TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
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Jonah - Chapter 4
Translation and Transliteration of
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1This displeased Yona greatly, and he was grieved.
vai-YE-ra el yo-NAH ra-AH g'-do-LAH va-YI-khar LO
אוַיֵּ֥רַע אֶל־יוֹנָ֖ה רָעָ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֑ה וַיִּ֖חַר לֽוֹ׃
2He prayed to Hashem, saying, “Hashem! Isn't this just what I said when I was still in my own country? That is why I fled beforehand to Tarshish. For I know that You are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in kindness, renouncing punishment.
vai-yit-pa-LAYL el a-do-NAI va-yo-MAR: a-NA a-do-NAI, ha-LO zeh d'-va-REE ad he-YO-tee al a-d'-MA-tee, al KEN ki-da-M'-TEE liv-RO-akh tar-shi-SHA, KEE ya-da-TEE KEE a-TAH el-KHA-nun v'-ra-KHUUM, E-rekh a-PA-yim v'-RAV khe-SED v'-ni-KHAM al ha-ra-AH.
בוַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֨ל אֶל־יְהֹוָ֜ה וַיֹּאמַ֗ר אָנָּ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ הֲלוֹא־זֶ֣ה דְבָרִ֗י עַד־הֱיוֹתִי֙ עַל־אַדְמָתִ֔י עַל־כֵּ֥ן קִדַּ֖מְתִּי לִבְרֹ֣חַ תַּרְשִׁ֑ישָׁה כִּ֣י יָדַ֗עְתִּי כִּ֤י אַתָּה֙ אֵֽל־חַנּ֣וּן וְרַח֔וּם אֶ֤רֶךְ אַפַּ֙יִם֙ וְרַב־חֶ֔סֶד וְנִחָ֖ם עַל־הָרָעָֽה׃
3Please, Hashem, take my life, for I would rather die than live.”
v'-a-TAH a-do-NAI kakh-NA et naf-SHEE mi-ME-ni, kee TOV mo-TEE me-kha-YAI. (PAUSE)
גוְעַתָּ֣ה יְהֹוָ֔ה קַח־נָ֥א אֶת־נַפְשִׁ֖י מִמֶּ֑נִּי כִּ֛י ט֥וֹב מוֹתִ֖י מֵחַיָּֽי׃
4Hashem replied, “Are you that deeply grieved?”
va-YO-mer a-do-NAI ha-HEI-tev kha-RA lakh
דוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָ֔ה הַהֵיטֵ֖ב חָ֥רָה לָֽךְ׃
5Now Yona had left the city and found a place east of the city. He made a booth there and sat under it in the shade, until he should see what happened to the city.
vai-YAY-tzay yo-NAH min ha-EEER va-YAY-shev mi-KE-dem la-EEER va-YA-as LO sham su-KAH va-YAY-shev takh-TE-ha ba-tseL ad a-SHER yi-REH ma-yi-HEH ba-EEER
הוַיֵּצֵ֤א יוֹנָה֙ מִן־הָעִ֔יר וַיֵּ֖שֶׁב מִקֶּ֣דֶם לָעִ֑יר וַיַּ֩עַשׂ֩ ל֨וֹ שָׁ֜ם סֻכָּ֗ה וַיֵּ֤שֶׁב תַּחְתֶּ֙יהָ֙ בַּצֵּ֔ל עַ֚ד אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִרְאֶ֔ה מַה־יִּהְיֶ֖ה בָּעִֽיר׃
6Hashem provided a ricinus plant, which grew up over Yona, to provide shade for his head and save him from discomfort. Yona was very happy about the plant.
vai-MAN a-do-nai e-lo-HEEM kee-ka-YON va-YA-al may-AL l'-yo-NAH lih-YOT TZAYL al ro-SHO l'-ha-TZEEL LO may-ra-a-TO va-yis-MAKH yo-NAH al ha-kee-ka-YON sim-KHAH g'-do-LAH
ווַיְמַ֣ן יְהֹוָֽה־אֱ֠לֹהִ֠ים קִיקָי֞וֹן וַיַּ֣עַל ׀ מֵעַ֣ל לְיוֹנָ֗ה לִֽהְי֥וֹת צֵל֙ עַל־רֹאשׁ֔וֹ לְהַצִּ֥יל ל֖וֹ מֵרָֽעָת֑וֹ וַיִּשְׂמַ֥ח יוֹנָ֛ה עַל־הַקִּֽיקָי֖וֹן שִׂמְחָ֥ה גְדוֹלָֽה׃
4:6 Hashem provided a ricinus plant
Castor oil plant seedling in Israel
As Yona sulks over God’s compassion to those he views as sinners, Hashem prepares for him a large plant, a kikayon (קיקיון), to provide Yona with shade. The identity of this plant has long fascinated commentators. According to some, it is the castor oil plant, which is common in Israel. This plant has large leaves and grows to a considerable height in a short amount of time, so that a sprout quickly attains the appearance of a small tree, much like Yona’s kikayon which appeared suddenly and provided him with ample shade. The scientific name of this plant is Ricinus Communis. In Egyptian, the plant is called kiki, which is similar to the Hebrew word used here: Kikayon.
7But the next day at dawn Hashem provided a worm, which attacked the plant so that it withered.
vai-MAN ha-e-lo-HEEM to-LA-at ba-a-LOT ha-sha-KHAR la-mo-kha-RAT, va-TAKH et ha-ki-KA-yon va-yi-VAsh
זוַיְמַ֤ן הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ תּוֹלַ֔עַת בַּעֲל֥וֹת הַשַּׁ֖חַר לַֽמׇּחֳרָ֑ת וַתַּ֥ךְ אֶת־הַקִּֽיקָי֖וֹן וַיִּיבָֽשׁ׃
8And when the sun rose, Hashem provided a sultry east wind; the sun beat down on Yona's head, and he became faint. He begged for death, saying, “I would rather die than live.”
vai-HI kiz-RO-akh ha-SHE-mesh va-Y'-man e-lo-HEEM ru-akh ka-DEEM kha-ree-SHEET va-TAKH ha-SHE-mesh al-ROSH yo-NAH va-yi-ta-LAF va-yish-AL et naf-SHO la-MUT va-YO-mer TOV mo-TEE me-kha-YAI
חוַיְהִ֣י ׀ כִּזְרֹ֣חַ הַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ וַיְמַ֨ן אֱלֹהִ֜ים ר֤וּחַ קָדִים֙ חֲרִישִׁ֔ית וַתַּ֥ךְ הַשֶּׁ֛מֶשׁ עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ יוֹנָ֖ה וַיִּתְעַלָּ֑ף וַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל אֶת־נַפְשׁוֹ֙ לָמ֔וּת וַיֹּ֕אמֶר ט֥וֹב מוֹתִ֖י מֵחַיָּֽי׃
9Then Hashem said to Yona, “Are you so deeply grieved about the plant?” “Yes,” he replied, “so deeply that I want to die.”
vai-YO-mer e-lo-HEEM el yo-NAH, ha-HEI-tev kha-RAH-le-KHA al ha-ki-KA-yon, vai-YO-mer, hei-TEV kha-RAH-LEE ad-MA-vet
טוַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־יוֹנָ֔ה הַהֵיטֵ֥ב חָרָֽה־לְךָ֖ עַל־הַקִּֽיקָי֑וֹן וַיֹּ֕אמֶר הֵיטֵ֥ב חָֽרָה־לִ֖י עַד־מָֽוֶת׃
10Then Hashem said: “You cared about the plant, which you did not work for and which you did not grow, which appeared overnight and perished overnight.
vai-YO-mer a-do-NAI, a-TAH khas-TAH al ha-ki-KA-yon a-SHER lo a-MAL-ta BO, v'-lo gi-DAL-to, she-BIN la-YI-la ha-YA, u-BIN la-YI-la a-VAD
יוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָ֔ה אַתָּ֥ה חַ֙סְתָּ֙ עַל־הַקִּ֣יקָי֔וֹן אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־עָמַ֥לְתָּ בּ֖וֹ וְלֹ֣א גִדַּלְתּ֑וֹ שֶׁבִּן־לַ֥יְלָה הָיָ֖ה וּבִן־לַ֥יְלָה אָבָֽד׃
11And should not I care about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not yet know their right hand from their left, and many beasts as well!”
va-a-NEE lo a-KHUS al ni-N'-veh ha-EER ha-g'-DO-lah a-SHER yesh-BAH ha-REH m'-sh'-TEEM e-SREH ri-BO a-DAM a-SHER lo ya-DAH BAYN y'-mee-NO li-s'-mo-LO u-v'-he-MAH ra-BAH
יאוַֽאֲנִי֙ לֹ֣א אָח֔וּס עַל־נִינְוֵ֖ה הָעִ֣יר הַגְּדוֹלָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֶשׁ־בָּ֡הּ הַרְבֵּה֩ מִֽשְׁתֵּים־עֶשְׂרֵ֨ה רִבּ֜וֹ אָדָ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־יָדַע֙ בֵּין־יְמִינ֣וֹ לִשְׂמֹאל֔וֹ וּבְהֵמָ֖ה רַבָּֽה׃
