The English-Kalanga Bilingual Language Learning Bible
Old Testament
Read each verse in English beside its African Kalanga equivalent.
1 Kings 21English
1 Bomambo 21African Kalanga
- English1
Some time later there was an incident involving a vineyard belonging to Naboth the Jezreelite. The vineyard was in Jezreel, close to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.
African KalangaKwakabe kuna nnda we mizhambi we nlume wakabe eyi Nabhothi pejo ne ng'umba ye bumambo ya Mambo Ahabu.
- English2
Ahab said to Naboth, “Let me have your vineyard to use for a vegetable garden, since it is close to my palace. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard or, if you prefer, I will pay you whatever it is worth.”
African KalangaLimwe zhuba Ahabu kadwa Nabhothi kati, “Undipe nnda uwo we mizhambi ndilime milibo muuli, ngoti upejo ne ng'umba yangu. Ndowokupa wakanaka kuupinda mu bumo gwawo, kene ha ubona kwakakululwamila kukulipa nge mari ndowokulipa themba yakaulizana.”
- African Kalanga
Koga Nabhothi kashandula Ahabu eti, “Yahwe abatoduma kuti ndingakupa thaka ya bobatategulu bangu!”
- English4
So Ahab went home, sullen and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” He lay on his bed sulking and refused to eat.
African KalangaNgono Ahabu kayenda kanyi akagwadzamoyo moyo akadzipiwa nge shungu, nge tjaadwiwa ndi Nabhothi we Njezerele, eti aangampe thaka ya bobatategulu babe. Kanoyizela pa bulawo gugwe akalinga ku guma, alamba ja zojiwa.
- African Kalanga
Koga nkadzi uwe Jezebele kazha kunli kambhuzwa kati, “Ini makapuna moyo, kwamadzina mukasije zojiwa kene?”
- English6
He answered her, “Because I said to Naboth the Jezreelite, ‘Sell me your vineyard; or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’”
African KalangaNgono kadabila nkadzi uwe eti, “Huti ndalebeleka na Nabhothi kuti anditengesele nnda uwe we mizhambi nge mari, kene ha eshaka mmwe nnda, ndimpe mmwe nnda we mizhambi mu bumo gwawo, ngono kandidabila eti aangandipe iwo.”
- English7
Jezebel his wife said, “Is this how you act as king over Israel? Get up and eat! Cheer up. I’ll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
African KalangaNkadzi uwe Jezebele kandwa kati, “Apa ndiko sekwa munobusa Iziraela kene? Mukani, muje zojiwa, mushaladuke. Imi ndowomupa nnda we mizhambi wa Nabhothi we Njezerele.”
- English8
So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, placed his seal on them, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city with him.
African KalangaNdizo nkadzi kakwala whalo nge zina la Ahabu kadzitshambisa nge tjilakidzo tje nlume uwe, kadzitumila ku hadzasha ne bakulu be nzi banogala na Nabhothi mu nzi uwe nkulu.
- English9
In those letters she wrote: “Proclaim a day of fasting and seat Naboth in a prominent place among the people.
African KalangaNgono kakwala mu whalo eti, “Shalulani zhuba le kuzwinyima zojiwa, mukubunganye bathu, muzhe mugadze Nabhothi ku magalo ambeli.
- English10
But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them testify that he has cursed both God and the king. Then take him out and stone him to death.”
African KalangaMugadze kulingisana naye bathu babili be moyo mikukutu, ngono bantilike nlandu beti, ‘Wakalonga bhiso mu Ndzimu ne muna mambo.’ Mube mun'dusila kuzhe kwe nzi kunombulaya ngonkhikhithidza nge mabgwe.”
- English11
So the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city did as Jezebel directed in the letters she had written to them.
African KalangaHadzasha ne bakulu be nzi we Jezerele bakathama sekwa badwiwa ndi Jezebele.
- African Kalanga
Bakashalula zhuba le kuzwinyima zojiwa, bakakubunganya bathu, Nabhothi bakan'gadza ku magalo ambeli kwe gubungano.
- English13
Then two scoundrels came and sat opposite him and brought charges against Naboth before the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed both God and the king.” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death.
African KalangaBathu babili be moyo mikukutu bakangina bakagala kulingisana na Nabhothi, bakantilika nlandu beti, “Nabhothi wakalonga bhiso mu Ndzimu ne muna mambo.” Kabe etolegwa kuzhe kwe nzi kunobulawa ngokhikhithidziwa nge mabgwe.
- African Kalanga
Ndizo bakatuma batumwa kuna Jezebele beti, “Nabhothi wakakhikhithidziwa nge mabgwe, kafa.”
- English15
As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite that he refused to sell you. He is no longer alive, but dead.”
African KalangaKwakati tjinyolotjo Jezebele ewha kuti Nabhothi wakakhikhithidziwa nge mabgwe kafa, kadwa Ahabu kati, “Tjimilikani munozwitolegwa nnda wa Nabhothi we Jezerele wakalamba kumutengesela, ngoti wakafa.”
- English16
When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of Naboth’s vineyard.
African KalangaTjinyolotjo Ahabu kamilika kanozwitolegwa nnda wa Nabhothi.
- African Kalanga
Dama la Yahwe likazha kuna Elija we N'tishibhe liti,
- English18
“Go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who rules in Samaria. He is now in Naboth’s vineyard, where he has gone to take possession of it.
African KalangaMilika unoshanganidza Ahabu mambo we Iziraela mu Samariya. Unowon'wana mu nnda we mizhambi wa Nabhothi, kwaanozwitolegwa iwo.
- English19
Say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Have you not murdered a man and seized his property?’ Then say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: In the place where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood, dogs will lick up your blood–yes, yours!’”
African KalangaUndwe uti imi Yahwe ati kunli, “Apa wabulaya nthu ubuya utola thundu iye kakale kene? Undwe kakale uti, ‘Pakanazwigwa malopa a Nabhothi ne mbgwa ne awo dzowoanazwilabo po!’ ”
- English20
Ahab said to Elijah, “So you have found me, my enemy!” “I have found you,” he answered, “because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord.
African KalangaKukati Ahabu ebona Elija kambhuzwa eti, “Apa wandiwana iwe tjita tjangu kene?” Elija kanshandula eti, “Ee, ndakuwana, ngobe wazwitengesa mu kuthama mbipo mbeli kwa Yahwe.
- English21
‘I am going to bring disaster on you. I will consume your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel–slave or free.
African KalangaBona, Yahwe bakati, ‘Ndowozhisa mbatsha mu kuli, ndowokulobesa tjose, ndowolobesa balume be nsha wa Ahabu bose mu Iziraela, bakasungwa kene bakasununguka.
- English22
I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked me to anger and have caused Israel to sin.’
African KalangaNsha uwo unowonga wa Jeroboamu nkololo wa Nebhati ne wa Bhaasha nkololo wa Ahija, ngobe wandilonga bushongola ngothamisa Iziraela tjibi.’
- English23
“And also concerning Jezebel the Lord says: ‘Dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’
African KalangaNgono ngekwa Jezebele, Yahwe bakati mbgwa dzowoja itumbu tjitje mukati kwe nzi nkulu Jezirele.
- English24
“Dogs will eat those belonging to Ahab who die in the city, and the birds of the air will feed on those who die in the country.”
African KalangaMmwe ne mmwe we nsha wa Ahabu wafila mu nzi nkulu unowojiwa nge mbgwa. Ngono mmwe ne mmwe we nsha uwe wafila mu shango unowojiwa nge magola.”
- English25
(There was never a man like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife.
African Kalanga(Akuna wakatongo zwiseenya mu kuthama mbipo mbeli kwa Yahwe sa Ahabu, sekwa akafuligwa nge nkadzi uwe Jezebele.
- English26
He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the Lord drove out before Israel.)
African KalangaWakathama kunoshimisa ngonamata zwifano se Baamoni bakatatigwa kuzhe kwe shango ye bana be Iziraeala ndi Yahwe.)
- English27
When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly.
African KalangaKukati Ahabu ewha matama iyawo, kazwipalulila zwiambalo, kaambala jila le saka. Kalamba zojiwa, kalala akafuka jila le saka, edzungayila akadzimila.
- African Kalanga
Ngono dama la Yahwe likazha kuna Elija we N'tishibhe liti,
- English29
“Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.”
African Kalanga“Apa wabona sekwa Ahabu azwiyisa pasi ndiko mbeli kwangu kene? Ngoti wazwiyisa pasi mbeli kwangu, anditjowozhisa golomodzo mu misi ye butjilo gugwe. Koga ndowozhisa golomodzo mu nsha uwe mu misi ye butjilo gwe nkololo uwe.”
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.