UJONA 3

₁Liphinde lafika ilizwi *likaNdikhoyo kuJona, lisithi: ₂“Hamba uye kweso sixekokazi siyiNiniva, ufike ushumayele olu daba ndikunike lona.”

₃Ke uJona walithobela ilizwi likaNdikhoyo, waya eNiniva. INiniva le ibisisixeko esikhulu gqitha. Bekumthatha umntu iintsuku ezintathu ukuphumela kuyo. ₄Ke kaloku uJona waluqala uhambo lwakhe kweso sixeko. Akuba ehambe imini yonke wadanduluka wathi: “Yoba ziintsuku ezimashumi mane kuphela, itshatyalaliswe iNiniva.” ₅Abo bantu baseNiniva balwamkela olo daba lukaThixo. Ngoko ke bamisela inzila, baza bonke abantu, kuqalela komdala kuye komncinane, bavatha ezenzila.

₆Akuyiva le nto ukumkani wakhona waphuma ebhotwe, umnweba wakhe wawuthi tya phaya, wanxiba ezenzila, wahlala eluthuthwini. ₇Waza ke wakhupha isaziso esithi: “Nasi isaziso esigunyaziswe ngukumkani namaphakathi: Makuzilwe, kungabikho mntu okanye silwanyana ongcamla nantoni na, nditsho iinkomo nempahla emfutshane. Ewe, makungatyiwa nto, kungàselwa namanzi. ₈Abantu nemfuyo mabavathe ezenzila. Bonke mabakhale kuThixo ngamandla, bahlukane neendlela zabo ezimbi nogonyamelo lwabo. ₉Mhlawumbi uThixo angayijika ingqondo yakhe, abuye nganeno ngengqumbo yakhe, size ke thina singatshabalali.”

₁₀Ke kaloku uThixo wasibona isenzo sabo nokwahlukana kwabo neendlela zabo ezimbi. Ngoko ke uThixo wayijika ingqondo yakhe, akabi sabatshabalalisa njengoko wayezimisele.