UJona ubalekela uSomnini
1Ilizwi lakaSomnini lafika kuJona indodana ka-Amitayi, lathi:
2“Khuphuka uye edorobheni elikhulu iNiniva, ufike ubakhalime ngombana ubukhohlakali babo sele benyuke bebafika phambi kwami.”
3Kodwana uJona wabalekela uSomnini wanqomba eTharatjhitjhi. Wehlela eJopha lapha afunyana khona isithayamanzi siya eTharatjhitjhi. Selakhokhe imali yekhambo, wehlela ngaphakathi kwesithayamanzi wakhamba nabathayi eTharatjhitjhi abalekela uSomnini.
4USomnini wavusa ummoya omkhulu elwandle, kwaba nesiwuruwuru esinamandla; isithayamanzi safuna ukuhliphilika. 5Abathayi bethukwa bekwathi omunye nomunye wabiza uzimakhe. Bajikijela umthwalo ngelwandle ukwenzela bona isithayamanzi sibe lula. Kodwana uJona wehlela endaweni engaphasi yesithayamanzi walala ubuthongo.
6Ukapteni wehlela kuye wathi: “Wena ulala ngendlela enjani na? Vuka ubize uzimakho! Mhlamunye uZimu angasicabangela singabhubhi.”
7Abathayi bakhuluma bodwa bathi: “Asenzeni ifumbe ukuze sithole bona ngubani umuntu osibangele umhlolokazi ongaka lo.” Benza ifumbe; yadla uJona. 8Bambuza-ke bathi: “Akhe usitjele, ngubani osibangele umhlolo ongaka na? Usebenza msebenzi bani wena na? Udabukaphi? Uvela kiyiphi inarha? Njekhona umhlobo bani?”
9Wabaphendula wathi: “NgimHebheru begodu ngithobela uSomnini uZimu osezulwini, okunguye umenzi welwandle nenarha.”
10Amadoda ethukwa khulu abuza athi: “Alo-ke, woneni na?” Abuza nje, begade selasazi bonyana umrhali lo ubalekela uSomnini ngombana ukhe wawadembela.
11Ilwandle larhagala ngokukhiphizela. Ambuza athi: “Alo-ke kufanele sikwenzeni ukuze ilwandle lirhobhe na?” Lokhu bakutjho ngombana ilwandle lalirhagele.
12Wabaphendula wathi: “Yeningithathe ningijikijele ngelwandle, yeke amagagasi eniphakathi kwawo azakurhobha. Ngiyazi bona ngimi engibangele ukurhagala okungaka kwelwandle.”
13Amadoda la enza koke okusemandlenawo ukubuyela enarheni. Kodwana ahluleka ngombana ilwandle lawarhagalela khulu kunekuthomeni. 14Athoma alilela uSomnini athi: “Siyakubawa Somnini, asingafi ngebanga lendoda le. Ungasivumeli ukubulala indoda le ngaphandle komlandu ngombana wena Somnini wenza njengombana uthanda.”
15Ambamba-ke uJona amjikijela ngelwandle; kwathi ilwandle ebegade lirhagele larhobha. 16Amadoda ethukwa khulu esaba uSomnini, enzela uSomnini umhlabelo neemfungo.
17USomnini waletha ihlambi ekulu eyafika yaginya uJona. UJona wahlala ngemathunjini wehlambi leyo amalanga amathathu nobusuku bakhona.
