1, 2. (a) Ni akahe kaga Yona yiteje, akagateza n’abasare? (b) Ni mu buhe buryo inkuru ya Yona ishobora kudufasha?

YONA ntiyifuzaga kumva ayo majwi yari ateye ubwoba. Urwo ntirwari urusaku rw’umuyaga mwinshi wahuhaga injishi zari ziziritse ku bwato. Nta n’ubwo rwari urusaku rw’imiraba imeze nk’imisozi yihuraga ku bwato imbaho zigakaka. Oya. Ikintu cyari cyatumye Yona ahangayika cyane, ni urusaku rw’abasare, ni ukuvuga umusare mukuru n’abafasha be, barwanaga n’ubwato bagira ngo butarohama. Yona yumvaga ko abo bagabo bagiye gupfa nta kabuza, kandi ko byose ari we biturutseho!

² Ni iki cyari cyatumye Yona agera muri iyo mimerere iteye ubwoba? Yari yakoreye Yehova Imana ye ikosa rikomeye cyane. Yari yakoze iki? Ese imishyikirano yari afitanye na Yehova yari yangiritse burundu? Ibisubizo by’ibyo bibazo bishobora kutwigisha byinshi. Urugero, inkuru ivuga ibya Yona idufasha kubona ukuntu n’abantu bafite ukwizera gukomeye bashobora gukora amakosa, kandi ikadufasha kubona ukuntu bashobora kuyakosora.

3-5. (a) Ni iki abantu bakunze kwibandaho iyo batekereje Yona? (b) Ni iki twavuga ku mateka ya Yona? (Reba n’ibisobanuro ahagana hasi ku ipaji.) (c) Kuki inshingano ya Yona yo kuba umuhanuzi yari iruhije kandi idashimishije?

³ Iyo abantu batekereje kuri uwo mugabo Yona, incuro nyinshi usanga bibanda ku ntege nke yari afite, urugero nk’ukuntu yajyaga yanga kumvira, cyangwa ukuntu yangaga kuva ku izima. Ariko hari ibindi bintu twagombye kumumenyaho. Ibuka ko Yona yari yaratoranyirijwe kuba umuhanuzi wa Yehova Imana. Iyo aza kuba umuntu w’umuhemu, Yehova ntiyari kumutoranya ngo amuhe inshingano iremereye ityo.

⁴ Nta bintu byinshi Bibiliya ivuga ku mateka ya Yona. (Soma mu 2 Abami 14:25.) Yakomokaga i Gati-Heferi, ku birometero bine uvuye  mu mugi wa Nazareti aho Yesu Kristo yarerewe, ibinyejana bigera ku munani nyuma yaho. * Yona yahanuye ku ngoma y’Umwami Yerobowamu wa II, wategekaga ubwami bwa Isirayeli bwari bugizwe n’imiryango icumi. Eliya yari yarapfuye kera. Uwamusimbuye ari we Elisa, yari yarapfuye ku ngoma ya se wa Yerobowamu. Nubwo Yehova yari yarakoresheje abo bagabo kugira ngo bakureho ibikorwa byo gusenga Bayali, Abisirayeli bari barongeye kwanga Imana. Icyo gihe, icyo gihugu cyategekwaga n’Umwami ‘wakoraga ibibi mu maso ya Yehova’ (2 Abami 14:24). Bityo rero, birashoboka ko inshingano ya Yona yari iruhije cyangwa idashimishije. Ariko kandi, yayishohoje neza mu budahemuka.

⁵ Icyakora, hari igihe Yona yagombaga gufata umwanzuro utajenjetse. Yehova yamuhaye inshingano, ariko Yona yabonaga iruhije cyane. Ni iki Yehova yari yamusabye gukora?

6. Ni iyihe nshingano Yehova yahaye Yona, kandi se kuki yasaga n’aho iteye ubwoba?

⁶ Yehova yabwiye Yona ati “haguruka ujye mu mugi munini wa Nineve ubaburire, ubabwire ko ibibi byabo byazamutse bikangeraho” (Yona 1:2). Biroroshye kubona impamvu iyo nshingano yasaga n’aho iteye ubwoba. Nineve yari ku birometero bigera kuri 800 ugana mu burasirazuba, hakaba hari urugendo rwashoboraga kumara hafi ukwezi, umuntu agenda n’amaguru. Ariko kandi, ingorane Yona yari guhura na zo mu rugendo, ni zo zari zoroshye ugereranyije n’ibindi yari yasabwe gukora. Igihe Yona yari kuba ageze i Nineve, yagombaga gutangariza Abashuri ubutumwa bw’urubanza Yehova yari yarabaciriye, kubera ko bari bakabije ubugome. Urebye bari barabaye nk’inyamaswa. None se ko Yona yari yarabonye ukuntu ubwoko bw’Imana bwangaga kwitabira ubutumwa bwayo, mu bapagani ho byari gucura iki? Umugaragu wa Yehova umwe gusa yari kugira icyo ageraho ate mu mugi munini nka Nineve, waje kwitwa “umugi uvusha amaraso?”​—Nah 3:1, 7.

7, 8. (a) Ni iki kigaragaza ko Yona yari yiyemeje kudasohoza inshingano Yehova yari yamuhaye? (b) Kuki tudakwiriye kumva ko yabaye ikigwari?

⁷ Ntituzi niba ibyo ari byo Yona yatekerezaga, ariko icyo tuzi cyo ni uko yahunze. Yehova yari yamutegetse kujya mu burasirazuba, ariko Yona yerekeje iburengerazuba, ndetse ajya kure hashoboka. Yaramanutse ajya ku nkombe y’inyanja ku cyambu cyitwaga Yopa, afata ubwato bwari bugiye i Tarushishi. Hari intiti zivuga ko Tarushishi yari  muri Esipanye. Niba ibyo bavuga ari byo, Yona yari kugenda ibirometero 3.500 uvuye i Nineve. Urwo rugendo rwo kugera ku mpera y’Inyanja Nini, rwashoboraga kumara umwaka wose! Yona yari yiyemeje guhunga iyo nshingano Yehova yari yamuhaye!​—Soma muri Yona 1:3.

⁸ None se ibyo byaba bishaka kuvuga ko Yona yari ikigwari? Ntitwagombye kwihutira kumucira urubanza. Nk’uko tuza kubibona, yagiraga ubutwari budasanzwe. Ariko kandi, yari umuntu udatunganye nkatwe twese. Na we yakoraga amakosa menshi (Zab 51:5). Ni nde muri twe utarigeze ashya ubwoba?

9. Rimwe na rimwe twumva tumeze dute iyo Yehova aduhaye inshingano, kandi se ni iki tutagombye kwibagirwa?

⁹ Hari igihe twibwira ko ibintu Imana idusaba bikomeye, ndetse ko bitanashoboka. Hari n’ubwo dushobora kumva dufite ubwoba bwo kubwiriza ubutumwa bwiza bw’Ubwami bw’Imana, kandi Abakristo basabwa kubikora (Mat 24:14). Biroroshye cyane ko twibagirwa amagambo y’ukuri kudakuka Yesu yavuze agira ati ‘ku Mana ibintu byose birashoboka’ (Mar 10:27). Niba rimwe na rimwe tujya twibagirwa uko kuri, ahari dushobora kwiyumvisha ingorane Yona yari afite. Ariko se kuba Yona yarahunze byagize izihe ngaruka?

10, 11. (a) Igihe ubwato bwahagurukaga, ni ikihe cyizere Yona yagize? (b) Ni akahe kaga kageze ku bwato n’abari baburimo?

¹⁰ Dushobora gusa n’abareba Yona yicara mu bwato. Birashoboka ko ubwo bwari ubwato bw’Abanyafoyinike bwatwaraga imizigo. Yitegerezaga umusare mukuru n’abafasha be barwana no guhagurutsa ubwato ngo babukure ku cyambu. Igihe ubwato bwagendaga bwitarura inkombe kugeza aho itari ikiboneka, Yona ashobora kuba yaratangiye kwizera ko arokotse akaga yatinyaga cyane. Ariko mu buryo butunguranye ikirere cyahise gihinduriza.

¹¹ Imiyaga ikaze yazikuye inyanja ku buryo buteye ubwoba, haba imiraba ishobora no kuba yarasumbaga amato ariho muri iki gihe. Hashize igihe kingana iki kugira ngo ubwo bwato bw’igiti bugere aho ubona ari nk’akato k’ibikenyeri, katakaye mu nyanja yuzuye imiraba wagira ngo ni imisozi n’imibande miremire? Ese icyo gihe Yona yari azi ibyo yaje kwandika nyuma yaho, avuga ko ‘Yehova yateje inkubi y’umuyaga muri iyo nyanja’? Nta wabimenya. Icyakora, yabonaga abasare batera hejuru batakira imana zabo zitandukanye, kandi yari azi ko ibyo bigirwamana byabo nta cyo byari kubamarira (Lewi 19:4). Yaranditse ati “ubwato bwari hafi kurohama” (Yona 1:4). None se Yona yari gusenga Imana ye ate, kandi ari yo yahungaga?

12. (a) Kuki tudakwiriye kwihutira kunenga Yona kubera ko yari yasinziriye mu gihe cy’inkubi y’umuyaga? (Reba n’ibisobanuro ahagana hasi ku ipaji.) (b) Yehova yagaragaje ate nyirabayazana w’ibyo byose?

¹² Kubera ko Yona yumvaga nta cyo yabikoraho, yaramanutse yi gira mu bwato hasi, maze ashaka aho yiryamira, ahita asinzira. * Umusare mukuru yamusanzeyo aramukangura, aramubwira ngo asenge imana ye, nk’uko n’abandi bose babigenzaga. Kubera ko abo basare bemeraga badashidikanya ko uwo muyaga udasanzwe wari watewe n’imbaraga ndengakamere, bakoze ubufindo kugira ngo bamenye umuntu wari muri ubwo bwato wari wabateje ako kaga. Nta gushidikanya ko Yona yagendaga arushaho kwiheba, igihe yabonaga abantu bose bagiye kurangira nta we ubufindo bufashe. Ariko kandi, ukuri ntikwatinze kujya ahagaragara. Yehova ni we wari wazanye umuyaga, kandi ni we wari uyoboye abakoraga ubufindo agamije gufata umuntu umwe, ari we Yona!​—Soma muri Yona 1:5-7.

13. (a) Ni iki Yona yabwiye abasare? (b) Yona yasabye abasare gukora iki, kandi kuki?

¹³ Yona yabwiye abasare ibintu byose nta cyo abakinze. Yari umugaragu wa Yehova, Imana ishoborabyose. Iyo Mana ni yo yari ahunze kandi yari yayibabaje, bityo ashyira abo bantu bose mu kaga gakomeye. Abo bantu bahise bagira ubwoba, ku buryo Yona yabarebaga mu maso akabona bahahamutse. Bamubajije icyo bamukorera kugira ngo barokore ubwato n’ubuzima bwabo. Yona yababwiye iki? Yona ashobora kuba yaragize ubwoba igihe yatekerezaga ibyo kurohwa muri iyo nyanja irimo ubukonje kandi yarubiye. Ariko se yari kureka abo bantu bose bagapfa, kandi ashobora kubarokora? Yarababwiye ati “nimunterure munjugunye mu nyanja irahita ituza, kuko nzi neza ko uyu muhengeri ukomeye utewe nanjye.”​—Yona 1:12.

14, 15. (a) Twakwigana dute ukwizera kwa Yona? (b) Abasare bakiriye bate ibyo Yona yabasabye?

¹⁴ Ayo magambo ntiyari kuvugwa n’umuntu w’ikigwari rwose. Yehova agomba kuba yarishimye abonye ubutwari bwa Yona n’umuco wo kwigomwa yagaragaje muri ibyo bihe by’akaga. Icyo ni cyo kitwereka ko Yona yari afite ukwizera gukomeye cyane. Muri iki gihe dushobora kwigana ukwizera kwe twita ku cyatuma abandi bamererwa neza, mbere yo kwita ku byo twe dukeneye (Yoh 13:34, 35). Ese iyo tubonye umuntu ufite icyo akeneye, haba mu buryo bw’umubiri, mu buryo bw’ibyiyumvo cyangwa mu buryo bw’umwuka, turitanga tukamufasha? Mbega ukuntu dushimisha Yehova iyo tubigenje dutyo!

¹⁵ Birashoboka ko abo basare na bo bumvise bababaye, kubera ko bari babanje kwanga kwemera ibyo yababwiraga. Bityo, bakoze uko bashoboye kose kugira ngo banyure muri iyo nyanja yari yarubiye, ariko biba iby’ubusa. Umuyaga wagendaga urushaho gukaza umurego. Amaherezo baje kubona ko nta kundi bari kubigenza,  baterura uwo mugabo bamurenza ubwato bamujugunya mu nyanja, ari na ko batakambira Yehova, Imana ya Yona, bayisaba ko yabagirira imbabazi.​—Yona 1:13-15.

16, 17. Vuga uko byagendekeye Yona amaze kujugunywa mu nyanja. (Reba n’amafoto.)

¹⁶ Yona yaguye muri iyo miraba yari yasaze. Birashoboka ko yagerageje koga kugira ngo atarohama, maze akabona bwa bwato burarembera, bugenda bushibura amazi yuzuye urufuro. Ariko imiraba ikomeye cyane yamunyuze hejuru, iramwibiza ararengerwa. Yakomeje kugenda amanuka, ari na ko agenda atakaza icyizere cyose yari afite.

¹⁷ Nyuma yaho, Yona yasobanuye uko icyo gihe yumvaga ameze. Mu kanya gato yibutse ibintu byinshi. Yatekereje ko atari kuzongera kubona urusengero rwiza rwa Yehova rwari i Yerusalemu, maze agira agahinda kenshi. Yumvaga agenda amanuka ajya mu ndiba y’inyanja aho imisozi itangirira, aho ibimera byo mu nyanja byari kumwizingiraho. Yumvaga aho ari ho hari kuba imva ye.​—Soma muri Yona 2:2-6.

18, 19. Byagendekeye bite Yona ageze hasi mu nyanja, ni iki yahuriyeyo na cyo kandi se ni nde wacyohereje? (Reba n’ibisobanuro ahagana hasi ku ipaji.)

 ¹⁸ Ariko mu kanya gato, hafi aho haje ikintu kinini cyane, cyijimye kandi kizima. Nuko kiramusatira, maze kirasama kiramumira!

¹⁹ Byasaga n’aho Yona apfuye birangiye. Ariko kandi, yatangajwe n’uko yari akiri muzima! Icyo kintu nticyigeze kimuhekenya, kandi n’igifu cyacyo nticyigeze kimusya. Yemwe nta n’ubwo yigeze abura umwuka. Yari agihumeka nubwo yagombaga kuba yapfuye. Buhoro buhoro, Yona yatangiye kumva icyoba kimutashye. Nta gushidikanya ko Yehova Imana ye, ari we wari ‘wohereje urufi runini rukamira Yona.’ *​—Yona 1:17.

20. Isengesho Yona yavuze ari mu nda y’urufi runini rigaragaza iki?

²⁰ Ubwo hashize iminota, biratinda n’amasaha ageramo. Igihe Yona yari muri uwo mwijima w’icuraburindi atari yarigeze abona, yaboneyeho umwanya wo gutekereza no gusenga Yehova Imana. Isengesho rye, riboneka mu gice cya kabiri cy’igitabo cya Yona, rihishura ibintu byinshi. Rigaragaza ko Yona yari azi Ibyanditswe mu buryo burambuye, kuko muri iryo sengesho yagiye agaruka cyane ku gitabo cya Zaburi. Nanone, iryo sengesho rigaragaza umuco mwiza cyane wo gushimira. Yona yarishoje agira ati “jyeweho nzagusingiza kandi nzagutambira ibitambo. Ibyo nahize nzabihigura. Agakiza gaturuka kuri Yehova.”​—Yona 2:9.

21. Ni irihe somo Yona yamenye ku birebana n’ubushobozi Yehova afite bwo gukiza, kandi se ni iki twagombye kuzirikana?

²¹ Yona yasobanukiwe ko Yehova afite ubushobozi bwo gukiza umuntu uwo ari we wese, aho yaba ari hose n’igihe icyo ari cyo cyose. Nanone kandi, Yehova yabonye umugaragu we wari uhangayitse aho yari ari maze aramukiza (Yona 1:17). Yehova ni we wenyine washoboraga gutuma umuntu amara iminsi itatu n’amajoro atatu mu nda y’urufi runini, akiri muzima kandi ameze neza. Birakwiriye ko muri iki gihe twibuka ko Yehova ari ‘Imana ifite umwuka wacu mu kuboko kwayo’  (Dan 5:23). Ni we dukesha guhumeka no kuba turiho. Ese tujya tumushimira? Ese ntidukwiriye guhora tumwumvira?

22, 23. (a) Vuga ukuntu Yona yahuye n’ikigeragezo cyari kugaragaza niba afite umuco wo gushimira. (b) Ni irihe somo dushobora gukura kuri Yona mu gihe dukoze amakosa?

²² Yona se we yakoze iki? Ese yaba yaritoje gushimira Yehova binyuze mu kumwumvira? Yego rwose! Nyuma y’iminsi itatu n’amajoro atatu, rwa rufi rwazanye Yona rumugeza ku mwaro, maze ‘rumuruka imusozi’ (Yona 2:10). Tekereza nawe. Nyuma y’ibyo byose, nta n’ubwo byabaye ngombwa ko Yona yoga ngo agere ku mwaro! Gusa birumvikana ko yagombaga gushakisha inzira imuvana kuri uwo mwaro agasubira iwabo. Yagombaga gushaka iyo nzira aho yari kuba iri hose. Ariko bidatinze, yahuye n’ikigeragezo cyari kugaragaza niba afite umuco wo gushimira. Muri Yona 3:1, 2 hagira hati “ijambo rya Yehova rigera kuri Yona ku ncuro ya kabiri rigira riti ‘haguruka ujye mu mugi munini wa Nineve, ubatangarize amagambo ngiye kukubwira.’” Yona yari kubigenza ate?

²³ Ntiyatindiganyije. Bibiliya igira iti “nuko Yona arahaguruka ajya i Nineve nk’uko ijambo rya Yehova ryari ryabimubwiye” (Yona 3:3). Yarumviye rwose. Biragaragara ko yavanye isomo ku makosa yakoze. Aha rero ni ho natwe dukwiriye kwigana ukwizera kwa Yona. Twese dukora ibyaha; twese dukora amakosa (Rom 3:23). Ariko se iyo tugize intege nke tugenderako, cyangwa tuvana amasomo ku makosa yacu maze tukongera gukorera Imana tuyumvira?

24, 25. (a) Amaherezo ni iyihe ngororano Yona yahawe? (b) Ni izihe ngororano Yona azahabwa mu gihe kizaza?

²⁴ Ese Yehova yaba yaragororeye Yona kubera ko yamwumviye? Yaramugororeye rwose. Birashoboka ko Yona yaje kumenya ko ba basare barokotse. Nyuma yaho Yona akoreye igikorwa cy’ubwitange, umuyaga wahise utuza, maze abo basare “batinya Yehova cyane,” bamutura igitambo, aho kugitura ibigirwamana basengaga.​—Yona 1:15, 16.

²⁵ Ndetse na nyuma y’igihe kinini ibyo bibaye, Yona yahawe ingororano ikomeye cyane. Yesu yakoresheje mu buryo bw’ubuhanuzi igihe Yona yamaze mu nda y’urufi runini, ashaka kwerekeza ku gihe we ubwe yari kuzamara mu mva cyangwa muri Shewoli. (Soma muri Matayo 12:38-40.) Nta gushidikanya ko Yona nazukira kuba ku isi azashimishwa cyane no kumenya ko yahawe uwo mugisha (Yoh 5:28, 29). Nawe Yehova yifuza kuguha imigisha. Ariko se uzavana amasomo ku makosa yawe, kandi ugaragaze umuco wo kumvira no kwigomwa nk’uko Yona yabigenje?