Yona 3
1 Ndipo neno la Bwana likamjia Yona mara ya pili:
Then the Lord spoke to Jonah for a second time.
2 “Ondoka uende katika mji mkubwa wa Ninawi, ukautangazie ujumbe ninaokupa.”
“Go immediately to the great city of Nineveh and announce the message I'm giving you.”
3 Yona akalitii neno la Bwana naye akaenda Ninawi. Basi Ninawi ulikuwa mji maarufu sana, ilichukua siku tatu kuuzunguka.
Jonah did what God told him. He set out and went to Nineveh, a city that was so big it took three days to walk through it.
4 Siku ya kwanza, Yona aliingia mjini. Akatangaza: “Baada ya siku arobaini Ninawi utaangamizwa.”
Jonah went into the city, walking for one day, shouting out, “In forty days Nineveh will be destroyed!”
5 Watu wa Ninawi wakamwamini Mungu, wakatangaza kufunga, watu wote kuanzia mkubwa sana hadi yule mdogo kabisa, wakavaa nguo za gunia.
The people of Nineveh believed in God. They announced a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.
6 Habari zilipomfikia mfalme wa Ninawi, aliondoka kwenye kiti chake cha enzi, akavua majoho yake ya kifalme, akajifunika nguo ya gunia kisha akaketi chini mavumbini.
When the news of what was happening reached the king of Nineveh he came down from his throne, took off his robe, put on sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
7 Ndipo akatoa tangazo katika Ninawi yote: “Kwa amri ya mfalme na wakuu wake: “Msiruhusu mtu yeyote au mnyama, makundi ya ngʼombe au wanyama wengine wafugwao, kuonja kitu chochote, msiwaruhusu kula wala kunywa.
Then the king and the nobles issued a proclamation throughout Nineveh: “No person, no animal, no herd, and no flock, shall eat or drink anything.
8 Bali wanadamu na wanyama wafunikwe kwa nguo za gunia. Kila mmoja afanye hima kumwomba Mungu. Waziache njia zao mbaya na udhalimu ulio mikononi mwao.
Every person and every animal is to wear sackcloth. Everyone is to pray sincerely to God, give up the evil things they do, and stop using violence.
9 Ni nani ajuaye? Huenda Mungu akaghairi kwa huruma yake akaacha hasira yake kali ili tusiangamie.”
Who knows? God may change his mind and relent. He may decide not to destroy us in his fierce anger.”
10 Mungu alipoona walivyofanya na jinsi walivyogeuka kutoka njia zao mbaya, akawa na huruma wala hakuleta maangamizi juu yao kama alivyokuwa ameonya.
God saw what they had done—that they had given up their evil ways—so he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened.
