To say that Jonah was very unhappy about this is an understatement, in view of the context. The same idiom is found in Neh 2.10 (“they were highly indignant”) and 13.8 (“I was furious”), so Jerusalem Bible “Jonah was very indignant” is more satisfactory. New English Bible “Jonah was greatly displeased and angry” links together the two verbs that describe Jonah’s reaction, and so uses one expression to intensify the other. Good News Translation, on the other hand, suggests two successive stages in the development of Jonah’s feelings. (Compare New American Bible, “This was greatly displeasing to Jonah, and he became angry.”) In the use of the two verbs that occur in this verse, the writer echoes the wording of 3.9, 10, with their reference to God’s anger and displeasure at Nineveh, which had been replaced by his mercy.

Was very unhappy must be expressed in a number of languages as suggesting a change of state; therefore, “became indignant” or “became very much irked.” This may be expressed figuratively in some languages as “his stomach became bitter” or “his heart swelled up inside of him.” Anger may also be expressed figuratively as “his face became red” or “his skin flashed hot.”

Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. et al. A Handbook on the Book of Jonah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1978, 1982, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .