The English-Kalanga Bilingual Language Learning Bible
Old Testament
Read each verse in English beside its African Kalanga equivalent.
1 Samuel 16English
1 Samuwele 16African Kalanga
- English1
The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”
African KalangaYahwe Bakabhuzwa Samuele bakati, “Apa kowodza kukabe lini ulilila Saulo, ha ndakanlamba kuti abe mambo we Iziraela? Zhadza lunyanga gugo mafuta umilike uyende, ndokutuma kuna Jesi we N'bhetilehema, ngobe ndakashalula mmwe we bakololo babe kube mambo.”
- English2
But Samuel said, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me.” The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’
African KalangaSamuele kashandula eti, “Ndowoyenda tjini kene? Saulo ha angawha nge kwako, unowondibulaya.” Ngono Yahwe bakan'dwa bakati, “Tola ng'ombe pholombe uswike uti, ‘Ndazha kuwopisila Yahwe tjibhayilo.’
- English3
Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.”
African KalangaUkoke Jesi azhe ku tjibhayilo, ndowokulakidza tjaunowothama, unowondizhodzela iye wandinowokutendekela.”
- English4
Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?”
African KalangaSamuele kathama tjaakadwiwa ndi Yahwe, wakati eswika ku Bhetelehema batungamili be nzi nkulu bakanshanganidza betetema, bakambhuzwa bakati, “Apa mazha nge mbakiso kene?”
- English5
Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
African KalangaSamuele kabe eti, “Tjose nge mbakiso, ndazha kuwopisila Yahwe tjibhayilo, Muzwitjenepadze mungine nami mu tjibhayilo.” Katjenapadza Jesi ne bakololo babe, kabakoka kuzha ku tjibhayilo.
- English6
When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.”
African KalangaBakati basinozha, katilika Eliabu mesho kakumbula eti, “Tjoselele nzhodziwa wa Yahwe umbeli kwabo.”
- English7
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
African KalangaKoga Yahwe bakadwa Samuele bakati, “Usilinge mbumbiko eyi, kene tjimo tjekukula kukwe, ngobe ndanlamba, Yahwe abatobona sekwa kunobona bathu tjinyama, bathu banolinga mbumbiko ye nthu, koga Yahwe banolinga moyo.”
- English8
Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.”
African KalangaNdizo Jesi kadana Abinadabu, kampitsha mbeli kwa Samuele. Samuele kabe eti, “Ndodwa, Yahwe abazonshalula iwoyu.”
- African Kalanga
Jesi akati Samma apindebo po. Samuele kabe eti, “Ndodwa Yahwe abazonshalula iwoyu.”
- English10
Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.”
African KalangaJesi kapitsha bakololo babe bali kutendeka mbeli kwa Samuele, ngono Samuele kadwa Jesi kati, “Yahwe abana wabashalula muna ibaba.”
- English11
So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered, “but he is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”
African KalangaSamuele kabhuzwa Jesi kati, “Apa bakololo babo ndibo bose ibaba kene?” Ngono kadabila eti, “Kwasala we kologwe, ngono wakalisa pkhwizi.” Ipapo Samuele kwadwa Jesi kati, “Tuma mmwe anontola, atitowogala pasi kuswikila eswika ipapa.”
- English12
So he sent and had him brought in. He was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; he is the one.”
African KalangaNdizo Jesi katuma nthu kanozha naye. Wakabe ekwidzima, ana mesho mabuya, kakale ali mbuya. Yahwe bakabe beti, “Milika unzhodze, ngobe ndiye iwoyu.”
- English13
So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah.
African KalangaNdizo Samuele katola lunyanga gwe mafuta, kanzhodzela mbeli kwe bakulu babe, ngono kudwa mu zhuba ilelo kuyendila mbeli, meya ye Yahwe ikadelukila muna Dafite nge masimba. Samuele kamilika kayenda ku Rama.
- English14
Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him.
African KalangaIpapo meya ya Yahwe yakabe isitjipo muna Saulo, meya mibi yakatumwa ndi Yahwe ikammukila.
- African Kalanga
Ngono balanda ba Saulo bakandwa bakati, “Bona meya mibi inodwa ku Ndzimu yamumukila.
- English16
Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the harp. He will play when the evil spirit from God comes upon you, and you will feel better.”
African KalangaTetshi, idwani balanda benyu banoshaka nthu we nyambi mu kulidza herepa, kowoti meya yakabipa inodwa ku Ndzimu yadelukila mu muli, unowomulidzila herepa, ngono mowotebama.”
- African Kalanga
Ndizo Saulo kadwa balanda babe kati, “Mundiwanile nthu ungalidza zwinozipa, munzhise kundili.”
- English18
One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the harp. He is a brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the Lord is with him.”
African KalangaMmwe we bazhuzha kadabila eti, “Ndakabona nkololo wa Jesi we N'bhetelehema we nyambi mu kulidza, nlume wakasima tjilopa, wakasima mu ngwa, i nyambi ye ndebo, kakale mbuya kulingwa, ngono Yahwe banaye.”
- English19
Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.”
African KalangaNdizo Saulo katuma batumwa kuna Jesi kunon'dwa beti, “Unditumile nkololo uwo Dafite unolisa pkhwizi.”
- English20
So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul.
African KalangaJesi wakatola donki katjibelesa tjiwunga ne gukhwa le nkumbi we zhambi ne tjibudzana, katuma nkololo uwe Dafite kunozwipa Saulo.
- English21
David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armor-bearers.
African KalangaDafite kaswika kuna Saulo, kangina mu nshingo uwe. Saulo wakan'da kwazo, kanthama nsengi we zwibhayano zwizwe.
- English22
Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Allow David to remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.”
African KalangaNdizo Saulo wakatumila dama kuna Jesi eti, “Ndokumbila kuti musunungule Dafite agalile tjose mu nshingo wangu, ngobe ndan'da.”
- English23
Whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would take his harp and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.
African KalangaKwakabe kuti meya mbi inodwa ku Ndzimu idelukila muna Saulo, Dafite kabe etola herepa iye elidza, Saulo ebe ewiligwa etebama, meya mbi ibe ibhuda munli.
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.