Jonah 4

But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.

Jonah was deeply upset and filled with intense anger.

And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.

He pleaded with God, saying, "Didn't I predict this when I was still at home? That's why I ran to Tarshish. I knew you're a kind and merciful God, slow to anger and full of love, always ready to change your mind about punishing."

Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.

Lord, I beg you, please end my life; I feel it's easier to die than to live.

Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry?

Then the LORD asked, "Is it right for you to be so upset?"

So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city.

Jonah left the city, settling on its eastern outskirts. He built a shelter there, sitting in its shade, patiently waiting to see the city's fate.

And the LORD God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.

In His deep love, God grew a large plant to shelter Jonah, easing his sorrow. This simple act filled Jonah's heart with immense joy.

But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered.

As dawn broke, God sent a worm that attacked and wilted the gourd.

And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.

As dawn broke, God summoned a fierce east wind. The sun's harsh rays pounded on Jonah, draining his strength until he collapsed. Overwhelmed, he yearned for death, believing it to be a kinder fate than living.

And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.

God asked Jonah, "Is it right for you to be so upset about the gourd?" Jonah replied, "Yes, I'm so angry I could die."

Then said the LORD, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night:

God said, "You felt sorry for the plant, even though you didn't care for it or make it grow. It sprouted and died in a single day."

And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more then sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?

Shouldn't I show mercy to Nineveh, a vast city filled with over 120,000 people who can't tell right from wrong, not to mention all the animals?