Jonah’s Anger at Yahweh’s Compassion

1  וַיֵּ֥רַע (And it was evil) אֶל־ (to) יוֹנָ֖ה (Jonah) רָעָ֣ה (an evil) גְדוֹלָ֑ה (great), וַיִּ֖חַר (and he became hot) לֽוֹ׃ (at it). 2  וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֨ל (And he prayed) אֶל־ (to) יְהוָ֜ה (YHWH) וַיֹּאמַ֗ר (and said), אָנָּ֤ה (Ah), יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) הֲלוֹא־ (was not) זֶ֣ה (this) דְבָרִ֗י (my word), עַד־ (while) הֱיוֹתִי֙ (I was) עַל־ (in) אַדְמָתִ֔י (my own land)? עַל־ (For) כֵּ֥ן (thus) קִדַּ֖מְתִּי (I acted beforehand) לִבְרֹ֣חַ (to flee) תַּרְשִׁ֑ישָׁה (to Tarshish), כִּ֣י (for) יָדַ֗עְתִּי (I knew) כִּ֤י (that) אַתָּה֙ (You are) אֵֽל־ (a God), חַנּ֣וּן (gracious) וְרַח֔וּם (and compassionate), אֶ֤רֶךְ (slow to) אַפַּ֙יִם֙ (anger), וְרַב־ (and abundant in) חֶ֔סֶד (loving devotion), וְנִחָ֖ם (and one who relents) עַל־ (from) הָרָעָֽה׃ (disaster). 3  וְעַתָּ֣ה (And now), יְהוָ֔ה (O YHWH), קַח־ (take), נָ֥א (please), אֶת־ (-) נַפְשִׁ֖י (my soul) מִמֶּ֑נִּי (from me) כִּ֛י (for) ט֥וֹב (better is) מוֹתִ֖י (my death) מֵחַיָּֽי׃ס (than my life).

4  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And said) יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH), הַהֵיטֵ֖ב (Is it right) חָ֥רָה (to be hot) לָֽךְ׃ (for you)?

5  וַיֵּצֵ֤א (And went out) יוֹנָה֙ (Jonah) מִן־ (from) הָעִ֔יר (the city), וַיֵּ֖שֶׁב (and sat) מִקֶּ֣דֶם (on the east) לָעִ֑יר (of the city), וַיַּעַשׂ֩ (and he made) ל֨וֹ (for himself) שָׁ֜ם (there) סֻכָּ֗ה (a shelter), וַיֵּ֤שֶׁב (and he sat) תַּחְתֶּ֙יהָ֙ (under it) בַּצֵּ֔ל (in the shade), עַ֚ד (until) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) יִרְאֶ֔ה (he might see) מַה־ (what) יִּהְיֶ֖ה (would become) בָּעִֽיר׃ (of the city). 6  וַיְמַ֣ן (And appointed) יְהוָֽה־ (YHWH) אֱ֠לֹהִים (God) קִיקָי֞וֹן (a qiqayon), וַיַּ֣עַל׀ (and He made it come up) מֵעַ֣ל (above) לְיוֹנָ֗ה (for Jonah), לִֽהְי֥וֹת (to be) צֵל֙ (shade) עַל־ (over) רֹאשׁ֔וֹ (his head), לְהַצִּ֥יל (to deliver) ל֖וֹ (him) מֵרָֽעָת֑וֹ (from his trouble). וַיִּשְׂמַ֥ח (And was glad) יוֹנָ֛ה (Jonah) עַל־ (about) הַקִּֽיקָי֖וֹן (the plant) שִׂמְחָ֥ה (with joy) גְדוֹלָֽה׃ (great).

7  וַיְמַ֤ן (And appointed) הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ (God) תּוֹלַ֔עַת (a worm) בַּעֲל֥וֹת (at the rising) הַשַּׁ֖חַר (of the dawn) לַֽמָּחֳרָ֑ת (on the next day), וַתַּ֥ךְ (and it struck) אֶת־ (-) הַקִּֽיקָי֖וֹן (the qiqayon) וַיִּיבָֽשׁ׃ (and it withered).

8  וַיְהִ֣י׀ (And it came to pass), כִּזְרֹ֣חַ (at the rising), הַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ (of the sun) וַיְמַ֨ן (that appointed) אֱלֹהִ֜ים (God) ר֤וּחַ (a wind from); קָדִים֙ (the east) חֲרִישִׁ֔ית (scorching) וַתַּ֥ךְ (and beat) הַשֶּׁ֛מֶשׁ (the sun) עַל־ (on) רֹ֥אשׁ (the head) יוֹנָ֖ה (of Jonah), וַיִּתְעַלָּ֑ף (and he became faint), וַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל (and he asked) אֶת־ (-) נַפְשׁוֹ֙ (for his soul) לָמ֔וּת (die), וַיֹּ֕אמֶר (and said), ט֥וֹב (Better is) מוֹתִ֖י (my death) מֵחַיָּֽי׃ (than my life).

9  וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (And said) אֱלֹהִים֙ (God) אֶל־ (to) יוֹנָ֔ה (Jonah), הַהֵיטֵ֥ב (Is it right) חָרָֽה־ (to be hot) לְךָ֖ (for you) עַל־ (about) הַקִּֽיקָי֑וֹן (the qiqayon)?

וַיֹּ֕אמֶר (And he said), הֵיטֵ֥ב (It is right) חָֽרָה־ (it burns), לִ֖י (in me) עַד־ (even to) מָֽוֶת׃ (death).

10  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And said) יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH), אַתָּ֥ה (You) חַ֙סְתָּ֙ (have concern) עַל־ (over) הַקִּ֣יקָי֔וֹן (the qiqayon), אֲשֶׁ֛ר (of which) לֹא־ (not) עָמַ֥לְתָּ (have you toiled), בּ֖וֹ (for it) וְלֹ֣א (and not) גִדַּלְתּ֑וֹ (you have made it grow); שֶׁבִּן־ (as a son) לַ֥יְלָה (of a night), הָיָ֖ה (came to be) וּבִן־ (and as a son) לַ֥יְלָה (of a night); אָבָֽד׃ (it perished). 11  וַֽאֲנִי֙ (And I) לֹ֣א (not) אָח֔וּס (should I have compassion) עַל־ (on) נִינְוֵ֖ה (Nineveh), הָעִ֣יר (the city), הַגְּדוֹלָ֑ה (great) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (which) יֶשׁ־ (are) בָּ֡הּ (in it) הַרְבֵּה֩ (more than) מִֽשְׁתֵּים־ (two) עֶשְׂרֵ֨ה (and ten) רִבּ֜וֹ (myriad) אָדָ֗ם (people) אֲשֶׁ֤ר (who) לֹֽא־ (not) יָדַע֙ (do know) בֵּין־ (between) יְמִינ֣וֹ (their right hand) לִשְׂמֹאל֔וֹ (to their left hand); וּבְהֵמָ֖ה (and animals) רַבָּֽה׃ (many)?