Yona 1

1 Yawe alobaki na Yona, mwana mobali ya Amitayi:

Now the LORD’s word came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,

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 Nineveh, that great city, and preach against it, for their wickedness has come up before 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 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 Kasi Yawe atindaki mopepe makasi na likolo ya ebale monene, mpe mopepe yango ememaki mbonge oyo ekomaki pene ya kozindisa masuwa.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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

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

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

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 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 shall we do to you, that the sea may be calm to 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. Then the sea will be calm for you; for I know that because of me this great storm is on 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.

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 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. »

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

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

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

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

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

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