¹Zvino shoko raJehovha rakasvika kuna Jona mwanakomana waAmitai, richiti,

¹And the word of Jehovah came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,

²Simuka, uende Ninivhe, riya guta guru, undoriparidzira, nekuti kuipa kwavo kwakwira pamberi pangu.

²Arise, go to Nineveh, the great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.

³Asi Jona akasimuka achida kutizira Tashishi abve pamberi paJehovha; akaburukira Jopa, akawana chikepe chakanga choenda Tashishi, akabudisa mari yacho yokufamba, ndokupinda mukati macho, kuti aende navo Tashishi abve pamberi paJehovha.

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.

⁴Asi Jehovha akatuma mhepo inopenga pagungwa, dutu guru rikamuka pagungwa, chikepe chikashumba kuputsika.

⁴But Jehovah sent out a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest upon the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.

⁵Ipapo vafambisi vechikepe vakatya, mumwe nomumwe akadana kuna mwari wake, vakarashira mugungwa nhumbi dzakanga dziri muchikepe, kuti dzichirerusire. Asi Jona akanga aburukira mukatikati mechikepe, akavata pasi, nokubatwa nehope chaidzo.

⁵And the mariners were afraid, and cried every one unto his god; and they cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to be lightened of them. But Jonah had gone down into the lower part of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.

⁶Ipapo mwene wechikepe akauya kwaari, akati kwaari, Nhai, iwe muvati, wakaita seiko? Simuka, dana kuna Mwari wako, zvimwe Mwari angatirangarira, tikasaparara.

⁶And the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, sleeper? arise, call upon thy God; perhaps God will think upon us, that we perish not.

⁷Zvino mumwe nomumwe wakati kushamwari yake, Uyai tikande mijenya, tizive kuti njodzi iyi yatiwira nokuda kwaani. Ipapo vakakanda mijenya, mujenya ukabata Jona.

⁷And they said each one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. And they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.

⁸Zvino vakati kwaari, Chitiudza hako, kuti njodzi iyi yatiwira nokuda kwaani; basa rako ndereiko? Wabvepiko? Nyika yako ndeipi? Uri worudzi rupi?

⁸And they said 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?

⁹Iye akati kwavari, Ndiri muHebheru, ndinotya Mwari wokudenga, akaita gungwa nenyika yakaoma.

⁹And he said unto them, I am a Hebrew, and I fear Jehovah, the God of the heavens, who hath made the sea and the dry [land].

¹⁰Ipapo varume vakatya kwazvo-kwazvo, vakati kwaari, Chinyiko ichi chawaita? nekuti varume vakanga vachiziva kuti anotiza pamberi paJehovha, nekuti akavaudza.

¹⁰Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, What is this thou hast done? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of Jehovah: for he had told them.

¹¹Zvino vakati kwaari, Tichakuiteiko, kuti gungwa ritinyararire? nekuti gungwa rakaramba richinyanya kupenga.

¹¹And they said unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea grew more and more tempestuous.

¹²Iye akati kwavari, Ndisimudzei, mundikandire mugungwa, ipapo gungwa richakunyararirai; nekuti ndinoziva kuti dutu iri guru rakakuwirai nokuda kwangu.

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 because of me this great tempest is upon you.

¹³Kunyange zvakadaro varume vakakwasva nesimba vachiidza kudzokera kunyika; asi vakakoniwa, nekuti gungwa rakaramba richinyanya kuvapengera.

¹³But the men rowed hard to regain the land; but they could not; for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them.

¹⁴Naizvozvo vakadana kuna Jehovha, vakati, Tinokunyengeterai, imwi Jehovha, tinokunyengeterai, kuti tirege kuparara nokuda koupenyu hwomunhu uyu, murege kutisundira mhosva yeropa risina mhaka; nekuti imwi Jehovha makaita sezvamakada henyu.

¹⁴And they cried unto Jehovah and said, Ah, Jehovah, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, Jehovah, hast done as it pleased thee.

¹⁵Ipapo vakasimudza Jona, vakamukandira mugungwa, gungwa rikanyarara pakupenga kwaro.

¹⁵And they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from its raging.

¹⁶Ipapo varume vakatya Jehovha kwazvo-kwazvo, vakabayira Jehovha chibayiro, nokumupikira mhiko.

¹⁶And the men feared Jehovah exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto Jehovah, and made vows.

¹⁷Jehovha akatuma hove huru kundomedza Jona, Jona akava mudumbu rehove mazuva matatu novusiku vutatu.

¹⁷And Jehovah prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.