Jona 1

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

Now the LORD’s word came to Jonah the 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, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach against it, for their wickedness has 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 rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid its fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish 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.

But the LORD sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty storm on the sea, so that the ship was likely to break up.

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 the mariners were afraid, and every man cried to his god. They threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone down into the innermost parts of the ship and he was laying down, and was 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.”

So the ship master came to him, and said to him, “What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God! Maybe your God will notice us, so that we won’t perish.”

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.

They all said to each other, “Come! Let’s cast lots, that we may know who is responsible for this evil that is on us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on 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 they asked him, “Tell us, please, for whose cause this evil is on us. What is your occupation? Where do you come from? What is your country? Of what people are you?”

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.”

He said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who has 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 were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, “What have you done?” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence 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?”

Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you, that the sea may be calm to us?” For the sea grew more and more stormy.

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.”

He said to them, “Take me up, and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will be calm for you; for I know that because of me this great storm is on 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 rowed hard to get them back to the land; but they could not, for the sea grew more and more stormy 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.”

Therefore they cried to the LORD, and said, “We beg you, LORD, we beg you, don’t let us die for this man’s life, and don’t lay on us innocent blood; for you, LORD, have done as it pleased you.”

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

So they took up Jonah and threw him into the sea; and the sea ceased 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.

Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly; and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made 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.

The LORD prepared a huge fish to swallow up Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.