Jonah (1/4)  

1. Ilizwi le Nkosi lafika kuJona indodana kaAmithayi,
2. lathi: Suka uye eNineve kulowana umuzi omkhulu, umemezele kuwo ukuthi ububi babantu bawo bufinyelele kimi.
3. Kodwa uJona wasuka waya eTarshishi ukuze abalekele i Nkosi. Wehlela eJafo, wathola khona umkhumbi oya eTarshishi; wakhupha imali yokukhwela, wakhwela kuwo ukuze ahambe labaya eTarshishi, abaleke e Nkosi ni.
4. I Nkosi yathumela umoya omkhulu olwandle, kwaba khona isiphepho esikhulu, lomkolo wafuna ukudabuka phakathi.
5. Abawuqhubayo besaba, lowo lalowo wakhala kuNkulunkulu wakhe; baphosela olwandle impahla eyayisemkhunjini ukuze ube lula. Kodwa uJona wayehlele phakathi komkolo, walala khona.
6. Induna yomkolo, yamfica khona yathi kuye: Ulani wena olele ubuthongo? Vuka, ukhuleke kuNkulunkulu wakho; mhlawumbe luNkulunkulu uzasikhumbula ukuze singabhubhi.
7. Basebekhulumisana besithi: Wozani senze inkatho yokuphosa, ukuze sibone ukuthi ngubani osibangele lobububi. Basebesenza inkatho yokuphosa, inkatho yabo yawela phezu kukaJona.
8. Basebesithi kuye: Akusitshele ukuthi ngubani osibangele lobububi. Wenzani lapha? Uvela ngaphi? Ungowangaphi? Ungowesiphi isizwe?
9. Yena wathi kibo: NgingumHebheru, ngikhonza i Nkosi uNkulunkulu wamazulu owenza ulwandle lomhlabathi owomileyo.
10. Basebesethuka kakhulu labobantu, bathi: Wenzeni? Ngoba basebesazi ukuthi ubalekile e Nkosi ni lokhu wayesebatshelile.
11. Basebesithi kuye: Sizakwenzani kuwe ukuze ulwandle luthule? Ngoba ulwandle lwalulokhu luvubeka.
12. Wathi kibo: Ngithathani, lingiphosele olwandle; khona-ke ulwandle luzathula; ngoba ngiyazi ukuthi lesisiphepho esikhulu silifikele ngenxa yami.
13. Kodwa-ke amadoda agwedla ngamandla ukuze abuyisele umkhumbi emhlabathini, ehluleka, ngoba ulwandle lwalulokhu luvubeka.
14. Ngakho-ke basebekhuleka e Nkosi ni besithi: Siyakuncenga, Nkosi, asingabhubhi ngenxa yalumuntu, ungasibekeli umlandu wegazi lomuntu ongelacala; ngoba wena, Nkosi, wenzile njengokuthanda kwakho.
15. Basebemthatha uJona, bamphosela olwandle; ulwandle lwaseluthula ukuvubeka.
16. Amadoda ayesaba kakhulu i Nkosi, ayihlabela umhlatshelo, enza izithembiso.
17. I Nkosi yaletha inhlanzi enkulu ukuze imginye uJona; uJona waba sesiswini senhlanzi insuku ezintathu lobusuku obuthathu.

      Jonah (1/4)