The English-Kalanga Bilingual Language Learning Bible
Old Testament
Read each verse in English beside its African Kalanga equivalent.
1 Kings 13English
1 Bomambo 13African Kalanga
- English1
By the word of the Lord a man of God came from Judah to Bethel, as Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make an offering.
African KalangaNgono bonani, nlebesambeli we Ndzimu kadwa mu Juda kayenda ku Bhetele atumwa ndi Yahwe, kati eswikako kawana Jeroboamu alimile pa tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo episa tjibhayilo.
- English2
He cried out against the altar by the word of the Lord: “O altar, altar! This is what the Lord says: ‘A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David. On you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who now make offerings here, and human bones will be burned on you.’”
African KalangaNgono nlebesambeli we Ndzimu kamimila etjemela tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo nge dama la Yahwe eti, “Iwe tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo, iwe tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo! Yahwe banolebeleka bakati, ‘Bona, kowozwagwa nkololo mu ng'umba ya Dafite, unowodang'wa zina kuyi Josiya, ngono unowobhayila bapirisiti banopisila zwibhayilo zwe mafupa e bathu mukuli, pezhugwi kuko.’ ”
- English3
That same day the man of God gave a sign: “This is the sign the Lord has declared: The altar will be split apart and the ashes on it will be poured out.”
African KalangaNgono mu zhuba ilelo zwalo, nlebesambeli we Ndzimu kapa tjilakidzo tjinoti, “Yahwe bapa tjilakidzo tjinoti, ‘Bona, tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo tjowophatuka na pakati, milota imutjili ikatebukila pasi.’ ”
- English4
When King Jeroboam heard what the man of God cried out against the altar at Bethel, he stretched out his hand from the altar and said, “Seize him!” But the hand he stretched out toward the man shriveled up, so that he could not pull it back.
African KalangaKukati Mambo Jeroboamu ewha tjalebgwa nge nlebesambeli we Ndzimu emimila etjemela tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo tjiku Bhetele, Jeroboamu kadusa luboko gugwe pa tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo, katendeka nlebesambeli kati, “Mumbhate.” Ngono luboko gwa akantendeka nlebesambeli we Ndzimu ndigo gukalobgwa nge gulukadzi kasitjatubule kugubuzila kunli.
- English5
Also, the altar was split apart and its ashes poured out according to the sign given by the man of God by the word of the Lord.
African KalangaTjibeso tjikaphatuka na pakati, milota ikatebukila pasi, kuyendidzana ne tjilakidzo tjakapiwa nge nlume we Ndzimu sekwa akadwiwa ndi Yahwe.
- English6
Then the king said to the man of God, “Intercede with the Lord your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored.” So the man of God interceded with the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored and became as it was before.
African KalangaMambo Jeroboamu kakumbila nlebesambeli we Ndzimu kati, “Unditembezelele kuna Yahwe, Ndzimu uwo, ubakumbile bapodze luboko gwangu.” Nlebesambeli we Ndzimu katembezela ekumbila kuna Yahwe, ngono luboko gwa mambo gukapodziwa, gukabe sekwa gwagala guli iko.
- English7
The king said to the man of God, “Come home with me and have something to eat, and I will give you a gift.”
African KalangaIpapo mambo kadwa nlebesambeli we Ndzimu kati, “Atiyende tose ku nzi, unoja zojiwa, ndokowokupa mboko muna tjawandithamila.”
- English8
But the man of God answered the king, “Even if you were to give me half your possessions, I would not go with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water here.
African KalangaNgono nlebesambeli we Ndzimu kadwa mambo kati, “Nenguba mungandipa gwamu limwe le thundu yenyu, andingayende namwi. Nakuto kuli kunoja kene kung'wa mu ng'umba iyeyi ye bushe.
- English9
For I was commanded by the word of the Lord: ‘You must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came.’”
African KalangaNgoti ndadwiwa nge dama la Yahwe liti, ‘Usitongoja tjiwunga nakuto kuli kung'wa vula, nenguba kuli kushanduka nge zila yawazha ndiyo.’ ”
- African Kalanga
Ndizo kasitongo shanduka nge zila yaakazha ndiyo, kashanduka nge zila ipoga.
- English11
Now there was a certain old prophet living in Bethel, whose sons came and told him all that the man of God had done there that day. They also told their father what he had said to the king.
African KalangaIpapo kukabe kuna sholotjena ye nlebesambeli igala mu Bhetele. Mmwe we bakololo bayo kazha ku ili kayibudza zose zwashingwa nge nlebesambeli we Ndzimu mu zhuba ilelo mu Bhetele. Bakabudza tate babo zwaakaleba kuna mambo.
- English12
Their father asked them, “Which way did he go?” And his sons showed him which road the man of God from Judah had taken.
African KalangaTate babo bakabhuzwa beti, “Watobela zila ipi?” Ngono bakololo babe bakanlakidza zila yakatobegwa nge nlebesambeli we Ndzimu wadwa ku Juda.
- English13
So he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” And when they had saddled the donkey for him, he mounted it
African KalangaKadwa bakololo babe kuti bambelesele donki, ngono bakambelesela iyo kabe eitatha.
- English14
and rode after the man of God. He found him sitting under an oak tree and asked, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?” “I am,” he replied.
African KalangaKabe elonda nlebesambeli we Ndzimu, kanon'wana aligele kusi kwe nti nkulu we pakayengemala. Ngono kambhuzwa kati, “Ndiwe nlebesambeli we Ndzimu unodwa ku Juda kene?” Kadabila eti, “Ndimi.”
- African Kalanga
Kabe endwa eti, “Ngatiyende tose ku nzi unoja zojiwa.”
- English16
The man of God said, “I cannot turn back and go with you, nor can I eat bread or drink water with you in this place.
African KalangaNgono kanshandula eti, “Andingashanduke nawe, naiko kuyenda ndinoja tjiwunga kene kung'wa vula nawe mu magalo iyawa.
- English17
I have been told by the word of the Lord: ‘You must not eat bread or drink water there or return by the way you came.’”
African KalangaNgoti ndakadwiwa nge dama la Yahwe kukayi, ‘Usitongoja tjiwunga kene kuli kung'wa vula ikweno, naiko usitongo shanduka nge zila yawakazha ndiwo.’ ”
- English18
The old prophet answered, “I too am a prophet, as you are. And an angel said to me by the word of the Lord: ‘Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.’ “ (But he was lying to him.)
African KalangaNlebesambeli wagala ali mu Bhetele kandwa kati, “Namibo ndi nlebesambeli sawe, ntumwa we Ndzimu walebeleka nami nge dama la Yahwe eti, ‘Kanshaduse azhe nawe ku nzi, kuti awoja tjiwunga abe eng'wa vula.’ ” Koga wakabe enyepa.
- African Kalanga
Ndizo nlebesambeli we Ndzimu kashanduka naye, kanoja tjiwunga mu ng'umba iye, ebe eng'wa vula.
- English20
While they were sitting at the table, the word of the Lord came to the old prophet who had brought him back.
African KalangaBakati batjigele pa tafuli dama la Yahwe likazha ku nlebesambeli wagala ali mu Bhetele.
- English21
He cried out to the man of God who had come from Judah, “This is what the Lord says: ‘You have defied the word of the Lord and have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you.
African KalangaNgono kamilidza whi kati ku nlebesambeli we Ndzimu wakadwa ku Juda, “Yahwe, Ndzimu uwo bakati auzowha dama la Yahwe, ngoti auzothama tjawakadwiwa ndi Yahwe Ndzimu uwo.
- English22
You came back and ate bread and drank water in the place where he told you not to eat or drink. Therefore your body will not be buried in the tomb of your fathers.’”
African KalangaKoga wakashanduka ukawoja tjiwunga ukabuya ukang'wa vula mu magalo abakakudwa bakati, ‘Usitongoja tjiwunga nakuto kuli kung'wa vula muali.’ Unowofa, ngobe wathama ikoko, ngono itumbu tjitjo atjitowobiganyiwa ku zwikumbu zwakabiganyiwa botate babo.”
- English23
When the man of God had finished eating and drinking, the prophet who had brought him back saddled his donkey for him.
African KalangaBakati basinoja tjiwunga bang'wa vula, nlebesambeli wagala ali mu Bhetele kabelesela nlebesambeli donki iwoyu waashandusa mu zila.
- English24
As he went on his way, a lion met him on the road and killed him, and his body was thrown down on the road, with both the donkey and the lion standing beside it.
African KalangaKatatha donki kayenda, ngono kashangana ne shumba mu zila ikambulaya. Itumbu tjitje tjikawila mu zila ngono donki ikama patjili ne shumba ikama bo patjili.
- English25
Some people who passed by saw the body thrown down there, with the lion standing beside the body, and they went and reported it in the city where the old prophet lived.
African KalangaNgono bathu bakabe bepinda nge zila bakabona itumbu tjitje tjakawila mu zila ne shumba ilimile patjili. Bakanoleba mu nzi nkulu wakabe nlebesambeli wagala ali mu Bhetele egala muuli.
- English26
When the prophet who had brought him back from his journey heard of it, he said, “It is the man of God who defied the word of the Lord. The Lord has given him over to the lion, which has mauled him and killed him, as the word of the Lord had warned him.”
African KalangaKukati nlebesambeli wakanshandusa ewha nge kwako, kabe eti, “Nlebesambeli we Ndzimu, usakawha dama la Yahwe. Ndizo Yahwe bakampa shumba, ndiyo yakampalulanya ikambulaya, kuyendidzana ne dama labo labakandwa.”
- African Kalanga
Ngono kadwa bakololo babe kati bambelesele donki, bakabe bethama tjaabadwa.
- English28
Then he went out and found the body thrown down on the road, with the donkey and the lion standing beside it. The lion had neither eaten the body nor mauled the donkey.
African KalangaKatatha donki kabhuda kayenda, kanowana itumbu tje nlebesambeli tjakawila mu zila, donki ne shumba zwili mile patjili. Ngono shumba isaja itumbu kene kuli kupalulanya donki.
- English29
So the prophet picked up the body of the man of God, laid it on the donkey, and brought it back to his own city to mourn for him and bury him.
African KalangaNlebesambeli wagala ali mu Bhetele kamilidza itumbu tje nlebesambeli we Ndzimu katjibelesa mu donki, kashandukila natjo ku Bhetele kunlilila ne kumbiganya.
- English30
Then he laid the body in his own tomb, and they mourned over him and said, “Oh, my brother!”
African KalangaWakabiganya itumbu mu ikumbu tjitje, benlilila beti, “Yee mme wee, ikamu tjangu, ikamu tjangu!”
- English31
After burying him, he said to his sons, “When I die, bury me in the grave where the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones.
African KalangaShule kwe kumbiganya, kadwa bakololo babe kati, “Ha ndafa, mundibiganye mu ikumbu tjakabiganyiwa nlebesambeli we Ndzimu, mubapise mafupa angu ne awe.
- English32
For the message he declared by the word of the Lord against the altar in Bethel and against all the shrines on the high places in the towns of Samaria will certainly come true.”
African KalangaNgoti ndebeleko yaakalebeleka nge dama la Yahwe ngekwe tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo tjimu Bhetele, nenge kwe ng'umba dzose dzimu magalo akatuthumala dzimu mizi mikulu ye Samariya, aizowila pasi.”
- English33
Even after this, Jeroboam did not change his evil ways, but once more appointed priests for the high places from all sorts of people. Anyone who wanted to become a priest he consecrated for the high places.
African KalangaShule kwe zwithu izwezwi, Jeroboamu kasishandukile mbipo iye, kadwilila eshalulila magalo akatuthumala bapirisiti kudwa mu bathu bose. Wakabe ebiga mmwe ne mmwe wakabe eshaka kube mpirisiti.
- English34
This was the sin of the house of Jeroboam that led to its downfall and to its destruction from the face of the earth.
African KalangaKuthu ikoko kwakabe tjibi mu ng'umba ya Jeroboamu, kukaipaladza, kukabuya kukailobesa mu shango.
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.