The prophet lamenteth for that he was commanded to preach otherwise
then it came to passe. 5. Going forth he stayeth nere the citie to see the end; 6.
an yuie growing couereth his head from the sunne; 7. but withereth the next day; 8.
& he lamenting desireth to dye; 10. and God sheweth that it is more meete to saue
Niniue then the yuie.
1. AND Ionas was afflicted with great affliction, and was angrie:
2. and he prayed to our Lord, and sayd: I besech thee ô Lord, Why, is not this my word, when I was yet in my countrie? for this did I preuent to flee into Tharsis. For I know that thou art a clement, and merciful God; patient, and of much compassion, and forgeuing vpon the euil.
3. And now Lord take I besech thee my soule from me: because better is death to me then life.
4. And our Lord sayd: Art thou angrie wel thinkest thou?
5. And Ionas went out of the citie, and sate against the East part of the citie: and he made himself a bowre there, and he sate vnder it in the shadow, til he might see what would befal to the citie.
6. And our Lord God perpared an iuie tree, & it came vp ouer the head of Ionas, to be a shadow ouer his head, and to couer him: for he had laboured: and Ionas reioyced vpon the iuie with great ioy.
7. And God prepared a worme in the rysing of the morning against the morrow: and it stroke the iuie, and it withered.
8. And when the sunne was risen, our Lord commanded an hotte, and burning winde: and the sunne beate vpon the head of Ionas, and he broyled for heate: and he desired for his soule to dye, and sayd: It is better for me to dye then to liue.
9. And our Lord sayd to Ionas: Thou art angrie wel, thinkest thou, for the iuie? And he sayd: I am angrie wel euen vnto death.
10. And our Lord sayd: Thou art sorie for the iuie, wherin thou hast not laboured, nor made it to grow, which in one night came forth, and in one night is perished.
11. And shal not I spare Niniue the great citie, wherin are more then a hundred twentie thousand men, that know not what is betwen their right hand and their left, and manie beastes?