Yona 1
1 Ndipo neno la Bwana lilimjia Yona mwana wa Amittai, kusema,
Now the word of the Lord came to Jonas the son of Amathi, saying:
2 “Simama uende Ninawi, mji kuu, na ukapaze sauti dhidi yake, kwa sababu uovu wao umeinuka mbele yangu.”
Arise, and go to Ninive the great city, and preach in it: for the wickedness thereof is come up before me.
3 Lakini Yona akaondoka kukimbia kutoka mbele ya Bwana na kwenda Tarshishi. Akatelemka mpaka Yafa na akaona melikebu inayokwenda Tarshishi. Kwa hiyo alilipa nauli na akapanda melikebu kwenda nayo Tarishishi, mbali na uwepo wa Yahweh.
And Jonas rose up to flee into Tharsis from the face of the Lord, and he went down to Joppe, and found a ship going to Tharsis: and he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them to Tharsis from the face of the Lord.
4 Lakini Bwana akatuma upepo mkubwa juu ya bahari, ikawa tufani juu ya bahari. Hivi karibuni ikaonekana kwamba meli ilikuwa inataka kuvunjika.
But the Lord sent a great wind into the sea: and a great tempest was raised in the sea, and the ship was in danger to be broken.
5 Wale baharia waliogopa sana na kila mtu alilia kwa mungu wake mwenyewe. Wakatupa mizigo bahari iliyokuwa merikebuni ili kuifungua. Yona alikuwa ameshuka hapa pande za ndani ya melikebu, naye alikuwa amelala huko usingizi.
And the mariners were afraid, and the men cried to their god: and they cast forth the wares that were in the ship, into the sea, to lighten it of them: and Jonas went down into the inner part of the ship, and fell into a deep sleep.
6 Basi nahoza akamwendea akamwambia, “kwa nini unalala? Amka! ukamwombe mungu wako! Labda mungu wako atatutambua na hatutapotea.”
And the shipmaster came to him, and said to him: Why art thou fast asleep? rise up, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think of us, that we may not perish.
7 Wote wakaambiana, 'Njoni, tupige kura, ili tujue ni nani ndiye sababu ya mabaya haya yanayotupata.' Basi wakapiga kura, na kura ikaangukia kwa Yona.
And they said every one to his fellow: Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know why this evil is upon us. And they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonas.
8 Kisha wakamwambia Yona, “Tafadhali tuambie ni nani ndiye sababu ya mabaya haya yanayotupata. Unafanya kazi gani, na umetoka wapi? Nchi yako ni ipi, na kutoka kwa watu wa kabila gani?”
And they said to him: Tell us for what cause this evil is upon us, what is thy business? of what country art thou? and whither goest thou? or of what people art thou?
9 Yona akawaambia, Mimi ni Mhebrania; Nami namuogopa Bwana, Mungu wa mbinguni, aliyeifanya bahari na nchi kavu.
And he said to them: I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord the God of heaven, who made both the sea and the dry land.
10 Ndipo watu hao waliogopa zaidi, wakamwambia Yona, Ni jambo gani hili ulilolifanya? Kwa maana hao watu walijua kwamba alikuwa akikimbia mbele ya Bwana, kwa sababu alikuwa amewaambia.
And the men were greatly afraid, and they said to him: Why hast thou done this? (for the men knew that he fled from the face of the Lord: because he had told them.)
11 Ndipo wakamwambia Yona, Tukufanyie nini ili bahari iweze kutulia? Kwa maana bahari ilikuwa imechafuka zaidi na zaidi.
And they said to him: What shall we do to thee, that the sea may be calm to us? for the sea flowed and swelled.
12 Yona akawaambia, “Nikamateni na nitupeni baharini. Kisha bahari itatulia kwa ajili yenu, kwa maana najua kwamba ni kwa sababu yangu kwamba tufani hii kubwa iwapate.”
And he said to them: Take me up, and cast me into the sea, and the sea shall be calm to you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.
13 Hata hivyo, watu hao wavuta makasia kwa bidii ili kurudi nchi kavu, lakini hawakuweza kufanya hivyo kwa sababu bahari ilikuwa imechafuka zaidi dhidi yao.
And the men rowed hard to return to land, but they were not able: because the sea tossed and swelled upon them.
14 Basi wakamwomba Bwana, wakasema, Tunakuomba, Bwana, tunakuomba, usiache tuangamize kwa sababu ya maisha ya mtu huyu; wala usituwekee hatia ya kufa kwake, kwa kuwa wewe, Bwana, umefanya kama ulivyopenda.
And they cried to the Lord, and said: We beseech thee, O Lord, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O Lord, hast done as it pleased thee.
15 Basi wakamchukua Yona wakamtupa baharini, nayo bahari ikaacha kuchafuka.
And they took Jonas, and cast him into the sea, and the sea ceased from raging.
16 Ndipo watu wale wakamuogopa Bwana sana. Wakamtolea dhabihu Bwana na kuweka nadhiri.
And the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and sacrificed victims to the Lord, and made vows.
17 Bwana alikuwa ameandaa samaki mkubwa kummeza Yona, na Yona alikuwa ndani ya tumbo lasamaki siku tatu na usiku wa tatu.
Now the Lord prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonas: and Jonas was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
