UJONA 4

₁Ke kaloku esi sehlo samkhathaza uJona, wacaphuka gqitha. ₂Wathandaza *kuNdikhoyo esithi: “Kwowu, Ndikhoyo, le nto yileya ndayithethayo kwandisesekhaya. Kwakungenxa yayo ndakhawulezayo ukubalekela eTashishe. Bendisazi ukuba wena unguThixo onesisa nenceba, uThixo oza kade umsindo nonobubele obukhulu, uThixo oyijikayo ingqondo yakhe asiyeke isohlwayo. ₃Ngoko ke ndiyakubongoza, Ndikhoyo, buthathe ubomi bam, kuba kum ukufa kungcono kunokudla ubomi.”

₄UNdikhoyo waphendula wathi: “Unaso na isizathu sokuba uqumbe?”

₅Ke kaloku uJona waphuma waya empuma yeso sixeko, waza ke wahlala phantsi. Wazakhela iphempe, waza wahlala emthunzini walo ukuze ayibukele kakuhle loo nto yayiza kwehla apho eNiniva. ₆Ke uNdikhoyo uThixo wamisela umthi ukuba ukhule apho ecaleni kwakhe ukuze umenzele umthunzi, ukhusele intloko yakhe, iyenze ibe bhetele imeko yakhe. Ke uJona wawuvuyela gqitha loo mthi. ₇Kambe ke ekuseni ngengomso uThixo wawuthumela ngombungu loo mthi, wawugrenya watsho wabuna. ₈Lithe ke lakuphuma ilanga uThixo wathumela umoya wasempuma onolophu, laza lanqanqaza ilanga phezu kwentloko kaJona. Kwanzima kuye; phantse wayoba. Watsho wanqwenela ukufa, wathi: “Kungcono ukuba ndife kunokuba ndidle ubomi.”

₉Ke kaloku uThixo wathi kuye: “Unaso na isizathu sokuba uqumbe ngenxa yalo mthi?”

UJona wathi: “Ndifanele ukuvutha ngumsindo, nditsho onokude undise ekufeni!”

₁₀UNdikhoyo wathi kuye: “Lo mthi uwukhathalele ngani, ungakhange ubulaleke nje ngawo, futhi ungakhuliswanga nanguwe? Lo mthi ukhule ngobusuku, wabuya wafa kwangobusuku. ₁₁Ke, uthi kukangakanani kum mayela nesi sixekokazi siyiNiniva? Uthi mandingavelani naso ngoku sinabantu abangaphezu kwekhulu elinamashumi amabini lamawaka, abangekawazi umahluko phakathi kwesandla sasekunene nesasekhohlo, kwakunye ke nemfuyo eninzi?”