1. Kodi Yona anafunika kuyenda ulendo wautali bwanji, nanga ankamva bwanji akaganizira za komwe ankapita?

YONA anali ndi nthawi yambiri yosinkhasinkha chifukwa anafunika kuyenda ulendo wa makilomita oposa 800. Ulendowu unali wa mwezi wathunthu kapena kuposerapo. Panali njira ziwiri ndipo iye anafunika kusankha imodzi. Ina inali yaifupi koma yoopsa kwambiri, pomwe ina inali yosaopsa koma yaitali kwambiri. Komabe njira zonsezi zinali zodutsa m’zigwa ndi m’mapiri ochuluka. Yona anafunika kudutsa m’dera la chipululu cha Asuri, n’kuwoloka mitsinje ikuluikulu monga Firate. Komanso anafunika kupeza malo ogona m’matauni ndi m’midzi ya ku Suriya, Mesopotamiya ndi Asuri. Atayenda ulendowu kwa masiku ambiri, anayamba kuganizira za mzinda wa Nineve umene iye ankapita ndipo anayamba kuchita mantha kwambiri.

2. Kodi Yona anakumana ndi zotani zomwe zinam’phunzitsa kuti sakanatha kuthawa ntchito imene Mulungu anamupatsa?

² Ngakhale zinali choncho, Yona ankadziwa mfundo yakuti sangathe kuzemba ntchito imene anapatsidwa. Tikutero chifukwa choti nthawi ina anayesapo kuchita zimenezi, koma analephera. Monga tinaonera m’mutu wapitawu, moleza mtima Yehova anagwiritsa ntchito mafunde panyanja ndiponso chinsomba chachikulu pophunzitsa Yona kufunika kokhala womvera. Patapita masiku atatu, chinsomba chimene chinamumezacho chinamulavulira pamtunda. Izi zitachitika, iye anasinthiratu n’kukhala womvera komanso wodzichepetsa.—Yona chaputala 1 ndi 2.

3. Kodi Yehova anasonyeza Yona khalidwe liti, nanga tikambirana funso liti?

³ Yehova atalamula Yona kachiwiri kuti apite ku Nineve, mneneriyo anamvera n’kuyamba ulendo wopita kumzindawo. (Werengani Yona 3:1-3.) Komabe, panalinso zinthu zina zimene iye anali asanaphunzire. Mwachitsanzo, Yehova anamuchitira chifundo pomupulumutsa kuti asafe, sanam’patse chilango pa kusamvera kwake ndiponso anam’patsa mwayi wina woti akagwire ntchito imene anam’tuma poyamba ija. Kodi Yona anaphunzira kuchitira ena chifundo pambuyo poti Yehova wamuchitira zonsezi? Zikuoneka kuti anthu opanda ungwirofe zimativuta kwambiri kuchitira ena chifundo. Komabe tiyeni tione zimene tingaphunzire pa zimene zinachitikira Yona.

4, 5. N’chifukwa chiyani Yehova ananena kuti Nineve unali “mzinda waukulu,” nanga zimenezi zikutiphunzitsa chiyani za iye?

⁴ Yona sankaona anthu a mumzinda wa Nineve ngati mmene Yehova ankawaonera. Pa mfundoyi, Baibulo limati: “Mzinda wa Nineve unali waukulu pamaso pa Mulungu.” (Yona 3:3) Ndipo Yehova ananena katatu konse m’buku la Yona kuti “mzinda waukulu wa Nineve.” (Yona 1:2; 3:2; 4:11) N’chifukwa chiyani Yehova ankaona kuti mzindawu ndi “waukulu,” kapena kuti wofunika?

⁵ Mzinda wa Nineve unali wakale kwambiri ndipo unali umodzi mwa mizinda yoyambirira imene Nimrode anamanga pambuyo pa Chigumula. Mzindawu unali waukulu kwambiri ndipo mkati mwake munali matauni akuluakulu ambiri. Zinkatenga masiku atatu kuti munthu audutse, kuchokera mbali ina kukafika mbali ina. (Gen. 10:11; Yona 3:3) Komanso mzindawu unali wokongola kwambiri ndipo unali ndi akachisi akuluakulu, mipanda ikuluikulu ndiponso nyumba zochititsa chidwi. Komabe, Yehova Mulungu ankaona kuti mzindawu unali wofunika kwambiri, osati chifukwa cha kukongola ndi kutchuka kwake koma chifukwa cha anthu a mumzindawu. Pa nthawiyi mumzindawu munali anthu ambiri kuposa mzinda wina uliwonse. Ngakhale kuti anthuwa ankachita zoipa, Yehova ankawadera nkhawa. Iye amakonda munthu aliyense payekha ndipo amaona kuti munthu aliyense akhoza kulapa n’kuyamba kuchita zinthu zoyenera.

6. (a) N’chifukwa chiyani Yona anaona kuti mzinda wa Nineve unali wochititsa mantha? (Onaninso mawu a m’munsi.) (b) Kodi tingaphunzire chiyani kwa Yona pa ntchito yolalikira imene anagwira?

⁶ Yona atangolowa mumzindawu, ayenera kuti anachita mantha kwambiri chifukwa munali anthu ochuluka zedi, oposa 120, 000. * Anayenda kwa tsiku limodzi n’kufika mkatikati mwa mzindawo, mwina pofunafuna malo abwino oyambira kulengeza uthenga wake. Koma kodi iye akanalalikira bwanji uthengawo? Kodi ankadziwa chinenero cha Asuri? Kapena kodi Yehova anam’thandiza mozizwitsa kuti azitha kulankhula chinenerocho? Sitikudziwa. Koma n’kutheka kuti ankalengeza uthengawo m’Chiheberi, munthu wina n’kumamasulira m’chinenero cha ku Nineve. Mulimonse mmene zinalili, uthenga wake unali wosapita m’mbali ndiponso wosasangalatsa kwa anthuwo. Uthengawo unali wakuti: “Kwangotsala masiku 40 okha ndipo Nineve awonongedwa.” (Yona 3:4) Iye ankalalikira uthengawu mopanda mantha ndiponso mobwerezabwereza, zomwe zinasonyezanso kuti anali wolimba mtima ndiponso anali ndi chikhulupiriro. Masiku anonso Akhristu akufunika kuyesetsa kukhala ndi makhalidwe amenewa.

7, 8. (a) Kodi anthu a ku Nineve anatani atamva uthenga wa Yona? (b) Kodi mfumu ya ku Nineve inachita chiyani itamva uthenga wa Yona?

⁷ N’zodziwikiratu kuti Yona atayamba kulalikira kwa anthu a ku Nineve, ankaganiza kuti anthuwo sasangalala ndi uthenga wake komanso ankaganiza kuti angam’chitire zachiwawa. Koma zimene zinachitika si zimenezi. Anthu anamvetsera uthenga wake ndipo uthengawo unafalikira mofulumira kwambiri. Pasanapite nthawi, anthu a mumzindawo anayamba kukambirana za uthenga wachiweruzowu. (Werengani Yona 3:5.) Anthu onse, kaya olemera, osauka, athanzi labwino, ofooka, akulu ngakhalenso ana, analapa ndipo anayamba kusala kudya. Posakhalitsa, mfumu ya mzindawu inamva kuti anthu ayamba kulapa.

⁸ Itamva zimenezi, nayonso inayamba kuopa Mulungu, ndipo inachoka pampando wake wachifumu, n’kuvula chovala chake chachifumu ndipo inavala chiguduli, “ndi kukhala paphulusa.” Mfumuyi limodzi ndi “akuluakulu ake” inakhazikitsa lamulo lakuti anthu onse apitirize kusala kudya. Inalamulanso kuti anthu onse ndi ziweto zomwe avale ziguduli. * Mfumuyi inavomereza modzichepetsa kuti anthu ake anali ochimwa chifukwa ankakonda kuchita zachiwawa ndiponso zoipa zina. Komanso, mfumuyi inkakhulupirira kuti Mulungu angawakhululukire ngati atalapa. N’chifukwa chake inanena kuti: “Mwina Mulungu woona satigwetsera tsoka ndipo asintha maganizo ndi kubweza mkwiyo wake woyaka moto, moti satiwononga.”—Yona 3:6-9.

9. Kodi anthu ena amatsutsa chiyani ponena za anthu a ku Nineve, nanga tikudziwa bwanji kuti zimenezo si zoona?

⁹ Anthu ena amatsutsa kuti sizikanatheka kuti anthu a ku Nineve asinthe mofulumira chonchi. Komabe, akatswiri a Baibulo amanena kuti zimenezi zinachitikadi chifukwa anthu a ku Nineve ankakhulupirira kwambiri za mizimu, komanso sankachedwa kusintha maganizo chifukwa cha mantha. Timadziwanso kuti zomwe anthu otsutsawa amanena si zoona chifukwa Yesu Khristu anatchulanso za kulapa kwa anthu a ku Nineve. (Werengani Mateyu 12:41.) Iye ankadziwa kuti izi zinachitikadi chifukwa pa nthawi yomwe anali kumwamba, anaona zonse zimene zinachitika ku Nineve. (Yoh. 8:57, 58) Tizidziwa kuti munthu aliyense akhoza kulapa ngakhale atakhala wochimwa bwanji. Ndipo Yehova yekha ndi amene amadziwa zomwe zili mumtima mwa munthu.

10, 11. (a) Kodi Yehova anatani anthu a ku Nineve atalapa? (b) Tikudziwa bwanji kuti Yehova sanalakwitse pokonza zowononga anthu a ku Nineve?

¹⁰ Kodi Yehova anatani anthu a ku Nineve atalapa? Patapita nthawi, Yona analemba kuti: “Mulungu woona anaona ntchito zawo. Anaona kuti alapa ndi kusiya njira zawo zoipa. Choncho, Mulungu woona anasintha maganizo ake pa tsoka limene ananena kuti awabweretsera, moti sanawabweretsere.”—Yona 3:10.

¹¹ Koma kodi zimenezi zikusonyeza kuti Yehova anaona kuti analakwitsa pokonza zowononga anthu a ku Nineve? Ayi, chifukwa Baibulo limanena kuti Yehova amaweruza molungama. (Werengani Deuteronomo 32:4.) Izi zikungosonyeza kuti Yehova anasiya kukwiyira anthu a ku Nineve chifukwa choti analapa. Iye anaona kuti anthuwo anali atasintha moti sanafunikirenso kupatsidwa chilango. Choncho Mulungu anaona kuti imeneyi inali nthawi yoti awasonyeze chifundo.

12, 13. (a) Kodi Yehova amasonyeza bwanji kuti amachita zinthu moganiza bwino, m’njira yoyenera ndiponso mwachifundo? (b) N’chifukwa chiyani tinganene kuti ulosi ya Yona sunali wabodza?

¹² Atsogoleri achipembedzo amaphunzitsa anthu zinthu zosonyeza kuti Yehova ndi wouma mtima, koma zimenezi si zoona. Iye amachita zinthu moganiza bwino, m’njira yoyenera ndiponso mwachifundo. Yehova asanawononge anthu oipa, amawachenjeza kaye pogwiritsa ntchito atumiki ake a padziko lapansi pano. Amachita zimenezi chifukwa amafunitsitsa kuti anthu oipawo alape n’kusiya njira zawo ngati mmene anachitira anthu a ku Nineve. (Ezek. 33:11) Yehova anauza mneneri wake Yeremiya kuti: “Pa nthawi iliyonse imene ndinganene kuti ndizula, kugwetsa ndi kuwononga mtundu uliwonse wa anthu kapena ufumu, ndiyeno anthuwo n’kusiya zoipa zimene anali kuchita, zimene ndinawadzudzula nazo, pamenepo ndidzasintha maganizo anga kuti ndisawagwetsere tsoka limene ndinafuna kuwagwetsera.”—Yer. 18:7, 8.

¹³ Kodi zimene Yona analosera zinali zabodza? Ayi, chifukwa ulosiwu unakwaniritsa cholinga chake chochenjeza anthu a ku Nineve. Anthuwa anachenjezedwa chifukwa cha khalidwe lawo loipa ndipo anasintha. Koma anthu a ku Nineve akanati ayambirenso makhalidwe awo oipawo, Mulungu akanawalanga. Ndipo zimenezi n’zimene zinachitikadi pambuyo pake.—Zef. 2:13-15.

14. Kodi Yona anatani Yehova atachitira chifundo mzinda wa Nineve?

¹⁴ Kodi Yona anachita chiyani ataona kuti anthu a ku Nineve sanawonongedwe pa nthawi yomwe iye ankayembekezera? Baibulo limati: “Zimenezi sizinamusangalatse m’pang’ono pomwe Yona ndipo anakwiya nazo koopsa.” (Yona 4:1) Yona anafika mpaka popemphera mokhala ngati akudzudzula Mulungu. Iye ananena kuti zikanakhala bwino akanangokhala kwawo m’malo mopita ku Nineve. Ananenanso kuti ankadziwa kale kuti Yehova sangawononge mzinda wa Nineve ndipo anati n’chifukwa chake anathawira ku Tarisi poyamba paja. Kenako Yona anauza Yehova kuti kuli bwino angofa, kusiyana n’kuti apitirizebe kukhala ndi moyo.—Werengani Yona 4:2, 3.

15. (a) Kodi Yona anakwiya chifukwa chiyani? (b) Kodi Yehova anatani Yona atakwiya?

¹⁵ Kodi vuto la Yona linali chiyani? Sitingadziwe zonse zimene iye ankaganiza, koma chomwe tikudziwa n’choti anali atalengeza zoti anthu a ku Nineve awonongedwa. Anthuwo anakhulupirira uthenga wake n’kusintha ndipo sanawonongedwe. Kodi Yona ankaopa kuti azinyozedwa n’kumatchedwa mneneri wonyenga? Mulimonse mmene zinalili, iye sanasangalale kuti anthuwo analapa ndiponso kuti Yehova anawachitira chifundo. M’malomwake, zikuoneka kuti anakwiya kwambiri, n’kumadzimvera chisoni kuti mbiri yake yaipa. Komabe, Mulungu yemwe ndi wachifundo kwambiri anaona zabwino mwa Yona. Yehova sanamulange chifukwa cha kupanda ulemu kumeneku, m’malomwake anam’funsa funso lomuthandiza kuganiza lakuti: “Kodi pali chifukwa chilichonse choti ukwiyire?” (Yona 4:4) Kodi Yona anayankha funsoli? Baibulo silinena chilichonse pa nkhaniyi.

16. Kodi anthu ena angakhale ndi maganizo osiyana ndi a Mulungu pa nkhani ziti, nanga tikuphunzira chiyani pa chitsanzo cha Yona?

¹⁶ N’zosavuta kuyamba kuganiza kuti Yona anali munthu wakhalidwe loipa. Koma ndi bwino kukumbukira kuti nthawi zambiri anthu opanda ungwirofe sitimvetsa chifukwa chake Mulungu wapanga zinthu zina. Pakachitika tsoka, anthu ena amaganiza kuti zikanakhala bwino Yehova akanalepheretsa tsokalo. Enanso amadabwa kuti n’chifukwa chiyani Mulungu sapha munthu woipa nthawi yomweyo. Komanso anthu ena amadabwa kuti n’chifukwa chiyani Mulungu sanawonongebe dziko loipali mpaka pano. Nkhani ya Yona ikutiphunzitsa kuti tikamakayikira zimene Yehova Mulungu wachita, ifeyo ndi amene tili ndi vuto osati iyeyo.

17, 18. (a) Kodi Yona anachita chiyani atatuluka mumzinda wa Nineve? (b) Kodi Yona anatani Yehova atachita zozizwitsa zokhudza chomera cha mtundu wa mphonda?

¹⁷ Mneneriyu, yemwe pa nthawiyi anali atakwiya, anauyamba ulendo wochoka ku Nineve ndipo m’malo mopita kwawo analowera kudera lamapiri chakum’mawa. Atafika paphiri lina, anamanga kamsasa n’kukhalapo n’kumayang’anitsitsa mzinda wa Nineve. Mwina Yona anachita zimenezi chifukwa ankalakalakabe kuona mzindawo ukuwonongedwa. Kodi Yehova akanatani kuti aphunzitse munthu wopanda chifundoyu kuti azichitira ena chifundo?

¹⁸ Mkati mwa usiku Yehova anameretsa chomera cha mtundu wa mphonda ndipo Yona atadzuka n’kuona chomeracho, chomwe chinali ndi masamba akuluakulu, anasangalala kwambiri chifukwa chinamupatsa mthunzi wabwino kwambiri kuposa msasa wake uja. Baibulo limati, “Yona anasangalala kwambiri chifukwa cha chomeracho” ndipo mwina ankaganiza kuti chinali chizindikiro choti Mulungu wamudalitsa komanso akusangalala naye. Komabe Yehova anachita zimenezi n’cholinga chakuti amuphunzitse zambiri, osati n’cholinga chongofuna kumupatsa mthunzi kapena kumukhazika mtima pansi. Ankafuna kuti Yona amvetse bwino zimene akumuphunzitsazo. Choncho Mulungu anachita zinthu zinanso zodabwitsa. Anatumiza mbozi kuti ikawononge chomeracho. Kenako Mulungu anatumizanso “mphepo yotentha yochokera kum’mawa” moti Yona “anangotsala pang’ono kukomoka” chifukwa cha kutenthako. Apa Yona anakwiyanso kwambiri ndipo anapempha Mulungu kuti kuli bwino angofa.—Yona 4:6-8.

19, 20. Kodi Yehova anamuphunzitsa Yona chiyani pogwiritsa ntchito chomera cha mtundu wa mphonda?

¹⁹ Yehova anafunsa Yona kachiwirinso ngati anali ndi zifukwa zomveka zokwiyira, ndipo pa nthawiyi anamufunsa zokhudza kuuma kwa chomera chija. M’malo molapa, iye anayankha kuti: “Ndikuyeneradi kukwiya moti ndikufuna kufa chifukwa cha mkwiyowo.” Iyi tsopano inali nthawi yabwino yoti Yehova aphunzitse Yona kufunika kochitira ena chifundo.—Yona 4:9.

²⁰ Mulungu anathandiza Yona kuona kuti chomera chimene ankachidandaulacho chinali choti changomera usiku umodzi wokha ndipo Yonayo si amene anachidzala kapena kuchikulitsa. Ndiyeno Mulungu anamufunsa kuti: “Kodi ine sindikuyenera kumvera chisoni mzinda waukulu wa Nineve, mmene muli anthu oposa 120,000, omwe sadziwa kusiyanitsa dzanja lawo lamanja ndi lamanzere? Kodi sindiyenera kumveranso chisoni ziweto zambiri zimene zili mmenemo?”—Yona 4:10, 11. *

21. (a) Kodi Yehova anagwiritsa ntchito chiyani pofuna kuphunzitsa Yona? (b) Kodi nkhani ya Yona ingatithandize bwanji kudzifufuza mochokera pansi pa mtima?

²¹ Kodi mukumvetsa tanthauzo la fanizo limene Yehova anagwiritsa ntchitoli? Yona sanachite chilichonse kuti chomeracho chimere kapena chikule. Koma Yehova ndi amene analenga anthu a ku Nineve ndipo ankawasamalira ngati mmene amasamalirira zolengedwa zake zonse padzikoli. Nanga n’chifukwa chiyani Yona ankaona kuti chomera chija n’chofunika kwambiri kuposa anthu 120, 000 pamodzi ndi ziweto zawo zomwe? Iye ayenera kuti ankaganiza zimenezi chifukwa chodzikonda. Ndipotu ankafuna kuti chomera chija chisafe chifukwa choti chinkam’patsa mthunzi. Kwenikweni Yona anakwiya chifukwa choti ankadziganizira kwambiri ndipo ankaopa kuti anthu azimuona ngati mneneri wabodza. Nkhani ya Yona ingatithandize kudzifufuza mochokera pansi pa mtima. Tonsefe tikhoza kukhala ndi maganizo amene Yona anali nawowa chifukwa ndife opanda ungwiro.

22. (a) Kodi Yona ayenera kuti anatani Yehova atam’patsa malangizo anzeru pa nkhani ya chifundo? (b) Kodi tonsefe tiyenera kuphunzira chiyani pa nkhaniyi?

²² Koma mwina mungadzifunse kuti: Kodi Yona anaphunzirapodi kanthu pa zimenezi? Buku la m’Baibulo limene iye analemba limamaliza ndi funso limene Yehova anamufunsa koma silifotokoza zimene Yona anayankha. Anthu ena otsutsa anganene kuti Yona sanayankhe funsoli. Koma zoona zake n’zakuti anayankha ndipo yankho lake ndi buku limene analembali. Tikutero chifukwa timadziwa kuti Yona ndi amene analemba buku lotchedwa ndi dzina lakeli. Ndiyeno yerekezerani kuti mukuona mneneriyu ali kwawo, akulemba zonse zimene zinachitika pa ulendo wake wa ku Nineve. Pa nthawiyi Yona anali wachikulire, wanzeru komanso wodzichepetsa. Ayenera kuti ankapukusa mutu pamene ankalemba zolakwa zimene anachita zosonyeza kuuma mtima, kusamvera komanso kupanda chifundo. N’zoonekeratu kuti malangizo anzeru amene Yehova anam’patsa, anamuphunzitsa kuchitira ena chifundo. Kodi pamenepa nafenso sitikuphunzira kuti tizichitira ena chifundo?—Werengani Mateyu 5:7.