² Then he ^(A)prayed to the Lord and said, “Please Lord, was this not ^[a]what I said when I was still in my own country? Therefore in anticipation of this I ^(B)fled to Tarshish, since I knew that You are a ^(C)gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in mercy, and One who relents of disaster. ³ So now, Lord, please ^(D)take my ^[b]life from me, for death is ^(E)better to me than life.”