euill is vpon vs? what is thine occupation? and whence commest thou? which is thy countrey? and of what people art thou?

9 And he seide to hem, Y am an Ebrew, and Y drede the Lord God of heuene, that made the see and the drie lond.

And he answered them, I am an Ebrewe, and I feare the Lord God of heauen, which hath made the sea, and the dry lande.

10 And the men dredden with greet drede, and seiden to him, Whi didist thou this thing? for the men knewen that he flei fro the face of the Lord, for Jonas hadde schewide to hem.

Then were the men exceedingly afrayde, and said vnto him, Why hast thou done this? (for the men knewe, that he fled from the presence of the Lord, because he had tolde them)

11 And thei seiden to hym, What schulen we do to thee, and the see schal seesse fro vs? for the see wente, and wexe greet on hem.

Then saide they vnto him, What shall we doe vnto thee, that the sea may be calme vnto vs? (for the sea wrought and was troublous)

12 And he seide to hem, Take ye me, and throwe in to the see, and the see schal ceesse fro you; for Y woot, that for me this greet tempest is on you.

And he said vnto them, Take me, and cast me into the sea: so shall the sea be calme vnto you: for I knowe that for my sake this great tempest is vpon you.

13 And men rowiden, for to turne ayen to the drie lond, and thei miyten not, for the see wente, and wexe greet on hem.

Neuerthelesse, the men rowed to bring it to the lande, but they coulde not: for the sea wrought, and was troublous against them.

14 And thei crieden to the Lord, and seiden, Lord, we bisechen, that we perische not in the lijf of this man, and that thou yyue not on vs innocent blood; for thou, Lord, didist as thou woldist.

Wherefore they cryed vnto the Lord, and said, We beseech thee, O Lord, we beseech thee, let vs not perish for this mans life, and lay not vpon vs innocent blood: for thou, O Lord, hast done, as it pleased thee.

15 And thei token Jonas, and threwen in to the see; and the see stood of his buylyng.

So they tooke vp Ionah, and cast him into the sea, and the sea ceased from her raging.

16 And the men dredden the Lord with greet drede, and offriden oostis to the Lord, and vowiden avowis.

Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice vnto the Lord, and made vowes.

17 And the Lord made redi a greet fisch, that he shulde swolowe Jonas; and Jonas was in the wombe of the fisch thre daies and thre niytis.

Nowe the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallowe vp Ionah: and Ionah was in the belly of the fish three dayes, and three nightes.