The Hebrew Prophets

And there is a word of Jehovah unto Jonah son of Amittai, saying:

`Rise, go unto Nineveh, the great city, and proclaim against it that their wickedness hath come up before Me.'

And Jonah riseth to flee to Tarshish from the face of Jehovah, and goeth down to Joppa, and findeth a ship going to Tarshish, and he giveth its fare, and goeth down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the face of Jehovah.

And Jehovah hath cast a great wind on the sea, and there is a great tempest in the sea, and the ship hath reckoned to be broken;

and the mariners are afraid, and cry each unto his god, and cast the goods that are in the ship into the sea, to make it light of them; and Jonah hath gone down unto the sides of the vessel, and he lieth down, and is fast asleep.

And the chief of the company draweth near to him, and saith to him, `What--to thee, O sleeper? rise, call unto thy God, it may be God doth bethink himself of us, and we do not perish.'

And they say each unto his neighbour, `Come, and we cast lots, and we know on whose account this evil is on us.' And they cast lots, and the lot falleth on Jonah.

And they say unto him, `Declare to us, we pray thee, on what account this evil is on us? what is thine occupation, and whence comest thou? what is thy country, seeing thou art not of this people?'

And he saith unto them, `A Hebrew I am , and Jehovah, God of the heavens, I am reverencing, who made the sea and the dry land.'

And the men fear a great fear, and say unto him, `What is this thou hast done!' for the men have known that from the face of Jehovah he is fleeing, for he hath told them.

And they say unto him, `What do we do to thee that the sea may cease from us, for the sea is more and more tempestuous?'

And he saith unto them, `Lift me up, and cast me into the sea, and the sea doth cease from you; for I know that on my account this great tempest is upon you.'

And the men row to turn back unto the dry land, and are not able, for the sea is more and more tempestuous against them.

And they cry unto Jehovah, and say, `We pray Thee, O Jehovah, let us not, we pray Thee, perish for this man's life, and do not lay on us innocent blood, for Thou, Jehovah, as Thou hast pleased, Thou hast done.'

And they lift up Jonah, and cast him into the sea, and the sea ceaseth from its raging;

and the men fear Jehovah--a great fear, and sacrifice a sacrifice to Jehovah, and vow vows.

And Jehovah appointeth a great fish to swallow up Jonah, and Jonah is in the bowels of the fish three days and three nights.

And Jonah prayeth unto Jehovah his God from the bowels of the fish.

And he saith: I called, because of my distress, to Jehovah, And He doth answer me, From the belly of sheol I have cried, Thou hast heard my voice.

When Thou dost cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, Then the flood doth compass me, All Thy breakers and Thy billows have passed over me.

And I--I said: I have been cast out from before Thine eyes, (Yet I add to look unto Thy holy temple!)

Compassed me have waters unto the soul, The deep doth compass me, The weed is bound to my head.

To the cuttings of mountains I have come down, The earth, her bars are behind me to the age. And Thou bringest up from the pit my life, O Jehovah my God.

In the feebleness within me of my soul Jehovah I have remembered, And come in unto Thee doth my prayer, Unto Thy holy temple.

Those observing lying vanities their own mercy forsake.