2 <1> While Jonah was in the stomach of the fish, he prayed to the Lord his God. He said,
<2> "I was in very bad trouble.
I called to the Lord for help,
and he answered me.
I was deep in the grave.[8]
I cried to you, Lord,
and you heard my voice.
<3> "You threw me into the sea.
Your powerful waves splashed over me.
I went down, down into the deep sea.
The water was all around me.
<4> Then I thought,
'Now I must go where you cannot see me,'
but I continued looking to your holy Temple[9] for help.
<5> "The seawater closed over me.
The water covered my mouth,
and I could not breathe.[10]
I went down, down into the deep sea.
Seaweed wrapped around my head.
<6> I was at the bottom of the sea,
the place where mountains begin.
I thought I was locked in this prison forever,
but the Lord my God took me out of my grave.
God, you gave me life again!
<7> "My soul gave up all hope,
but then I remembered the Lord.
Lord, I prayed to you,
and you heard my prayers in your holy Temple.
<8> "Some people worship useless idols,
but those statues never help them.[11]
<9> Salvation comes only from the Lord!
Lord, I will give sacrifices to you,
and I will praise and thank you.
I will make special promises to you,
and I will do what I promise."
<10> Then the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out of its stomach onto the dry land.
© Copyright 2004 World Bible Translation Center.