| Christian Standard Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1Jonah was greatly displeased and became furious. | 1This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. |
| 2He prayed to the LORD: "Please, LORD, isn't this what I thought while I was still in my own country? That's why I fled toward Tarshish in the first place. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in faithful love, and one who relents from sending disaster. | 2So he complained to the LORD about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, LORD? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people. |
| 3And now, LORD, take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live." | 3Just kill me now, LORD! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.” |
| 4The LORD asked, "Is it right for you to be angry?" | 4The LORD replied, “Is it right for you to be angry about this?” |
| 5Jonah left the city and found a place east of it. He made himself a shelter there and sat in its shade to see what would happen to the city. | 5Then Jonah went out to the east side of the city and made a shelter to sit under as he waited to see what would happen to the city. |
| 6Then the LORD God appointed a plant, and it grew over Jonah to provide shade for his head to rescue him from his trouble. Jonah was greatly pleased with the plant. | 6And the LORD God arranged for a leafy plant to grow there, and soon it spread its broad leaves over Jonah’s head, shading him from the sun. This eased his discomfort, and Jonah was very grateful for the plant. |
| 7When dawn came the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, and it withered. | 7But God also arranged for a worm! The next morning at dawn the worm ate through the stem of the plant so that it withered away. |
| 8As the sun was rising, God appointed a scorching east wind. The sun beat down on Jonah's head so much that he almost fainted, and he wanted to die. He said, "It's better for me to die than to live." | 8And as the sun grew hot, God arranged for a scorching east wind to blow on Jonah. The sun beat down on his head until he grew faint and wished to die. “Death is certainly better than living like this!” he exclaimed. |
| 9Then God asked Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?" "Yes, it's right!" he replied. "I'm angry enough to die!" | 9Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry because the plant died?” “Yes,” Jonah retorted, “even angry enough to die!” |
| 10So the LORD said, "You cared about the plant, which you did not labor over and did not grow. It appeared in a night and perished in a night. | 10Then the LORD said, “You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came quickly and died quickly. |
| 11But may I not care about the great city of Nineveh, which has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot distinguish between their right and their left, as well as many animals?" | 11But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?” |
| The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
|
    |