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.”

Rise, and go to Nineve, the great city, and preach in it; for the cry of its wickedness is come up to 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 Jonas rose up to flee to Tharsis from the presence of the Lord. And he went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tharsis: and he paid his fare, and went up into it, to sail with them to Tharsis 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.

And the Lord raised up a wind on the sea; and there was a great storm on the sea, and the ship was in danger of being 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 sailors were alarmed, and cried every one to his god, and cast out the wares that were in the ship into the sea, that it might be lightened of them. But Jonas was gone down into the hold of the ship, and was asleep, and snored.

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 snore you? arise, and call upon your God, that God may save us, and 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 each man said to his neighbour, Come, let us cast lots, and find out for whose sake this mischief is upon us. So 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 what is your occupation, and whence come you, and of what country and 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 a servant of the Lord; and I worship the Lord God of heaven, who 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 the men feared exceedingly, and said to him, What is this [that] you have done? for the men knew that he was fleeing 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 you, that the sea may be calm to us? for the sea rose, and lifted its wave exceedingly.

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 Jonas 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 tried hard to return to the land, and were not able: for the sea rose and grew more and more 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.”

And they cried to the Lord, and said, Forbid it, Lord: let us not perish for the sake of this man's life, and bring not righteous blood upon us: for you, Lord, have done as you would.

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

So they took Jonas, and cast him out into the sea: and the sea ceased from its 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 very greatly, and offered a sacrifice to the Lord, and vowed 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 commanded a great whale to swallow up Jonas: and Jonas was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights.