Yona 1

1 Yehowa ƒe nya va na Yona, Amitai ƒe vi la be,

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonas the son of Amathi, saying:

2 “Yi ɖe Ninive, du gã la me, eye nàgblɔ nya ɖi ɖe wo ŋu, elabena woƒe ŋutasẽse va ɖo gbɔnye.”

Arise, and go to Ninive the great city, and preach in it: for the wickedness thereof is come up before me.

3 Ke nya sia na Yona si le Yehowa nu heɖo ta Tarsis. Eyi ƒutadu aɖe si woyɔna be Yopa la me, eye esi wòyi ɖe melidzeƒe si le afi ma la, ekpɔ meli aɖe si nɔ mɔ dzem yina ɖe Tarsis. Exe ʋuɖofe enumake, eye wòɖo ʋu la hege ɖe meli la ƒe globoeƒe aɖe be yeasi le Yehowa gbɔ.

And Jonas rose up to flee into Tharsis from the face of the Lord, and he went down to Joppe, and found a ship going to Tharsis: and he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them to Tharsis from the face of the Lord.

4 Esi ʋu la dze mɔ yina sẽe ko la, Yehowa dɔ yaƒoƒo sesẽ aɖe ɖa si na be ahom dziŋɔ aɖe tu. Meli la ʋuʋu heyeheye henɔ didim be yeanyrɔ.

But the Lord sent a great wind into the sea: and a great tempest was raised in the sea, and the ship was in danger to be broken.

5 Ŋɔdzi kple vɔvɔ̃ gã aɖe lé ʋukulawo, eye wo dometɔ ɖe sia ɖe nɔ eƒe mawu yɔm kple ɣli, eye wotsɔ agba si wodo na meli la ƒu gbe ɖe atsiaƒu la me be meli la nazu wodzoe vie. Esi nu siawo katã nɔ edzi yim la, Yona ya nɔ alɔ̃ dɔm dzidzemetɔe le afi si wòbe ɖo.

And the mariners were afraid, and the men cried to their god: and they cast forth the wares that were in the ship, into the sea, to lighten it of them: and Jonas went down into the inner part of the ship, and fell into a deep sleep.

6 Meli la ƒe amegã yi ɖe afi si wònɔ la, eye wòdo ɣli ɖe eta be, “Nu ka! Alɔ̃ dɔm wò ya nèle le ɣeyiɣi sia mea? Tso kaba nàyɔ wò mawu, ɖewohĩ akpɔ nublanui na mí tso ahom la me!”

And the shipmaster came to him, and said to him: Why art thou fast asleep? rise up, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think of us, that we may not perish.

7 Azɔ melikulawo gblɔ na wo nɔewo be, “Miva, mina míadzidze nu, akpɔe ɖa be ame kae na dzɔgbevɔ̃e sia va mía dzi mahã.” Ale wodzidze nu, eye wòdze Yona dzi.

And they said every one to his fellow: Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know why this evil is upon us. And they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonas.

8 Ale wo katã wobia gbee zi ɖeka be, “Nu ka nèwɔ, be nèhe ahom sia va mía dzi? Dɔ ka nèwɔna? Dukɔ ka me nètso? Gbe ka gblɔlae nènye?”

And they said to him: Tell us for what cause this evil is upon us, what is thy business? of what country art thou? and whither goest thou? or of what people art thou?

9 Yona ɖo eŋu na wo be, “Hebritɔwoe menye, eye mesubɔa Yehowa, Dziƒo Mawu la, ame si wɔ atsiaƒu kple anyigba.”

And he said to them: I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord the God of heaven, who made both the sea and the dry land.

10 Nya sia sese na wovɔ̃, eye wobiae be, “Nu ka nèwɔ?” Elabena ameawo nya be ɖe wònɔ sisim le Yehowa nu, elabena egblɔe na wo do ŋgɔ.

And the men were greatly afraid, and they said to him: Why hast thou done this? (for the men knew that he fled from the face of the Lord: because he had told them.)

11 Ƒutsotsoeawo gale agbo dzem ɖe edzi, eya ta wobiae be, “Nu ka míawɔ wò be ƒu la nadze akɔ anyi?”

And they said to him: What shall we do to thee, that the sea may be calm to us? for the sea flowed and swelled.

12 Yona gblɔ na wo be, “Mikɔm ƒu gbe ɖe ƒua me ekema ahom la nu atso. Elabena menya be tanye ahom la le tutum ɖo.”

And he said to them: Take me up, and cast me into the sea, and the sea shall be calm to you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.

13 Ʋukulawo dze agbagba be woaku ʋu la ava gota, gake gbeɖe; womete ŋui o, elabena ƒutsotsoeawo gadze agbo ɖe edzi wu tsã.

And the men rowed hard to return to land, but they were not able: because the sea tossed and swelled upon them.

14 Ale wodo gbe ɖa na Yehowa be, “O Yehowa, mègabia hlɔ̃ mi ɖe ame sia ƒe agbe ta o. Mègabu fɔ mí be míekɔ ʋu maɖifɔ ɖi o, elabena, O Yehowa, wòe wɔ nu si dze ŋuwò.”

And they cried to the Lord, and said: We beseech thee, O Lord, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O Lord, hast done as it pleased thee.

15 Ale wolé Yona, kɔe ƒu gbe ɖe atsiaƒu la me, eye ƒu dzeagbo la dze akɔ anyi enumake.

And they took Jonas, and cast him into the sea, and the sea ceased from raging.

16 Nu si dzɔ la na be ʋua me nɔlawo katã vɔ̃ Yehowa ŋutɔ, eye wosa vɔ na Yehowa heɖe adzɔgbe nɛ.

And the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and sacrificed victims to the Lord, and made vows.

17 Yehowa dɔ ƒumelã gã aɖe wòmi Yona. Ale Yona nɔ ƒumelã la ƒe dɔ me ŋkeke etɔ̃ kple zã etɔ̃.

Now the Lord prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonas: and Jonas was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.