1約拿違命耶和華的話臨到亞米太的兒子約拿，說：
1Now the word of Jehovah came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
2“起來！到尼尼微大城去，警告其中的居民，因為他們的惡行已經達到我面前。”
2Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.
3可是約拿卻起來，要逃往他施去，躲避耶和華；他下到約帕，找到了一隻要開往他施去的船；他給了錢，就上船（“上船”原文作“下船”），要和他們同往他施去，離開耶和華。
3But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of Jehovah; and he went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of Jehovah.
4海起大風但是耶和華在海上忽然颳起大風，於是海中狂風大作，船幾乎要破裂了。
4But Jehovah sent out a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.
5水手都很懼怕，各人向自己的神大聲呼求；他們為了減輕船的重量，就把船上的東西拋在海裡，可是約拿卻下了船艙，躺著熟睡了。
5Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god; and they cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it unto them. But Jonah was gone down into the innermost parts of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.
6船長走到他面前，對他說：“你怎麼啦！睡得那麼熟？快起來，求告你的 神吧！或者 神會記念我們，使我們不至於喪命！”
6So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.
7約拿受罰水手就彼此說：“來吧！讓我們抽籤，好知道這場災禍臨到我們，是因誰的緣故。”於是他們抽籤，結果抽中了約拿。
7And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.
8他們就對約拿說：“請告訴我們，這場災禍臨到我們，是因誰的緣故？你是作甚麼的？你從哪裡來？你是哪一國的人？哪一族的人？”
8Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; what is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?
9他回答說：“我是希伯來人，我敬畏耶和華天上的 神，就是那創造海洋和陸地的。”
9And he said unto them, I am a Hebrew; and I fear Jehovah, the God of heaven, who hath made the sea and the dry land.
10眾人就大大懼怕，對他說：“你為甚麼這樣作呢？（“你為甚麼這樣作呢？”或譯：“你作的是甚麼呢？”）”那些人知道他躲避耶和華，原來約拿告訴了他們。
10Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, What is this that thou hast done? For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of Jehovah, because he had told them.
11因為海浪越來越洶湧，他們又對他說：“我們該怎樣處置你，才能叫海浪平靜呢？”
11Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea grew more and more tempestuous.
12他回答說：“你們把我抬起來，投在海裡，海浪就會平靜，因為我知道，這場大風暴臨到你們，是為了我的緣故。”
12And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.
13那些人雖然破浪掙扎，要把船靠岸，卻是不能，因為海浪不斷洶湧撲來。
13Nevertheless the men rowed hard to get them back to the land; but they could not: for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them.
14他們就呼求耶和華，說：“耶和華啊！我們懇求你，不要因這人叫我們喪命；不要把無辜人的血歸在我們身上，因為你耶和華是照自己所喜悅的行事。”
14Wherefore they cried unto Jehovah, and said, We beseech thee, O Jehovah, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood; for thou, O Jehovah, hast done as it pleased thee.
15於是他們把約拿抬起來，投在海裡，怒濤就平息了。
15So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea; and the sea ceased from its raging.
16那些人就大大敬畏耶和華，向他獻祭和許願。
16Then the men feared Jehovah exceedingly; and they offered a sacrifice unto Jehovah, and made vows.
17耶和華卻安排了一條大魚，把約拿吞下。約拿就在魚腹中三日三夜。（本節在《馬索拉抄本》為2:1）
17And Jehovah prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah; and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.