וַיְמַן ה' דָּג גָּדוֹל לִבְלֹעַ אֶת־יוֹנָה וַיְהִי יוֹנָה בִּמְעֵי הַדָּג שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים וּשְׁלשָׁה לֵילוֹת

The Lord appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the innards of the fish for three days and three nights.

וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל יוֹנָה אֶל־ה' אֱלֹהָיו מִמְּעֵי הַדָּגָה

Jonah prayed to the Lord, his God, from the innards of the fish. The use of the feminine term for fish [daga] may indicate that this was a female fish, whose body was full of eggs, such that the space inside was especially crowded.

וַיֹּאמֶר קָרָאתִי מִצָּרָה לִי אֶל־ה' וַיַּעֲנֵנִי מִבֶּטֶן שְׁאוֹל שִׁוַּעְתִּי שָׁמַעְתָּ קוֹלִי

He said: I called from my distress to the Lord, and He answered me, that is, I am certain that He will answer me. As a prophet, Jonah sensed that his prayers would be answered. From the belly of the netherworld I cried; You heard my voice.

וַתַּשְׁלִיכֵנִי מְצוּלָה בִּלְבַב יַמִּים וְנָהָר יְסֹבְבֵנִי כָּל־מִשְׁבָּרֶיךָ וְגַלֶּיךָ עָלַי עָבָרוּ

You cast me into the depth, in the heart of the seas, the current surrounded me, so that I was completely encircled by water; all Your breakers and Your waves passed over me.

וַאֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי נִגְרַשְׁתִּי מִנֶּגֶד עֵינֶיךָ אַךְ אוֹסִיף לְהַבִּיט אֶל־הֵיכַל קָדְשֶׁךָ

And I said: I am banished and expelled from before Your eyes, yet I remain conscious, and I will therefore continue to look to Your holy Sanctuary in the heavens and pray.

אֲפָפוּנִי מַיִם עַד־נֶפֶשׁ תְּהוֹם יְסֹבְבֵנִי סוּף חָבוּשׁ לְרֹאשִׁי

Water has surrounded me to the soul, the deep has enveloped me; reeds have been wrapped around my head. I am surrounded by sea plants.

לְקִצְבֵי הָרִים יָרַדְתִּי הָאָרֶץ בְּרִחֶיהָ בַעֲדִי לְעוֹלָם וַתַּעַל מִשַּׁחַת חַיַּי ה' אֱלֹהָי

I descended to the bases, the foundations, of the mountains on the seabed; the earth, its bars are against me forever. I am unable to reach my desired destination on dry land, and yet You took my life up from the pit; You saved me from destruction, Lord my God, and now I beseech You for further deliverance.

בְּהִתְעַטֵּף עָלַי נַפְשִׁי אֶת־ה' זָכָרְתִּי וַתָּבוֹא אֵלֶיךָ תְּפִלָּתִי אֶל־הֵיכַל קָדְשֶׁךָ

When my soul was afflicted within me and I was tormented, I remembered the Lord; my prayer came to You, to Your holy Sanctuary.

מְשַׁמְּרִים הַבְלֵי־שָׁוְא חַסְדָּם יַעֲזֹבוּ

Adherents of false futilities, the idol worshippers, will abandon their faith, their own beliefs.

ואֲנִי בְּקוֹל תּוֹדָה אֶזְבְּחָה־לָּךְ אֲשֶׁר נָדַרְתִּי אֲשַׁלֵּמָה יְשׁוּעָתָה לַה'

But unlike the idol worshippers, I will remain faithful to my God despite my troubles and with a voice of thanks will present an offering to You, the obligatory thanks offering. If I am delivered from this predicament, that which I have vowed, I will pay. Salvation is of the Lord.

וַיֹּאמֶר ה' לַדָּג וַיָּקֵא אֶת־יוֹנָה אֶל־הַיַּבָּשָׁה

The Lord told the fish to release Jonah, and it spewed Jonah onto the dry land. The fish did not swallow Jonah as prey. Rather, God sent the fish to protect Jonah in the sea, even though Jonah defied God by suppressing the prophecy given to him. Now, the fish is commanded to vomit the prophet onto dry land.