uJona ISAHLUKO 1 1 Izwi likaJehova lafika kuJona indodana ka-Amithayi, lathi: 2 Suka uye eNineve, umuzi omkhulu, umemeze ngawo; ngoba ububi babo bukhuphukele phambi kwami. 3 Kepha uJona wasuka ukuba abalekele eTharishishi ebusweni bukaJehova, wehlela eJopha; wafumana umkhumbi oya eTharishishi; wayesekhokha imali yawo, wehlela kuwo, ukuze ahambe nawo, aye eTharishishi, asuke ebusweni bukaJehova. 4 Kodwa uJehova wathumela umoya omkhulu elwandle, kwaba khona isiphepho esikhulu elwandle, umkhumbi waze wangathi uzaphuka. 5 Amatilosi esaba, akhala, kwaba yilowo nalowo kunkulunkulu wakhe, aphonsa olwandle impahla eyayisemkhunjini ukuba ube lula kubo. Kepha uJona wayehlele ezingxenyeni ezingaphakathi zomkhumbi; walala ubuthongo. 6 Umphathi womkhumbi weza kuye, wathi kuye: "Uthini, wena oleleyo na?" sukuma, ubize uNkulunkulu wakho, mhlawumbe uNkulunkulu angasikhumbula, ukuze singabhubhi. 7 Bathi, kwaba yilowo nalowo kumngane wakhe: "Wozani senze inkatho, sazi ukuthi kungenxa kabani lobu bubi buphezu kwethu." Benza inkatho, inkatho yawela uJona. 8 Base bethi kuye: "Ake usitshele ukuthi kungenxa kabani lobu bubi buphezu kwethu; Uyini umsebenzi wakho? uvela ngaphi? liyini izwe lakini? ungowabaphi abantu? 9 Wathi kubo: “NgingumHeberu; ngiyamesaba uJehova uNkulunkulu wezulu owenzile ulwandle nomhlabathi owomileyo. 10 Amadoda esaba ngokwesaba okukhulu, athi kuye: Ukwenzeleni lokhu? Ngokuba amadoda azi ukuthi ubalekile ebusweni bukaJehova, ngokuba wayebatshelile. 11 Base bethi kuye: "Siyakwenze njani kuwe, ukuze ulwandle luthule kithi na?" ngoba ulwandle lwaluqhubeka luyisiphepho. 12 Wathi kubo: “Ngiphakamiseni, ningiphonse olwandle; kanjalo ulwandle luyakuzola kini, ngokuba ngiyazi ukuthi ngenxa yami lesi siphepho esikhulu siphezu kwenu. 13 Nokho amadoda agwedla kanzima ukuba aliyise ezweni; kodwa behluleka, ngoba ulwandle lwalulokhu luvunguza phezu kwabo. 14 Bakhala kuJehova, bathi: “Siyakuncenga, Jehova, siyakuncenga, masingabhubhi ngenxa yomphefumulo walo muntu, ungabeki phezu kwethu igazi elingenacala, ngokuba wena Jehova wenzile njengokuthandayo. wena. 15 Base bemfunqula uJona, bamphonsa elwandle, ulwandle lwathula ekuthukutheleni kwalo. 16 Amadoda ayesesaba uJehova ngokwesaba okukhulu, ahlabela uJehova umhlatshelo, enza izithembiso. 17 UJehova wayeselungisele inhlanzi enkulu ukuba imginye uJona. UJona wayesesiswini senhlanzi izinsuku ezintathu nobusuku obuthathu.
ISAHLUKO 2 1 UJona wakhuleka kuJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe esesiswini senhlanzi, 2 Wathi: "Ngosizi lwami ngakhala kuJehova, wangizwa; Ngamemeza ngisesiswini sendawo yabafileyo, wezwa izwi lami. 3 Ngokuba wangiphonsa ekujuleni, phakathi kwezilwandle; izikhukhula zangihaqa; onke amaza akho namaza akho adlula phezu kwami. 4 Ngasengisithi: Ngixotshiwe phambi kwakho; nokho ngiyakubuye ngibheke ethempelini lakho elingcwele. 5 Amanzi angihaqa, kwaze kwaba semphefumulweni; utwa lwangizungeza, ukhula lwahaqa ikhanda lami. 6 Ngehlela phansi kwezintaba; umhlaba nemigoqo yawo wawungizungeza kuze kube phakade; nokho ukukhuphulile ukuphila kwami ekonakaleni, Jehova Nkulunkulu wami. 7 Lapho umphefumulo wami uphela amandla phakathi kwami, ngamkhumbula uJehova, umkhuleko wami wafika kuwe ethempelini lakho elingcwele. 8 Abagcina okuyize zamanga bashiya umusa wabo. 9 Kepha mina ngiyakuhlabela kuwe ngezwi lokubonga; Ngizokufeza lokho engikufungile. Insindiso ivela kuJehova. 10 UJehova wakhuluma nenhlanzi, yamhlanzela uJona emhlabathini owomileyo. ISAHLUKO 3 1 Izwi likaJehova lafika kuJona ngokwesibili, lathi: 2 Suka uye eNineve, umuzi omkhulu, ushumayele kuwo isimemezelo engikutshela sona. 3 UJona wasuka, waya eNineve njengezwi likaJehova. Manje iNineve laliwumuzi omkhulu kakhulu, uhambo lwezinsuku ezintathu. 4 UJona waqala ukungena emzini, uhambo losuku, wamemeza, wathi: Kusezakuba yizinsuku ezingamashumi amane, beselichithwa iNineve. 5 Abantu baseNineve bakholwa nguNkulunkulu, bamemezela ukuzila ukudla, bembatha indwangu yamasaka, kusukela kwabakhulu babo kwaze kwaba kwabancane babo. 6 Kwase kufika izwi enkosini yaseNineve, yasukuma esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi, yakhumula ingubo yayo, yembathisa indwangu yamasaka, yahlala emlotheni. 7 Yasimemezela, yasakaza eNineve ngomthetho wenkosi nezikhulu zayo, othi: “Makungabikho muntu nasilwane esifuywayo, inkomo noma imvu, okunambitha utho, makungadli, kungaphuzi manzi; 8 Kepha abantu nezilwane makubembeswe indwangu yamasaka, bakhale ngokunamandla kuNkulunkulu, yebo, mababuye, kube yilowo nalowo endleleni yakhe embi nasebudloveni obusezandleni zabo. 9 Ngubani owaziyo uma uNkulunkulu engaphenduka aphenduke, abuye entukuthelweni yakhe evuthayo, ukuze singabhubhi? 10 UNkulunkulu wabona izenzo zabo ukuthi babuyile endleleni yabo embi; uNkulunkulu wazisola ngobubi abeshilo ukuthi uyakubenza kubo; futhi akakwenzanga.