וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֨ל אֶל־יְהוָ֜ה וַיֹּאמַ֗ר אָנָּ֤ה יְהוָה֙ הֲלוֹא־זֶ֣ה דְבָרִ֗י עַד־הֱיוֹתִי֙ עַל־אַדְמָתִ֔י עַל־כֵּ֥ן קִדַּ֖מְתִּי לִבְרֹ֣חַ תַּרְשִׁ֑ישָׁה כִּ֣י יָדַ֗עְתִּי כִּ֤י אַתָּה֙ אֵֽל־חַנּ֣וּן וְרַח֔וּם אֶ֤רֶךְ אַפַּ֙יִם֙ וְרַב־חֶ֔סֶד וְנִחָ֖ם עַל־הָרָעָֽה׃
At nanalangin siya sa Walang-Hanggan at nagsabi: “Pakiusap, O Walang-Hanggan, hindi ba ito na ang sinabi ko noong nasa sarili ko pang lupain ako? Kaya nga nagmadali akong tumakas papuntang Tarsis, sapagkat alam kong Ikaw ay Diyos na mapagbiyaya at mahabagin, mabagal sa pagkagalit at sagana sa kagandahang-loob, at nagbabago ng isip tungkol sa masamang ipinasya Mo.
Avot DeRabbi Natan
Rabbi Shimon would say: Be careful when you say the Shema and your prayers. And when you pray, do not make your prayer just a regular conversation, but a deep pleading before the Holy Blessed One, as it says (Jonah 4:2), “For You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, full of kindness and forgiving punishment.” Rabbi Eliezer would say: Be diligent in studying Torah, and know how to respond to a heretic, and do not forget one word of Torah. Know before whom you labor and with whom you have made your covenant, and know that He can be trusted to reward you for your actions.