And he said: in my tribulation I called unto the Lord, and he
answered me: out of the belly of hell I cried, and thou heardest my
voice. For thou hadst cast me down deep in the midst of the sea and the
flood compassed me about: and all thy waves and rolls of water went
over me: and I thought that I had been cast away out of thy sight. But
I will yet again look toward thy holy temple. The water compassed me
even unto the very soul of me: the deep lay about me: and the weeds
were wrapped about mine head. And I went down unto the bottom of the
hills, and was barred in with earth on every side for ever. And yet
thou Lord my God broughtest up my life again out of corruption. When my
soul fainted in me, I thought on the Lord: and my prayer came in unto
thee, even into thy holy temple. They that observe vain vanities, have
forsaken him that was merciful unto them. But I will sacrifice unto
thee with the voice of thanksgiving, and will pay that that I have
vowed, that saving cometh of the Lord.
And the Lord spake unto the fish: and it cast out Jonas again
upon the dry land.
The third Chapter.
Then came the word of the Lord unto Jonas again saying: up, and
get thee to Nineveh that great city, and preach unto them the preaching
which I bade thee. And he arose and went to Nineveh at the Lord's
commandment. Nineveh was a great city unto God, containing three days
journey.
And Jonas went to and entered in to the city even a days
journey, and cried saying: There shall not pass forty days but Nineveh
shall be overthrown.
And the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed fasting,
and arrayed themselves in sackcloth, as well the great as the small of
them.
And the tidings came unto the king of Nineveh, which arose out
of his seat, and did his apparel off and put on sackcloth, and sat him
down in ashes. And it was cried and commanded in Nineveh by the
authority of the king and of his lords saying: see that neither man or
beast, ox or sheep taste ought at all, and that they neither feed or
drink water.
And they put on sackcloth both man and beast, and cried unto
God mightily, and turned every man his wicked way, and from doing wrong
in which they were accustomed, saying: who can tell whether God will
turn and repent, and cease from his fierce wrath, that we perish not?
And when God saw their works, how they turned from their wicked ways,
he repented of the evil which he said he would do unto them, and did it
not.
The fourth Chapter.
Wherefore Jonas was sore discontent and angry. And he prayed
unto the Lord and said: O Lord, was not this my saying when I was yet
in my country? And therefore I hasted rather to flee to Tharsis: for I
knew well enough that thou wast a merciful god, full of compassion,
long ere thou be angry and of great mercy and repentest when thou art
come to take punishment. Now therefore take my life from me, for I had
lever die than live. And the Lord said unto Jonas, art thou so angry?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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