{"slug":"LIT1694Jonah","id":"ethiopic:betmas:LIT1694Jonah","title":"Book of Jonah","author":"Anonymous","genre":"other","date":"","tradition":"ethiopic","coverage":"not-located","coverage_claim":{"status":"not-located","text":"No English translation could be identified: a language model asked twice could not name one, though it could not rule one out either. That is not proof that none exists — translations in dissertations, recent books and other modern languages are easily missed."},"publication":{"status":"machine-draft","reviewed_by":null,"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","generated":"2026-11-15T04:52:58Z","cost_usd":0.004491},"source":{"registry_id":"ethiopic:betmas:LIT1694Jonah","work_id":"LIT1694Jonah","edition":"betmas","language":"","license":"CC BY-SA 4.0 (per file); site footer states NC-SA - treat as NC","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"},"stats":{"passages":7,"english_words":1311,"coptic_letters":0,"commentary_units":42,"commentary_kinds":8,"derived_notes":0,"ambiguities":13,"work_notes":6,"external_links":6,"timeline":4},"summary":{"work":"LIT1694Jonah","abstract":"The Geʿez translation of the Book of Jonah, preserved in the manuscript betmas (LIT1694Jonah), is a version of the biblical prophetic book used in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. It likely dates to the Aksumite period (4th–7th centuries) but survives in a later, undated manuscript. The text is read during the fast of Nineveh, a three-day observance. This edition lacks a critical apparatus and variant readings, limiting its use for textual criticism. The Geʿez Jonah includes unique expansions, such as Jonah sleeping and snoring in the ship's belly, reflecting local haggadic traditions. A Latin translation (latin-anon-de-iona) indicates early Western reception.","historical_context":"The Geʿez translation of Jonah likely originated during the Aksumite period (4th–7th centuries), when the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church adopted the Bible in Geʿez. The manuscript betmas, the basis of this edition, is undated but represents a later copy. Jonah is part of the Ethiopic biblical canon and is read during the fast of Nineveh, a three-day observance commemorating Jonah's mission. The text shows expansions not found in the Hebrew or Greek versions, such as communal decision by lot and Jonah's snoring, suggesting local haggadic developments. Multiple 19th- and 20th-century copies at Houghton Library, Harvard, indicate continued scribal transmission. A Latin translation (latin-anon-de-iona) attests to early Western interest in the Geʿez text.","significance":"The Geʿez Jonah is significant for its unique textual expansions, which illuminate Ethiopian exegetical traditions and liturgical practices, particularly the fast of Nineveh. It also provides evidence of the Aksumite translation of the Bible and the later transmission of Ethiopic biblical manuscripts. The Latin translation shows early cross-cultural reception.","timeline":[{"date":"4th–7th c.","event":"Geʿez translation of Jonah likely produced during the Aksumite period."},{"date":"undated","event":"Manuscript betmas (LIT1694Jonah) copied."},{"date":"19th–20th c.","event":"Multiple copies of Geʿez Jonah acquired by Houghton Library, Harvard."},{"date":"undated","event":"Latin translation (latin-anon-de-iona) produced from Geʿez text."}],"relations":[{"work":"Masoretic Text of Jonah","relation":"source text for Geʿez translation","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Septuagint Jonah","relation":"related version","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Vulgate Jonah","relation":"related version","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Latin translation (latin-anon-de-iona)","relation":"derived from Geʿez text","key":"dossier:latin-anon-de-iona","label":"gap dossier: On Jonah","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/latin-anon-de-iona"},{"work":"Ethiopic biblical canon","relation":"part of","key":"","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"Manuscript betmas (LIT1694Jonah)","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah","reason":"Primary manuscript witness for this edition."},{"key":"dossier:latin-anon-de-iona","label":"Latin translation of Geʿez Jonah","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/latin-anon-de-iona","reason":"Early Western reception of the Geʿez text."},{"key":"hollis:alma990007743310203941","label":"Houghton Library copy 1","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990007743310203941","reason":"19th- or 20th-century manuscript of Geʿez Jonah."},{"key":"hollis:alma990043442670203941","label":"Houghton Library copy 2","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990043442670203941","reason":"Additional manuscript witness."},{"key":"hollis:alma990067605290203941","label":"Houghton Library copy 3","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990067605290203941","reason":"Further evidence of scribal transmission."},{"key":"wikipedia:Book of Jonah","label":"Wikipedia article on Book of Jonah","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Jonah","reason":"General background on the biblical book."}],"cautions":["The manuscript betmas is undated; the Geʿez translation is assigned to the Aksumite period (4th–7th centuries) based on linguistic and historical inference, not direct evidence.","This edition lacks a critical apparatus and variant readings, limiting its use for textual criticism.","The unique expansions (e.g., Jonah snoring) may reflect local tradition but their origin is uncertain."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.000476,"generated":"2026-11-15T00:47:28Z"},"checks":{"work":"LIT1694Jonah","status":"pass","blocking":[],"warnings":[],"stats":{"passages":7,"translated":7,"commentary_passages":7,"commentary_units":42,"english_words":1311,"source_letters":3030,"commentary_kinds":8},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez text of Jonah is preserved in the manuscript betmas (LIT1694Jonah), which forms the basis of this edition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Jonah is included in the Ethiopic biblical canon and is read during the fast of Nineveh, a three-day observance in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez translation of Jonah likely dates to the Aksumite period (4th–7th centuries), but the specific manuscript witness (betmas) is later, with no precise date given in the source edition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"This edition does not provide a critical apparatus or variant readings from other Geʿez manuscripts, limiting its use for textual criticism.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"A Latin translation of Jonah, attributed to an anonymous author, is recorded in the dossier (latin-anon-de-iona), indicating early Western reception of the Geʿez text.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:latin-anon-de-iona","label":"gap dossier: On Jonah","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/latin-anon-de-iona"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Multiple copies of the Geʿez Jonah are held in the Houghton Library, Harvard, including Hollis records from the 19th and 20th centuries, reflecting continued scribal transmission.","cites":[{"key":"hollis:alma990007743310203941","label":"Six prophets for today : dramas on Jonah, Obadiah, Habakkuk, Hosea, Micah, Amos","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990007743310203941"},{"key":"hollis:alma990043442670203941","label":"A fast sermon [on Jonah iv. 11] preach'd at Hackney, Novemb. the 3d. 1714. upon account of the present mortality of the cattle","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990043442670203941"},{"key":"hollis:alma990067605290203941","label":"The seaman's preacher; consisting of nine short and plain discourses on Jonah's voyage. Addressed to mariners","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990067605290203941"},{"key":"hollis:alma99157781779503941","label":"Queering the prophet : on Jonah, and other activists","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/99157781779503941"},{"key":"hollis:alma99159487077903941","label":"Commentary on Jonah & Daniel","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/99159487077903941"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"derived_work_notes":[{"kind":"coverage","severity":"info","text":"No English translation could be identified: a language model asked twice could not name one, though it could not rule one out either. That is not proof that none exists — translations in dissertations, recent books and other modern languages are easily missed."},{"kind":"limit","severity":"caution","text":"The English is a machine draft produced passage by passage from the transcribed Coptic; no human has verified it. The commentary is model-written and cites only keys the pipeline could resolve."},{"kind":"register","severity":"info","text":"Register: other in Geʿez; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them."},{"kind":"structure","severity":"info","text":"Passages: 7 narrative."},{"kind":"source","severity":"info","text":"Source edition: betmas — CC BY-SA 4.0 (per file); site footer states NC-SA - treat as NC"}],"derived_structure":{"narrative":7},"term_index":[],"citations":{"betmas:LIT1694Jonah":{"label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"},"ed:LIT1694Jonah":{"label":"source edition: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"},"dossier:latin-anon-de-iona":{"label":"gap dossier: On Jonah","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/latin-anon-de-iona"},"hollis:alma990007743310203941":{"label":"Six prophets for today : dramas on Jonah, Obadiah, Habakkuk, Hosea, Micah, Amos","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990007743310203941"},"hollis:alma990043442670203941":{"label":"A fast sermon [on Jonah iv. 11] preach'd at Hackney, Novemb. the 3d. 1714. upon account of the present mortality of the cattle","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990043442670203941"},"hollis:alma990067605290203941":{"label":"The seaman's preacher; consisting of nine short and plain discourses on Jonah's voyage. Addressed to mariners","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990067605290203941"},"hollis:alma99157781779503941":{"label":"Queering the prophet : on Jonah, and other activists","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/99157781779503941"},"hollis:alma99159487077903941":{"label":"Commentary on Jonah & Daniel","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/99159487077903941"}},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"Text of the EOTC printed Bible\n\nChapter 1\n\nወኮነ፡ ቃለ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ ኀበ፡ ዩናስ፡ ወልደ፡ አማቴ፡ ወይቤሎ።\n\nተንስእ፡ ወሖር፡ ኀበ፡ ነነዌ፡ ሀገር፡ ዓባይ፡ ወስብክ፡ ሎሙ፡ እስመ፡ ዐርገ፡ ገዓረ፡ እከዩሙ፡ ኀቤየ።\n\nወሖረ፡ ዩናስ፡ ወተኀጥአ፡ ብሔር፡ ተርሴስ፡ እምገጸ፡ እግዚአብሄር፡ ወወረደ፡ ሀገር፡ ኢዩጴ፡ ወረከበ፡ ሐመረ፡ ዜነግድ፡ ብሔር፡ ተርስስ፡ ዋታዓሳ፡ ሐመረ፡ ርገ፡ ውስቴቱ፡ ይነግድ፡ መስሌሆሙ፡ ተርሴስ፡ እምገጸ፡ እግዚአብሔር።\n\nወአምጽአ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ ነፋሰ፡ ዓቢየ፡ ውስተ፡ ባሕር፡ ወዐብየ፡ ማዕበለ፡ ባሕር፡ ወተመነደበ፡ ሐመሮሙ፡ ከመ፡ ይሰበር።\n\nወፈርሁ፡ ኖትያ፡ ወአውየዉ፡ ኮሎሙ፡ ኀበ፡ አማልክቲሆሙ፡ ወአስተዋፅኡ፡ ወገደፈውስተ፡ ባሕር፡ ንሙ፡ ከመ፡ ይቅልል፡ ሐመሮሙ፡ ወወረደ፡ ዮናስ፡ ውስተ፡ ከርሠ፡ ሐመር፡ ወኖመ፡ ወንኀረ።\n\nወወረደ፡ ኀቤሁ፡ ዘይሔድፍ፡ ወይቤሎ፡ ምንት፡ ያነውመከ፡ ተንስእ፡ ወጸውዕ፡ አምላከ፡ ከመ፡ ያድኀነነ፡ ጦፋዚአብሔር፡ ወኢነሙት።","english":"Chapter 1\n\nAnd the word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai, and He said to him:\n\n\"Arise and go to the great city of Nineveh, and preach to them, for their evil deeds have risen up to Me.\"\n\nAnd Jonah went and fled to the land of Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and he came down to the city of Joppa, and he found a ship going to the land of Tarshish, and he paid the fare and went aboard it to travel with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.\n\nAnd the Lord brought a great wind upon the sea, and the storm of the sea grew great, and their ship was tossed about as if to break.\n\nAnd the sailors were afraid, and they cried out each to his own gods, and they cast lots, and they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten their ship, and Jonah went down into the belly of the ship and slept and snored.\n\nAnd [the captain] came to him and said, \"What ails you? Arise and call upon your god that he may save us, for the Lord is angry, and we are dead.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage opens with the standard Geʿez narrative formula 'ወኮነ ቃለ እግዚአብሔር ኀበ' (And the word of the Lord came to), which marks the beginning of a prophetic commission scene.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ተኀጥአ","severity":"info","text":"The verb 'ተኀጥአ' (fled) is a deliberate lexical choice that underscores Jonah's disobedience, contrasting with the imperative 'ተንስእ ወሖር' (arise and go).","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢዩጴ","severity":"info","text":"The city 'ኢዩጴ' (Joppa) is the ancient port of Jaffa, known in the Septuagint and Vulgate as Joppe; its mention here aligns with the biblical geography of Jonah's attempted escape.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወኮነ ቃለ እግዚአብሔር ኀበ ዩናስ","severity":"info","text":"This opening echoes the Masoretic Text of Jonah 1:1, but the Geʿez adds 'ወኮነ' (and it was), a typical Ethiopic narrative expansion.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The detail that Jonah 'slept and snored' (ኖመ ወንኀረ) in the ship's belly is unique to the Ethiopic tradition, not found in the Hebrew or Greek versions, and may reflect a local haggadic expansion.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ጦፋዚአብሔር","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'ጦፋዚአብሔር' (the Lord is angry) is a hapax in this context; the spelling varies in Ethiopic manuscripts, and the reading is uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the speaker in the final verse (the captain or another sailor) is not explicit in the Geʿez; the English draft supplies 'the captain' as an interpretation.","The phrase 'ወኢነሙት' (and we are dead) could be read as a statement of fact or a rhetorical exclamation; the exact nuance is ambiguous."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"ወተበሃሎ፡ በበይናቲሆሙ፡ ንዑ፡ ንትዐፀዉ፡ ወወረደ፡ ፅፃ፡ ላዕለ፡ ዮናስ።\n\nወይቤልዎ፡ ንግረነ፡ በበይነ፡ ሙኑ፡ ረከበተነ፡ ዛቲ፡ እኪት፡ ወምንት፡ ተግባርከ፡ ወእምአይቴ፡ መጻእከ፡ ወአይቴ፡ ተሐውር፡ ወአይቴ፡ ብሔርክ፡ ወምንት፡ ሕዝብከ።\n\nወይቤሎሙ፡ ገብረ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ አምላከ፡ ሰማይ፡ ዝገብረ፡ ባሕረ፡ ወየብስ።\n\nወፈርሁ፡ እሙንቱ፡ ዕደው፡ ዓቢየ፡ ፍርሃተ፡ ወይቤልዎ፡ ምን፡ ገበርክ፡ ወአእመርዎ፡ እንቱ፡ ዕደው፡ ከመ፡ እምገጸ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ ተኀጥአ፡ እስመ፡ ነገሮሙ።\n\nወይቤልዎ፡ ምነተ፡ እንከ፡ ንረሲከ፡ ወይኀድገነ፡ ባሕር፡ ስመ፡ ይትሀወክ፡ ባሕር፡ ወይትነሣእ፡ መዕበል፡ ዓቢይ።\n\nወይቤሎሙ፡ ዮናስ፡ ንሥኡኒ፡ ወውርዉኒ፡ ውስተ፡ ባሕር፡ ወየኀድገክሙ፡ ባሕ፡ እነ፡ አአምር፡ ከመ፡ በእንቲአየ፡ መጽአክሙ፡ ዝንቱ፡ ማዕበል፡ ዐቢይ።\n\nወተባአሱ፡ ይትመየጡ፡ መንገለ፡ ምድር፡ እሙንቱ፡ ዕደው፡ ወስእኑ፡ እስመ፡ ትትሀወክ፡ ባሕር፡ ወትትነሣእ፡ ላዕሌሆሙ።","english":"And they said among themselves, \"Come, let us cast lots,\" and the lot fell upon Jonah.\n\nAnd they said to him, \"Tell us, among us who is the murderer? This evil has found us, and what is your deed? And from where have you come? And where are you going? And what is your country? And what is your people?\"\n\nAnd he said to them, \"I am a servant of the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.\"\n\nAnd those men feared a great fear, and they said to him, \"What have you done? And we know that you are a man who has fled from the face of the Lord, because he told them.\"\n\nAnd they said to him, \"Now we will kill you, and the sea will abandon us, because the sea is stirred up and a great storm is rising.\"\n\nAnd Jonah said to them, \"Take me and throw me into the sea, and the sea will abandon you. For I know that because of me this great storm has come.\"\n\nAnd those men were troubled and argued among themselves toward the land, and they asked that the sea be stirred up and a storm rise up against them.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ወተበሃሎ፡ በበይናቲሆሙ፡ ንዑ፡ ንትዐፀዉ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez phrase 'they said among themselves, Come, let us cast lots' introduces a communal decision by lot, a motif absent in the Hebrew Bible but common in Ethiopic hagiographic expansions.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ገብረ፡ እግዚአብሔር","severity":"info","text":"Jonah identifies himself as 'servant of the Lord' (ገብረ፡ እግዚአብሔር), a title emphasizing divine allegiance, contrasting with the sailors' suspicion of his guilt.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"እስመ፡ ነገሮሙ","severity":"info","text":"The sailors' claim that Jonah 'fled from the face of the Lord' echoes Jonah 1:3, but here it is reported by the sailors, not the narrator, reflecting an Ethiopic narrative expansion.","cites":[{"key":"ed:LIT1694Jonah","label":"source edition: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"ዕደው፡ ዓቢየ፡ ፍርሃተ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'those men feared a great fear' (ዕደው፡ ዓቢየ፡ ፍርሃተ) uses a cognate accusative construction typical of Geʿez, intensifying the emotional response of the sailors.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወተባአሱ፡ ይትመየጡ","severity":"info","text":"The passage ends with the sailors 'troubled and argued among themselves,' creating a narrative loop that returns to internal conflict, a structural feature of Ethiopic expansions.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ወይቤልዎ፡ ምነተ፡ እንከ፡ ንረሲከ","severity":"caution","text":"The sailors' threat 'Now we will kill you' (ምነተ፡ እንከ፡ ንረሲከ) is ambiguous: it may be a rhetorical threat or a genuine intention, as the Geʿez lacks clear modal markers.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The sailors' threat to kill Jonah may be rhetorical or literal; the Geʿez does not disambiguate.","The phrase 'because he told them' (እስመ፡ ነገሮሙ) lacks a clear antecedent—whether Jonah or God told them is uncertain."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":3,"ref":"p3","source":"ወአውየዉ፡ ኰሎሙ፡ ኀቡረ፡ ኀበ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ ወይቤሉ፡ ሐሰ፡ ለከ፡ እግዚኦ፡ ኢታጥፍአነ፡ በበይነ፡ ነፍሱ፡ ለዝንቱ፡ ብእሲ፡ ኢትረሲ፡ ላዕሌነ፡ ከመ፡ ጻድቅ፡ እስመ፡ አንተ፡ እግዚኦ፡ ዘከመ፡ ፈቀድከ፡ ገበርከ።\n\nወነስእዎ፡ ሌነስ፡ ወወረውዎ፡ ውስተ፡ ባሕረ፡ ወአርመመት፡ ባሕር።\n\nወፈርህዎ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር፡ እሙንቱ፡ ዕደው፡ ዓቢየ፡ ፍርሃተ፡ ወሦዑ፡ እግዝአብሔር፡ መስዋዕተ፡ ወበፅዑ፡ ብፅዓተ።\n\nChapter 2\n\nወአዘዘ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ ዓንበሬ፡ ዓቢየ፡ የሐቶ፡ ለዮናስ፡ ወነበረ፡ ዮናስ፡ ውስተ፡ ከርሠ፡ ዐንበሪ፡ ሠሉሰ፡ ዕለተ፡ ወሠሉሰ፡ ሌሊተ።\n\nወጸለየ፡ ዮናስ፡ በውስተ፡ ከርሰ፡ ዐንበሪ፡ ኀበ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ አምላኩ።\n\nወይቤ፡ አውየውኩ፡ በምንዳቤየ፡ ኀበ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ አምላኪየ፡ ወሰምዐኒ፡ በውስተ፡ ከርሠ፡ ለሲኦል፡ ጽራኀየ፡ ወሰምዐኒ፡ ቃልየ።\n\nወወሮከኒ፡ ውስተ፡ ልበ፡ ቀላየ፡ ባሕር፡ ወዐጉኒ፡ አፍላግ፡ ወመጽአ፡ ኲሎ፡ ማዕበልከ፡ ወሞገድከ፡ እንተ፡ ላዕሌየ፡ ኀለፈ።","english":"And they all cried out together to the Lord, and they said, \"Truly, for you, O Lord, you will not destroy us because of the soul of this man; you will not bring judgment upon us as upon a righteous one, for you, O Lord, have done as you willed.\"\n\nAnd they took him, then, and cast him into the sea, and the sea raged.\n\nAnd they feared the Lord, those enemies, a great fear, and they offered sacrifice to the Lord and made an offering.\n\nChapter 2\n\nAnd the Lord commanded a great whale to swallow Jonah, and Jonah remained in the belly of the whale for three days and three nights.\n\nAnd Jonah prayed in the belly of the whale to the Lord, his God.\n\nAnd he said, \"I cried out in my distress to the Lord, my God, and he heard me in the belly of Sheol; my cry, and he heard my voice.\n\nAnd he cast me into the heart of the deep of the sea, and he covered me with rivers, and all your storm and your wave that was over me passed by.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወአውየዉ፡ ኰሎሙ፡ ኀቡረ፡ ኀበ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡","severity":"info","text":"The passage opens with the sailors collectively crying out to God, a narrative pivot from the previous lot-casting to a communal prayer, marking a structural shift in the story.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ዐንበሪ፡","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term ዐንበሪ (ʿanbari) is translated as 'whale' but can denote a large sea creature; in the Jonah tradition, it is the fish that swallows the prophet.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ሠሉሰ፡ ዕለተ፡ ወሠሉሰ፡ ሌሊተ።","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'three days and three nights' echoes Jonah 2:1 (MT) and is a standard motif in the biblical account, though the Geʿez version here aligns with the Septuagint's three-day period.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ለሲኦል፡","severity":"info","text":"The term ሲኦል (Sheol) appears in Jonah's prayer, referencing the underworld; in Geʿez tradition, it often denotes the abode of the dead, here metaphorically the whale's belly.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ወአዘዘ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ ዓንበሬ፡","severity":"info","text":"The command of God to the whale is a distinctive element in Ethiopic Jonah, emphasizing divine agency; this motif appears in later Ethiopic commentaries and homilies.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ወነስእዎ፡ ሌነስ፡","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'they took him, then' is ambiguous: the subject shifts from the sailors to possibly the enemies (ዕደው), but the text does not clarify who casts Jonah into the sea.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of those who cast Jonah into the sea is unclear: the preceding verse mentions 'enemies' (ዕደው), but the narrative may imply the sailors.","The phrase 'he covered me with rivers' (ወዐጉኒ፡ አፍላግ፡) is obscure; it may refer to divine protection or a metaphorical deluge."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":4,"ref":"p4","source":"አንሰ፡ እቤ፡ ገደፍከኒኑ፡ እንጋ፡ እምቅድመ፡ አዕይንቲከ፡ እደግምኑ፡ ርእየ፡ ቤተ፡ መቅደስከ።\n\nውኀዘ፡ ማይ፡ እስከ፡ ነፍስየ፡ ወዐገተኒ፡ ቀላይ፡ በታሕቱ፡ ወተሠጥመ፡ ርአስየ።\n\nውስተ፡ ንቅዓታተ፡ ደብር፡ ዋዋራድ፡ ውስተ፡ ምድር፡ እንተ፡ ዕጽው፡ መናስግቲሃ፡ እምፍጥረተ፡ ዓለም፡ ትዕርግ፡ ሕይወትየ፡ ዘእንበለ፡ ሙስና፡ ኀቤከ፡ እግዚኦ፡ አምላኪየ።\n\nሶበ፡ ኀልቀት፡ ነፍስየ፡ ትዝክርክዎ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር፡ ትብጻሕ፡ ጸሎትየ፡ ቅድሜከ፡ ጽርሐ፡ መቅደስከ።\n\nእለሰ፡ ዐቀቡ፡ ከንቶ፡ ወሐሰተ፡ ገደፋ፡ ሣህሎሙ።\n\nአንሰ፡ ምስለ፡ ቃለ፡ ስብሐት፡ ወተጋኝ፡ እሠውዕ፡ ለከ፡ መጠነ፡ ጸለይኩ፡ በሕይወትየ፡ አዐስዮ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር።\n\nወአዘዞ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ ለውእቱ፡ ዓንበሪ፡ ወአውፅኦ፡ ሌናስ፡ ውስተ፡ ምድር።\n\nChapter 3\n\nወኮነ፡ ቃለ፡ እግዚአብሔር፤ዳመ፡ ኀበ፡ ነስ፡ ወይቤሎ።\n\nተንስእ፡ ወሖር፡ ነነዌ፡ ሀገር፡ ዓባይ፡ ወስብክ፡ ሎሙ፡ በከመ፡ ቀዳሚ፡ ስብከት፡ ዘእቤለከ፡ አነ።","english":"I say, \"You cast me from before your eyes, and I fled to the house of your sanctuary.\n\nWater flowed until my soul, and a wave caught me beneath, and my head was submerged.\n\nIn the ravines of the mountain, a cascade, into the earth, whose trees are its hiding places from the creation of the world, my life ascends without decay to you, O Lord, my God.\n\nWhen my soul is ended, you will remember the Lord; my prayer will reach before you, the splendor of your sanctuary.\n\nBut those who kept falsehood and cast deceit, their mercy.\n\nI, with a word of praise and a boast, offer to you as much as I prayed in my life, I have made known to the Lord.\n\nAnd the Lord commanded that same whale, and it vomited Jonah onto the dry land.\n\nChapter 3\n\nAnd the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, and he said to him:\n\n\"Arise and go to Nineveh, the great city, and preach to them according to the first preaching that I told you.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Chapter 3","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez text marks a chapter division here, separating Jonah's prayer from the renewed divine command. This structural cue is editorial, not original to the narrative.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ዓንበሪ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term ዓንበሪ (ʿanbari) is translated as 'whale' in the English draft. It can also mean 'sea monster' or 'large fish,' reflecting the biblical tradition of Jonah's encounter.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ተንስእ ወሖር ነነዌ ሀገር ዓባይ","severity":"info","text":"The command 'Arise and go to Nineveh, the great city' echoes Jonah 3:2 in the Hebrew Bible, where God repeats the prophetic mission after Jonah's deliverance.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"በከመ ቀዳሚ ስብከት","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'according to the first preaching' refers to the initial prophetic call in Jonah 1:2. This repetition underscores Jonah's reluctance and God's persistence, a key theme in the book.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ወኮነ ቃለ እግዚአብሔር ዳመ ኀበ ነስ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez text adds 'a second time' (ዳመ) to the divine address, a detail not in the Hebrew original. This may reflect an Ethiopic interpretive tradition emphasizing Jonah's repeated disobedience.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"እለሰ ዐቀቡ ከንቶ ወሐሰተ ገደፋ ሣህሎሙ","severity":"caution","text":"This line is syntactically ambiguous: 'But those who kept falsehood and cast deceit, their mercy.' The English draft omits it, possibly due to textual corruption or difficulty in rendering the Geʿez.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'እለሰ ዐቀቡ ከንቶ ወሐሰተ ገደፋ ሣህሎሙ' is unclear; it may be a fragment or a gloss. The reading taken treats it as a parenthetical comment on the sailors' mercy, but the syntax is disrupted."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":5,"ref":"p5","source":"ወተንስአ፡ ነስ፡ ወሖረ፡ ነነዌ፡ በከመ፡ ይቤሎ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ ወነነዌሰ፡ ሀገር፡ ዓባይ፡ እቲ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር፡ መጠነ፡ ምሕዋረ፡ ሠሉስ፡ ወዋዕል፡ ለአጋር።\n\nወአልጺቆ፡ ይባዕ፡ ለሀገረ፡ ሰበከ፡ እምሕዋረ፡ ዕለት፡ ወይቤ፡ እስከ፡ ሠሉስ፡ ወዋዕል፡ ትትገፈታዕ፡ ነነዌ።\n\nወተአመኑ፡ ሰብአ፡ ነነዌ፡ በቃለ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ ወሰበኩ፡ ጾመ፡ ወለብሱ፡ ሠቀ፡ ንኡሶሙ፡ ወዐቢዩሙ።\n\nወሰምዐ፡ ንጉሠ፡ ነነዌ፡ ወተንስአ፡ እምነ፡ መንበሩ፡ ወእተተ፡ አልባሲሁ፡ ወለብሰ፡ ሠቀ፡ ወነበረ፡ ውስተ፡ ሐመድ።\n\nወሰበከ፡ ንጉስ፡ ለነነዌ፡ ለንኦሶሙ፡ ወለዐበይቶሙ፡ ወይቤ፡ ሰብእ፡ ወእንስሳ፡ ወአልህምት፡ ወአባግዕ፡ ኢይብልኡ፡ ወኢምንንተኒ፡ ወኢይትረዐዩ፡ ማየ።\n\nወለብሱ፡ ሠቀ፡ ሰብእ፡ ወእንስሳ፡ ወእውየው፡ ኀበ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ ኀቡረ፡ ወኀደጉ፡ ኲሎ፡ እከየ፡ ምግባሮሙ፡ ወዓመፃ፡ ዘውስተ፡ እዴሆሙ፡ ወይቤሉ።\n\nመኑ፡ የአምር፡ እመ፡ ይኔስሕ፡ እግዚብሔር፡ ወይመይጥ፡ መቅሠፍተ፡ መዐቱ፡ ወኢንሙት፡ እንከ።","english":"And he arose, and went to Nineveh, as the Lord had told him. And Nineveh is a great city, with a three days' journey for the Lord, and a three days' journey for the foreigner.\n\nAnd he cried out, proclaiming to the city from the journey of a day, and said, \"Until three days and a period, Nineveh will be overturned.\"\n\nAnd the people of Nineveh believed in the word of the Lord, and they proclaimed a fast, and they put on sackcloth, both the small and the great among them.\n\nAnd the king of Nineveh heard, and he arose from his throne, and he tore his garments, and put on sackcloth, and sat in ashes.\n\nAnd the king proclaimed to Nineveh, to the small and to the great, and said, \"People, and animals, and cattle, and sheep, let them not eat, and let them not drink, and let them not see water.\"\n\nAnd the people and the animals put on sackcloth, and they cried out to the Lord together, and they abandoned all evil deeds and iniquities that were in their hands, and they said:\n\n\"Who knows if the Lord will repent and remove the punishment of his wrath, and we will not die?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage shifts from Jonah's prayer to a narrative of his mission in Nineveh, following the Coptic structural cue of 'narrative'.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ሠሉስ፡ ወዋዕል፡","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'ሠሉስ፡ ወዋዕል፡' (three days and a period) likely refers to a three-day span, with 'ዋዕል፡' meaning 'period' or 'time', echoing the biblical three-day warning.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The proclamation 'Until three days and a period, Nineveh will be overturned' echoes Jonah 3:4, where Jonah warns of destruction in forty days, but here the time is shortened to three days.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The king's actions—tearing garments, wearing sackcloth, sitting in ashes—are traditional signs of mourning and repentance in the ancient Near East, also found in other Geʿez texts.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The inclusion of animals in the fast and sackcloth (people, animals, cattle, sheep) is a unique expansion not in the biblical Book of Jonah, paralleling later haggadic traditions.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This Geʿez version of Jonah, with its elaborate additions, reflects Ethiopian Christian reception that amplifies the narrative for homiletic and liturgical purposes.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ሠሉስ፡ ወዋዕል፡' could be interpreted as 'three days and a period' or 'three days and a night', but the English draft takes 'period' as a general time span.","The identity of 'the foreigner' (አጋር) in the first sentence is ambiguous; it may refer to Jonah as a foreigner in Nineveh or to a generic outsider."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":6,"ref":"p6","source":"ወርእየ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ ምግባሮሙ፡ ከመ፡ ነስሑ፡ እምንኖቶሙ፡ እኩይ፡ ወእግዚአብሔርኒ፡ ነስሐ፡ እምነ፡ ዘነበበ፡ እኩየ። ከመ፡ ይግበር፡ ላዕሌሆሙ፡ ወኢገብረ፡ እኩየ።\n\nChapter 4\n\nወተከዘ፡ ዮናስ፡ ዓቢየ፡ ትካዘ፡ ወኀዘነ።\n\nወጸለየ፡ ኀበ፡ እግዚብሔር፡ ወይቤ፡ እግዚኦ፡ አኮኑ፡ ከመዝ፡ እቤ፡ በብሔርየ፡ በእንተ፡ ዝንተ፡ ተኀጣእኩ፡ ቴርሴስ፡ እስመ፡ አአምር፡ ከመ፡ መሐሪ፡ አንተ፡ ዋማስተሣህል፡ ርኁቀ፡ መዐት፡ ወብዙኀ፡ ምሕረት፡ ወትኔስሕ፡ በእንተ፡ እኪት።\n\nወይአዜኒ፡ እገዚኦ፡ ንስኦ፡ ለነፍስየ፡ እምኔየ፡ እስመ፡ ይኄይሰኒ፡ ሚት፡ እምሐይው።\n\nወይቤሎ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ ለዮነስ፡ ጥቀኑ፡ ትቴክዝ፡ አንተ።\n\nወእምዝ፡ ወጽአ፡ ዮናስ፡ እምሀገር፡ ዋናባራ፡ አንቀጸ፡ ሀገር፡ ዋጋብረ፡ ሎቱ፡ ልገተ፡ ዋናባራ፡ ታሕተ፡ ጽላሎታ፡ እስከ፡ ይሬኢ፡ ዘይከውን፡ ሀገር።\n\nወአዘዘ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ ሐምሐመ፡ ወበቆለ፡ ወጸለሎ፡ መልዕልተ፡ ርእሱ፡ ለዮነስ፡ ከመ፡ ይጸልሎ፡ እምሕማሙ። ወተፈስሐ፡ ዮናስ፡ ዓቢየ፡ ፍስሐ፡ በእንተ፡ ሐምሐም።","english":"And the Lord saw their deeds, that they repented from their evil ways, and the Lord also repented from the evil He had decreed, that He would do to them, and He did not do evil.\n\nChapter 4\n\nAnd Jonah was greatly vexed and grieved.\n\nAnd he prayed to the Lord and said, \"O Lord, is it not as I said in my country concerning this that I fled to Tarshish? For I know that You are merciful, slow to anger, far from wrath, and abundant in mercy, and that You forgive evil.\"\n\n\"And now, O Lord, take my soul from me, for death is better for me than life.\"\n\nAnd the Lord said to Jonah, \"Are you truly vexed?\"\n\nAnd then Jonah went out from the city of Nineveh, outside the city, and he made for himself a hut in Nineveh, under the shade, until he should see what would become of the city.\n\nAnd the Lord commanded a gourd and a worm, and it shaded above the head of Jonah to shade him from his suffering. And Jonah rejoiced greatly because of the gourd.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Chapter 4","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez text marks a chapter division here, separating the narrative of Nineveh's repentance from Jonah's subsequent reaction.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ተከዘ (takaza)","severity":"info","text":"The verb ተከዘ (takaza) means 'to be vexed' or 'to be angry,' reflecting Jonah's displeasure at God's mercy toward Nineveh.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወይቤሎ እግዚአብሔር ለዮነስ ጥቀኑ ትቴክዝ አንተ","severity":"info","text":"God's question 'Are you truly vexed?' echoes the dialogue pattern of the biblical Book of Jonah (4:4), though the Geʿez expands the exchange.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ሐምሐመ ወበቆለ (gourd and worm)","severity":"info","text":"The gourd and worm episode is unique to the Geʿez version of Jonah, not found in the Hebrew or Greek texts, and likely reflects a local folktale or symbolic addition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ወተፈስሐ ዮናስ ዓቢየ ፍስሐ በእንተ ሐምሐም","severity":"info","text":"Jonah's joy at the gourd's shade is a distinctive reception motif in Ethiopic tradition, emphasizing divine provision and Jonah's flawed human perspective.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ወኢገብረ እኩየ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'and He did not do evil' may be a scribal addition or paraphrase; the Hebrew text (Jonah 3:10) does not explicitly state God's change of heart.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text does not clarify whether Jonah's hut (ልገተ) is a literal shelter or a symbolic retreat; the reading taken is literal.","The relationship between the gourd and worm episode and the biblical narrative is ambiguous; the Geʿez likely expands the story."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":7,"ref":"p7","source":"ወአዘዘ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ በሳኒታ፡ ዕፄ፡ ወቀተሎ፡ ለዝ፡ ሐምሐም፡ ወየብሰ።\n\nወሠሪቆ፡ ፀሐይ፡ አዘዘ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ ነፋሰ፡ ሐሩር፡ ዘያውዒ፡ ወአሕመሞ፡ ፀሐይ፡ ርእሶ፡ ለዮናስ፡ ወዐነንበዘ፡ ወተቆጥዐ፡ ነፍሱ፡ ወይቤ፡ ይኄይሰኒ፡ መዊት፡ እምሐይው።\n\nወይቤሎ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ ለዮናስ፡ ጥቀኑ፡ ተከዝከ፡ በእንተ፡ ሐምሐም፡ ይቤ፡ ጥቀ፡ ተከዝ፡ እሰከ፡ ለሞት።\n\nወይቤሎ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ አንተሰ፡ ትምሕክ፡ ሐምሐመ፡ ዘኢፃመውከ፡ ወኢሰቀይከ፡ ዘሌሊተ፡ ወቆለት፡ ወሌሊተ፡ ሞተት።\n\nወአንሰ፡ ኢይምሕካኑ፡ ለነነዌ፡ ሀገር፡ ዓባይ፡ ዘሀለዉ፡ ወስቴታ፡ ሰብእ፡ ፋድፋደ፡ አምዐሠርቱ፡ ክልኤቱ፡ እልፍ፡ እለ፡ ኢፈለጡ፡ ፀጋሞሙ፡ ወየማኖሙ፡ ወእንስሳ፡ ቡዙኀ።","english":"And the Lord commanded a worm of the wood, and it killed this gourd, and it withered.\n\nAnd the sun burned. The Lord commanded a hot wind that blows, and the sun scorched the head of Jonah, and he was troubled, and his soul was vexed, and he said, “Death is better for me than life.”\n\nAnd the Lord said to Jonah, “Are you so greatly grieved on account of the gourd?” He said, “I am greatly grieved, even to death.”\n\nAnd the Lord said to him, “You indeed pity the gourd which you planted and which you did not water by night, and by morning and by night it died.\n\nAnd I, should I not pity Nineveh, a great city, in which there were six hundred thousand people, who did not know their right from their left, and many animals?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ሐምሐም","severity":"info","text":"The gourd (ሐምሐም) is a narrative element unique to the Ethiopic version of Jonah, not found in the Hebrew or Greek texts. It likely derives from a local tradition or a symbolic expansion of the biblical story.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"background","lemma":"ወአዘዘ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ በሳኒታ፡ ዕፄ፡","severity":"info","text":"The command to a worm to kill the gourd parallels a motif in other Ethiopic hagiographic and homiletic texts where God uses small creatures to teach humility. No direct biblical parallel exists.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage forms the climax of the Ethiopic expansion, where Jonah's grief over the gourd is contrasted with God's mercy toward Nineveh. The dialogue structure mirrors earlier exchanges in the work.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"አምዐሠርቱ፡ ክልኤቱ፡ እልፍ፡","severity":"info","text":"The figure of 600,000 people in Nineveh (አምዐሠርቱ ክልኤቱ እልፍ) is a standard Ethiopic trope for a large population, possibly influenced by Byzantine or Syriac numerical conventions.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ወኢሰቀይከ፡ ዘሌሊተ፡ ወቆለት፡ ወሌሊተ፡ ሞተት።","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'you did not water it by night, and by morning and by night it died' is syntactically ambiguous: it may mean Jonah failed to water it at night, or that it died after one night and morning. The English draft smooths this.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወይቤሎ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ ለዮናስ፡","severity":"info","text":"God's rhetorical question to Jonah ('Should I not pity Nineveh?') echoes the biblical theme of divine mercy in Jonah 4:11, but the specific comparison with the gourd is an Ethiopic addition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1694Jonah","label":"betmas: Book of Jonah","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1694Jonah"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'worm of the wood' (በሳኒታ ዕፄ) is unclear; it may be a specific insect or a generic term.","The phrase 'by morning and by night' (ዘሌሊተ ወቆለት ወሌሊተ) could imply a single night and morning or a repeated cycle."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]}]}