Jona
4 Kodwana lokho akhenge kumthabise nakancani uJona begodu wasilingeka wadlhabhaza. 2 Nje-ke wathandaza kuJehova, wathi: “Jehova ngaphambi kokuthi ngize endaweni le, bengazi bona ngilokhu okuzokwenzeka, ngombana bengazi ukuthi unomusa nesirhawu, awusilingeki msinya, unethando elikhulu*+ begodu awukuthabeli ukuletha ihlekelele. 3 Jehova ngibawa ungibulale ngombana kungcono ukufa kunokuphila.”+
4 UJehova wambuza wathi: “Kulungile na ukuthi usilingeke kangaka?”
5 UJona waphuma ngedorobheni wahlala ngepumalanga yalo. Wazenzela indawana yokuphephela ngamatjhwaba, wahlala ngaphasi kwayo, afuna ukubona ukuthi kuzokwenzekani ngedorobheli.+ 6 Nje-ke uJehova wenza bona kumile umrarela begodu ukhule ngehla kwakaJona umenzele umthunzi, bona angasagandeleleki. UJona wathaba khulu ngomrarela loyo.
7 Kodwana kwathi ngelanga elilandelako nakuphuma ilanga uZimu weqiniso wathumela isibungu, sadla umrarela loyo, watjhwaba. 8 Ilanga lathi nalithoma ukutjhisa, uZimu wathumela umoya otjhisako wepumalanga, nje-ke ilanga lahlaba uJona ehloko wapheze watsirimezeka. Bekasolo afuna ukufa, athi: “Kungcono ngife kunokuthi ngiphile.”+
9 UZimu wabuza uJona wathi: “Kulungile na bona usilingeke kangaka ngebanga lomrarela?”+
Waphendula wathi: “Nginelungelo lokusilingeka kangangobana ngifuna nokufa.” 10 UJehova wathi: “Wena uzwela umrarela lo ubuhlungu, akhenge uwusebenzele, akhenge uwukhulise, wakhula ngobusuku bunye bewatjhabalala ngobusuku bunye. 11 Alo, mina akukafuzi na bona ngizwele abantu beNiniva kuhlanganise nefuywabo enengi, okulidorobho elikhulu+ elinabantu abangaphezu kwee-120 000, abangakghoni ukuhlukanisa phakathi kokumbi nokuhle?”