< UJona 3 >

1 Ilizwi likaThixo laselifika kuJona ngokwesibili lathi:
Ipapo shoko raJehovha rakasvika kuna Jona kechipiri richiti,
2 “Hamba uye edolobheni elikhulu laseNiniva uyotshumayela kulo ilizwi engikunika lona.”
“Enda kuguta reNinevhe undoriparidzira shoko randinokupa.”
3 UJona walilalela ilizwi likaThixo, waya eNineve. Phela iNiniva yayilidolobho elikhulu kakhulu, ukulethekela lonke kwakuthatha insuku ezintathu.
Jona akateerera shoko raJehovha akaenda kuNinevhe. Zvino Ninevhe raiva guta guru kwazvo, rwendo rwamazuva matatu.
4 Ngelanga lokuqala, uJona wangena phakathi komuzi. Wamemezela wathi, “Kusele insuku ezingamatshumi amane kuphela ukuba iNiniva ichithwe.”
Pazuva rokutanga Jona akapinda muguta. Akaparidza achiti, “Kwasara mazuva makumi mana, mushure maizvozvo Ninevhe richaparadzwa.”
5 Abantu beNiniva babekholwa kuNkulunkulu. Bamemezela ukuthi kuzilwe ukudla, njalo bonke kusukela komkhulu kusiya komncinyane bavunula amasaka.
Vanhu veNinevhe vakatenda kuna Mwari. Vakatara nguva yokutsanya, uye vose zvavo, kubva kumukuru mukuru kusvikira kumuduku duku vakapfeka masaga.
6 Ilizwi selifikile enkosini yaseNiniva, yasukuma esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi, yakhumula izembatho zayo zobukhosi, yazembathisa isaka yahlala phansi ebhuqwini.
Nhau idzi padzakasvika kuna mambo weNinevhe, akasimuka kubva pachigaro chake, akabvisa nguo dzake dzoumambo, akazvifukidza namasaga akagara mumadota.
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.
Ipapo akazivisa chirevo muNinevhe, achiti: “Chirevo chamambo namachinda ake: “Musarega munhu kana mhuka, chipfuwo kana gwai, zvichiravira chinhu; musazvirega zvichidya kana kunwa.
8 Kodwa akuthi umuntu loba yinyamazana kwembathe amasaka. Wonke umuntu kamemeze ngokukhawuleza kuNkulunkulu. Kabadele izindlela zabo zobubi lobudlwangudlwangu babo.
Asi vanhu nemhuka ngavafuke masaga. Munhu wose ngaadane kuna Mwari iye zvino. Ngavasiye nzira dzavo dzakaipa nokuita kwavo nechisimba.
9 Ngubani okwaziyo na? Mhlawumbe uNkulunkulu angadeda kuthi ngesihawu sakhe aphenduke elakeni lwakhe olwesabekayo ukuze singabhubhi.”
Ndiani anoziva? Zvichida Mwari angazvidemba uye netsitsi dzake akazvidzora kubva pakutsamwa kwake kunotyisa kuti tirege kuparara.”
10 Kwathi uNkulunkulu esebonile abakwenzayo ukuthi baguquka ezindleleni zabo zobubi, wabazwela isihawu kazabe esabehlisela incithakalo ayesonge ngayo.
Mwari akati aona zvavakaita uye kutendeuka kwavakaita kubva panzira dzavo dzakaipa, akavanzwira tsitsi akasauyisa kuparadzwa pamusoro pavo sezvaaida kuvaitira.

< UJona 3 >