Jonah
O woe is me. I live in fear. I may as well be dead,
For the Lord God he has spoken, and this is what he said:
O Jonah son of Amattai, I'll have you travel far.
Five hundred miles across the land to far of Ninevah.
The people there are wicked, and must indeed repent.
Jonah you go to them, be man the Lord has sent.
To go to folks of Ninevah, it's you I do employ,
To tell them that in forty days their land I will destroy.
But Lord this is so very hard, and i so frightened are.
Travelling to this wicked land, to the folks of Ninevah.
O woe is me, to escape the Lord it is my greatest wish.
So I'll not go to Ninevah, but sail unto Tarshish.

Sailor Y
We cast off now, come aboard for far of Tarshish Spain. Our boats well made and will withstand, the wind, the sea ,the rain.

Sailor X*
We're three jolly sailors when the wind it do blow. We'll take on board Jonah, and to Tarshish we'll go.

Sailors X.Y.Z. *
In this windy old weather, good sailing weather. When the wind blows we all work together.

Sailor Y*
Now we go fast lads the wind's in our sail. What's now to do boys, she's blowing a gale.

Sailor Z*
Well the rain it does pore and the lightning goes flash. Look at those waves boys, on our bows they do smash.

Sailors X.Y.Z. *
In this windy old weather, stormy old weather, when the wind blows we'll all pray together.

Sailor Y*

Let's pray to my God. It'll do us some good. My God won't sink for he's made of wood.

Sailor X*
He'll not calm the waves, he's no good to me. I'll pray to Neptune, he's God of the Sea.

Sailors X.Y.Z. *
In this windy old weather, stormy old weather. Pray that our  Gods will save us together.

Sailor Z*
It's getting worse, sacrifice we must make. Freight into sea. Lord our lives do not take.

Sailors X.Y.Z. *
In this windy old weather, stormy old weather. Whatever the cost we'll all give together.

Sailor X*
Now do find old Jonah. In our hold he lies deep. Why in this gale should he lie asleep?

Sailors X.Y.Z. *
In this windy old weather, stormy old weather. If Jonah can't help us, we'll all die together.

Sailor Z*

Now wake up Jonah, to your God do pray, for if He can't save us we'll all drown I say.

Sailors X.Y.Z. *
In this windy old weather, stormy old weather, when the wind blows we'll all sink together.

Sailor X*
Now who is to blame, well lots we will draw. Ah now Jonah you have the short straw.

Sailors X.Y.Z. *
In this windy old weather, stormy old weather, Jonah's to blame, us mates say together.

Jonah
Friends, here I am a Hebrew, and this storm do blame on me. My God now he is angry, the Lord of Heaven and Earth and Sea. For he tells me go to Ninevah, and say repent they must. But  oh what awesome power they'll have, if in God they trust. For with that power I prophesy, the truth to you I tell. That Ninevah in battle would defeat my nation Israel.

Sailor X
Now Jonah you did wrong.

Sailor Y
How do we calm the sea?

Jonah
Oh yes my friends, you've got it right, put the blame on me. The sea will calm, the thunder cease, the wind no longer blow. If sailors now you take me up and into sea do throw.

Sailor Z
But we are simple sailors. You're honest that we know.

Sailor X
O God we cannot murder him , we'll do our best to row.

Sailor Y
O Lord but we are failing, don't punish us for sin.

Sailor Z
For we must pick this Jonah up, and sea we'll throw him in.

THROW JONAH OVERBOARD

Sailor Y
O God the wind is calm and doesn't blow, the sea without a wave, and God now we must worship you for you our lives did save.

Jonah
My heart is filled with wonder, I plunge into raging sea. My God provides a great big fish that comes to rescue me. Now my God I'll promise to do your will I'll strive. For you my God have brought me back from the depths alive.

Fish
Though I be such a great big fish, I obey the Lord's command. And I must spew this Jonah up to rest upon dry land.

Jonah
The Lord again has spoken, and I must travel far. Repent of sin and wickedness you folks of Ninevah.

THREE NINEVANS APPEAR

Ninevan 1
I've got a club that'll make you reel, who needs a club, when you can steal.

Ninevan 2
From helping folks I kind of shrink, my best friends a good strong drink.

Ninevan 3
What care I for others plight. Long as this here Jack's all right.

Jonah  
I'm Jonah, son of Amattai, a prophet of Israel. I come now to Ninevah, God's word to you I tell. To warn you of your wicked ways, for god you do annoy. And now in forty days your land he will destroy.

King of Ninevah
Oh I am King of Ninevah, heed the message God has sent. Perhaps indeed he'll change his mind, if we will all repent. Give up our evil actions, stop all our wicked ways. Listen to what he has to say, and in prayer give him praise.

Ninevans 1,2,3 **
O God we must repent so we must
O God in you alone we put our trust.
O in God we put our trust.
Banish wickedness and lust,
For we know our God is just, he is just.

King of Ninevah
Now forty days have come and gone and Ninevah still stands. For God he has forgiven us and won't destroy our lands.

Jonah
But Lord, I your messenger to Ninevah was sent, I see that you have changed your mind, for behold they do repent. Lord I knew that this would happen. God I am annoyed. For instead of Ninevah falling, I find I am destroyed.

Ninevan 1
Jonah's leaving Ninevah, beyond its walls he builds a shed. We hear that he does pray to God and wishes he were dead.

Ninevan 2
But God he spoke to Jonah, "You've no right to be annoyed." And then to God's great purpose, a vine it was employed.

VINE GROWS

Ninevan 3
From sun and winds dear Jonah, now do not be afraid. For  God provides this vine, for shelter and for shade.

Ninevan 1
Ah what's this I see, an enormous worm, a worm so big and fine, with just one thought within its mind, to destroy that sheltering vine.

Jonah
Oh Lord  I am angry, give up my life and die. For you've destroyed my shelter, and I must ask oh why? I prayed and then realised that I had been concerned about the vine out of my own selfish self interest. I did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. Ninevah has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left and many cattle as well. God's concern is for that great city. I should be concerned to do God's will.

THE END

Songs

* Windy Old Weather

** She'll Be Coming Round the Mountains