Iona 4
1 A HE mea hewa nui ia ia Iona, a huhu iho la ia.
Kodwa uJona wacaphuka kakhulu wazonda.
2 A pule aku la no ia ia Iehova, i aku la, Ke noi aku nei au ia oe, e Iehova, aole anei keia kuu olelo, i kuu noho ana ma ko'u aina? Nolaila i holo aku ai au mamua i Taresisa: no ka mea, ua ike no au he Akua ahonui oe, a me ke aloha, e hakalia ana i ka huhu, a he lokomaikai nui, a me ka haalele i ka manao hoopai.
Wakhuleka kuThixo wathi, “Awu Thixo, kakusikho lokhu yini engakutshoyo ngisesekhaya? Yikho okwangenza ngaphangisa ukubalekela eThashishi. Ngangikwazi ukuthi unguNkulunkulu olomusa lesihawu, ophuza ukuthukuthela njalo ogcwele uthando, uNkulunkulu odedayo ongasoze ehlise ukuhlupheka.
3 Ano hoi, e Iehova, ke noi aku nei au ia oe, e lawe oe i kuu ola mai o'u aku la; no ka mea, ua oi ka maikai o kuu make mamua o ke ola.
Khathesi-ke Thixo, susa ukuphila kwami, ngoba kungcono kimi ukufa kulokuphila.”
4 A olelo mai o Iehova, He pono anei nou ka huhu?
Kodwa uThixo waphendula wathi, “Kambe ubona ulelungelo na lokuthi uzonde?”
5 A hele aku la o Iona iwaho o ke kulanakauhale, a noho iho la ma ka hikina o ke kulanakauhale, a hana iho la ilaila i wahi lanai nona, a noho iho la malalo o kona malu, i ike aku ia i ka mea e hanaia ma ke kulanakauhale.
UJona waphuma wayahlala endaweni ethile ngempumalanga kwedolobho. Wazenzela khonapho idunjana wahlala emthunzini walo walindela ukubona okwakuzakwenzakala edolobheni lelo.
6 A hoomakaukau o Iehova ke Akua i laau aila, a hooulu ae la ia mea maluna o Iona, i lilo ia i wahi malumalu o kona poo, e hoopakele ia ia mai kona mea kaumaha. A olioli nui o Iona i ka laau aila.
Kwasekusithi uThixo uNkulunkulu wakhulisa isihlahla esilamahlamvu kuJona samenzela umthunzi ekhanda lakhe ukuze ahlaliseke. UJona wathaba kakhulu ngaleli ivini.
7 A hoomakaukau ke Akua i wahi enuhe i ka wanaao i ka la apopo, a ai iho la ia i ka laau aila, a mae iho la ia.
Kodwa emathathakusa ngelanga elilandelayo uNkulunkulu wathumela impehlane, eyaphehla isihlahla sacina sibuna.
8 A i ka wa i puka mai ai ka la, hoomakaukau ke Akua i makani hikina wela: a kau ka la maluna o ke poo o Iona, a maule iho la ia, a manao iho la iloko ona e make, a i iho la, ua oi ka maikai o kuu make mamua o ke ola.
Kwathi ilanga seliphumile uNkulunkulu wathumela umoya wempumalanga ohaqazayo, ilanga lavutha phezu kwekhanda likaJona waze waqaleka. Wafisa ukufa, wathi, “Kungcono kimi ukuthi ngife kulokuthi ngiphile.”
9 A olelo mai la ke Akua ia Iona, He pono anei kou huhu no ka laau aila? A i aku la ia, He pono ko'u huhu a i ka make.
Kodwa uNkulunkulu wathi kuJona, “Ulelungelo na lokuthi uzonde ngenxa yesihlahla?” UJona wathi, “Yebo. Ngizonde kakhulu, kuthi kangife.”
10 A olelo mai o Iehova, Ua minamina anei oe i ka laau aila, ka mea aole oe i luhi, aole hoi oe i hooulu: kupu mai no ia i ka po hookahi, a make iho la i ka po hookahi:
Kodwa uThixo wathi, “Uyazihlupha ngesihlahla lesi loba ungazange usinakekele loba usikhulise. Lihlume ngobusuku laphinde lafa ngobusuku.
11 Aole anei he pono ko'u mina mina ana ia Nineva, ke kulanakauhale nui, iloko ona he lehulehu, hookahi haneri a me ka iwakalua na tausani a keu aku, ka poe ike ole iwaena o ka lima akau a me ka lima hema; a ua nui loa hoi na holoholona?
Kodwa iNiniva ilabantu abeqa izinkulungwane ezilikhulu elilamatshumi amabili abangehlukanisiyo isandla sabo sokudla kwesenxele, lenkomo ezinengi njalo. Bekungafanelanga yini na ukuthi ngilinqinekele idolobho elikhulu kangaka?”
