UJona 1
1 Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kuJona indodana kaAmithayi, lisithi:
Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying,
2 Sukuma, uye eNineve, umuzi omkhulu, umemeze umelene lawo; ngoba ububi babo benyukele phambi kwami.
“Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before Me.”
3 Kodwa uJona wasukuma ukuze abalekele eTarshishi esuka ebusweni beNkosi, wehlela eJopha, wathola umkhumbi oya eTarshishi, wanika imali yawo, wehlela kuwo, ukuze ahambe labo eTarshishi, asuke ebusweni beNkosi.
Jonah, however, got up to flee to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship bound for Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went aboard to sail for Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.
4 Kodwa iNkosi yaphosa umoya omkhulu elwandle; kwasekusiba lesiphepho esikhulu elwandle, okungangokuthi umkhumbi wacatshangelwa ukwephuka.
Then the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship was in danger of breaking apart.
5 Abatshayeli bomkhumbi basebesesaba, bakhala, ngulowo lalowo kunkulunkulu wakhe, baphosela olwandle izimpahla ezazisemkhunjini, ukuwenza ube lula kuzo. Kodwa uJona wayehlele emaceleni omkhumbi, walala, waba lobuthongo obukhulu.
The sailors were afraid, and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the ship’s cargo into the sea to lighten the load. But Jonah had gone down to the lowest part of the vessel, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep.
6 Ngakho induna yomkhumbi yasondela kuye, yathi kuye: Ulani wena olobuthongo obukhulu? Vuka, ubize kuNkulunkulu wakho; mhlawumbe lowoNkulunkulu angasikhumbula, ukuze singabhubhi.
The captain approached him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call upon your God. Perhaps this God will consider us, so that we may not perish.”
7 Basebesithi, ngulowo kumngane wakhe: Wozani senze inkatho yokuphosa, ukuze sazi ukuthi kungenxa kabani lobububi buphezu kwethu. Basebesenza inkatho yokuphosa; inkatho yasiwela phezu kukaJona.
“Come!” said the sailors to one another. “Let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity that is upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.
8 Basebesithi kuye: Akusitshele ukuthi kungenxa kabani lobububi buphezu kwethu. Umsebenzi wakho uyini? Njalo uvela ngaphi? Yiliphi ilizwe lakini? Njalo ungowasiphi isizwe?
“Tell us now,” they demanded, “who is to blame for this calamity that is upon us? What is your occupation, and where have you come from? What is your country, and who are your people?”
9 Wasesithi kubo: NgingumHebheru, ngiyayesaba iNkosi, uNkulunkulu wamazulu, owenza ulwandle lomhlabathi owomileyo.
“I am a Hebrew,” replied Jonah. “I worship the LORD, the God of the heavens, who made the sea and the dry land.”
10 Amadoda asesesaba ngokwesaba okukhulu, athi kuye: Ukwenzeleni lokhu? Ngoba amadoda akwazi ukuthi ubalekile ebusweni beNkosi, ngoba wayesewatshelile.
Then the men were even more afraid and said to him, “What have you done?” The men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.
11 Asesithi kuye: Senzeni kuwe ukuze ulwandle luthule kithi? Ngoba ulwandle lwaqhubeka lwaba lesiphepho esikhulu.
Now the sea was growing worse and worse, so they said to Jonah, “What must we do to you to calm this sea for us?”
12 Wasesithi kiwo: Ngiphakamisani, lingiphosele olwandle; ngalokho ulwandle luzalithulela; ngoba ngiyazi ukuthi lesisiphepho esikhulu siphezu kwenu ngenxa yami.
“Pick me up,” he answered, “and cast me into the sea, so it may quiet down for you. For I know that I am to blame for this violent storm that has come upon you.”
13 Kodwa amadoda agwedla ngamandla ukuze awubuyisele umkhumbi emhlabathini owomileyo, kodwa ehluleka, ngoba ulwandle lwaqhubeka lwaba lesiphepho lumelene lawo.
Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea was raging against them more and more.
14 Ngakho akhala eNkosini, athi: Siyakuncenga, Nkosi, kasingabhubhi ngenxa yempilo yalumuntu, ungabeki phezu kwethu igazi elingelacala; ngoba wena, Nkosi, wenzile njengokukuthokozisayo.
So they cried out to the LORD: “Please, O LORD, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life! Do not charge us with innocent blood! For You, O LORD, have done as You pleased.”
15 Asephakamisa uJona, amphosela elwandle; ulwandle lwaselusima ekuvubekeni kwalo.
At this, they picked up Jonah and cast him into the sea, and the raging sea grew calm.
16 Amadoda aseyesaba iNkosi ngokwesaba okukhulu, anikela umhlatshelo eNkosini, afunga izifungo.
Then the men feared the LORD greatly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows to Him.
17 Njalo iNkosi yayimise inhlanzi enkulu ukuze imginye uJona; njalo uJona waba semathunjini enhlanzi insuku ezintathu lobusuku obuthathu.
Now the LORD had appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of the fish.
