Intukuthelo kaJona
Isihe yiso kanye uJona ayesesaba. Uyavuma ukuthi wabaleka ngoba wayazi ukuthi uBaba wethu uyazisola ngobubi, bese ecela ukufa. Isitshalo siyamsithela, isibungu siyasibulala, futhi uBaba wethu ubuza ukuthi kungani isitshalo angasikhulisanga sibaluleke kakhulu kunomuzi wezinkulungwane zabantu.
4 1Kodwa lokhu kwamcasula kakhulu uJona, wavutha ngolaka. 2Wakhuleka kuBaba wethu, wathi: “Ngiyakucela, Baba, akusikho yini lokhu engakusho ngisesezweni lami? Yingakho ngabalekela eTharishishi kuqala—ngangazi ukuthi wena unguBaba onomusa nesihawu, owephuza ukuthukuthela, ogcwele uthando lwesivumelwano, ozisola ekuletheni inhlekelele. 3Manje, Baba wethu, ngiyakucela thatha ukuphila kwami kimi—ukufa kungcono kimi kunokuphila.”
4UBaba wethu wathi: “Kulungile yini ukuba uthukuthele kangaka?”
5UJona waphuma emzini, wahlala ngasempumalanga kwawo, wazakhela uphahla lapho, wahlala ngaphansi kwalo emthunzini, elindele ukubona ukuthi kuyokwenzekani kulo muzi. 6UBaba wethu wamisa isithombo, wasikhulisa ngaphezu kukaJona, ukuze sisithe ikhanda lakhe simnciphise ukungakhululeki kwakhe. Ngakho uJona wajabula kakhulu ngenxa yaleso sithombo. 7Ngovivi lwangakusasa, uBaba wethu wamisa impethu eyahlasela isithombo, sabuna. 8Kwathi lapho liphuma ilanga, uBaba wethu wathumela umoya oshisayo ovela empumalanga; ilanga lashisa ikhanda likaJona waze waphela amandla. Wancenga ukuba afe, wathi: “Kungcono kimi ukufa kunokuphila.”
9Kodwa uBaba wethu wabuza uJona, wathi: “Kulungile yini ukuba uthukuthele ngesithombo?” Wathi: “Kulungile—ngithukuthele ngize ngifune ukufa.”
10UBaba wethu wathi: “Wena wasihawukela isithombo ongazange usisebenzele noma usikhulise, esamila ngobusuku safa ngobusuku. 11Pho, mina ngingayihawukeli yini iNineve, lowo muzi omkhulu, okukhona kuwo abantu abangaphezu kwezinkulungwane eziyikhulu namashumi amabili abangakwazi ukwehlukanisa isandla sabo sokunene nesokunxele, nezilwane eziningi futhi?” a a v11 Le ncwadi iphetha ngombuzo kaBaba wethu wesihawu—inhliziyo yakhe ngezizwe ngaphandle kuka-Israyeli. UJesu ubala izinsuku ezintathu nobusuku obuthathu bukaJona njengesibonakaliso sokuvuka kwakhe kwabafileyo (Mathewu 12:38-41), nokuphenduka kwabaseNineve njengokwahlulelwa kuka-Israyeli ongaphendukanga.
