UJona 1 - iBhayibhili Elingcwele 1978

UJona ubalekela eTarshishi

¹ Ilizwi leNkosi 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 ukuba abalekele iNkosi. Wehlela eJopha, wafumana khona umkolo oya eTarshishi; wakhupha imali yokukhwela, wakhwela kuwo ukuba ahambe labaya eTarshishi, abaleke eNkosini.

⁴ INkosi yathumela umoya omkhulu olwandle, kwaba khona isiphepha esikhulu, lomkolo wafuna ukudabuka phakathi.

⁵ Abawuqhubayo besaba, lowo lalowo wakhala kunkulunkulu wakhe; baphosela olwandle impahla eyayisemkolweni ukuba ube lula. Kodwa uJona wayehlele phakathi komkolo, walala khona.

⁶ Induna yomkolo, yamfica khona yathi kuye: Ulani wena olele ubuthongo na? Vuka, ukhuleke kunkulunkulu wakho; mhlawumbe lunkulunkulu uzasikhumbula ukuba singabhubhi.

⁷ Basebekhulumisana besithi: Wozani senze inkatho, ukuba sibone ukuthi ngubani osibangele lobububi. Basebesenza inkatho, inkatho yabo yadla uJona.

⁸ Basebesithi kuye: Akusitshele ukuthi ngubani osibangele lobububi. Wenzani lapha? Uvela ngaphi? Ungowangaphi? Ungowesiphi isizwe na?

⁹ Yena wathi kibo: NgingumHeberu, ngikhonza iNkosi uNkulunkulu wezulu owenza ulwandle lomhlabathi owomileyo.

¹⁰ Basebesethuka kakhulu labobantu, bathi: Wenzeni na? Ngoba basebesazi ukuba ubalekile eNkosini lokhu wayesebatshelile.

¹¹ Basebesithi kuye: Sizakwenzani kuwe ukuze ulwandle luthule na? Ngoba ulwandle lwalulokhu luvubeka.

¹² Wathi kibo: Ngithathani, lingiphosele olwandle; ng’khonake ulwandle luzathula; ngoba ngiyazi ukuthi lesisiphepha esikhulu silifikele ngenxa yami.

¹³ Kodwake amadoda agwedla ngamandla ukuba abuyisele umkolo emhlabathini, ehluleka, ngoba ulwandle lwalulokhu luvubeka.

¹⁴ Ngakhoke basebekhuleka eNkosini 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 iNkosi, ayihlabela umhlatshelo, enza izithembiso.

¹⁷ INkosi yaletha inhlanzi enkulu ukuba imginye uJona; uJona waba sesiswini senhlanzi insuku ezintathu lobusuku obuthathu.