UJona 1
1 Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kuJona indodana kaAmithayi, lisithi:
Shoko raJehovha rakasvika kuna Jona mwanakomana waAmitai, richiti,
2 Sukuma, uye eNineve, umuzi omkhulu, umemeze umelene lawo; ngoba ububi babo benyukele phambi kwami.
“Enda kuguta guru reNinevhe undoriparidzira, nokuti kuipa kwaro kwasvika pamberi pangu.”
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.
Asi Jona akatiza kubva pamberi paJehovha akananga kuTashishi. Akaburuka akaenda kuJopa, kwaakawana chikepe chaienda ikoko. Mushure mokubvisa mari yokufambisa, akakwidza ndokuenda kuTashishi kuti atize kubva kuna Jehovha.
4 Kodwa iNkosi yaphosa umoya omkhulu elwandle; kwasekusiba lesiphepho esikhulu elwandle, okungangokuthi umkhumbi wacatshangelwa ukwephuka.
Ipapo Jehovha akatuma mhepo huru pagungwa, uye dutu raipenga kwazvo rikamuka zvokuti chikepe chakada kutsemuka-tsemuka.
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.
Vafambisi vose vechikepe vakatya uye mumwe nomumwe akachema kuna mwari wake. Vakakanda nhumbi mugungwa kuti chikepe chireruke. Asi Jona akanga aenda pasi mukati mechikepe maakasvikovata uye akakotsira hope huru.
6 Ngakho induna yomkhumbi yasondela kuye, yathi kuye: Ulani wena olobuthongo obukhulu? Vuka, ubize kuNkulunkulu wakho; mhlawumbe lowoNkulunkulu angasikhumbula, ukuze singabhubhi.
Mukuru wavachairi akaenda kwaari akati, “Ungarare sei iwe? Muka udane kuna mwari wako! Zvimwe angatirangarira tikasaparara.”
7 Basebesithi, ngulowo kumngane wakhe: Wozani senze inkatho yokuphosa, ukuze sazi ukuthi kungenxa kabani lobububi buphezu kwethu. Basebesenza inkatho yokuphosa; inkatho yasiwela phezu kukaJona.
Ipapo vafambisi vechikepe vakati kuno mumwe nomumwe, “Uyai, tikande mijenya kuti tione kuti ndiani aita kuti tiwirwe nenjodzi iyi.” Vakakanda mijenya, mijenya ikawira pana Jona.
8 Basebesithi kuye: Akusitshele ukuthi kungenxa kabani lobububi buphezu kwethu. Umsebenzi wakho uyini? Njalo uvela ngaphi? Yiliphi ilizwe lakini? Njalo ungowasiphi isizwe?
Saka vakamubvunza vakati, “Tiudze, ndiani aita kuti matambudziko ose aya atiwire? Unoita basa reiko? Unobvepiko? Nyika yako inonzi ani? Uri worudzi rupi?”
9 Wasesithi kubo: NgingumHebheru, ngiyayesaba iNkosi, uNkulunkulu wamazulu, owenza ulwandle lomhlabathi owomileyo.
Akapindura akati, “Ndiri muHebheru, uye ndinonamata Jehovha, Mwari wokudenga, akaita gungwa nenyika.”
10 Amadoda asesesaba ngokwesaba okukhulu, athi kuye: Ukwenzeleni lokhu? Ngoba amadoda akwazi ukuthi ubalekile ebusweni beNkosi, ngoba wayesewatshelile.
Izvi zvakavatyisa uye vakabvunza vakati, “Watadzeiko?” (Vaiziva kuti aitiza kubva pamberi paJehovha, nokuti akanga atovaudza kudaro.)
11 Asesithi kuye: Senzeni kuwe ukuze ulwandle luthule kithi? Ngoba ulwandle lwaqhubeka lwaba lesiphepho esikhulu.
Gungwa rakanga rotonyanya kupenga. Saka vakamubvunza vakati, “Ko, tinofanira kuitei kwauri kuti gungwa ritidzikamire?”
12 Wasesithi kiwo: Ngiphakamisani, lingiphosele olwandle; ngalokho ulwandle luzalithulela; ngoba ngiyazi ukuthi lesisiphepho esikhulu siphezu kwenu ngenxa yami.
Akapindura achiti, “Ndisimudzei mundikande mugungwa, ipapo richanyarara. Ndinoziva kuti mhosva yangu ndiyo yaita kuti dutu guru iri rikuwirei.”
13 Kodwa amadoda agwedla ngamandla ukuze awubuyisele umkhumbi emhlabathini owomileyo, kodwa ehluleka, ngoba ulwandle lwaqhubeka lwaba lesiphepho lumelene lawo.
Pachinzvimbo chaizvozvo varume vakaedza napavaigona napo kuti vadzokere kunyika. Asi vakakoniwa, nokuti gungwa rakatonyanyisa kupenga kupfuura zvapakutanga.
14 Ngakho akhala eNkosini, athi: Siyakuncenga, Nkosi, kasingabhubhi ngenxa yempilo yalumuntu, ungabeki phezu kwethu igazi elingelacala; ngoba wena, Nkosi, wenzile njengokukuthokozisayo.
Ipapo vakachema kuna Jehovha vakati, “Haiwa Jehovha, tapota musatiuraya nemhaka youpenyu hwomunhu uyu. Musatipa mhosva yokuuraya munhu asina mhaka, nokuti, iyemi Jehovha maita sokuda kwenyu.”
15 Asephakamisa uJona, amphosela elwandle; ulwandle lwaselusima ekuvubekeni kwalo.
Ipapo vakatora Jona vakamukanda mugungwa, uye gungwa rikanyarara pakupenga kwaro.
16 Amadoda aseyesaba iNkosi ngokwesaba okukhulu, anikela umhlatshelo eNkosini, afunga izifungo.
Nokuda kwaizvozvi vakatya Jehovha kwazvo, uye vakabayira Jehovha chibayiro vakaita mhiko kwaari.
17 Njalo iNkosi yayimise inhlanzi enkulu ukuze imginye uJona; njalo uJona waba semathunjini enhlanzi insuku ezintathu lobusuku obuthathu.
Asi Jehovha akatuma hove huru kuti izomedza Jona, uye Jona akava mudumbu mehove kwamazuva matatu nousiku hutatu.
