1 耶和华的话临到亚米太的儿子约拿， 说： 2 "起来！ 到尼尼微大城去， 警告其中的居民， 因为他们的恶行已经达到我面前。" 3 可是约拿却起来， 要逃往他施去， 躲避耶和华； 他下到约帕， 找到了一只要开往他施去的船； 他给了钱， 就上船（"上船"原文作"下船"）， 要和他们同往他施去， 离开耶和华。 4 但是耶和华在海上忽然刮起大风， 于是海中狂风大作， 船几乎要破裂了。 5 水手都很惧怕， 各人向自己的神大声呼求； 他们为了减轻船的重量， 就把船上的东西拋在海里， 可是约拿却下了船舱， 躺着熟睡了。 6 船长走到他面前， 对他说： "你怎么啦！ 睡得那么熟？快起来， 求告你的 神吧！ 或者 神会记念我们， 使我们不至于丧命！ " 7 水手就彼此说： "来吧！ 让我们抽签， 好知道这场灾祸临到我们， 是因谁的缘故。"于是他们抽签， 结果抽中了约拿。 8 他们就对约拿说： "请告诉我们， 这场灾祸临到我们， 是因谁的缘故？你是作什么的？你从哪里来？你是哪一国的人？哪一族的人？" 9 他回答说： "我是希伯来人， 我敬畏耶和华天上的 神， 就是那创造海洋和陆地的。" 10 众人就大大惧怕， 对他说： "你为什么这样作呢？（"你为什么这样作呢？"或译： "你作的是什么呢？"）"那些人知道他躲避耶和华， 原来约拿告诉了他们。 11 因为海浪越来越汹涌， 他们又对他说： "我们该怎样处置你， 才能叫海浪平静呢？" 12 他回答说： "你们把我抬起来， 投在海里， 海浪就会平静， 因为我知道， 这场大风暴临到你们， 是为了我的缘故。" 13 那些人虽然破浪挣扎， 要把船靠岸， 却是不能， 因为海浪不断汹涌扑来。 14 他们就呼求耶和华， 说： "耶和华啊！ 我们恳求你， 不要因这人叫我们丧命； 不要把无辜人的血归在我们身上， 因为你耶和华是照自己所喜悦的行事。" 15 于是他们把约拿抬起来， 投在海里， 怒涛就平息了。 16 那些人就大大敬畏耶和华， 向他献祭和许愿。 17 耶和华却安排了一条大鱼， 把约拿吞下。约拿就在鱼腹中三日三夜。（本节在《马索拉抄本》为2:1）
1 And there is a word of Jehovah unto Jonah son of Amittai, saying:2 `Rise, go unto Nineveh, the great city, and proclaim against it that their wickedness hath come up before Me.`3 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.4 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;5 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.6 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.`7 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.8 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?`9 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.`10 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.11 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?`12 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.`13 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.14 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.`15 And they lift up Jonah, and cast him into the sea, and the sea ceaseth from its raging;16 and the men fear Jehovah -- a great fear, and sacrifice a sacrifice to Jehovah, and vow vows.17 And Jehovah appointeth a great fish to swallow up Jonah, and Jonah is in the bowels of the fish three days and three nights.