Jona 1

1 Shoko raJehovha rakasvika kuna Jona mwanakomana waAmitai, richiti,

This message from the Lord came to Jonah, the son of Amittai:

2 “Enda kuguta guru reNinevhe undoriparidzira, nokuti kuipa kwaro kwasvika pamberi pangu.”

‘Arise, go to that great city, Nineveh, and preach against it; for their wickedness is known to me.’

3 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.

But Jonah started to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went aboard to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

4 Ipapo Jehovha akatuma mhepo huru pagungwa, uye dutu raipenga kwazvo rikamuka zvokuti chikepe chakada kutsemuka-tsemuka.

But the Lord made a furious wind blow over the sea, and there was such a great storm that the ship was in danger of breaking to pieces.

5 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.

The sailors were terrified and each cried for help to his own god. They threw the ship’s cargo into the sea to make the ship lighter. Meanwhile Jonah had gone down into the bottom of the ship and lay fast asleep.

6 Mukuru wavachairi akaenda kwaari akati, “Ungarare sei iwe? Muka udane kuna mwari wako! Zvimwe angatirangarira tikasaparara.”

The captain of the ship went and said to him, ‘How can you sleep? Call on your god; perhaps that god will think of us, so that we may not be lost.’

7 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.

The sailors said to one another, ‘Come, let us cast lots to discover on whose account this evil has come upon us.’ So they cast lots, and the lot indicated Jonah.

8 Saka vakamubvunza vakati, “Tiudze, ndiani aita kuti matambudziko ose aya atiwire? Unoita basa reiko? Unobvepiko? Nyika yako inonzi ani? Uri worudzi rupi?”

So they said to him, ‘Are you to blame for this? Tell us, what is your business, and where do you come from? What is your country and to what people do you belong?’

9 Akapindura akati, “Ndiri muHebheru, uye ndinonamata Jehovha, Mwari wokudenga, akaita gungwa nenyika.”

He replied, ‘I am a Hebrew, and a worshipper of the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.’

10 Izvi zvakavatyisa uye vakabvunza vakati, “Watadzeiko?” (Vaiziva kuti aitiza kubva pamberi paJehovha, nokuti akanga atovaudza kudaro.)

Then the men were greatly frightened and said to him, ‘What have you done?’ For they knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.

11 Gungwa rakanga rotonyanya kupenga. Saka vakamubvunza vakati, “Ko, tinofanira kuitei kwauri kuti gungwa ritidzikamire?”

Then they said to him, ‘What should we do to you, to make the sea calm for us?’ For the sea grew more and more stormy.

12 Akapindura achiti, “Ndisimudzei mundikande mugungwa, ipapo richanyarara. Ndinoziva kuti mhosva yangu ndiyo yaita kuti dutu guru iri rikuwirei.”

He said to them, ‘Take me up and throw me into the sea, and the sea will be calm for you, for I know that it is because of me this fierce storm has overtaken you.’

13 Pachinzvimbo chaizvozvo varume vakaedza napavaigona napo kuti vadzokere kunyika. Asi vakakoniwa, nokuti gungwa rakatonyanyisa kupenga kupfuura zvapakutanga.

But instead the men rowed hard to get back to the land; they could not, however, for the sea grew more and more stormy ahead.

14 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.”

So they cried to the Lord and said, ‘We beg you, Lord, we beg you, don’t let us die for this man’s life, and don’t let us be guilty of shedding innocent blood, for you are the Lord; you have done as it pleases you.’

15 Ipapo vakatora Jona vakamukanda mugungwa, uye gungwa rikanyarara pakupenga kwaro.

And they took up Jonah, and threw him into the sea; and the sea became calm.

16 Nokuda kwaizvozvi vakatya Jehovha kwazvo, uye vakabayira Jehovha chibayiro vakaita mhiko kwaari.

Then the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice and made vows to him.

17 Asi Jehovha akatuma hove huru kuti izomedza Jona, uye Jona akava mudumbu mehove kwamazuva matatu nousiku hutatu.

But the Lord arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.