Ubizo Awabalekayo uYona

Umprofeti ubalekela ubizo lukaBawo wethu lokushumayela kwiintshaba zakwaSirayeli, uginywa yintlanzi enkulu, aze afunde—engathandi—ukuba imfesane kaBawo wethu ibanzi kakhulu kuneyakhe.

Isahluko 1.

Lafika ilizwi likaBawo wethu kuYona, unyana ka-Amitayi, lisithi:

“Suk' ume, uye eNineve, kuloo mzi mkhulu, umemeze umchase, kuba ububi babo bunyukile phambi kwam.”

Kodwa uYona wesuka ukuze abalekele eTarshishe, emke ebusweni bukaBawo wethu. Wehla waya eYafo, wafumana inqanawa eya eTarshishe, wayihlawula imali yayo, wakhwela ukuze ahambe nabo baye eTarshishe, emke ebusweni bukaBawo wethu.

Waza uBawo wethu waphosa umoya omkhulu elwandle; kwavela isaqhwithi esikhulu, yathi inqanawa yaba sel' iza kwaphuka. Oyika ke abantu beenqanawa, waya elowo ekhala kuthixo wakhe. Baziphosa elwandle iimpahla ezazisenqanaweni, ukuze bayenze lula. Ke yena uYona wayehlile waya ngaphantsi enqanaweni, apho walala khona wozela ubuthongo obukhulu. Weza umphathi wenqanawa, wathi kuye: “Ulaleleni na? Suk' ume, unqule uthixo wakho! Mhlawumbi uya kusikhathalela, singatshabalali.”

Bathetha ke abantu, omnye komnye, besithi: “Yizani, siwise amaqashiso, ukuze sibone ukuba lelikabani na eli tyala lale ntlekele isihleleyo.” Bawisa amaqashiso, laphuma noYona iqashiso. Bathi ke kuye: “Khawusixelele, wena usihlisele le ntlekele, Wenza msebenzi mni na? Uvela phi na? Lilizwe lakho eliphi na? Ungowaluphi na uhlanga?”

Waphendula wathi: “NdingumHebhere; ndiyamoyika uBawo wethu, uBawo wasezulwini, owenza ulwandle nomhlaba owomileyo.”

Boyika ke abantu kunene, bathi kuye: “Yintoni na le uyenzileyo?” Kuba babesazi ukuba ubebaleka ebusweni bukaBawo wethu, ngokuba ebebaxelele.

Baza bathi kuye: “Sikwenze ntoni na, ukuze lusizolele ulwandle?”—kuba ulwandle lwaya lugquma ngokugquma.

Wathi kubo: “Ndiphakamiseni, nindiphose elwandle, luze luzolele kuni; ngokuba ndiyazi ukuba esi saqhwithi sikhulu sinihlele ngenxa yam.”

Endaweni yoko loo madoda abhula ngamandla ukuze afike emhlabeni; kodwa akaba nako, kuba ulwandle lwaya lukhukhumala ngokukhukhumala ngakuwo. Akhala ke kuBawo wethu, athi: “Siyakukhunga, Thixo, musa ukusibulala ngenxa yobomi bale ndoda. Ungabeki phezu kwethu igazi elingenatyala, kuba wena wenze njengoko ukuthandileyo.” Bamthabatha ke uYona, bamphosa elwandle; laza ladamba ulwandle olwalugquma. Baza amadoda lawo amoyika kunene uBawo wethu, abingelela umbingelelo kuBawo wethu, abhambathisa izibhambathiso.

UBawo wethu wamisela intlanzi enkulu ukuba imginye uYona; waba sembilinini wentlanzi uYona iimini ezintathu nobusuku obuthathu.