He prayed to the Lord. Here is what Jonah said to him.“ Lord, isn’t this exactly what I thought would happen when I was still at home? That is what I tried to prevent by running away to Tarshish. I knew that you are gracious. You are tender and kind. You are slow to get angry. You are full of love. You are a God who takes pity on people. You don’t want to destroy them.

就祷告耶和华说：“耶和华啊，我在本国的时候岂不是这样说吗？我知道你是有恩典、有怜悯的神，不轻易发怒，有丰盛的慈爱，并且后悔不降所说的灾，所以我急速逃往他施去。

他就向耶和华祷告，说：“耶和华啊，这不就是我仍在本国的时候所说的吗？我知道你是有恩惠，有怜悯的上帝，不轻易发怒，有丰盛的慈爱，并且会改变心意，不降那灾难。我就是因为这样，才急速逃往他施去的呀！

他就向耶和华祷告，说：“耶和华啊，这不就是我仍在本国的时候所说的吗？我知道你是有恩惠，有怜悯的神，不轻易发怒，有丰盛的慈爱，并且会改变心意，不降那灾难。我就是因为这样，才急速逃往他施去的呀！

他向耶和华祷告说：“耶和华啊，我在家乡的时候岂不早就说过你会这样做吗？我知道你是一位有恩典、有怜悯的上帝，不轻易发怒，充满慈爱，不忍心降灾，所以我才急速逃往他施。

就向耶和华祷告，说：“耶和华啊！我还在本国的时候，不是这样说过吗？我知道你是有恩典有怜悯的神，不轻易发怒，并且有丰盛的慈爱，转意不降灾祸，所以我才急忙逃往他施去。

向耶和华祷告，说：“哦，耶和华啊！难道这不就是我还在本国时所说的那样吗？这正是我事先逃往塔尔施的原因，因为我知道：你是有恩惠、有怜悯的神，不轻易发怒，并有丰盛的慈爱，而且是施怜悯不降下灾祸的那一位。

就禱告耶和華說：「耶和華啊，我在本國的時候豈不是這樣說嗎？我知道你是有恩典、有憐憫的神，不輕易發怒，有豐盛的慈愛，並且後悔不降所說的災，所以我急速逃往他施去。

他就向耶和華禱告，說：「耶和華啊，這不就是我仍在本國的時候所說的嗎？我知道你是有恩惠，有憐憫的上帝，不輕易發怒，有豐盛的慈愛，並且會改變心意，不降那災難。我就是因為這樣，才急速逃往他施去的呀！

他就向耶和華禱告，說：「耶和華啊，這不就是我仍在本國的時候所說的嗎？我知道你是有恩惠，有憐憫的神，不輕易發怒，有豐盛的慈愛，並且會改變心意，不降那災難。我就是因為這樣，才急速逃往他施去的呀！

他向耶和華禱告說：「耶和華啊，我在家鄉的時候豈不早就說過你會這樣做嗎？我知道你是一位有恩典、有憐憫的上帝，不輕易發怒，充滿慈愛，不忍心降災，所以我才急速逃往他施。

就向耶和華禱告，說：“耶和華啊！我還在本國的時候，不是這樣說過嗎？我知道你是有恩典有憐憫的神，不輕易發怒，並且有豐盛的慈愛，轉意不降災禍，所以我才急忙逃往他施去。

他就禱告永恆主說：『哦永恆主啊，我還在我本地的時候、不就這樣說了麼？故此我才急速逃往他施啊；因為我知道你是有恩惠有憐憫的上帝，不輕易發怒，而有豐盛的堅愛，並且能改變心意不降所說的災禍。

向耶和華禱告，說：「哦，耶和華啊！難道這不就是我還在本國時所說的那樣嗎？這正是我事先逃往塔爾施的原因，因為我知道：你是有恩惠、有憐憫的神，不輕易發怒，並有豐盛的慈愛，而且是施憐憫不降下災禍的那一位。

禱耶和華曰、耶和華歟、我在故土、非言此乎、故亟逃往他施、蓋我知爾為仁慈矜憫之上帝、遲於發怒、富有恩惠、回意不降其災、

禱耶和華曰、我在故土、逆料有此、故遁於大失、我知爾仁慈之上帝、矜憫為懷、恆忍不已、弗加災害、

禱主曰、主歟、我在故土、豈未言必有此乎、緣此遁於他施、蓋我知主乃仁慈矜憫之天主、不遽震怒、廣施恩惠、主乃仁慈矜憫之天主不遽震怒廣施恩惠或作主乃賜恩施憐憫之天主容忍不易怒大發仁慈所定之災、回志不降、所定之災回志不降或作回志不降所言之災

He prayed to the Lord,“ Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.

And he prayed to the Lord and said,“ O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.

So 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.

He prayed to the LORD,“ Please, LORD, isn’t this what I said 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.

Then he prayed to the Lord and said,“ Please Lord, was this not what I said when I was still in my own country? Therefore in anticipation of this I fled to Tarshish, since I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in mercy, and One who relents of disaster.

So he prayed to the Lord, and said,“ Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.

And he prayed unto Jehovah, and said, I pray thee, O Jehovah, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I hasted to flee unto Tarshish; for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, and repentest thee of the evil.

He prayed to the Lord:“ Please, Lord, isn’t this what I said 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 merciful and compassionate God, slow to become angry, rich in faithful love, and One who relents from sending disaster.

And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD,[ was] not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou[ art] a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.

He prayed to the LORD and said,“ Oh, LORD, this is just what I thought would happen when I was in my own country. This is what I tried to prevent by attempting to escape to Tarshish!– because I knew that you are gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in mercy, and one who relents concerning threatened judgment.

He prayed to Yahweh, and said,“ Please, Yahweh, wasn’t this what I said when I was still in my own country? Therefore I hurried to flee to Tarshish, for I knew that you are a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and you relent of doing harm.

Don’t just tear your clothes to show how sad you are. Let your hearts be broken. Return to the Lord your God. He is gracious. He is tender and kind. He is slow to get angry. He is full of love. He won’t bring his judgment. He won’t destroy you.Who knows? He might turn toward you and not bring his judgment. He might even give you his blessing. Then you can bring grain offerings and drink offerings to the Lord your God.

But Lord, you are a God who is tender and kind. You are gracious. You are slow to get angry. You are faithful and full of love.

As he passed in front of Moses, he called out. He said,“ I am the Lord, the Lord. I am the God who is tender and kind. I am gracious. I am slow to get angry. I am faithful and full of love.I continue to show my love to thousands of people. I forgive those who do evil. I forgive those who refuse to obey me. And I forgive those who sin. But I do not let guilty people go without punishing them. I cause the sins of the parents to affect their children, grandchildren and great- grandchildren.”

‘ I am the Lord. I am slow to get angry. I am full of love. I forgive those who sin. I forgive those who refuse to obey. But I do not let guilty people go without punishing them. I cause the sin of the parents to affect their children, grandchildren and great- grandchildren.’Lord, your love is great. So forgive the sin of these people. Forgive them just as you have done from the time they left Egypt until now.”

The Lord is gracious, kind and tender. He is slow to get angry and full of love.

Lord, you are forgiving and good. You are full of love for all who call out to you.

But Jonah ran away from the Lord. He headed for Tarshish. So he went down to the port of Joppa. There he found a ship that was going to Tarshish. He paid the fare and went on board. Then he sailed for Tarshish. He was running away from the Lord.

Lord, who is a God like you? You forgive sin. You forgive your people when they do what is wrong. You don’t stay angry forever. Instead, you take delight in showing your faithful love to them.

But he was full of tender love. He forgave their sins and didn’t destroy his people. Time after time he held back his anger. He didn’t let all his burning anger blaze out.

God saw what they did. He saw that they stopped doing what was evil. So he took pity on them. He didn’t destroy them as he had said he would.

So the Lord had pity on them.“ I will let them continue for now,” he said.

The Lord continues,“ People of Ephraim, how can I give you up? Israel, how can I hand you over to your enemies? Can I destroy you as I did the town of Admah? Can I treat you like Zeboyim? My heart is stirred inside me. It is filled with pity for you.I will not be so angry with you anymore. I will not completely destroy you again. After all, I am God. I am not a mere man. I am the Holy One among you. I will not direct my anger against their cities.

But suppose the nation I warned turns away from its sins. Then I will not do what I said I would. I will not bring trouble on it as I had planned.

Then the Lord took pity on his people. He didn’t destroy them as he had said he would.

Then he traveled for one day into the desert. He came to a small bush. He sat down under it. He prayed that he would die.“ Lord, I’ve had enough,” he said.“ Take my life. I’m no better than my people of long ago.”

Lord, please stop punishing us! How long will you keep it up? Be kind to us.

You tricked me, Lord, and I was tricked. You overpowered me and won. People make fun of me all day long. Everyone laughs at me.

So the Lord had pity on them.“ I will let them continue for now,” the Lord and King said.

But the man wanted to make himself look good. So he asked Jesus,“ And who is my neighbor?”