< Jona 1 >

1 Okwu Onyenwe anyị bịakwutere Jona nwa Amitai, na-asị,
Now the word of the Lord came to Jonas the son of Amathi, saying,
2 “Bilie, gaa Ninive, bụ obodo ukwu ahụ, kwusaa okwu megide ya, nʼihi na ajọ omume ha abịarutela nʼihu m.”
Rise, and go to Nineve, the great city, and preach in it; for the cry of its wickedness is come up to 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 Jonas rose up to flee to Tharsis from the presence of the Lord. And he went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tharsis: and he paid his fare, and went up into it, to sail with them to Tharsis from the presence of 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.
And the Lord raised up a wind on the sea; and there was a great storm on the sea, and the ship was in danger of being broken.
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.
And the sailors were alarmed, and cried every one to his god, and cast out the wares that were in the ship into the sea, that it might be lightened of them. But Jonas was gone down into the hold of the ship, and was asleep, and snored.
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.”
And the shipmaster came to him, and said to him, Why snorest thou? arise, and call upon thy God, that God may save us, and 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 each man said to his neighbour, Come, let us cast lots, and find out for whose sake this mischief is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonas.
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?”
And they said to him, Tell us what is thine occupation, and whence comest thou, and of what country and 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 to them, I am a servant of the Lord; and I worship the Lord God of heaven, 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 the men feared exceedingly, and said to him, What is this [that] thou hast done? for the men knew that he was fleeing from the face of the Lord, because 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?”
And they said to him, What shall we do to thee, that the sea may be calm to us? for the sea rose, and lifted its wave exceedingly.
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 Jonas said to them, Take me up, and cast me into the sea, and the sea shall be calm to you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is 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.
And the men tried hard to return to the land, and were not able: for the sea rose and grew more and more tempestuous against them.
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.”
And they cried to the Lord, and said, Forbid it, Lord: let us not perish for the sake of this man's life, and bring not righteous blood upon us: for thou, Lord, hast done as thou wouldest.
15 Ya mere, ha buliri Jona elu tụnye ya nʼime osimiri ahụ, ebili mmiri ahụ dajụkwara.
So they took Jonas, and cast him out into the sea: and the sea ceased from its raging.
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.
And the men feared the Lord very greatly, and offered a sacrifice to the Lord, 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 the Lord had commanded a great whale to swallow up Jonas: and Jonas was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights.

< Jona 1 >