UJona ubalekela uNkulunkulu
1Izwi likaJehova lafika kuJona indodana ka-Amithayi, lathi:
2Suka uye eNineve, umuzi omkhulu, umemeze phezu kwalo, ngokuba ububi balo benyukele ebusweni bami.
3Kepha uJona wasuka ebusweni bukaJehova ukuba abalekele eTharishishi, wehlela eJopha, wafumana umkhumbi obuyakuya eTharishishi; wakhokha imali yawo, wakhwela kuwo, ukuba ahambe nawo, aye eTharishishi, asuke ebusweni bukaJehova.
4Kodwa uJehova waphonsa umoya omkhulu elwandle, kwaba-yisiphepho esikhulu elwandle; kwacatshangwa ukuthi umkhumbi uyakwaphulwa.
5Khona amatilosi* esaba, akhala, kwaba-yilelo nalelo kunkulunkulu walo, aphonsa elwandle impahla ebisemkhunjini ukuba ube-lula kubo. Kepha uJona wayehlele phakathi komkhumbi, wayeselele ubuthongo.
6Kwase kusondela kuye induna yomkhumbi, yathi: Unani wena olele ubuthongo na? Vuka, ubize uNkulunkulu wakho; mhlawumbe loNkulunkulu uyakusikhumbula ukuba singabhubhi.
7Bathi, kwaba-yilowo nalowo kumngane wakhe: Wozani senze inkatho, sazi ukuthi kungenxa kabani lobububi buphezu kwethu. Base benza inkatho; inkatho yamudla uJona.
8Base bethi kuye: Ake usitshele ukuthi kungenxa kabani lobububi buphezu kwethu; umsebenzi wakho uyini? Uvelaphi? Liphi izwe lakini, ungowasiphi isizwe na?
9Wathi kubo: NgingumHeberu; ngiyamesaba uJehova, uNkulunkulu wasezulwini, owenzile ulwandle nomhlabathi owomileyo.
10Base besaba abantu ngokwesaba okukhulu, bathi kuye: Kuyini lokhu okwenzileyo na? Ngokuba base bazi ukuthi ubalekile ebusweni bukaJehova, lokhu ebatshelile.
11Base bethi kuye: Siyakwenze-njani kuwe, ukuze ulwandle luthule kithina, ngokuba ulwandle luyaqhubeka lube-nesivunguvungu.
12Wathi kubo: Ngiphakamiseni, ningiphonse elwandle, beseluthula kini ulwandle, ngokuba ngiyazi ukuthi lesisiphepho esikhulu siphezu kwenu ngenxa yami.
13Kepha amadoda agwedla ukuba abuyele emhlabathini, kepha ahluleka, ngokuba ulwandle lwaqhubeka lwaba-nesiphepho kuwo.
14Ayesekhala kuJehova, athi: Siyakuncenga: masingabhubhi ngenxa yalomuntu, ungabeki phezu kwethu igazi elingenacala, ngokuba wena-Jehova wenzile njengokuhlosa kwakho.
15Amphakamisa uJona, amphonsa elwandle; ulwandle lwase lupheza ukufutha.
16Amadoda ayesesaba uJehova ngokwesaba okukhulu; ahlabela uJehova umhlatshelo, enza izithembiso.
17UJehova wamisela inhlanzi enkulu ukuba imgwinye uJona; uJona wayesezibilinini zenhlanzi izinsuku ezintathu nobusuku obuthathu.
