Jonas Propheta 1

1 Et factum est verbum Domini ad Jonam, filium Amathi, dicens:

This message from the Lord came to Jonah, the son of Amittai:

2 Surge, et vade in Niniven, civitatem grandem, et prædica in ea, quia ascendit malitia ejus coram me.

‘Arise, go to that great city, Nineveh, and preach against it; for their wickedness is known to me.’

3 Et surrexit Jonas, ut fugeret in Tharsis a facie Domini, et descendit in Joppen: et invenit navem euntem in Tharsis, et dedit naulum ejus, et descendit in eam ut iret cum eis in Tharsis a facie Domini.

But Jonah started to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went aboard to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

4 Dominus autem misit ventum magnum in mare: et facta est tempestas magna in mari, et navis periclitabatur conteri.

But the Lord made a furious wind blow over the sea, and there was such a great storm that the ship was in danger of breaking to pieces.

5 Et timuerunt nautæ, et clamaverunt viri ad deum suum, et miserunt vasa quæ erant in navi, in mare, ut alleviaretur ab eis; et Jonas descendit ad interiora navis, et dormiebat sopore gravi.

The sailors were terrified and each cried for help to his own god. They threw the ship’s cargo into the sea to make the ship lighter. Meanwhile Jonah had gone down into the bottom of the ship and lay fast asleep.

6 Et accessit ad eum gubernator, et dixit ei: Quid tu sopore deprimeris? surge, invoca Deum tuum, si forte recogitet Deus de nobis, et non pereamus.

The captain of the ship went and said to him, ‘How can you sleep? Call on your god; perhaps that god will think of us, so that we may not be lost.’

7 Et dixit vir ad collegam suum: Venite et mittamus sortes, et sciamus quare hoc malum sit nobis. Et miserunt sortes, et cecidit sors super Jonam.

The sailors said to one another, ‘Come, let us cast lots to discover on whose account this evil has come upon us.’ So they cast lots, and the lot indicated Jonah.

8 Et dixerunt ad eum: Indica nobis cujus causa malum istud sit nobis: quod est opus tuum? quæ terra tua, et quo vadis? vel ex quo populo es tu?

So they said to him, ‘Are you to blame for this? Tell us, what is your business, and where do you come from? What is your country and to what people do you belong?’

9 Et dixit ad eos: Hebræus ego sum, et Dominum Deum cæli ego timeo, qui fecit mare et aridam.

He replied, ‘I am a Hebrew, and a worshipper of the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.’

10 Et timuerunt viri timore magno, et dixerunt ad eum: Quid hoc fecisti? cognoverunt enim viri quod a facie Domini fugeret, quia indicaverat eis.

Then the men were greatly frightened and said to him, ‘What have you done?’ For they knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.

11 Et dixerunt ad eum: Quid faciemus tibi, et cessabit mare a nobis? quia mare ibat, et intumescebat.

Then they said to him, ‘What should we do to you, to make the sea calm for us?’ For the sea grew more and more stormy.

12 Et dixit ad eos: Tollite me, et mittite in mare, et cessabit mare a vobis: scio enim ego quoniam propter me tempestas hæc grandis venit super vos.

He said to them, ‘Take me up and throw me into the sea, and the sea will be calm for you, for I know that it is because of me this fierce storm has overtaken you.’

13 Et remigabant viri ut reverterentur ad aridam, et non valebant, quia mare ibat, et intumescebat super eos.

But instead the men rowed hard to get back to the land; they could not, however, for the sea grew more and more stormy ahead.

14 Et clamaverunt ad Dominum, et dixerunt: Quæsumus, Domine, ne pereamus in anima viri istius, et ne des super nos sanguinem innocentem: quia tu, Domine, sicut voluisti, fecisti.

So they cried to the Lord and said, ‘We beg you, Lord, we beg you, don’t let us die for this man’s life, and don’t let us be guilty of shedding innocent blood, for you are the Lord; you have done as it pleases you.’

15 Et tulerunt Jonam, et miserunt in mare: et stetit mare a fervore suo.

And they took up Jonah, and threw him into the sea; and the sea became calm.

16 Et timuerunt viri timore magno Dominum: et immolaverunt hostias Domino, et voverunt vota.

Then the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice and made vows to him.

17 Et præparavit Dominus piscem grandem ut deglutiret Jonam: et erat Jonas in ventre piscis tribus diebus et tribus noctibus.

But the Lord arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.