UJona
1 Ilizwi likaJehova lafika kuJona*+ indodana ka-Amithayi lathi: 2 “Hamba edolobheni elikhulu laseNiniva+ ufike umemezele isahlulelo sami kulo ngoba ngiyabubona ububi ababenzayo.”
3 Kodwa uJona wabona kungcono ukuthi abalekele uJehova aye eThashishi. Ngakho waqonda eJopha wathola umkhumbi, wasebhadala wangena emkhunjini ukuze aye eThashishi abalekele uJehova.
4 UJehova wenza kwaba lomoya omkhulu elwandle, kwaqubuka isiphepho esesabekayo esasingathi sizawubhidliza umkhumbi. 5 Abagwedli bomkhumbi besaba kakhulu, ngamunye wabo wakhala kunkulunkulu wakhe ecela ukuthi abasize. Baqalisa ukuphosela impahla elwandle ukuze umkhumbi ungacwili.+ Kusenzakala konke lokhu uJona yena wayesendaweni engaphansi emkhunjini, elele nya. 6 Induna yomkhumbi yamlanda yathi kuye: “Ulaleleni? Vuka ubize unkulunkulu wakho! Mhlawumbe uNkulunkulu weqiniso angasizwela singatshabalali.”+
7 Abagwedli bomkhumbi basebesithi: “Buyani senze inkatho+ sibone ukuthi ngubani osidalele uhlupho lolu.” Ngakho benza inkatho, yasisidla uJona.+ 8 Basebesithi kuye: “Sicela usitshele iqiniso. Nguwe yini owenze sehlelwa luhlupho lolu? Wenza msebenzi bani njalo uvela ngaphi? Usuka kuliphi ilizwe futhi ungowasiphi isizwe?”
9 Wabaphendula wathi: “NgingumHebheru njalo ngikhonza* uJehova uNkulunkulu wamazulu, owenza ulwandle lomhlaba.”
10 Abagwedli bomkhumbi bathi besizwa lokho besaba kakhulu basebembuza bathi: “Wenzeleni into enjalo?” (Basebekwazi ukuthi ubalekela uJehova ngoba wayesebatshelile.) 11 Isiphepho sasilokhu sisiba lamandla, yikho bathi kuye: “Manje sikwenzeni ukuze ulwandle luthule?” 12 Waphendula wathi: “Ngiphakamisani lingiphosele elwandle, ulwandle luzathula ngoba ngiyakwazi ukuthi yimi engibangele ukuthi kube lesiphepho esilolaka kangaka.” 13 Kodwa baqhubeka begwedla ngamandla belwisa ukuthi umkhumbi ufike ekhunjini. Lanxa kunjalo behluleka ngoba ulwandle lwaselusidla amahabula kulakuqala.
14 Ngakho bakhala kuJehova bathi: “O Jehova, ungasitshabalalisi ngenxa yomuntu lo! Ungasibeki icala lokubulala umuntu ongonanga lutho njengoba kunguwe owenze intando yakho, O Jehova.” 15 Basebemphakamisa uJona bamphosela elwandle, ulwandle lwathula cwaka. 16 Amadoda ayesemkhunjini amesaba kakhulu uJehova,+ asenikela imihlatshelo kuJehova enza lezifungo.
17 UJehova wathuma inhlanzi enkulu ukuthi iginye uJona. Yikho uJona wahlala esiswini senhlanzi okwamalanga amathathu lobusuku obuthathu.+