CHAPTER 4

1 But Jonah was very deeply grieved, and he was confounded.

2   And he prayed to the Lord, and said, O Lord, were not these my words when I was yet in my land? Therefore I made haste to flee to Tarshish; because I knew that You are merciful and compassionate, long-suffering, and abundant in kindness, and repent of evil.

3   And now, Lord God, take my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.

4   And the Lord said to Jonah, Are you very much grieved?

5 And Jonah went out from the city, and sat over against the city; and he made for himself there a booth, and he sat under it, until he should perceive what would become of the city.

6   And the Lord God commanded a gourd, and it came up over the head of Jonah, to be a shadow over his head, to shade him from his calamities: and Jonah rejoiced with great joy for the gourd.

7   And God commanded a worm the next morning, and it smote the gourd, and it withered away.

8   And it came to pass at the rising of the sun, that God commanded a burning east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, and he fainted, and despaired of his life, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.

9   And God said to Jonah, Art you very much grieved for the gourd? And he said, I am very much grieved, even to death.

10  And the Lord said, you had pity on the gourd, for which you have not suffered, neither did you rear it; which came up before night, and perished before another night:

11  and shall not I spare Nineveh, the great city, in which dwell more than twelve myriads of human beings, who do not know their right hand or their left hand; and also much cattle?