UJona 4

1 Kodwa kwaba kubi kakhulukazi kuJona, wathukuthela yena.

But this seemed very wrong to Jonah and he became angry.

2 Wasekhuleka eNkosini, wathi: Ngiyakuncenga, Nkosi, leli lalingesilo ilizwi lami ngiseselizweni lakithi yini? Ngenxa yalokhu ngandulela ngokubalekela eTarshishi; ngoba ngangisazi ukuthi wena unguNkulunkulu olomusa lolesihawu, ophuza ukuthukuthela, omkhulu ngothando, njalo ozisola ngokubi.

He prayed to the Lord and said, “Ah, Lord, wasn’t this what I said when I was still in my own country? That was why I fled at once to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious and merciful God, patient, and loving and ready to forgive.

3 Ngakho-ke, Nkosi, susa, ngiyakuncenga, impilo yami kimi, ngoba kungcono kimi ukufa kulokuphila.

Therefore, Lord, I beg you, take my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live!”

4 INkosi yasisithi: Wenza kuhle yini ngokuthukuthela kwakho?

But the Lord said, “Are you doing right in being angry?”

5 UJona wasephuma emzini, wahlala ngasempumalanga komuzi, wazenzela idumba khona, wahlala ngaphansi kwalo emthunzini, aze abone okuzakwenzakala kuwo umuzi.

Then Jonah went out of the city and sat down on the east side, and there made a hut for himself and sat under it, waiting to see what would become of the city.

6 INkosi uNkulunkulu yasimisa umhlafutho, yawukhulisa ngaphezu kukaJona, ukuze ube ngumthunzi phezu kwekhanda lakhe, ukumkhulula kubuhlungu bakhe. UJona wasethokoza ngenxa yomhlafutho ngentokozo enkulu.

And the Lord arranged for a bush to grow up over Jonah as a shade for his head to make him comfortable. The bush gave Jonah great pleasure;

7 Kodwa uNkulunkulu wamisa impehlane ekuveleni kokusa kusisa, yatshaya umhlafutho, waze wabuna.

but at dawn the next day God arranged for a worm which attacked the bush, so that it wilted.

8 Kwasekusithi ekuphumeni kwelanga, uNkulunkulu wamisa umoya wempumalanga otshisayo; njalo ilanga latshaya phezu kwekhanda likaJona, waze waphela amandla; wafisa emphefumulweni wakhe ukuthi afe, wathi: Kungcono kimi ukufa kulokuphila.

And when the sun rose, God arranged a hot east wind. And the sun beat upon Jonah’s head, so that he was faint and begged that he might die, saying, “It is better for me to die than to live.”

9 UNkulunkulu wasesithi kuJona: Wenza kuhle yini ngokuthukuthela kwakho ngenxa yomhlafutho? Wasesithi: Ngenza kuhle ngokuthukuthela kwami kuze kube sekufeni.

But God said to Jonah, “Are you doing right in being angry about the bush?” He replied, “I have every right to be as angry as I could possibly be!”

10 INkosi yasisithi: Wena ube lozwelo phezu komhlafutho ongawutshikatshikelanga, ongawukhulisanga; owaba khona ngobusuku bunye, wabhubha ngobusuku bunye.

The Lord said, “You care about a bush which has cost you no trouble and which you have not made grow, which came up in a night and wilted in a night.

11 Mina-ke ngabe kangihawukeli yini iNineve, umuzi omkhulu, okuthi kuwo kulabantu abedlula izinkulungwane ezilikhulu lamatshumi amabili abangaziyo ukwehlukanisa phakathi kwesandla sabo sokunene lesandla sabo sokhohlo, kanye lenkomo ezinengi?

Should I not care for the great city Nineveh, in which there are one hundred and twenty thousand people who do not know their right hand from their left; and many cattle too?”