Yona 1

1 Awurade asɛm baa Amitai babarima Yona nkyɛn sɛ,

And the word of Yahweh came unto Jonah son of Amittai, saying:

2 “Kɔ kuropɔn kɛseɛ Ninewe mu na kɔka asɛmpa no tia wɔn sɛ wɔn atirimuɔdensɛm aforo abɛduru mʼanim.”

Arise, get thee to Nineveh the great city, and proclaim unto it, —that their wickedness, hath come up, before me.

3 Nanso, Yona dwane firii Awurade anim na ɔde nʼani kyerɛɛ Tarsis. Ɔkɔɔ Yopa, na ɛhɔ ɔkɔnyaa ɛhyɛn a ɛrekɔ Tarsis. Ɔtuaa ka kɔtenaa ɛhyɛn no mu, sɛ ɔrefiri Awurade anim akɔ Tarsis.

But Jonah arose to flee unto Tarshish, away from the presence of Yahweh, —and went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish, so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of Yahweh.

4 Nanso Awurade maa mframa kɛseɛ bi bɔɔ wɔ ɛpo no so; ɛmaa ahum tuiɛ a, anka ɛhyɛn no rebɛbɔ.

But, Yahweh, hurled a great wind against the sea, —and, there arose a mighty tempest in the sea, —and, the ship, thought to be broken in pieces,

5 Ɛhyɛn no mufoɔ no nyinaa surooɛ na obiara su frɛɛ ne nyame. Wɔtotoo adwadeɛ a ɛwɔ ɛhyɛn no mu guguu ɛpo no mu sɛdeɛ ɛhyɛn no mu bɛyɛ herɛ. Nanso na Yona akɔhyɛ ɛhyɛn no ase baabi ada hatee.

Then were the mariners, afraid, and made outcry every man unto his own god, and they hurled the wares which were in the ship, into the sea, to lighten it of them, —but, Jonah, had gone down into the hinder parts of the vessel, and had lain down, and fallen into a sound sleep.

6 Ɛna ɛhyɛn no so panin no kɔɔ ne nkyɛn kɔkaa sɛ, “Adɛn na woada? Sɔre na frɛ wo nyame! Ebia, ɔbɛhunu yɛn mmɔbɔ, na yɛannwuwu.”

Then drew near unto him the shipmaster, and said to him, What meanest thou, O sound sleeper? Arise, cry unto thy God, Peradventure God will bethink himself of us, that we perish not.

7 Afei ɛhyɛn no mufoɔ no keka kyerɛɛ wɔn ho wɔn ho sɛ, “Momma yɛmmɔ ntonto nhwehwɛ deɛ saa amanehunu yi nam ne so aba.” Wɔbɔɔ ntonto no na ɛbɔɔ Yona.

And they said—every one unto his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may get to know for whose sake this calamity is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.

8 Enti wɔbisaa no sɛ, “Kyerɛ yɛn, hwan na wama saa ɔhaw yi nyinaa aba? Adwuma bɛn na woyɛ? Ɛhe na wo fire? Ɔman bɛn so na wofiri? Ɛhefoɔ ne wo nkurɔfoɔ?”

Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose sake this calamity is upon us? What is thy business? and from whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?

9 Ɔbuaa sɛ, “Meyɛ Hebrini, na mesom Awurade, ɔsoro Onyankopɔn a, ɔbɔɔ ɛpo ne asase.”

And he said unto them, A Hebrew, am I, —and, Yahweh, the God of the heavens, do, I, revere, him who made the sea, and the dry land.

10 Yei bɔɔ wɔn hu, enti wɔbisaa Yona sɛ, “Ɛdeɛn na woayɛ?” (Na wɔnim sɛ ɔredwane afiri Awurade nkyɛn, ɛfiri sɛ na waka saa akyerɛ wɔn dada).

Then did the men revere with great reverence, and said unto him, What is it thou hast done? For the men knew that, away from the presence of Yahweh, he was fleeing, —for he had told them.

11 Na ahum no kɔ so tu dendeenden ara. Enti wɔbisaa no sɛ, “Ɛdeɛn na yɛnyɛ wo a ɛbɛma ahum yi ano abrɛ ase ama yɛn?”

Then said they unto him, What shall we de to thee, that the sea may cease raging over us? For, the sea, was raging more and more.

12 Yona buaa wɔn sɛ, “Momma me so nto me ntwene ɛpo yi mu, na ano bɛdwo. Menim sɛ me enti na ahum kɛseɛ yi retu mo so.”

And he said unto them, Take me up, and hurl me into the sea, that the sea may cease raging over you, —for I do know that, for my sake, is this great tempest upon you.

13 Mmarima no yɛɛ deɛ wɔbɛtumi biara sɛ wɔbɛhare ɛhyɛn no akɔ mpoano. Nanso, wɔantumi, ɛsiane sɛ na ɛpo so ahum no ano ayɛ den asene kane no.

Nevertheless the men, wrought hard, to bring it back unto the land, but could not, —for, the sea, was raging over them more and more.

14 Afei wosu frɛɛ Awurade sɛ, “Ao Awurade yɛsrɛ wo mma yɛn nwuwu sɛ yɛama ɔbarima yi ahwere ne nkwa enti. Mma yɛn nni fɔ wɔ ɔbarima yi mogya ho, ɛfiri sɛ, Ao Awurade wayɛ deɛ wo pɛ.”

Then cried they unto Yahweh, and said, Ah now, Yahweh, pray let it not be that we perish for this man’s life, neither lay upon us innocent blood, —for, thou, O Yahweh, as thou hast pleased, hast ever done.

15 Afei, wɔmaa Yona so too no twenee ɛpo no mu, na ɛpo a na ɛrehuru soɔ no yɛɛ dinn.

So they took up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, —and the sea, left off, her roaring.

16 Yei maa mmarima no suroo Awurade pa ara na wɔbɔɔ afɔdeɛ maa Awurade, na wɔhyɛɛ no bɔ.

Then did the men revere Yahweh with a great reverence, —and offered sacrifice to Yahweh, and vowed vows.

17 Na Awurade maa apataa kɛseɛ bi bɛmenee Yona, na Yona daa apataa no yam nnansa, awia ne anadwo.

Now Yahweh had appointed a great fish, to swallow up Jonah, —and Jonah was in the belly of the fish, three days and three nights.