UJona 3
1 Ilizwi likaThixo laselifika kuJona ngokwesibili lathi:
Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time:
2 “Hamba uye edolobheni elikhulu laseNiniva uyotshumayela kulo ilizwi engikunika lona.”
“Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message that I give you.”
3 UJona walilalela ilizwi likaThixo, waya eNineve. Phela iNiniva yayilidolobho elikhulu kakhulu, ukulethekela lonke kwakuthatha insuku ezintathu.
This time Jonah got up and went to Nineveh, in accordance with the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, requiring a three-day journey.
4 Ngelanga lokuqala, uJona wangena phakathi komuzi. Wamemezela wathi, “Kusele insuku ezingamatshumi amane kuphela ukuba iNiniva ichithwe.”
On the first day of his journey, Jonah set out into the city and proclaimed, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned!”
5 Abantu beNiniva babekholwa kuNkulunkulu. Bamemezela ukuthi kuzilwe ukudla, njalo bonke kusukela komkhulu kusiya komncinyane bavunula amasaka.
And the Ninevites believed God. They proclaimed a fast and dressed in sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least.
6 Ilizwi selifikile enkosini yaseNiniva, yasukuma esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi, yakhumula izembatho zayo zobukhosi, yazembathisa isaka yahlala phansi ebhuqwini.
When word reached the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne, took off his royal robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
7 Yase ikhupha isimemezelo eNiniva esithi: “Ngomthetho wenkosi lezikhulu zayo: Akungavunyelwa muntu kumbe inyamazana, imihlambi yenkomo loba eyezimvu ukuthi ithinte ulutho oludliwayo; makungavunyelwa kudle kumbe kunathe.
Then he issued a proclamation in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let no man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything at all. They must not eat or drink.
8 Kodwa akuthi umuntu loba yinyamazana kwembathe amasaka. Wonke umuntu kamemeze ngokukhawuleza kuNkulunkulu. Kabadele izindlela zabo zobubi lobudlwangudlwangu babo.
Furthermore, let both man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and have everyone call out earnestly to God. Let each one turn from his evil ways and from the violence in his hands.
9 Ngubani okwaziyo na? Mhlawumbe uNkulunkulu angadeda kuthi ngesihawu sakhe aphenduke elakeni lwakhe olwesabekayo ukuze singabhubhi.”
Who knows? God may turn and relent; He may turn from His fierce anger, so that we will not perish.”
10 Kwathi uNkulunkulu esebonile abakwenzayo ukuthi baguquka ezindleleni zabo zobubi, wabazwela isihawu kazabe esabehlisela incithakalo ayesonge ngayo.
When God saw their actions—that they had turned from their evil ways—He relented from the disaster He had threatened to bring upon them.
