Yona 1

1 Yawe alobaki na Yona, mwana mobali ya Amitayi:

This message from the Lord came to Jonah, the son of Amittai:

2 — Telema, kende na Ninive, engumba monene, mpe kebisa bato na yango, pamba te mabe na bango ekomi kino epai na ngai.

‘Arise, go to that great city, Nineveh, and preach against it; for their wickedness is known to me.’

3 Yona atelemaki. Kasi mpo na kokima mosika na Yawe, akendeki na Tarsisi, akitaki na libongo ya Jafa mpe akutaki kuna masuwa moko oyo ezalaki kokende na Tarsisi. Sima na ye kofuta mbongo mpo na mobembo, akotaki na masuwa yango mpo na kokende na Tarsisi, mosika na Yawe.

But Jonah started 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 the fare and went aboard to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

4 Kasi Yawe atindaki mopepe makasi na likolo ya ebale monene, mpe mopepe yango ememaki mbonge oyo ekomaki pene ya kozindisa masuwa.

But the Lord made a furious wind blow over the sea, and there was such a great storm that the ship was in danger of breaking to pieces.

5 Bato oyo basalaka na masuwa bakomaki kobanga, mpe moto na moto akomaki kobelela nzambe na ye; babwakaki biloko nyonso oyo bazalaki na yango na ebale monene mpo na kokomisa masuwa pepele. Kasi Yona akitaki na kobe ya masuwa mpe, kuna, alalaki pongi ya makasi.

The sailors were terrified and each cried for help to his own god. They threw the ship’s cargo into the sea to make the ship lighter. Meanwhile Jonah had gone down into the bottom of the ship and lay fast asleep.

6 Mokumbi masuwa apusanaki pene ya Yona mpe alobaki na ye: — Ndenge nini okoki penza kolala pongi boye? Telema mpe belela nzambe na yo, tango mosusu akoki koyokela biso mawa mpo ete tokufa te.

The captain of the ship went and said to him, ‘How can you sleep? Call on your god; perhaps that god will think of us, so that we may not be lost.’

7 Bato oyo basalaka na masuwa bamilobelaki bango na bango: « Boya! Tobeta zeke mpo toyeba moto oyo azali kobendela biso pasi oyo. » Babetaki zeke, mpe zeke yango ekweyaki epai ya Yona.

The sailors said to one another, ‘Come, let us cast lots to discover on whose account this evil has come upon us.’ So they cast lots, and the lot indicated Jonah.

8 Batunaki ye: — Yebisa biso nani azali kobendela biso pasi oyo? Osalaka nini? Owuti wapi? Mboka na yo nini, mpe ozali moto ya ekolo nini?

So they said to him, ‘Are you to blame for this? Tell us, what is your business, and where do you come from? What is your country and to what people do you belong?’

9 Yona azongisaki: — Nazali Mo-Ebre, nasambelaka Yawe, Nzambe ya Lola, oyo akela bibale mpe mokili.

He replied, ‘I am a Hebrew, and a worshipper of the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.’

10 Ayebisaki bango ete azali kokima mosika na Yawe. Boye bato yango babangaki makasi; batunaki ye: — Eloko nini osalaki kuna?

Then the men were greatly frightened and said to him, ‘What have you done?’ For they knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.

11 Lokola ebale ezalaki kotomboka makasi penza, batunaki ye lisusu: — Tosala yo nini mpo ete ebale evanda kimia mpe etika kotungisa biso?

Then they said to him, ‘What should we do to you, to make the sea calm for us?’ For the sea grew more and more stormy.

12 Azongiselaki bango: — Bokamata ngai mpe bobwaka ngai na ebale monene, mpe yango ekovanda kimia, pamba te nayebi malamu ete ezali mpo na ngai nde mopepe makasi oyo etelemeli bino.

He said to them, ‘Take me up and throw me into the sea, and the sea will be calm for you, for I know that it is because of me this fierce storm has overtaken you.’

13 Bato yango bamipesaki nanu na koluka nkayi, na makasi na bango nyonso, mpo na komema masuwa na mokili, kasi balongaki te, pamba te mopepe etelemelaki bango makasi.

But instead the men rowed hard to get back to the land; they could not, however, for the sea grew more and more stormy ahead.

14 Bongo, babelelaki Yawe: « Oh Yawe, tobondeli Yo, koboma biso te likolo ya moto oyo. Kotika te ete makila ya moto oyo asali mabe te etangama na mito na biso. Pamba te ezali solo Yo Yawe nde osali oyo olingaki. »

So 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 let us be guilty of shedding innocent blood, for you are the Lord; you have done as it pleases you.’

15 Boye, bakamataki Yona mpe babwakaki ye na ebale monene; mpe mbala moko, ebale monene oyo etombokaki makasi evandaki kimia.

And they took up Jonah, and threw him into the sea; and the sea became calm.

16 Babangaki mpe bayokaki somo makasi liboso ya Yawe; babonzelaki Ye bambeka mpe bapesaki Ye bilaka.

Then the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice and made vows to him.

17 Yawe atindaki mbisi moko ya monene komela Yona. Boye Yona asalaki kati na libumu ya mbisi yango mikolo misato mpe babutu misato.

But the Lord arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.