Jonah’s Prayer

1[†]Then Jonah prayed to Yahweh his God from the stomach of the fish, 2and he said,

“I called out of my distress to Yahweh,

And He answered me.

I cried for help from the belly of Sheol;

You heard my voice.

3For You had cast me into the deep,

Into the heart of the seas,

And the current surrounded me.

All Your breakers and waves passed over me.

4So I said, ‘I have been driven away from [†]Your sight.

Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple.’

5Water encompassed me to my very soul.

The great deep surrounded me,

Weeds were wrapped around my head.

6I went down to the [†]base of the mountains.

The earth with its bars closed behind me forever,

But You have brought up my life from [†]the pit, O Yahweh my God.

7While my soul was fainting within me,

I remembered Yahweh,

And my prayer came to You,

To Your holy temple.

8Those who regard worthless idols

Forsake their lovingkindness,

9But as for me, I will sacrifice to You

With the voice of thanksgiving.

That which I have vowed I will pay.

Salvation belongs to Yahweh.”

10Then Yahweh spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land.