Jonah's Anger and God's Mercy
1 Jonah was very unhappy about this and became angry. 2 So he prayed, “Lord, didn't I say before I left home that this is just what you would do? That's why I did my best to run away to Spain! I knew that you are a loving and merciful God, always patient, always kind, and always ready to change your mind and not punish. 3 Now then, Lord, let me die. I am better off dead than alive.”
4 The Lord answered, “What right do you have to be angry?”
5 Jonah went out east of the city and sat down. He made a shelter for himself and sat in its shade, waiting to see what would happen to Nineveh. 6 Then the Lord God made a plant grow up over Jonah to give him some shade, so that he would be more comfortable. Jonah was extremely pleased with the plant. 7 But at dawn the next day, at God's command, a worm attacked the plant, and it died. 8 After the sun had risen, God sent a hot east wind, and Jonah was about to faint from the heat of the sun beating down on his head. So he wished he were dead. “I am better off dead than alive,” he said.
9 But God said to him, “What right do you have to be angry about the plant?”
Jonah replied, “I have every right to be angry—angry enough to die!”
10 The Lord said to him, “This plant grew up in one night and disappeared the next; you didn't do anything for it and you didn't make it grow—yet you feel sorry for it! 11 How much more, then, should I have pity on Nineveh, that great city. After all, it has more than 120,000 innocent children in it, as well as many animals!”
Ehandu laJona nokupukululwa kwaye
1 Ndele Jona okwa ninga omwenyo mwii unene, ndele ta handuka. 2 Opo ye a ilikana Kalunga ndele ta ti: “Akutu Omwene! Hasho nda diladila, fimbo nda li moshilongo shetu? Onghee hano nda li nda hala okuya onhapo kuTarsis. Osheshi ondi shi shii, Oove Kalunga omunanghenda nomunalukeno nomutalanheni, nouwanghenda woye munene, ndele Ove ou ku kwete okulialuluka. 3 Akutu Omwene, paife, kufe nge omwenyo wange, osheshi okufya kwange ku dule okukala ndi nomwenyo.” 4 Opo Omwene ta ti: “Ou shii okuhanduka kwoye okwa yuka?” 5 Ndele Jona okwa dja mo moshilando, ndele ta i kombinga yokoushilo woshilando. Oko ye e lidikila etwali ndele ta kala omutumba momudile walo, opo a mone nhumbi oshilando tashi ningilwa. 6 Opo Omwene Kalunga okwa menifa omuti warisin tau kulilile kombada yaJona, nomudile wao wa tuvikila omutwe waJona, opo a mangululwe mokutikuka kwomwenyo waye. Jona okwa hafela shili omuti warisin. 7 Ndelenee mefiku lomongula, eluwa opo la tende, Omwene okwa eta eshila, ndele tali li omuti warisin, ndele tau fi. 8 Ndele etango eshi la pita Omwene okwa pepifa omhepo ipyu yokoushilo. Netango tali xwike omutwe waJona, ndele ye okwa alama. Ndele ye e lihalela efyo ndele ta ti: “Okufya kwange ku dule okukala ndi nomwenyo.” 9 Opo nee Kalunga ta ti kuJona: “Okuhanduka kwoye okwa yuka tuu, eshi wa handukila omuti warisin ou?” Ndele ye okwa nyamukula: “Heeno, okuhanduka kwange okwa yuka fiyo okufya.” 10 Omwene ota ti natango: “Ove wa yehamenwa omuti warisin ou, ove ino u kuna noino u menifa, ou wakula oufiku umwe auke nowa fya oufiku umwe.” 11 Ndelenee Ame ohandi kala ngahelipi ngeno, ndiha yehamene Ninive, oshilando shinene shi novanhu ve dule omayovi efele nomafele omilongo mbali vehe shii okutongola eke lolulyo nolumosho, nomu na yo oimuna ihapu?
