The English-Kalanga Bilingual Language Learning Bible
Old Testament
Read each verse in English beside its African Kalanga equivalent.
1 Samuel 5English
1 Samuwele 5African Kalanga
- African Kalanga
Kwakati Bafilisitiya batapa Bhokisi le Tjidumano tje Ndzimu, bakalitola mu Ebheneza bakanoliyisa ku Ashidodi.
- African Kalanga
Ndizo Bafilisitiya bakatola Bhokisi le Tjidumano tje Ndzimu bakanolilonga mu ng'umba ya Dagoni bakalibiga pa whunde na Dagoni
- English3
When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! They took Dagon and put him back in his place.
African KalangaKwakati tjimuka mangwanana bathu be Ashidodi bemuka, bakawana Dagoni iwoyo, akawa nge buso mbeli kwe Bhokisi le Tjidumano tja Yahwe. Ngono bakatola Dagoni bakambgwiliza pa bugalo gugwe.
- English4
But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained.
African KalangaKoga bakati bemuka tjimuka bakawana Dagoni iwoyo, akawa nge buso mbeli kwe Bhokisi le Tjidumano tja Yahwe, ngono nsholo wa Dagoni ne maboko awe wose zwakathubugwa zwili pa tjirepuli tje nkoba we ng'umba, kwasala mbili uwe koga.
- English5
That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor any others who enter Dagon’s temple at Ashdod step on the threshold.
African KalangaNdizo wali bapirisiti ba Dagoni na bose banongina mu ng'umba ya Dagoni basingatshambe tjirepuli tja Dagoni ku Ashidodi na nasi.
- English6
The Lord’s hand was heavy upon the people of Ashdod and its vicinity; he brought devastation upon them and afflicted them with tumors.
African KalangaShamu ya Yahwe yakalemela bathu be Ashidodi ne kupoteleka, kakale bakabatjisa ne kubalonga bugwele gwe malonda.
- English7
When the men of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of the god of Israel must not stay here with us, because his hand is heavy upon us and upon Dagon our god.”
African KalangaKwakati bathu be Ashidodi bebona tjinoshingikala, bakati, “Bhokisi le Tjidumano tje Ndzimu we Iziraela alizofanila gala naswi, ngobe watiloba shamu inogwadza ne ndzimu wedu Dagoni.”
- English8
So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked them, “What shall we do with the ark of the god of Israel?” They answered, “Have the ark of the god of Israel moved to Gath.” So they moved the ark of the God of Israel.
African KalangaNdizo bakadana boshe bose be Bafilisitiya, bakababhuzwa beti, “Apa tingathamani nge Bhokisi le Tjidumano tje Ndzimu we Iziraela kene?” Ngono bakashandula beti, “Bhokisi le Tjidumano tje Ndzimu we Iziraela ngalifulusigwe ku Gati.” Ndizo bakafulusila Bhokisi le Tjidumano tje Ndzimu we Iziraela ku Gati.
- English9
But after they had moved it, the Lord’s hand was against that city, throwing it into a great panic. He afflicted the people of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors.
African KalangaKoga bakati baliyisa ku Gati, Yahwe bakaloba nzi iwoyo nge shamu, bakazhisa kutja kukulu kwazo, bakaloba bathu be nzi iwoyo, bose bakulu ne batjetjana bakabhudiwa nge malonda.
- English10
So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. As the ark of God was entering Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought the ark of the god of Israel around to us to kill us and our people.”
African KalangaNdizo bakatumila Bhokisi le Tjidumano tje Ndzimu ku Ekironi. Kwakati Bhokisi le Tjidumano tje Ndzimu liswika mu Ekironi, bathu be Ekironi bakalila beti, “Bazhisa Bhokisi le Tjidumano tje Ndzimu ku tili kutibulaya ne bakanyi kwedu.”
- English11
So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and said, “Send the ark of the god of Israel away; let it go back to its own place, or it will kill us and our people.” For death had filled the city with panic; God’s hand was very heavy upon it.
African KalangaNdizo bakadana batungamili bose be Bafilisitiya bakabadwa bakati, “Bgwilizani Bhokisi le Tjidumano tje Ndzimu we Iziraela, ngalibgwilile kanyi kwalo, lisitongo dwa litibulaya ne bakanyi kwedu.” Bakajalo ngobe nzi wose wakabe utetema nge lufu. Shamu ye Ndzimu yakabalemela kwazo ipapo.
- English12
Those who did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.
African KalangaBakasala pafa bakabhudiwa nge malonda, ngono bakalilila midzimu yabo.
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.