Yona 1

1 Ndipo neno la Bwana lilimjia Yona mwana wa Amittai, kusema,

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonas the son of Amathi, saying,

2 “Simama uende Ninawi, mji kuu, na ukapaze sauti dhidi yake, kwa sababu uovu wao umeinuka mbele yangu.”

Rise, and go to Nineve, the great city, and preach in it; for the cry of its wickedness is come up to me.

3 Lakini Yona akaondoka kukimbia kutoka mbele ya Bwana na kwenda Tarshishi. Akatelemka mpaka Yafa na akaona melikebu inayokwenda Tarshishi. Kwa hiyo alilipa nauli na akapanda melikebu kwenda nayo Tarishishi, mbali na uwepo wa Yahweh.

But Jonas rose up to flee to Tharsis from the presence of the Lord. And he went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tharsis: and he paid his fare, and went up into it, to sail with them to Tharsis from the presence of the Lord.

4 Lakini Bwana akatuma upepo mkubwa juu ya bahari, ikawa tufani juu ya bahari. Hivi karibuni ikaonekana kwamba meli ilikuwa inataka kuvunjika.

And the Lord raised up a wind on the sea; and there was a great storm on the sea, and the ship was in danger of being broken.

5 Wale baharia waliogopa sana na kila mtu alilia kwa mungu wake mwenyewe. Wakatupa mizigo bahari iliyokuwa merikebuni ili kuifungua. Yona alikuwa ameshuka hapa pande za ndani ya melikebu, naye alikuwa amelala huko usingizi.

And the sailors were alarmed, and cried every one to his god, and cast out the wares that were in the ship into the sea, that it might be lightened of them. But Jonas was gone down into the hold of the ship, and was asleep, and snored.

6 Basi nahoza akamwendea akamwambia, “kwa nini unalala? Amka! ukamwombe mungu wako! Labda mungu wako atatutambua na hatutapotea.”

And the shipmaster came to him, and said to him, Why snore you? arise, and call upon your God, that God may save us, and we perish not.

7 Wote wakaambiana, 'Njoni, tupige kura, ili tujue ni nani ndiye sababu ya mabaya haya yanayotupata.' Basi wakapiga kura, na kura ikaangukia kwa Yona.

And each man said to his neighbour, Come, let us cast lots, and find out for whose sake this mischief is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonas.

8 Kisha wakamwambia Yona, “Tafadhali tuambie ni nani ndiye sababu ya mabaya haya yanayotupata. Unafanya kazi gani, na umetoka wapi? Nchi yako ni ipi, na kutoka kwa watu wa kabila gani?”

And they said to him, Tell us what is your occupation, and whence come you, and of what country and what people are you?

9 Yona akawaambia, Mimi ni Mhebrania; Nami namuogopa Bwana, Mungu wa mbinguni, aliyeifanya bahari na nchi kavu.

And he said to them, I am a servant of the Lord; and I worship the Lord God of heaven, who made the sea, and the dry [land].

10 Ndipo watu hao waliogopa zaidi, wakamwambia Yona, Ni jambo gani hili ulilolifanya? Kwa maana hao watu walijua kwamba alikuwa akikimbia mbele ya Bwana, kwa sababu alikuwa amewaambia.

Then the men feared exceedingly, and said to him, What is this [that] you have done? for the men knew that he was fleeing from the face of the Lord, because he had told them.

11 Ndipo wakamwambia Yona, Tukufanyie nini ili bahari iweze kutulia? Kwa maana bahari ilikuwa imechafuka zaidi na zaidi.

And they said to him, What shall we do to you, that the sea may be calm to us? for the sea rose, and lifted its wave exceedingly.

12 Yona akawaambia, “Nikamateni na nitupeni baharini. Kisha bahari itatulia kwa ajili yenu, kwa maana najua kwamba ni kwa sababu yangu kwamba tufani hii kubwa iwapate.”

And Jonas said to them, Take me up, and cast me into the sea, and the sea shall be calm to you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.

13 Hata hivyo, watu hao wavuta makasia kwa bidii ili kurudi nchi kavu, lakini hawakuweza kufanya hivyo kwa sababu bahari ilikuwa imechafuka zaidi dhidi yao.

And the men tried hard to return to the land, and were not able: for the sea rose and grew more and more tempestuous against them.

14 Basi wakamwomba Bwana, wakasema, Tunakuomba, Bwana, tunakuomba, usiache tuangamize kwa sababu ya maisha ya mtu huyu; wala usituwekee hatia ya kufa kwake, kwa kuwa wewe, Bwana, umefanya kama ulivyopenda.

And they cried to the Lord, and said, Forbid it, Lord: let us not perish for the sake of this man's life, and bring not righteous blood upon us: for you, Lord, have done as you would.

15 Basi wakamchukua Yona wakamtupa baharini, nayo bahari ikaacha kuchafuka.

So they took Jonas, and cast him out into the sea: and the sea ceased from its raging.

16 Ndipo watu wale wakamuogopa Bwana sana. Wakamtolea dhabihu Bwana na kuweka nadhiri.

And the men feared the Lord very greatly, and offered a sacrifice to the Lord, and vowed vows.

17 Bwana alikuwa ameandaa samaki mkubwa kummeza Yona, na Yona alikuwa ndani ya tumbo lasamaki siku tatu na usiku wa tatu.

Now the Lord had commanded a great whale to swallow up Jonas: and Jonas was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights.