Jonah 4

1 Jonah, however, was greatly displeased, and he became angry.

1 Lakini Yona alichukizwa sana akakasirika.

2 So he prayed to the LORD, saying, “O LORD, is this not what I said while I was still in my own country? This is why I was so quick to flee toward Tarshish. I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion—One who relents from sending disaster.

2 Akamwomba Bwana, “Ee Bwana, hili si lile nililolisema nilipokuwa ningali nyumbani? Hii ndiyo sababu niliharikisha kukimbilia Tarshishi. Nikifahamu kuwa wewe ni Mungu mwenye neema na huruma, si mwepesi wa hasira na umejaa upendo, ni Mungu ambaye hughairi katika kupeleka maafa.

3 And now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.”

3 Sasa, Ee Bwana, niondolee uhai wangu, kwa kuwa ni afadhali mimi nife kuliko kuishi.”

4 But the LORD replied, “Have you any right to be angry?”

4 Lakini Bwana akamjibu, “Je unayo haki yoyote kukasirika?”

5 Then Jonah left the city and sat down east of it, where he made himself a shelter and sat in its shade to see what would happen to the city.

5 Yona akatoka nje akaketi mahali upande wa mashariki wa mji. Hapo akajitengenezea kibanda, akaketi kwenye kivuli chake na kungojea ni nini kitakachotokea katika mji.

6 So the LORD God appointed a vine, and it grew up to provide shade over Jonah’s head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was greatly pleased with the plant.

6 Ndipo Bwana, Mungu akaweka tayari mzabibu na kuufanya uote, kumpa Yona kivuli kilichomfunika kichwa ili kuondoa taabu yake, naye Yona akafurahi sana kwa ajili ya ule mzabibu.

7 When dawn came the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant so that it withered.

7 Lakini kesho yake asubuhi na mapema Mungu akaamuru buu, autafune mzabibu huo nao ukanyauka.

8 As the sun was rising, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint and wished to die, saying, “It is better for me to die than to live.”

8 Wakati jua lilipochomoza, Mungu akautuma upepo wa hari wa mashariki, nalo jua likawaka juu ya kichwa cha Yona mpaka akazimia. Akatamani kufa, naye akasema, “Ni afadhali mimi nife kuliko kuishi.”

9 Then God asked Jonah, “Have you any right to be angry about the plant?” “I do,” he replied. “I am angry enough to die!”

9 Lakini Mungu alimwambia Yona, “Je, unayo haki kukasirika kuhusu mzabibu huo?” Akasema, “Ndiyo, ninayo haki. Nimekasirika kiasi cha kufa.”

10 But the LORD said, “You cared about the plant, which you neither tended nor made grow. It sprang up in a night and perished in a night.

10 Lakini Bwana akamwambia, “Wewe unakasirika kwa ajili ya mzabibu huu, nawe hukuusababisha kuota wala kuutunza. Uliota usiku mmoja, nao ukafa usiku mmoja.

11 So should I not care about the great city of Nineveh, which has more than 120,000 people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well?”

11 Lakini Ninawi ina zaidi ya watu 120,000 ambao hawawezi kupambanua kulia au kushoto, pamoja na ngʼombe wengi. Je, hainipasi kufikiri juu ya mji ule mkubwa?”