The English-Kalanga Bilingual Language Learning Bible
Old Testament
Read each verse in English beside its African Kalanga equivalent.
1 Samuel 19English
1 Samuwele 19African Kalanga
- English1
Saul told his son Jonathan and all the attendants to kill David. But Jonathan was very fond of David
African KalangaSaulo wakabudza nkololo uwe Jonatani ne balanda babe bose ngekwe kubulaya Dafite. Koga Jonatani wakabe ne ludo gukulu kwazo muna Dafite.
- English2
and warned him, “My father Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning; go into hiding and stay there.
African KalangaJonatani kadwa Dafite kati, “Tate bangu Saulo banogwisa zila ye kukubulaya, tjimuka mangwanana uzwitjengete, utizhe unobgwata.
- English3
I will go out and stand with my father in the field where you are. I’ll speak to him about you and will tell you what I find out.”
African KalangaNdowobhudila kuzhe, anoma na tate pa shango pa unowobe ulipo, alebeleka na tate nge kuko, ngono ndowokubudza tjandinowobe ndabona.”
- English4
Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king do wrong to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly.
African KalangaJonatani wakaleba bubuya ngekwa Dafite na tate babe Saulo, ebadwa eti, “Mambo ngabasithame tjibi ngekwe nlanda wabo Dafite, ngobe iye akuna tjaakamutjinya nditjo, nenge zwaakathama, zwaakabe ne mbuzilo wulu kwazo mu muli.
- English5
He took his life in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The Lord won a great victory for all Israel, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent man like David by killing him for no reason?”
African KalangaWakalonga butjilo gugwe mu mbatsha paakabulaya Nfilisitiya, ngono Yahwe bakazhisila Iziraela yose kukunda kukulu kwazo. Makakubona, mukashatha, ngono ini mungathama tjibi nge kutebula malopa asina nlandu nge kubulaya Dafite asina nlandu kene?”
- English6
Saul listened to Jonathan and took this oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be put to death.”
African KalangaSaulo katola dama la Jonatani, katuna kati, “Ndolebesa, na Yahwe banotjila, Dafite aatowobulawa.”
- English7
So Jonathan called David and told him the whole conversation. He brought him to Saul, and David was with Saul as before.
African KalangaNdizo Jonatani kadana Dafite kanlondela zose zwalebgwa. Kantola kan'yisa kuna Saulo, ngono Dafite kabgwiliziwa mu nshingo uwe wa kale.
- English8
Once more war broke out, and David went out and fought the Philistines. He struck them with such force that they fled before him.
African KalangaNgwa ikamuka kakale, ngono Dafite kabhuda kanogwa ne Bafilisitiya. Kagwa nabo nge masimba kababulaya kwazo, bakadwa panli bakatizha.
- English9
But an evil spirit from the Lord came upon Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. While David was playing the harp,
African KalangaNgono meya mibi inodwa kuna Yahwe ikadelukila muna Saulo, aligele mu ng'umba iye akabhata thumo nge luboko, kukati Dafite elidza harepa,
- English10
Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape.
African KalangaSaulo kagwiso kothomelela Dafite mu guma nge thumo, koga kalidzeta, kuti thumo linobhaya mu guma. Dafite katizha, kanyeluka mu busiku igogu.
- English11
Saul sent men to David’s house to watch it and to kill him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, warned him, “If you don’t run for your life tonight, tomorrow you’ll be killed.”
African KalangaSaulo wakatumila balume ku ng'umba ya Dafite kuilinda, kuti bambulaye mangwanana. Koga nkadzi wa Dafite Mikhali kanluma zebe kati, “Ha usingake ukatizha busiku igogu kuzwitjidza, mangwana unowobulawa.”
- African Kalanga
Mikhali kathukisa Dafite nge fesitere, katizha kapudzumuka lufu.
- English13
Then Michal took an idol and laid it on the bed, covering it with a garment and putting some goats’ hair at the head.
African KalangaMikhali katola ifano tje ndzimu wakabezhiwa katjikushika pa bulawo, katjisazamidza nsazamilo we bukuse gwe mbudzi, katjifukidza nge ngubo.
- African Kalanga
Kwakati Saulo atuma bathu kunobhata Dafite, Mikhali kabadwa kati, “Unogwala.”
- English15
Then Saul sent the men back to see David and told them, “Bring him up to me in his bed so that I may kill him.”
African KalangaNdizo Saulo kabgwiliza bathu kuti banobona Dafite, kabadwa kati, “Munsenge nge bulawo gugwe muzhise ku ndili, ndimbulaye.”
- English16
But when the men entered, there was the idol in the bed, and at the head was some goats’ hair.
African KalangaKwakati balume bengina mukati, bakawana tjifano tje ndzimu wakabezhiwa tjili lele pa bulawo, ne nsazamilo we bukuse gwe mbudzi pa misholo yatjo.
- English17
Saul said to Michal, “Why did you deceive me like this and send my enemy away so that he escaped?” Michal told him, “He said to me, ‘Let me get away. Why should I kill you?’”
African KalangaSaulo kadwa Mikali kati, “Whutini wanditjebela kwakajali, waletjedza tjita tjangu tjiyenda, kuti ndizo apudzumuke kene?” Mikali kashandula Saulo eti, Wakandidwa kati, “Undiletje ndiyende, ndisidwe ndikubulaya.”
- English18
When David had fled and made his escape, he went to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went to Naioth and stayed there.
African KalangaKwakati Dafite atizha apudzumuka, kayenda kuna Samuele ku Rama, kaswika kambudza zose zwaakathamwa ndi Saulo. Ndizo iye na Samuele bakayenda ku Naioti bakanogalako.
- African Kalanga
Saulo kalumwa zebe kuyi, “Dafite uku Naioti ku Rama.”
- English20
so he sent men to capture him. But when they saw a group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing there as their leader, the Spirit of God came upon Saul’s men and they also prophesied.
African KalangaNdizo Saulo katuma bathu kunotola Dafite. Kwakati bebona goko le balebesambeli lili mu kulebesambeli na Samuele alimile ali iye nsholo wabo, meya ye Ndzimu ikabhata batumwa ba Saulo, naibo bo bakabe mu meya bakalebesambeli.
- English21
Saul was told about it, and he sent more men, and they prophesied too. Saul sent men a third time, and they also prophesied.
African KalangaKwakati Saulo ebudziwa ngekwe kuthu ikoku, katuma bathu bamwe, naibo bakalebesambelibo. Saulo katuma bathu kakale gwe butatu, na ibo bakalebesambeli bo.
- English22
Finally, he himself left for Ramah and went to the great cistern at Secu. And he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” “Over in Naioth at Ramah,” they said.
African KalangaNdizo Saulo kazwiyendigwa ku Rama. Kaswika pa tshime gulu limu Seku, kabhuzwa kati, “Bangayi Samuele na Dafite kene?” Ngono mmwe kan'dabila kati, “Baku Naioti ku Rama.”
- English23
So Saul went to Naioth at Ramah. But the Spirit of God came even upon him, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth.
African KalangaKayenda ko, wakati akalinga Naioti mu Rama, meya ye Ndzimu ikadelukila munli. Kwakati akabhata eyenda, kalebesambeli, kudzina enoswika ku Naioti mu Rama.
- English24
He stripped off his robes and also prophesied in Samuel’s presence. He lay that way all that day and night. This is why people say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
African KalangaKazwiambula zwiambalo, na iyebo kalebesambeli mbeli kwa Samuele. Kakandalala ali mbujo sikati ilelo lose ne busiku igugo gose. Ndipo pakatangisa ndebeleko inoti, “Apa Saulo na iyebo upakati kwe balebesambeli?”
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.