The English-Kalanga Bilingual Language Learning Bible
Old Testament
Read each verse in English beside its African Kalanga equivalent.
1 Samuel 29English
1 Samuwele 29African Kalanga
- English1
The Philistines gathered all their forces at Aphek, and Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel.
African KalangaBafilisitiya bakakubunganyila babhayani babo bose ku Apheki, Baiziraela ibo bakakotokela pa nsenya umu Jezerele.
- English2
As the Philistine rulers marched with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men were marching at the rear with Achish.
African KalangaKwakati batungamili be babhayani be Bafilisitiya Bakalongoloka nge mizila ye mazana nenge zwiwulu, Dafite ne bathu babe bakapinda bali shule na Akhishi.
- English3
The commanders of the Philistines asked, “What about these Hebrews?” Achish replied, “Is this not David, who was an officer of Saul king of Israel? He has already been with me for over a year, and from the day he left Saul until now, I have found no fault in him.”
African KalangaBalauli be babhayani be Bafilisitiya bakabe beti, “Bahebheru ibaba banoshingani ipapa kene?” Akhishi kadabila balauli be Bafilisitiya kati, “Apa iwoyu ate ali Dafite, wakabe ali gulukota la Saulo mambo we Iziraela, wakabe nami tjibaka tjingapinda gole? Kwetjinga kwa akadwa kuna Saulo andizotongowana nlandu munli kuswikila nasi.”
- English4
But the Philistine commanders were angry with him and said, “Send the man back, that he may return to the place you assigned him. He must not go with us into battle, or he will turn against us during the fighting. How better could he regain his master’s favor than by taking the heads of our own men?
African KalangaKoga balauli be babhayani be Bafilisitiya bakan'gwadzila moyo bakati kunli, “Shandusa nlume iwoyu, abgwilile ku bugalo gwawakambiga. Asitongo ngina naswi mu ngwa, ungadwa etishandukila titji pakati kwe ngwa. Ini tjingandziba kuzwiwhananya na tetshi uwe ngobulaya balume ibaba bedu kene?
- English5
Isn’t this the David they sang about in their dances: “ ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands’?”
African KalangaApa ate iye Dafite iwoyu, wabakamba bedabidzana mu mizano kene? Beti, ‘Saulo wakabulaya zwiwulu zwizwe, ngono Dafite wakabulaya zwiwulu zwili gumi kene?’ ”
- English6
So Achish called David and said to him, “As surely as the Lord lives, you have been reliable, and I would be pleased to have you serve with me in the army. From the day you came to me until now, I have found no fault in you, but the rulers don’t approve of you.
African KalangaNdizo Akhishi kadana Dafite kandwa kati, “Tjoselele ndotuna na Yahwe banotjila, wabe ugalika bgwe mundili, kakale ndabe ndishathila kuti ungashinga nami mu ngwa, ngobe akuna tjandakawana tjinlandu mukuli kudwa mu zhuba lawakazha kundili kuswikila nasi. Ngono batungamili abatokudumila.
- African Kalanga
Shandukazo, uyende nge mbakiso, kuti usidwe ukopodza batungamili be Bafilisitiya.”
- English8
“But what have I done?” asked David. “What have you found against your servant from the day I came to you until now? Why can’t I go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”
African KalangaDafite kabhuzwa eti, “Ndakathamani kene? Ini tjamakabona mu nlanda wenyu kudwa mu zhuba landakatangisa kungina mu nshingo wenyu kowoti nasi? Ngono ini tjingandikonedza kunogwa ne zwita zwa tetshi wangu mambo kene?”
- English9
Achish answered, “I know that you have been as pleasing in my eyes as an angel of God; nevertheless, the Philistine commanders have said, ‘He must not go up with us into battle.’
African KalangaAkhishi kadabila Dafite eti, “Ndoziba kuti wakalulwama mu mesho angu se ntumwa we kudzimu, koga balauli be Bafilisitiya baleba beti, ‘Angayende naswi ku ngwa.’
- English10
Now get up early, along with your master’s servants who have come with you, and leave in the morning as soon as it is light.”
African KalangaNdizo ngwenu mumuke mubinduke mangwanana, iwe ne balanda ba tetshi uwo bawakazha nabo, mu milike kutji mangwanana koga akuyedza.”
- English11
So David and his men got up early in the morning to go back to the land of the Philistines, and the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
African KalangaNdizo Dafite ne balanda babe bakabinduka kutji mangwanana bakabgwilila ku shango ye Bafilisitiya, ngono Bafilisitiya ibo bayenda ku Jezerele.
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.