< Jonah 4 >

1 But Jonah was very distressed [that God had not destroyed Nineveh]. He became very angry. [The people of Nineveh were non-Jews, and Jonah did not think that God should act mercifully toward anyone who was not a Jew].
Y a Jonás le pesó de gran pesar, y se enojó.
2 He prayed to Yahweh, “O Yahweh, what you have done is what I thought that you would do, before I left home [RHQ]. That is why I [decided] immediately to run away, and go to Tarshish [city], because I knew that you, O God, act very kindly and compassionately [toward all people]. You do not quickly become angry with people who do evil things. You love people very much, and you change your mind about punishing [people who sin].
Y oró a Jehová, y dijo: Ahora, Jehová, ¿no es esto lo que yo decía estando en mi tierra, por lo cual previne huyéndome a Társis? Porque yo sabía que tú eres Dios clemente y piadoso, tardo a enojarte, y de grande misericordia, y que te arrepientes del mal.
3 [So] now, O Yahweh, [since you will not destroy Nineveh city as you said you would], allow me to die, because it would be better for me to die than to [continue to] live.”
Ahora pues, Jehová, ruégote que me mates; porque mejor me es la muerte que la vida.
4 Yahweh replied, “(Why is it right for you to be angry [about my not destroying the city]?/It is not right for you to be angry [about my not destroying the city]!) [RHQ]”
Y Jehová le dijo: ¿Haces tú bien de enojarte tanto?
5 Jonah [did not reply]. He went out of the city to the east [side of it]. He made a small shelter in order that he could sit under it and be protected from the sun. He sat under the shelter and waited to see what would happen to the city.
Y salióse Jonás de la ciudad, y asentó hacia el oriente de la ciudad; e hízose allí una choza, y asentóse debajo de ella a la sombra, hasta ver que sería de la ciudad.
6 Then Yahweh God caused a vine to grow up [immediately] to shade Jonah’s head from the sun and make him [feel] more comfortable. Jonah was very happy about [having] the vine [over his head].
Y preparó Jehová Dios una calabacera, la cual creció sobre Jonás, para que hiciese sombra sobre su cabeza, y le defendiese de su mal; y Jonás se alegró grandemente por la calabacera.
7 But before dawn the next day, God sent a worm that chewed the vine, with the result that the vine withered.
Y el mismo Dios preparó un gusano en viniendo la mañana del día siguiente, el cual hirió a la calabacera, y se secó.
8 Then, when the sun rose [high in the sky], God sent a very hot wind from the east, and the sun shone very strongly on Jonah’s head, with the result that he felt faint. He wanted to die, and he said, “It would be better for me to die than to [continue to] live!”
Y acaeció que en saliendo el sol preparó Dios un viento solano grande; y el sol hirió a Jonás en la cabeza, y desmayábase; y pedía a su alma la muerte, diciendo: Mejor sería para mí la muerte que mi vida.
9 But God asked Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about [what happened to] the vine?” Jonah replied, “[Yes], it is right! [Now] I am very angry and I want to die!”
Entonces dijo Dios a Jonás: ¿Tanto te enojas por la calabacera? Y él respondió: Mucho me enojo, hasta desear la muerte.
10 But Yahweh said [to him], “You have been concerned about my [causing] that vine [to wither], even though you did not take care of it, and you did not make it grow. It just grew up during one night, and it completely withered [at the end of] the next night.
Y dijo Jehová: ¿Tuviste tú piedad de la calabacera en la cual no trabajaste, ni tú la hiciste crecer, que en espacio de una noche nació, y en espacio de otra noche pereció:
11 But there are more than 120,000 people in Nineveh who [are very young, and because of that], they cannot tell which is their right hand and which is their left hand, and there are also many cattle, [and none of these have done anything to displease me]. So (is it not right for me to be concerned about the people of that huge city, [and not want to destroy them]?/it is certainly right for me to be concerned about the people of that huge city [and not want to destroy them]!) [RHQ]”
Y no tendré yo piedad de Nínive aquella grande ciudad, donde hay más de ciento y veinte mil hombres, que no conocen su mano derecha ni su mano izquierda, y muchos animales?

< Jonah 4 >