Jonah Is Angry That the Lord Spares Nineveh
1But to Jonah this seemed very wrong. He became angry. 2He prayed to the Lord. Here is what Jonah said to him. “Lord, isn’t this exactly what I thought would happen when I was still at home? That is what I tried to prevent by running away to Tarshish. I knew that you are gracious. You are tender and kind. You are slow to get angry. You are full of love. You are a God who takes pity on people. You don’t want to destroy them. 3Lord, take away my life. I’d rather die than live.”
4But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
5Jonah had left the city. He had sat down at a place east of it. There he put some branches over his head. He sat in their shade. He waited to see what would happen to the city. 6Then the Lord God sent a leafy plant and made it grow up over Jonah. It gave him more shade for his head. It made him more comfortable. Jonah was very happy he had the leafy plant. 7But before sunrise the next day, God sent a worm. It chewed the plant so much that it dried up. 8When the sun rose, God sent a burning east wind. The sun beat down on Jonah’s head. It made him very weak. He wanted to die. So he said, “I’d rather die than live.”
9But God spoke to Jonah. God said, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”
“It is,” Jonah said. “In fact, I’m so angry I wish I were dead.”
10But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant. But you did not take care of it. You did not make it grow. It grew up in one night and died the next. 11And shouldn’t I show concern for the great city of Nineveh? It has more than 120,000 people. They can’t tell right from wrong. Nineveh also has a lot of animals.”
Nagalit si Jonas Dahil sa Pagkahabag ng Panginoon
1Sumama ang loob ni Jonas dahil sa pagpapatawad ng Panginoon sa Nineve, at galit na galit siya. 2Sinabi niya sa Panginoon nang siya ay manalangin, “O Panginoon, talagang hindi ako nagkamali nang sabihin ko noong naroon pa ako sa aming lugar na kaaawaan mo ang mga taga-Nineve kung magsisisi sila, dahil alam ko na mahabagin kang Dios at mapagmalasakit. Mapagmahal ka at hindi madaling magalit. At handa kang magbago ng isip na hindi na magpadala ng parusa. Iyan ang dahilan kung bakit tumakas ako papuntang Tarshish. 3Kaya Panginoon, kunin mo na lang ako, dahil mas mabuti pang mamatay ako kaysa mabuhay.” 4Sumagot ang Panginoon, “May karapatan ka bang magalit sa ginawa ko sa Nineve?”
5Lumabas si Jonas sa lungsod at umupo sa gawing silangan nito. Gumawa siya ng masisilungan at sumilong doon habang hinihintay kung ano ang mangyayari sa lungsod. 6Pero naiinitan pa rin si Jonas, kaya pinatubo ng Panginoong Dios ang isang malagong halaman na lampas tao upang maliliman siya. At labis namang ikinagalak iyon ni Jonas. 7Pero kinabukasan nang maaga pa, ipinakain ng Dios sa uod ang halamang iyon at nalanta ito.
8Pagsikat ng araw, pinaihip ng Dios ang mainit na hangin mula sa silangan. Halos mahimatay si Jonas nang masikatan ng araw ang ulo niya. Nais niyang mamatay na lang, kaya sinabi niya, “Mas mabuti pang mamatay ako kaysa mabuhay.” 9Sinabi ng Dios sa kanya, “May karapatan ka bang magalit dahil sa nangyari sa halaman?” Sumagot siya, “Oo, mayroon akong karapatang magalit, kaya mas mabuti pang mamatay na lang ako.” 10Sinabi sa kanya ng Panginoon, “Nanghinayang ka nga sa halamang iyon na tumubo sa loob lamang ng isang gabi at nalanta rin agad sa loob din ng isang gabi, kahit na hindi ikaw ang nagtanim o nagpatubo. 11Ako pa kaya ang hindi manghinayang sa malaking lungsod ng Nineve na may mahigit 120,000 tao na walang alam tungkol sa aking mga kautusan4:11 na walang alam … mga kautusan: sa literal, na hindi alam kung alin ang kanilang kanan o kaliwang kamay. at marami ring mga hayop?”
