The English-Kalanga Bilingual Language Learning Bible
Old Testament
Read each verse in English beside its African Kalanga equivalent.
1 Samuel 24English
1 Samuwele 24African Kalanga
- English1
After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.”
African KalangaKwakati Saulo edwa kugwa ne Bafilisitiya, kabudziwa kuyi, “Dafite umu tjilambanyika tje Enegidi.”
- English2
So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.
African KalangaNdizo Saulo katola balume bali zwiwulu zwili zwitatu (3 000) bakashalugwa kudwa mu Iziraela yose, kunoshaka Dafite ne bathu babe pejo ne Thombo dze Mbudzi dze Shango.
- English3
He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave.
African KalangaSaulo kaswika pa matanga e pkhwizi akabe ali pa whunde ne zila, pakabe kuna guwu, ngono Saulo kangina mukati kazwituma. Ipapo Dafite ne bathu babe bakabe baligele mukatikati kwe guwu.
- English4
The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
African KalangaBathu ba Dafite bakandwa bakati, “Ele ndilo zhuba lakalebgwa ndi Yahwe bekudwa beti, ‘Ndowokupa tjita tjitjo mu maboko awo, ngono unowoshinga tjaunoda mutjili.’ ” Dafite kanyanga Saulo, katjeka kadusa lipeto gwe tjiambalo tja Saulo asingan’whe.
- African Kalanga
Shule kwa ipapo, Dafite kadziyidzika mu moyo, ngobe atjeka kadusa lipeto gwe tjiambalo tja Saulo.
- English6
He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.”
African KalangaKadwa bathu babe kati, “Yahwe ngabandidzibe kuti ndisi thame kuthu ikoku muna tetshi wangu, nzhodziwa wa Yahwe, ndisitongo mmilidzila luboko, ngobe nzhodziwa wa Yahwe.”
- English7
With these words David rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.
African KalangaNdizo nge mawhi iyawa, Dafite katjemela bathu babe kuti basitongobe bakabulaya Saulo. Ndizo Saulo kamilika kabhuda mu guwu, kazwiyendigwazwe.
- English8
Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.
African KalangaShule kwa ipapo Dafite na iyebo kamilika kabhudila kuzhe kwe guwu, kadana Saulo kati, “Tetshi wangu, mambo!” Kwakati Saulo etjebuka shule, Dafite kathigama, kakotamisa nsholo.
- African Kalanga
Dafite kabhuzwa Saulo kati, “Apa whutini muteedza makwayi anoti Dafite unoshaka kumubulaya kene?”
- English10
This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lift my hand against my master, because he is the Lord’s anointed.’
African KalangaNasi mesho enyu abona sekwa Yahwe babe bamundipa mu maboko muli mu guwu, ene bamwe babe bendidwa beti ndimubulaye, koga amuletjedza. Abe nditi, “Andingamilidzile tetshi wangu luboko, ngobe nzhodziwa wa Yahwe.
- English11
See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. Now understand and recognize that I am not guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life.
African KalangaBonani, tate, bonani ndakabhata mpeto we tjiambalo tjenyu nge luboko, malebeswa ndianoti ndatjeka mpeto we tjiambalo tjenyu, koga asimubulaye, mungabona kuti lebeswa lose ndelinoti andina bubi kene bupanduki mu maboko angu. Andizomutjinyila, koga moshwa mundivima mushaka kundibulaya.
- English12
May the Lord judge between you and me. And may the Lord avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you.
African KalangaYahwe ngabathubukanye pakati kwangu namwi! Yahwe ngabamubgwilize zwamakandithama, koga andingafe ndamulonga gwangu luboko.
- African Kalanga
Sekwa bakulukugwe bakati, ‘Bubiibi godwa mu mishingo mibibi,’ koga andingamubhate nge gwangu luboko.
- African Kalanga
Apa mambo we Iziraela wabhudila ani itethela kene? Apa makatobelela ani kene? Apa makatobelela mbgwa yakafa kene? Kene makatobelela butata?
- English15
May the Lord be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand.”
African KalangaNdizo Yahwe ngababe ibo nsumikilisi, batiangulanye imi namwi. Banowolinga bakatola thambo nge kwangu, bandigwile nge kundisunungula mu muli.”
- English16
When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” And he wept aloud.
African KalangaKwakati Dafite epedza kulebeleka na Saulo, Saulo kabhuzwa kati, “Apa whi ileli ndelilo kene, nkololo wangu Dafite?” Saulo kadila guwo.
- English17
“You are more righteous than I,” he said. “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly.
African KalangaSaulo kadwa Dafite kati, “Wakayengemala kundipinda, wandishingila ndulamo, ipapa imi ndakuthamila mbipo.
- English18
You have just now told me of the good you did to me; the Lord delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me.
African KalangaUtjadwa pandibudza ndulamo yawandithamila, Yahwe babe bandilonga mu maboko awo, koga auzondibulaya.
- English19
When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the Lord reward you well for the way you treated me today.
African KalangaApa ndiani ungati awana tjita, katjiletjedza tjiyenda asingatjibulaye kene? Ndizo Yahwe bakupe mbhayilo mbuya, muna sekwa wathama mu ndili nasi.
- English20
I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands.
African KalangaNdoziba kuti tjoselele unowobe mambo, ne kuti mbuso we Iziraela unowolumbidziwa uli mu maboko awo.
- English21
Now swear to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.”
African KalangaNdizo tuna ndi Yahwe mbeli kwangu, kuti autobulaya tjizekugwana tjangu kene kubukusha zina langu kulidusa mu ng'umba ya tate bangu kene.”
- English22
So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
African KalangaNdizo Dafite katuna mbeli kwa Saulo. Saulo kabgwilila kanyi, koga Dafite ne bathu babe bakatathila pezhugwi ku matizhilo.
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.