Jona
1 Ilizwi lakaJehova lafika kuJona*+ indodana ka-Amitayi, lathi: 2 “Sikima, utjhinge eNiniva+ idorobho elikhulu, ufike lapho umemezele umlayezo wesahlulelo malungana nalo ngombana sengiyabona ukuthi ubukhohlakali balo sebande kangangani.”
3 Kodwana uJona wabalekela uJehova, watjhinga eTaratjhitjhi. Wehlela eJopha, wafumana umkhumbi otjhinga eTaratjhitjhi, yeke wabhadela imali yekhambo ngemva kwalokho watjhinga eTaratjhitjhi, abalekela uJehova.
4 Nje-ke uJehova wenza bona kube nomoya omkhulu elwandle, wavunguza ngamandla kangangokuthi umkhumbi bekusele kancani bona uphahlazeke. 5 Abanqophisi bomkhumbi bathukwa khulu, bekwafika ezingeni lokuthi omunye nomunye wabo athome ukubiza uzimakhe abawa ukusizwa. Bathatha imithwalo engemkhunjini bayiphosela ngelwandle bona umkhumbi ube lula.+ Nokho uJona yena bekaye endaweni engaphasi komkhumbi, wafika lapho waya ngobuthongo. 6 Nje-ke ukapteni womkhumbi weza kuye, wathi: “Kubayini ulele? Akhuvuke, ubize uzimakho! Mhlamunye uZimu weqiniso angasizwela, asisindise.”+
7 Abanqophisi bomkhumbi bakhuluma bodwa bathi: “Yenize senzeni ifumbe,+ khesibone ukuthi ngubani onomlandu wokusibangela ihlekelele le.” Yeke benza ifumbe begodu yakhomba uJona.+ 8 Bathi kuye: “Sibawa usitjele, nguwe osibangele ihlekelele esehleleko le? Uyini umsebenzakho begodu ubuyaphi? Ubuya kiyiphi inarha begodu umhlobo bani?”
9 Wabaphendula wathi: “NgimHebheru begodu ngilotjha uJehova uZimu wezulwini, loyo owenza ilwandle nendawo eyomileko.”
10 Ngemva kokuthi amadoda la ezwe lokho, arhidlwa livalo khulu begodu ambuza athi: “Alo, wenzeni?” (Amadoda la ezwa ukuthi uJona ubalekela uJehova, ngombana atjelwe nguye.) 11 Ilwandle lasolo libetha ngamandla, nje-ke amadoda la athi kuye: “Alo, kufuze sikwenzeni ilwandle nalizakurhobha?” 12 Wabaphendula wathi: “Ngigugani ningiphosele ngelwandle begodu lizokurhobha, ngombana ngiyazi ukuthi umoya onamandla lo wenzeke ngebanga lami.” 13 Nokho, amadoda la agwedla ngamandla alinga ukusa umkhumbi eligwini lelwandle kodwana abhalelwa ngombana umoya bewuvunguza ngamandla.
14 Nje-ke arhuwelela uJehova athi: “Maye! Jehova siyakubawa asingahlongakali ngebanga lendoda le begodu asingabi nomlandu wokubulala indoda emsulwa le ngombana lokhu bekuyintandwakho Jehova.” 15 Yeke aphosela uJona ngelwandle, ngemva kwalokho ilwandle larhobha. 16 Amadoda la amhlonipha khulu uJehova,+ abe enzela uJehova umhlatjelo begodu afunga bona azomlotjha.
17 UJehova wathumela ihlambi ekulu bona iyokuginya uJona, yeke uJona wahlala amalanga amathathu nobusuku obuthathu angemathunjini wehlambi leyo.+