The English-Kalanga Bilingual Language Learning Bible
Old Testament
Read each verse in English beside its African Kalanga equivalent.
1 Samuel 23English
1 Samuwele 23African Kalanga
- English1
When David was told, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are looting the threshing floors,”
African KalangaKwakati Dafite ebudziwa kuyi, “Bona, Bafilisitiya banogwa ne Keila, kakale bakabatolela mbuwa.”
- English2
he inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” The Lord answered him, “Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”
African KalangaDafite kabhuzwa kuna Yahwe kati, “Apa ndingayenda anonginilila Bafilisitiya ibaba kene?” Yahwe bakashandula Dafite beti, “Yenda unonginilila Bafilisitiya ibaba, utjidze Keila.”
- English3
But David’s men said to him, “Here in Judah we are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!”
African KalangaKoga bathu ba Dafite bakandwa bakati, “Iswi totja imomu mu Juda, ngono kutja kwedu kowobe kungapani, ha tingayenda ku Keila, kunogwa ne ngwa dze Bafilisitiya kene?”
- English4
Once again David inquired of the Lord, and the Lord answered him, “Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand.”
African KalangaNdizo Dafite kakumbila Yahwe kakale, Yahwe bakan'dabila beti, “Ee, delukila ku Keila, ndowothama kuti ukunde Bafilisitiya.”
- English5
So David and his men went to Keilah, fought the Philistines and carried off their livestock. He inflicted heavy losses on the Philistines and saved the people of Keilah.
African KalangaNdizo Dafite ne bathu babe bakayenda ku Keila, bakagwa ne Bafilisitiya, bakatakula zwithuwo zwabo, bakabakulila kukulu kwazo. Dafite kagwila bathu be Keila.
- English6
(Now Abiathar son of Ahimelech had brought the ephod down with him when he fled to David at Keilah.)
African KalangaKwakati Abiathari nkololo wa Ahimeleki etizhila kuna Dafite ku Keila, kazha akabhata efodi.
- English7
Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, “God has handed him over to me, for David has imprisoned himself by entering a town with gates and bars.”
African KalangaSaulo wakabudziwa kuti Dafite wabe ku Keila, ngono kabe eti, “Ndzimu wandipa iye mu maboko, wazwizhalilila ngongina mu nzi una mikoba ne mazhalilo.”
- English8
And Saul called up all his forces for battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.
African KalangaSaulo kadanila bathu bose ku ngwa, kunokombeledza Keila, kulalila Dafite ne bathu babe.
- English9
When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.”
African KalangaKwakati Dafite asinoziba kuti Saulo unonlukila gwanga gwe kumbulaya, akadwa Mpirisiti Abiathari kati, “Zhisa efodi ngeno.”
- English10
David said, “O Lord, God of Israel, your servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town on account of me.
African KalangaDafite kati, “Ndomutembezela, Yahwe Ndzimu we Iziraela, nlanda wenyu wawha kuti Saulo unoshakazha ku Keila, kowokolomodza nzi nkulu nge kwangu.
- English11
Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? O Lord, God of Israel, tell your servant.” And the Lord said, “He will.”
African KalangaNgono ngwenu, apa Saulo unowozha sekwa akawha nlanda wenyu kene? Ndomutembezela, Yahwe Ndzimu we Iziraela, ndomukumbila, budzani nlanda wenyu.” Yahwe bakadabila beti, “Unowozha.”
- English12
Again David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?” And the Lord said, “They will.”
African KalangaNdizo Dafite kabhuzwa eti, “Apa bagali be Keila banowotipa Saulo mu maboko imi ne bathu bangu kene?” Yahwe bakashandula beti, “Banowomulonga mu maboko awe.”
- English13
So David and his men, about six hundred in number, left Keilah and kept moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he did not go there.
African KalangaNdizo Dafite ne bathu babe, bakabe bangabe mazana ali kutathatu (600), bakamilika bakabhuda mu Keila, bakayenda bengina ntuthu ne ntuthu. Kwakati Saulo asinobudziwa kuti Dafite watizha mu Keila, kasitjayendeko.
- English14
David stayed in the desert strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands.
African KalangaDafite kagala mu matizhilo mu tjilambanyika, mu matuthu e Tjilambanyika tje Zifu. Saulo kanshaka mazhuba wose, koga Yahwe bakasithame kuti ambone.
- English15
While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that Saul had come out to take his life.
African KalangaKukati Dafite atji mu Tjilambanyika tje Zifu ku Horeshi, kaziba kuti Saulo unoshaka kumbulaya.
- African Kalanga
Nkololo wa Saulo Jonatani kamilika kayenda kuna Dafite ku Horeshi, kambatsha kuti awane simba muna Yahwe.
- English17
“Don’t be afraid,” he said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.”
African KalangaKandwa kati, “Usitje, ngobe tate bangu Saulo abatjowokubulaya, unowobe mambo we Iziraela, imi ndowokubhata thudzi, na ibo tate bangu Saulo banoziba kuthu ikoku.”
- English18
The two of them made a covenant before the Lord. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh.
African KalangaBubili gwabo bakathama tjidumano mbeli kwa Yahwe, Jonatani kabe ebgwilila kanyi, Dafite kabe esala ku Horeshi.
- English19
The Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hakilah, south of Jeshimon?
African KalangaNdizo Bazifu bakatathila ku Gibiya kuna Saulo kunon'dwa beti, “Dafite wakabgwata kanyi kwedu, mu matizhilo e Horeshi mu duthu le Hakhila, liku burwa gwe Jeshimoni.
- English20
Now, O king, come down whenever it pleases you to do so, and we will be responsible for handing him over to the king.”
African KalangaNgwenu mambo, mungazha zwenyu pamunowobe mawana tjibaka, iswi kowobe mu mathudzi edu kunlonga mu maboko a mambo.”
- African Kalanga
Saulo kabadwa kati, “Yahwe bamukombolele, ngobe mandiyitila hanya.
- English22
Go and make further preparation. Find out where David usually goes and who has seen him there. They tell me he is very crafty.
African KalangaYendani munobona kakale, ipo paayapo dumbu, ne kuti wakabong'wa ndiani ikweno, ngobe ndakabudziwa kuti i jenjedu gulu.
- English23
Find out about all the hiding places he uses and come back to me with definite information. Then I will go with you; if he is in the area, I will track him down among all the clans of Judah.”
African KalangaMushake kose, mu zibe mabgwatilo awe wose kwaanozwisumbikako, mube mubuya mowondibudza ha motjizibisisa. Ndizo ndowoyenda namwi, ngono ha kuli kuti uyapo mu shango, ndowonvima pakati kwe zwiwulu (10 000) zwe Juda.”
- English24
So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Desert of Maon, in the Arabah south of Jeshimon.
African KalangaBakamilika bakayenda ku Zifu kutangila Saulo. Dafite ne bathu babe bakabe bali mu tjilambanyika tje Maoni, mu Araba ku burwa gwe Jeshimoni.
- English25
Saul and his men began the search, and when David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Desert of Maon. When Saul heard this, he went into the Desert of Maon in pursuit of David.
African KalangaSaulo ne balanda babe bakatangisa kunshaka. Kwakati Dafite abudziwa ngekwako, kadelukila ku shongwe kanogala mu tjilambanyika tje Maoni. Kukati Saulo ewha ikoku, katobela Dafite mu tjilambanyika tje Maoni.
- English26
Saul was going along one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side, hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his forces were closing in on David and his men to capture them,
African KalangaSaulo wakabe eyenda ali ntha imwe ye dombo, Dafite ne bathu babe beyendabo bali ntha imwe ye dombo, beyenda belibilidza kuti batizhe basiye Saulo, koga Saulo ne balanda bakakomba Dafite ne bathu babe kuti bababhate.
- African Kalanga
Kukaswika ntumwa kuna Saulo, kandwa kati, “Tjimbidza ubuye, Bafilisitiya bangina nge ngwa mu shango kuwoitapa.”
- English28
Then Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why they call this place Sela Hammahlekoth.
African KalangaNdizo Saulo kaletjedza kulonda Dafite, kabe eyenda enogwa ne Bafilisitiya, Ndizo wale pathu ipapo pakadang'wa kuyi Shongwe ye Kupudzumuka.
- African Kalanga
Kudwa ipapo Dafite wakayenda kanogala mu matizhilo ye Enigedi.
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.