< Jona 1 >

1 Okwu Onyenwe anyị bịakwutere Jona nwa Amitai, na-asị,
And the word of Yahweh came unto Jonah son of Amittai, saying:
2 “Bilie, gaa Ninive, bụ obodo ukwu ahụ, kwusaa okwu megide ya, nʼihi na ajọ omume ha abịarutela nʼihu m.”
Arise, get thee to Nineveh the great city, and proclaim unto it, —that their wickedness, hath come up, before me.
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 arose to flee unto Tarshish, away from the presence of Yahweh, —and went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish, so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of Yahweh.
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, Yahweh, hurled a great wind against the sea, —and, there arose a mighty tempest in the sea, —and, the ship, thought to be broken in pieces,
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.
Then were the mariners, afraid, and made outcry every man unto his own god, and they hurled the wares which were in the ship, into the sea, to lighten it of them, —but, Jonah, had gone down into the hinder parts of the vessel, and had lain down, and fallen into a sound sleep.
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.”
Then drew near unto him the shipmaster, and said to him, What meanest thou, O sound sleeper? Arise, cry unto thy God, Peradventure God will bethink himself of us, that we perish not.
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.
And they said—every one unto his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may get to know for whose sake this calamity is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.
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?”
Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose sake this calamity is upon us? What is thy business? and from whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?
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.”
And he said unto them, A Hebrew, am I, —and, Yahweh, the God of the heavens, do, I, revere, him who made the sea, and the dry 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.
Then did the men revere with great reverence, and said unto him, What is it thou hast done? For the men knew that, away from the presence of Yahweh, he was fleeing, —for he had told them.
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?”
Then said they unto him, What shall we de to thee, that the sea may cease raging over us? For, the sea, was raging more and more.
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.”
And he said unto them, Take me up, and hurl me into the sea, that the sea may cease raging over you, —for I do know that, for my sake, is this great tempest upon you.
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.
Nevertheless the men, wrought hard, to bring it back unto the land, but could not, —for, the sea, was raging over them more and more.
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 cried they unto Yahweh, and said, Ah now, Yahweh, pray let it not be that we perish for this man’s life, neither lay upon us innocent blood, —for, thou, O Yahweh, as thou hast pleased, hast ever done.
15 Ya mere, ha buliri Jona elu tụnye ya nʼime osimiri ahụ, ebili mmiri ahụ dajụkwara.
So they took up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, —and the sea, left off, her roaring.
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.
Then did the men revere Yahweh with a great reverence, —and offered sacrifice to Yahweh, and vowed vows.
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.
Now Yahweh had appointed a great fish, to swallow up Jonah, —and Jonah was in the belly of the fish, three days and three nights.

< Jona 1 >