Yona
3 Lafika okwesibini ilizwi likaYehova kuYona, lisithi:+ 2 “Phakama, uye eNineve+ isixeko esikhulu, uze uyixelele lo myalezo ndikuxelela wona.”
3 Ngoko ke, uYona walithobela ilizwi likaYehova,+ waphakama waya eNineve. INineve+ le yayisisixeko esikhulu kakhulu,* esinokuhanjwa iintsuku ezintathu. 4 UYona wangena esixekweni, wahamba umgama onokuhanjwa usuku ekhwaza esithi: “Kwiintsuku eziyi-40 nje kuphela, iNineve iza kubhukuqwa.”
5 Abantu baseNineve bakholwa kuThixo,+ yaye babhengeza ukuba kungatyiwa, kunxitywe namalaphu okwenza ingxowa, ukusuka koyena mkhulu ukuyokutsho koyena mncinci kubo. 6 Ekufikeni kwalo myalezo kukumkani waseNineve, waphakama etroneni yakhe, wasikhulula isambatho sakhe sasebukhosini, wombatha amalaphu okwenza ingxowa waza wahlala eluthuthwini. 7 Ngaphezu koko, wakhupha umyalezo oya kuyo yonke iNineve, esithi,
“Uthi umyalelo kakumkani nezikhulu zakhe: Akukho mntu nasilwanyana, akukho mhlambi wankomo namhlambi wagusha ufanele utye nto. Akufanele kutyiwe, kungafanele kuselwe kwanamanzi la. 8 Makombathwe amalaphu okwenza ingxowa, umntu nesilwanyana; yaye mabakhwaze uThixo benyanisekile baze bajike kwiindlela zabo ezimbi nakubundlobongela ababenzayo. 9 Kwazi bani, mhlawumbi uThixo wokwenene angajika,* uze wehle umsindo wakhe, ukuze singatshabalali.”
10 Xa uThixo wokwenene wayibonayo into abayenzayo, indlela abajika ngayo kwiindlela zabo ezimbi,+ wayiyeka intlekele* awayethe uza kubazisela yona, waza akayizisa.+