Yona 1

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

Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,

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

Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness 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.

But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence 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 out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like 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.

Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man to his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.

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!”

So the shipmaster came to him, and said to him, What mean you, O sleeper? arise, call on your God, if so be that God will think on us, that we perish not.

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 for whose cause this evil is on us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.

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?”

Then said they to him, Tell us, we pray you, for whose cause this evil is on us; What is your occupation? and from where come you? what is your country? and of what people are you?

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 an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which has made 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.

Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said to him. Why have you done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence 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?”

Then said they to him, What shall we do to you, that the sea may be calm to us? for the sea worked, and was tempestuous.

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 forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm to you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is on you.

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

Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea worked, and was tempestuous against 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.”

Why they cried to the LORD, and said, We beseech you, O LORD, we beseech you, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not on us innocent blood: for you, O LORD, have done as it pleased you.

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

So they look up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.

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

Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice 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 had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.