Jonah 2

¹ Yahweh had arranged that a great fish should be there to swallow Jonah, and Jonah remained in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights.

² From the belly of the fish he prayed to Yahweh, his God; he said:

³ ‘Out of my distress I cried to Yahweh and he answered me; from the belly of Sheol I cried, and you have heard my voice.

⁴ You cast me into the abyss, into the heart of the sea, and the flood surrounded me. All your waves, your billows, washed over me.

⁵ And I said: I am cast out from your sight. How shall I ever look again on your holy Temple?

⁶ The waters surrounded me right to my throat, the abyss was all around me. The seaweed was wrapped round my head

⁷ at the roots of the mountains. I went down into the countries underneath the earth, to the peoples of the past. But you lifted my life from the pit, Yahweh, my God.

⁸ While my soul was fainting within me, I remembered Yahweh, and my prayer came before you into your holy Temple.

⁹ Those who serve worthless idols forfeit the grace that was theirs.

¹⁰ ‘But I, with a song of Praise, will sacrifice to you. The vow I have made; I will fulfil. Salvation comes from Yahweh.’

¹¹ Yahweh spoke to the fish, which then vomited Jonah on to the shore.