About Jonah praying to Yahweh

1Jonah prayed to Yahweh his Lord from inside the fish. He said,

2“I was upset because I thought I would drown, and so I called to you to help me. And you heard me. When I was deep down in the sea in the place of dead people, I called to you and you heard me.

3You threw me into the deep sea, right down to the bottom. The sea covered me and the waves were far above me.

4I thought that you had driven me away forever and that I would never see your holy temple again.

5The sea covered me, it took my breath away, I couldn't breathe. And seaweed wrapped around my head.

6I went on, the sea took me down, down into the deep. I kept on going down into the sea. I kept on and on until I was sitting down on the bottom of the sea. That place belongs to the dead. None of the dead can ever return from there. But you, Yahweh my Lord, brought me back alive from deep down in the sea.

7I felt that I was dying, but I called to you. And you listened to me from your holy temple.

8Those who are always thinking about useless idols don't worship you.

9But I will sing songs to you and I will praise you. I said I would kill a sheep for you, so I will kill it so that you will know that I am always going to obey you. You alone, Yahweh, can save us.”

10Then Yahweh spoke to the fish and said, “Now go and take Jonah to the edge of the sea and spew him out there.” So the fish went away. It went on and on until it arrived at the edge of the sea where it spewed Jonah out. Then Jonah got up and went ashore on to dry land.