< Jona 3 >
1 Mgbe ahụ, okwu Onyenwe anyị ruru Jona ntị nke ugboro abụọ na-asị,
The LORD’s word came to Jonah the second time, saying,
2 “Bilie, jee nʼobodo ukwu ahụ bụ Ninive, kwusaara ya ozi ahụ m ziri gị.”
“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I give you.”
3 Jona biliri gaa Ninive dịka okwu nke Onyenwe anyị si dị. Ninive bụ nnọọ obodo dị ukwuu, nke ga-ewe ụbọchị atọ ịga ya gburugburu.
So Jonah arose, and went to Nineveh, according to the LORD’s word. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey across.
4 Jona malitere ịba nʼobodo ahụ, ma mgbe ọ gara ije otu ụbọchị, o kwusara sị, “Iri ụbọchị anọ ka ọ fọdụrụ tupu alaa Ninive nʼiyi.”
Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried out, and said, “In forty days, Nineveh will be overthrown!”
5 Ndị Ninive kwenyeere na Chineke, kpọsaa obubu ọnụ, ha niile site nʼonye ukwu ruo nʼonye nta, onye ọbụla yikwasịrị uwe mkpe.
The people of Nineveh believed God; and they proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from their greatest even to their least.
6 Mgbe akụkọ a rutere eze Ninive ntị, o sitere nʼocheeze ya rituo, wezuga uwe eze ya, yikwasị uwe mkpe, nọkwasịkwa na ntụ.
The news reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, took off his royal robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
7 Nke a bụ nkwusa ya nʼime Ninive: Nke a bụ iwu sitere nʼaka eze na ndị a maara aha ha: “Ka mmadụ ọbụla, maọbụ anụmanụ, igwe ehi maọbụ anụ ụlọ ọbụla, ghara idetu ihe ọbụla nʼọnụ, ka ha ghara iri ihe maọbụ ṅụọ mmiri.
He made a proclamation and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, “Let neither man nor animal, herd nor flock, taste anything; let them not feed, nor drink water;
8 Kama ka onye ọbụla yiri akwa mkpe, ma mmadụ ma anụmanụ, ka ha kpọkusikwaa Chineke ike, ka ha sikwa nʼụzọ ọjọọ ha chegharịa, sikwa nʼọrụ ọjọọ ha na ime ihe ike ha niile chegharịa.
but let them be covered with sackcloth, both man and animal, and let them cry mightily to God. Yes, let them turn everyone from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands.
9 Onye maara? Ma eleghị anya, Chineke ga-ejide oke iwe ya, ma site nʼọmịiko ya wezuga iwe ọkụ ya si otu a mee ka anyị ghara ịla nʼiyi.”
Who knows whether God will not turn and relent, and turn away from his fierce anger, so that we might not perish?”
10 Mgbe Chineke hụrụ ihe niile ha mere, na otu ha siri site nʼụzọ ọjọọ ha niile chegharịa, Chineke chegharịrị uche banyere ịla ha nʼiyi. O mekwaghị ka nzube ya ibibi obodo ahụ mezuo.
God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way. God relented of the disaster which he said he would do to them, and he didn’t do it.