Jonah’s anger at the Lord’s compassion
1But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. 2He prayed to the Lord, ‘Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. 3Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.’
4But the Lord replied, ‘Is it right for you to be angry?’
5Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. 6Then the Lord God provided a leafy plant4:6 The precise identification of this plant is uncertain; also in verses 7, 9 and 10. and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. 7But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. 8When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, ‘It would be better for me to die than to live.’
9But God said to Jonah, ‘Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?’
‘It is,’ he said. ‘And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.’
10But the Lord said, ‘You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left – and also many animals?’
Yona Abufuo Wɔ Awurade Ahummɔborɔ Ho
1Yona bo annwo koraa, na ne bo fuiɛ. 2Ɔbɔɔ Awurade mpaeɛ sɛ, “Ao Awurade, ɛberɛ a na mewɔ fie no, ɛnyɛ sei na mekaeɛ? Yei enti na meperee sɛ medwane akɔ Tarsis no, ɛfiri sɛ na menim sɛ, woyɛ ɔdomfoɔ ne mmɔborɔhunu Onyankopɔn a wo bo kyɛre fu, na wodɔ boro so. Woyɛ Onyankopɔn a ɔtwentwɛnee ne nan ase wɔ bɔne amanehunu ho. 3Enti Ao Awurade! Gye me nkwa firi me nsɛm. Ɛyɛ ma me sɛ mɛwu sene sɛ mɛtena ase.”
4Na Awurade buaa sɛ, “Ɛyɛ sɛ wo bo fu saa asɛm yi ho anaa?”
5Na Yona kɔɔ kuropɔn no apueeɛ fam baabi kɔtenaa hɔ. Ɔbɔɔ apata tenaa ne nwunu no mu, twenee deɛ ɛbɛba kuropɔn no so. 6Na Awurade Onyankopɔn maa bobe dua bi nyinii ntɛm ntɛm wɔ nʼatifi na ɛmaa Yona nyaa ahomeka, na nʼani gyee dua no ho. 7Nanso ahemadakye no, Onyankopɔn maa ɔsa bɛwee bobe dua maa nhahan no poeɛ. 8Awia pueeɛ no, Onyankopɔn ma apueeɛ mframa bi a emu yɛ hyeɛ bɔeɛ na awia hyee Yona apampam ma ɔtɔɔ bira. Ɔpɛɛ sɛ ɔwu, na ɔkaa sɛ, “Ɛyɛ ma me sɛ mewu sene sɛ metena ase.”
9Onyankopɔn bisaa Yona sɛ, “Ɛyɛ sɛ wofa abufuo wɔ dua no ho anaa?”
Yona buaa sɛ, “Aane, me bo afu, na sɛ mɛwu a anka mepa.”
10Na Awurade kaa sɛ, “Dua yi ho asɛm aha wo, nanso woanni ho dwuma biara, na ɛnyɛ wo na woma ɛnyiniiɛ. Ɛfifirii ntɛm ntɛm na ɛwuu ntɛm ntɛm. 11Nanso nnipa mpem ɔha ne aduonu wɔ Ninewe a wɔnnim wɔn benkum ne wɔn nifa. Na mmoa bebree nso wɔ hɔ. Ɛnsɛ sɛ mema Ninewe kuropɔn kɛseɛ yi ho asɛm ha me anaa?”
