< UJona 1 >

1 Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kuJona indodana kaAmithayi, lisithi:
Na rĩrĩ, ndũmĩrĩri ya Jehova nĩyakinyĩire Jona mũrũ wa Amitai, akĩĩrwo atĩrĩ:
2 Sukuma, uye eNineve, umuzi omkhulu, umemeze umelene lawo; ngoba ububi babo benyukele phambi kwami.
“Ũkĩra, ũthiĩ itũũra rĩrĩa inene rĩa Nineve, na ũrĩhunjĩrie ũkĩrĩkaanagia, nĩgũkorwo waganu warĩo nĩwambatĩte ũgakinya o harĩ niĩ.”
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.
No Jona agĩũkĩra nĩguo orĩre Jehova, akĩerekera Tarishishi. Agĩikũrũka nginya Jopa na agĩkorerera marikabu yathiiaga Tarishishi. Aarĩkia kũrĩha thogora wa rũgendo, akĩingĩra marikabu nĩguo athiĩ Tarishishi, orĩre Jehova.
4 Kodwa iNkosi yaphosa umoya omkhulu elwandle; kwasekusiba lesiphepho esikhulu elwandle, okungangokuthi umkhumbi wacatshangelwa ukwephuka.
No rĩrĩ, Jehova akĩrehe rũhuho rũnene kũu iria-inĩ, gũkĩgĩa kĩhuhũkanio kĩnene mũno, hakuhĩ marikabu ĩyo yunĩkange.
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.
Atwari ayo othe makĩmaka na o mũndũ agĩkaĩra ngai yake; magĩcooka magĩikia mĩrigo iria-inĩ, nĩgeetha marikabu ĩhũthe. No Jona nĩaikũrũkĩte kũu marikabu thĩinĩ, na agakoma toro mũnene.
6 Ngakho induna yomkhumbi yasondela kuye, yathi kuye: Ulani wena olobuthongo obukhulu? Vuka, ubize kuNkulunkulu wakho; mhlawumbe lowoNkulunkulu angasikhumbula, ukuze singabhubhi.
Tondũ ũcio mũnene wa marikabu agĩthiĩ harĩ we, akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Wee ũngĩhota gũkoma atĩa? Ũkĩra ũkaĩre ngai yaku! No gũkorwo yahota gũtũigua twage gũthira.”
7 Basebesithi, ngulowo kumngane wakhe: Wozani senze inkatho yokuphosa, ukuze sazi ukuthi kungenxa kabani lobububi buphezu kwethu. Basebesenza inkatho yokuphosa; inkatho yasiwela phezu kukaJona.
Ningĩ atwari a marikabu makĩĩrana atĩrĩ, “Ũkai tũcuuke mĩtĩ nĩguo tũmenye nũũ ũrehete mũtino ũyũ.” Magĩcuuka mĩtĩ naguo mũtĩ ũkĩgwĩra Jona.
8 Basebesithi kuye: Akusitshele ukuthi kungenxa kabani lobububi buphezu kwethu. Umsebenzi wakho uyini? Njalo uvela ngaphi? Yiliphi ilizwe lakini? Njalo ungowasiphi isizwe?
Nĩ ũndũ ũcio, makĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Ta twĩre, nũũ ũtũmĩte thĩĩna ũyũ wothe ũtũkore? Wee-rĩ, ũrutaga wĩra ũrĩkũ? Uumĩte kũ? Wĩ wa bũrũri ũrĩkũ? Wĩ wa rũrĩrĩ rũrĩkũ?”
9 Wasesithi kubo: NgingumHebheru, ngiyayesaba iNkosi, uNkulunkulu wamazulu, owenza ulwandle lomhlabathi owomileyo.
Nake Jona akĩmacookeria atĩrĩ, “Niĩ ndĩ Mũhibirania na ndĩ mũhooi Jehova, Ngai wa igũrũ, ũrĩa wombire iria na thĩ nyũmũ.”
10 Amadoda asesesaba ngokwesaba okukhulu, athi kuye: Ukwenzeleni lokhu? Ngoba amadoda akwazi ukuthi ubalekile ebusweni beNkosi, ngoba wayesewatshelile.
Ũndũ ũcio ũkĩmeekĩra guoya, makĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Nĩ atĩa wĩkĩte?” (Nĩmamenyete atĩ nĩ kũũra ooragĩra Jehova, tondũ nĩameerĩte ũguo.)
11 Asesithi kuye: Senzeni kuwe ukuze ulwandle luthule kithi? Ngoba ulwandle lwaqhubeka lwaba lesiphepho esikhulu.
Narĩo iria rĩgĩkĩrĩrĩria kũhuhũkania. Nĩ ũndũ ũcio makĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Ũkwenda tũgwĩke atĩa nĩgeetha tũhoorererwo nĩ iria?”
12 Wasesithi kiwo: Ngiphakamisani, lingiphosele olwandle; ngalokho ulwandle luzalithulela; ngoba ngiyazi ukuthi lesisiphepho esikhulu siphezu kwenu ngenxa yami.
Nake akĩmacookeria atĩrĩ, “Njoyai mũnjikie iria-inĩ na nĩrĩkũhoorera. Niĩ nĩnjũũĩ atĩ nĩ mahĩtia makwa matũmĩte kĩhuhũkanio gĩkĩ kĩnene kĩmũkore.”
13 Kodwa amadoda agwedla ngamandla ukuze awubuyisele umkhumbi emhlabathini owomileyo, kodwa ehluleka, ngoba ulwandle lwaqhubeka lwaba lesiphepho lumelene lawo.
No andũ acio makĩĩrutanĩria mũno gũcookia marikabu yao hũgũrũrũ-inĩ cia iria. No makĩremwo, nĩgũkorwo iria nĩrĩakĩrĩrĩirie kũhuhũkania makĩria ma ũrĩa rĩarĩ mbere.
14 Ngakho akhala eNkosini, athi: Siyakuncenga, Nkosi, kasingabhubhi ngenxa yempilo yalumuntu, ungabeki phezu kwethu igazi elingelacala; ngoba wena, Nkosi, wenzile njengokukuthokozisayo.
Nao magĩkaĩra Jehova makiuga atĩrĩ, “Twagũthaitha Wee Jehova, ndũkareke tũkue nĩ ũndũ wa muoyo wa mũndũ ũyũ. Ndũgatũcookererie mahĩtia ma kũũraga mũndũ ũtehĩtie, nĩgũkorwo Wee Jehova, wĩkĩte ũrĩa wonete arĩ wega.”
15 Asephakamisa uJona, amphosela elwandle; ulwandle lwaselusima ekuvubekeni kwalo.
Makĩoya Jona makĩmũikia iria-inĩ, narĩo iria rĩu rĩahurutanaga rĩkĩhoorera.
16 Amadoda aseyesaba iNkosi ngokwesaba okukhulu, anikela umhlatshelo eNkosini, afunga izifungo.
Mona ũguo andũ acio magĩĩtigĩra Jehova mũno; na makĩrutĩra Jehova igongona, na makĩĩhĩta mĩĩhĩtwa mbere yake.
17 Njalo iNkosi yayimise inhlanzi enkulu ukuze imginye uJona; njalo uJona waba semathunjini enhlanzi insuku ezintathu lobusuku obuthathu.
Nake Jehova agĩathĩrĩria thamaki nene mũno ĩmerie Jona, nake Jona agĩikara nda ya thamaki ĩyo matukũ matatũ, mũthenya na ũtukũ.

< UJona 1 >