Jona 1

1 Okwu Onyenwe anyị bịakwutere Jona nwa Amitai, na-asị,

The Lord spoke to Jonah the son of Amittai, telling him,

2 “Bilie, gaa Ninive, bụ obodo ukwu ahụ, kwusaa okwu megide ya, nʼihi na ajọ omume ha abịarutela nʼihu m.”

“Go immediately to the great city of Nineveh and condemn it because I have seen the wickedness of its people.”

3 Ma Jona gbapụrụ ọsọ site nʼihu Onyenwe anyị chee ihu ya ije Tashish. O biliri jee Jopa, nʼebe ọ hụrụ ụgbọ mmiri nke na-aga Tashish. Ọ kwụrụ ụgwọ ije ụgbọ, banye isoro gaa Tashish ka o nwee ike gbapụ site nʼihu Onyenwe anyị.

But Jonah left and ran away to Tarshish to get away from the Lord. He went to Joppa where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He paid the fare and went on board to sail to Tarshish in order to get away from the Lord.

4 Ma Onyenwe anyị mere ka ifufe dị egwu malite ife nʼelu osimiri ahụ, ebili mmiri bidokwara na-amagharị, chọọ itiwasị ụgbọ mmiri ahụ.

But the Lord sent a terrible wind across the sea, creating a violent storm that threatened to break up the ship.

5 Mgbe ahụ, ndị niile na-arụ ọrụ nʼụgbọ ahụ tụrụ oke egwu, malite itiku chi ha. Ha malitekwara itufu ihe niile dị nʼụgbọ mmiri ahụ, ime ka ụgbọ ahụ dị mfe. Ma nʼoge ihe ndị a na-eme, Jona nọrịị nʼala ala ụgbọ mmiri ahụ ebe o dinara ala na-arahụ ụra.

The sailors were terrified and each of them prayed to their own god to save them. They threw the cargo overboard to make the ship lighter. Meanwhile, Jonah had gone down into the hold where he had laid down and fallen fast asleep.

6 Onyeisi ụgbọ jekwuru Jona sị ya, “Gịnị ka ị nọ nʼebe a na-eme, ị na-arahụ ụra? Bilie, kpọkuo chi gị, ma eleghị anya o nwere ike ileta anyị anya, meere anyị ebere, zọpụta anyị.”

The ship's captain went to Jonah and asked him, “How can you be sleeping? Get up and pray to your God. Maybe he will take notice of what's happening to us and we won't drown.”

7 Mgbe ahụ, ndị nọ nʼụgbọ sịrịtara ibe ha, “Bịanụ ka anyị fee nza mata onye ihe ọjọọ dị otu a sị nʼaka ya bịakwasị anyị.” Ya mere, ha fere nza, nza ahụ a maa Jona.

Then the sailors said to each other, “Let's draw lots so we can find out who's to blame for this disaster that's fallen on us.” They drew lots and Jonah's name was came up.

8 Nʼihi ya, ha sịrị ya, “Gwa anyị, onye mere ka ihe dị otu a bịakwasị anyị. Gịnị bụ ọrụ gị? Ebee ka i si bịa? Ị bụ onye obodo ebee? Ole agbụrụ i si na ya pụta?”

So they asked him, “Tell us who is responsible for this trouble that we're in. What do you do for a living? Where are you from? What is your country? What is your nationality?”

9 Ọ sịrị, “Abụ m onye Hibru, na onye na-akpọ isiala nye Onyenwe anyị, bụ Chineke nke eluigwe, onye kere osimiri na ala akọrọ.”

“I am a Hebrew,” Jonah replied, “and I worship the Lord, the God of the heavens, the sea, and the land.”

10 Egwu dị ukwuu tụrụ ụmụ nwoke ahụ, ha sịrị ya, “Gịnị ka i mere?” Nʼihi na ha matara na o si nʼihu Onyenwe anyị na-agbapụ ọsọ, nʼihi na ọ gwala ha rịị na ọ bụ otu o si dị.

The sailors became even more terrified and said to Jonah, “What have you done?” because Jonah had explained to them that he was running away from the Lord.

11 Ma ebili mmiri ahụ gara nʼihu na-amali nʼike nʼike. Nʼihi ya, ha sịrị, “Gịnị ka anyị ga-eme gị, nke ga-eme ka osimiri dajụọ?”

“What shall we do to you to calm the storm?” they asked him, since the storm was getting worse.

12 Ọ gwara ha, “Bulienụ m tụnye nʼime osimiri. Nke a ga-emekwa ka ọ dajụọ. Nʼihi na amaara m na ọ bụ nʼihi m ka ebili mmiri ọjọọ a ji na-abịakwasị unu.”

“Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” Jonah replied. “Then the sea will become calm, because I know it's because of me that you're in this terrible storm.”

13 Kama, ndị ikom ahụ ji ike nyasie ụgbọ ahụ ichigharị ya laghachi nʼelu ala, ma ha enweghị ike. Nʼihi na oke osimiri ahụ na-amali elu karịa ka ọ dị na mbụ.

Instead the sailors tried to row to get back to the shore, but they couldn't because the sea had become so wild from the worsening storm.

14 Mgbe ahụ, ha tikuru Onyenwe anyị mkpu akwa sị, “Onyenwe anyị, biko ekwela ka anyị nwụọ nʼihi ọnwụ nwoke a. Biko, atụkwasịkwala ọbara nwoke a na-emeghị ihe ọjọọ nʼisi anyị, nʼihi na gị Onyenwe anyị emeela dịka i si chọọ.”

Then they called out to the Lord, “Lord! Please don't kill us for sacrificing this man's life or for spilling innocent blood, for you, Lord, made it happen.”

15 Ya mere, ha buliri Jona elu tụnye ya nʼime osimiri ahụ, ebili mmiri ahụ dajụkwara.

So they picked Jonah up and threw him into the sea, and it became calm.

16 Mgbe nke a mere ndị ikom ahụ tụrụ egwu Onyenwe anyị nke ukwuu. Ha chụụrụ Onyenwe anyị aja, kwekwa ya nkwa dị iche iche.

The sailors were overcome with fear. They offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made many promises to him.

17 Ma Onyenwe anyị akwadolarị otu azụ buru ibu ka o loo Jona. Ya mere, Jona nọrọ nʼafọ azụ ahụ ụbọchị atọ, ehihie na abalị.

The Lord sent a huge fish to swallow Jonah. Jonah spent three days and nights in the belly of the fish.