Yona 1

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

Now the LORD’s word 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 preach against it, for their wickedness has 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. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid its fare, 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 on the sea, and there was a mighty storm on the sea, so that the ship was likely to break up.

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 every man cried to his god. They threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone down into the innermost parts of the ship and he was laying down, 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 ship master came to him, and said to him, “What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God! Maybe your God will notice us, so that we won’t 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.

They all said to each other, “Come! Let’s cast lots, that we may know who is responsible for this evil that 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 they asked him, “Tell us, please, for whose cause this evil is on us. What is your occupation? Where do you come from? What is your country? 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.”

He said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who 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 the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, “What have you done?” For the men knew that he was fleeing 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 they said to him, “What shall we do to you, that the sea may be calm to us?” For the sea grew more and more stormy.

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.”

He said to them, “Take me up, and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will be calm for you; for I know that because of me this great storm 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 get them back to the land; but they could not, for the sea grew more and more stormy 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.”

Therefore they cried to the LORD, and said, “We beg you, LORD, we beg you, don’t let us die for this man’s life, and don’t lay on us innocent blood; for you, 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 took up Jonah and threw him into the sea; and the sea ceased its 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 they 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.

The LORD prepared a huge fish to swallow up Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.