1 Then Ionah prayed vnto the Lord his God out of the fishes belly, 2 And said, I cryed in mine affliction vnto the Lord, and he heard me: out of the bellie of hell cryed I, and thou heardest my voyce. 3 For thou haddest cast me into the bottome in the middes of the sea, and the floods compassed me about: all thy surges, and all thy waues passed ouer me. 4 Then I saide, I am cast away out of thy sight: yet will I looke againe towarde thine holy Temple. 5 The waters compassed me about vnto the soule: the depth closed me rounde about, and the weedes were wrapt about mine head. 6 I went downe to the bottome of the moutaines: the earth with her barres was about me for euer, yet hast thou brought vp my life from the pit, O Lord my God. 7 When my soule fainted within me, I remembred the Lord: and my prayer came vnto thee, into thine holy Temple. 8 They that waite vpon lying vanities, forsake their owne mercie. 9 But I will sacrifice vnto thee with the voice of thankesgiuing, and will pay that that I haue vowed: saluation is of the Lord. 10 And the Lord spake vnto the fish, and it cast out Ionah vpon the dry lande.
Jonah's Prayer
1 From deep inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God:
2 “In my distress, O Lord, I called to you,
and you answered me.
From deep in the world of the dead
I cried for help, and you heard me.
3 You threw me down into the depths,
to the very bottom of the sea,
where the waters were all around me,
and all your mighty waves rolled over me.
4 I thought I had been banished from your presence
and would never see your holy Temple again.
5 The water came over me and choked me;
the sea covered me completely,
and seaweed wrapped around my head.
6 I went down to the very roots of the mountains,
into the land whose gates lock shut forever.
But you, O Lord my God,
brought me back from the depths alive.
7 When I felt my life slipping away,
then, O Lord, I prayed to you,
and in your holy Temple you heard me.
8 Those who worship worthless idols
have abandoned their loyalty to you.
9 But I will sing praises to you;
I will offer you a sacrifice
and do what I have promised.
Salvation comes from the Lord!”
10 Then the Lord ordered the fish to spit Jonah up on the beach, and it did.