The English-Kalanga Bilingual Language Learning Bible
Old Testament
Read each verse in English beside its African Kalanga equivalent.
1 Kings 12English
1 Bomambo 12African Kalanga
- African Kalanga
Rehoboamu kayenda ku Shekemu, ngobe Baiziraela bose bakabe bazha ku Shekemu kuwombiga mambo.
- English2
When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard this (he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), he returned from Egypt.
African KalangaNgono kukati Jeroboamu nkololo wa Nebati wakabe atizhila ku Egipiti etizha Mambo Solomoni, ewha thawu idzedzi, kashanduka kudwa ku Egipiti kwaakabe atizhila.
- English3
So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and the whole assembly of Israel went to Rehoboam and said to him:
African KalangaNgono bakatuma bathu kunon'dana. Jeroboamu ne gubungano lose le Iziraela bakayenda kuna Rehoboamu bakaswika bendwa beti,
- English4
“Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”
African Kalanga“Tate babo bakabe betidziyidza, bakatisengesa ntolo unolema. Ngono ngwenu utilelusile ntolo watakakhigiwa ndi tate babo, towobe pasi kuko tikakushingila.”
- English5
Rehoboam answered, “Go away for three days and then come back to me.” So the people went away.
African KalangaNgono Rehoboamu kabadabila eti, “Yendani zwenyu, mukobuya kundili shule kwe mazhuba matatu.” Bathu bakayenda zwabo.
- English6
Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How would you advise me to answer these people?” he asked.
African KalangaNdizo Mambo Rehoboamu kadana sholotjena dzakashinga na tate babe Solomoni batjatjila, kukumbila gumbuludzo. Kabadwa kati, “Mondipa gumbuludzo linotini, kuti ndizhe ndishandule bathu ibaba kene?”
- English7
They replied, “If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants.”
African KalangaNgono bakandwa bakati, “Ha ungazwiyisa pasi kwe bathu ibaba, ukabalebesa nge matama mabuyanana banowobe balanda babo nge kusingapele.”
- English8
But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him.
African KalangaKoga Rehoboamu kalamba gumbuludzo laapiwa nge sholotjena, kanoshaka gumbuludzo ku bazhuzha baakakula nabo
- English9
He asked them, “What is your advice? How should we answer these people who say to me, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?”
African Kalangakabadwa kati, “Mondipa gumbulodzo linotini kuti tidabile bathu ibaba bandidwa beti, ‘Utilelusile ntolo watakakhigiwa ndi tate babo’ kene?”
- English10
The young men who had grown up with him replied, “Tell these people who have said to you, ‘Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter’- tell them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist.
African KalangaNgono bazhuzha bakakula na Rehoboamu bakandwa bakati, “Udwe bathu ibaba bakakudwa beti, ‘Tate babo bakatikhiga ntolo unolema, ngono ngwenu utilelusile ntolo watakakhigiwa,’ uti, ‘Tjinyala tjangu tje luboko tjitikini tjikodu kupinda thunji dza tate.
- English11
My father laid on you a heavy yoke; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.’”
African KalangaNgono ngwenu, tate bangu pabakamukhiga ntolo unolema, ndowutiliyanya ne unolema bo. Tate bakabe bemulaya nge rwabha, koga imi ndowomulaya nge makungubudza.’ ”
- English12
Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, as the king had said, “Come back to me in three days.”
African KalangaShule kwe mazhuba matatu Jeroboamu ne bathu bose bakabuya kuna Rehoboamu kakale sekwa akabadwa.
- African Kalanga
Mambo kashandula bathu nge kubagongobola elasha gumbuludzo laakapiwa nge sholotjena.
- English14
he followed the advice of the young men and said, “My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.”
African KalangaKabalebesa kuyenda nge gumbuludzo le bazhuzha eti, “Tate bakamukhiga ntolo unolema, koga imi ndowoutiliyanya nge mmwe. Tate bakabe bemulaya nge rwabha, koga imi ndowomulaya nge makungubudza.”
- English15
So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from the Lord, to fulfill the word the Lord had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite.
African KalangaIpapo mambo kasitongo teedza bathu, ngoti zwakabe zwili zwiyitikalo zwinozhisa kushanduka kwakalebgwa ndi Yahwe kuti kuzhadzisike dama la Yahwe lakalebgwa kuna Jeroboamu nkololo wa Nebati nge nlebesambeli Ahija we Nshilo.
- English16
When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, they answered the king: “What share do we have in David, what part in Jesse’s son? To your tents, O Israel! Look after your own house, O David!” So the Israelites went home.
African KalangaKukati Baiziraela bose be bona kuti mambo aatobateedza, bakashandula mambo beti, “Apa tina gobe lipi muna Dafite? Naiko atina lukata mu nkololo wa Jesi. Baiziraela, atiyendeni kanyi! Iwe Dafite, utjilinga be nsha uwo.” Ndizo Baiziraela bakayenda ku mizi yabo.
- English17
But as for the Israelites who were living in the towns of Judah, Rehoboam still ruled over them.
African KalangaKoga Rehoboamu kasala ebusa Baiziraela bakabe begala mu mizi mikulu ye Juda.
- English18
King Rehoboam sent out Adoniram, who was in charge of forced labor, but all Israel stoned him to death. King Rehoboam, however, managed to get into his chariot and escape to Jerusalem.
African KalangaNdizo Mambo Rehoboamu katuma Adoramu wakabe ali nlingi we bashingi, ngono Baiziraela bose bakankikithidza nge mabgwe kafa. Tjinyolotjo Mambo Rehoboamu katatha koloyi dzidze dze ngwa katizhila ku Jerusalema.
- African Kalanga
Tjinga kwe tjibaka itjetjo Iziraela ikapandukila nsha wa Dafite kuswikila nasi.
- English20
When all the Israelites heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the house of David.
African KalangaKukati Baiziraela bose bewha kuti Jeroboamu wakabuya, bakatuma bathu kunon'danila ku gubungano, bakambiga mambo we Iziraela yose. Kukasala ludzi gwa Juda ndigo goga gwakasala guli pasi kwe ng'umba ya Dafite.
- English21
When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mustered the whole house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin–a hundred and eighty thousand fighting men–to make war against the house of Israel and to regain the kingdom for Rehoboam son of Solomon.
African KalangaKukati Rehoboamu eswika ku Jerusalema, kakubunganya babhayani bali zwiwulu zwili zana lina makumi ali zhanakadzi 180 000, kudwa mu nsha wose wa Juda ne ludzi gose gwa Bhenjamini. Akazwimisila kunogwa ne Iziraela kubuzila mbuso kuna Rehoboamu nkololo wa Solomoni.
- African Kalanga
Koga dama le Ndzimu likazha kuna Shemaya we nlebesambeli, likandwa likati,
- English23
“Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah, to the whole house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people,
African KalangaLebeleka na Rehoboamu nkololo wa Solomoni mambo we Juda ne bathu bose ne ng'umba yose ya Juda na Bhenjamini, ubadwe uti,
- English24
‘This is what the Lord says: Do not go up to fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing.’” So they obeyed the word of the Lord and went home again, as the Lord had ordered.
African Kalanga“Yahwe bakati musiyende kunogwa ne bakanyi kwenyu Baiziraela. Shandusila nlume mmwe ne mmwe ku nzi uwe, ngobe tjashingikala tjodwa kundili.” Ndizo bose bakateedza dama la Yahwe, bakashandukila ku nzi, sekwaleba Yahwe.
- English25
Then Jeroboam fortified Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. From there he went out and built up Peniel.
African KalangaNdizo Jeroboamu kabaka Shekemu mu shango ye matuthu ye Ifureimi kagalapo. Shule kabhuda kanobaka Penuele.
- African Kalanga
Ngono Jeroboamu kazwidwa mu moyo kati, “Ngwenu mbuso unowobgwilila mu ng'umba ya Dafite.
- English27
If these people go up to offer sacrifices at the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, they will again give their allegiance to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah. They will kill me and return to King Rehoboam.”
African KalangaHa bathu ibaba bangatathila ku Jerusalema kunoyisa zwibhayilo kuna Yahwe, mu Ng'umba ye Ndzimu, moyo yabo inowoshandukila kakale kuna Mambo Rehoboamu we Juda bebe bendibulaya.”
- English28
After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves. He said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”
African KalangaIpapo mambo kashaka gumbuludzo, kathama mikong'wana mibili ye golide. Ngono kadwa bathu kati, “Makatathila ku Jerusalema kwatjilizana. Bonani, imwi Baiziraela, midzimu yenyu eyi, yakamudusa mu shango ye Egipiti.”
- African Kalanga
Kabiga nkong'wana mmwe we golide mu Bhetele, mmwe kaubiga mu Dani.
- African Kalanga
Ngono kuthu ikoku kukabe tjibi, ngobe bathu bakabe benonamata nkong'wana uku Bhetele bamwe bakayenda bukule kunonamata nkong'wana umu Dani.
- English31
Jeroboam built shrines on high places and appointed priests from all sorts of people, even though they were not Levites.
African KalangaJeroboamu kabaka dzimwe ng'umba dze minamato makatuthumala, ebe eshalula bamwe bathu ebabiga bapirisiti, nenguba basi be ng'umba ye Balevi.
- English32
He instituted a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the festival held in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. This he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves he had made. And at Bethel he also installed priests at the high places he had made.
African KalangaJeroboamu kabiga zhuba le bugumi lina kushanu le mwedzi we buzhanakadzi kube le nzano unonga nzano umu Juda. Kayisila mikong'wana ye golide zwibhayilo zwinopisiwa mu tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo tjimu Bhetele. Ngono kabiga bapirisiti mu magalo e minamato akatuthumala, aakathama mu Bhetele.
- English33
On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a month of his own choosing, he offered sacrifices on the altar he had built at Bethel. So he instituted the festival for the Israelites and went up to the altar to make offerings.
African KalangaMu zhuba le bugumi lina bushanu le mwedzi we buzhanakadzi, laakazwibigila, wakabe eyenda ku Bhetele kunoyisa tjibhayilo tjinopisiwa mu tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo. Kushathisa nzano waakabigila bana be Iziraela.
Source: The English-Kalanga Bilingual Language Learning Bible, Ndzimu-unami Emmanuel Moyo, 2026. This online edition was extracted and reformatted from the PDF edition. Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.