1
Basi neno la Bwana lilimjia Yona, mwana wa Amitai, kusema,
Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying,
2
Ondoka, uende Ninawi, mji ule mkubwa, ukapige kelele juu yake; kwa maana uovu wao umepanda juu mbele zangu.
“Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before Me.”
3
Lakini Yona akaondoka akimbilie Tarshishi, apate kujiepusha na uso wa Bwana; akatelemka hata Yafa, akaona merikebu inayokwenda Tarshishi; basi, akatoa nauli, akapanda merikebuni, aende pamoja nao Tarshishi, ajiepushe na uso wa Bwana.
Jonah, however, got up to flee to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship bound for Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went aboard to sail for Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.
4
Lakini Bwana alituma upepo mkuu baharini, ikawa tufani kubwa baharini, hata merikebu ikawa karibu na kuvunjika.
Then the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship was in danger of breaking apart.
5
Basi wale mabaharia wakaogopa, kila mtu akamwomba mungu wake; nao wakatupa baharini shehena iliyokuwa merikebuni, ili kuupunguza uzito wake. Lakini Yona alikuwa ameshuka hata pande za ndani za merikebu; akajilaza, akapata usingizi.
The sailors were afraid, and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the ship’s cargo into the sea to lighten the load. But Jonah had gone down to the lowest part of the vessel, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep.
6
Basi nahodha akamwendea, akamwambia, Una nini, Ewe ulalaye usingizi? Amka, ukamwombe Mungu wako; labda Mungu huyo atatukumbuka, tusipotee.
The captain approached him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call upon your God. Perhaps this God will consider us, so that we may not perish.”
7
Wakasemezana kila mtu na mwenzake, Haya, na mpige kura, mpate kujua mabaya haya yametupata kwa sababu ya nani. Basi wakapiga kura, nayo kura ikamwangukia Yona.
“Come!” said the sailors to one another. “Let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity that is upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.
8
Ndipo wakamwambia, Tafadhali utuambie, wewe ambaye mabaya haya yametupata kwa sababu yako; kazi yako ni kazi gani? Nawe umetoka wapi? Nchi yako ni nchi ipi? Nawe u mtu wa kabila gani?
“Tell us now,” they demanded, “who is to blame for this calamity that is upon us? What is your occupation, and where have you come from? What is your country, and who are your people?”
9
Akawaambia, Mimi ni Mwebrania; nami namcha Bwana, Mungu wa mbingu, aliyeziumba bahari na nchi kavu.
“I am a Hebrew,” replied Jonah. “I worship the LORD, the God of the heavens, who made the sea and the dry land.”
10
Ndipo watu wale wakaogopa mno, wakamwambia, Ni jambo gani hili ulilolitenda! Kwa maana watu wale walijua ya kuwa amekimbia, ajiepushe na uso wa Bwana, kwa sababu alikuwa amewajulisha.
Then the men were even more afraid and said to him, “What have you done?” The men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.
11
Basi wakamwambia, Tukutende nini, ili bahari itulie? Kwa maana bahari ilikuwa inazidi kuchafuka.
Now the sea was growing worse and worse, so they said to Jonah, “What must we do to you to calm this sea for us?”
12
Naye akawaambia, Nikamateni, mnitupe baharini; basi bahari itatulia; kwa maana najua ya kuwa ni kwa ajili yangu tufani hii imewapata.
“Pick me up,” he answered, “and cast me into the sea, so it may quiet down for you. For I know that I am to blame for this violent storm that has come upon you.”
13
Lakini wale watu wakavuta makasia kwa nguvu, ili wapate kurudi pwani, wasiweze; kwa maana bahari ilizidi kuwachafukia sana.
Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea was raging against them more and more.
14
Basi wakamlilia Bwana, wakasema, Twakuomba, Ee Bwana, twakuomba, tusiangamie kwa ajili ya uhai wa mtu huyu, wala usitupatilize kwa ajili ya damu isiyo na hatia; kwa maana wewe, Bwana, umefanya kama ulivyopenda.
So they cried out to the LORD: “Please, O LORD, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life! Do not charge us with innocent blood! For You, O LORD, have done as You pleased.”
15
Basi wakamkamata Yona, wakamtupa baharini, nayo bahari ikaacha kuchafuka.
Then they picked up Jonah and cast him into the sea, and the raging sea grew calm.
16
Ndipo wale watu wakamwogopa Bwana mno, wakamtolea Bwana sadaka, na kuweka nadhiri.
Then the men feared the LORD greatly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows to Him.
17
Bwana akaweka tayari samaki mkubwa ili ammeze Yona, naye Yona akawa ndani ya tumbo la samaki yule muda wa siku tatu, mchana na usiku.
Now the LORD had appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of the fish.