Jonah 4

1But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.

1But Jonah was very upset and became angry.

2And 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.

2He prayed to the LORD, 'O LORD, isn't this exactly what I said would happen when I was still at home? That is why I hurried to run away to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and merciful God, slow to get angry and filled with love, always ready to change your mind about sending disaster.'

3Therefore now, O Jehovah, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.

3'So now, LORD, please just take my life. It is better for me to die than to live.'

4And Jehovah said, Doest thou well to be angry?

4The LORD replied, 'Is it right for you to be this angry?'

5Then Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shade, till he might see what would become of the city.

5Jonah went out and sat down east of the city. He made a shelter for himself and sat in its shade to see what would happen to the city.

6And Jehovah God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to deliver him from his evil case. So Jonah was exceeding glad because of the gourd.

6Then the LORD God provided a leafy plant and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head and ease his discomfort. Jonah was very happy about the plant.

7But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd, that it withered.

7But at dawn the next day, God provided a worm that attacked the plant so that it withered.

8And it came to pass, when the sun arose, that God prepared a sultry east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and requested for himself that he might die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.

8When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind. The sun beat down on Jonah’s head until he grew faint. He wanted to die and said, 'It is better for me to die than to live.'

9And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.

9But God said to Jonah, 'Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?' Jonah answered, 'Yes, I am angry enough to die!'

10And Jehovah said, Thou hast had regard for the gourd, for which thou hast not labored, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night:

10The LORD said, 'You are concerned about this plant, though you did not work for it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight.'

11and should not I have regard for Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?

11'But Nineveh has more than one hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many animals as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?'