< Jona 4 >

1 Ma ihe a jọrọ Jona njọ nʼobi nke ukwuu, iwe ya dịkwa ọkụ.
But this seemed very wrong to Jonah and he became angry.
2 Nʼihi ya, o kpeere Onyenwe anyị ekpere sị, “O, Onyenwe anyị, nke a ọ bụghị ihe m kwuru, mgbe m nọ nʼala m? Ọ bụ ya mere m ji chọọ ịgbalaga na Tashish na mbụ nʼihi na amaara m na ị bụ Chineke onye na-eme amara, na onye jupụtara nʼobi ebere, na onye na-adịghị ewe iwe ọsịịsọ, nke bara ụba nʼịhụnanya, onye na-anaghị ata mmadụ ahụhụ dịka mmehie ya siri dị.
He prayed to the Lord and said, ‘Ah, Lord, wasn’t this what I said when I was still in my own country? That was why I fled at once to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious and merciful God, patient, and loving and ready to forgive.
3 Ugbu a, O, Onyenwe anyị napụ m ndụ m. Ọ ga-adị m mma ịnwụ anwụ karịa ịdị ndụ.”
Therefore, Lord, I beg you, take my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live!’
4 Ma Onyenwe anyị sịrị, “O ziri ezi na ị ga-esi otu a wee oke iwe dị ọkụ?”
But the Lord said, ‘Are you doing right in being angry?’
5 Mgbe ahụ, Jona si nʼebe ahụ pụọ jee nọdụ ala nʼakụkụ ọwụwa anyanwụ nke obodo ahụ. O weere ahịhịa meere onwe ya ụlọ ndo, nọdụ nʼime ya, chere ka ọ hụ ihe gaje ime obodo ahụ.
Then Jonah went out of the city and sat down on the east side, and there made a hut for himself and sat under it, waiting to see what would become of the city.
6 Ma Onyenwe anyị Chineke rọpụtara otu osisi nwere akwụkwọ sara mbara, nke tolitere nʼelu isi Jona, ka o ghọọrọ ya ndo ịnapụta ya nʼọnọdụ ahụ mgbakasị. Jona ṅụrịrị ọṅụ maka osisi ahụ.
And the Lord arranged for a bush to grow up over Jonah as a shade for his head to make him comfortable. The bush gave Jonah great pleasure;
7 Ma nʼisi ụtụtụ echi ya, Chineke mere ka otu ikpuru pụta nke riri osisi ahụ site nʼogwe ya, si otu a mee ka ọ kpọnwụọ.
but at dawn the next day God arranged for a worm which attacked the bush, so that it wilted.
8 O ruo, mgbe anyanwụ wara, Chineke mere ka ifufe na-ekpo ọkụ site nʼọwụwa anyanwụ, anyanwụ a chara Jona nʼisi nke ukwuu nke mere nʼike gwụsịrị ya. Ọ rịọrọ ka ọnwụ gbuo ya, na-asị, “ọ ga a kaara m mma na m nwụrụ anwụ, karịa na m dị ndụ.”
And when the sun rose, God arranged a hot east wind. And the sun beat upon Jonah’s head, so that he was faint and begged that he might die, saying, ‘It is better for me to die than to live.’
9 Ma Chineke sịrị Jona, “Ọ bụ ihe ziri ezi ka i wee iwe maka osisi a?” Ọ sịrị, “E, ana m ewe oke iwe, ọ bụladị na m chọrọ ịnwụ.”
But God said to Jonah, ‘Are you doing right in being angry about the bush?’ He replied, ‘I have every right to be as angry as I could possibly be!’
10 Mgbe ahụ Onyenwe anyị kwuru, “I nwere obi ebere nʼebe osisi a dị, nke ị na-akụghị na nke i mekwaghị ka o too, bụ nke toro nʼanyasị, nwụọkwa nʼanyasị.
The Lord said, ‘You care about a bush which has cost you no trouble and which you have not made grow, which came up in a night and wilted in a night.
11 Mụ onwe m, m ga-aghara inwe obi ebere nʼahụ obodo ukwu a dịka Ninive, nke nwere ihe karịrị narị puku ndị mmadụ na iri puku mmadụ abụọ, bụ ndị na-amaghị nke bụ aka nri ha maọbụ aka ekpe ha, na nke ọtụtụ anụmanụ dịkwa nʼime ya?”
Should I not care for the great city Nineveh, in which there are one hundred and twenty thousand people who do not know their right hand from their left; and many cattle too?’

< Jona 4 >