The English-Kalanga Bilingual Language Learning Bible
Old Testament
Read each verse in English beside its African Kalanga equivalent.
2 Kings 18English
2 Bomambo 18African Kalanga
- English1
In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.
African KalangaMu gole le butatu le mbuso wa Hosheya nkololo wa Ela mambo we Iziraela, Hezekiya nkololo wa Ahazi mambo we Juda katangisa kubusa.
- English2
He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah.
African KalangaWakatangisa kubusa ana makole ali makumi mabili ana mashanu (25), kabusa makole ali makumi mabili ana ali zhanalume (29) mu Jerusalema. Zina la mmeyabe liyi Abi nkololokadzi wa Zakhariya.
- African Kalanga
Wakathama tjakalulwama mu mesho a Yahwe, sekwakathama tate babe Dafite.
- English4
He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan.)
African KalangaWakadusa magalo akatuthumala, kakwiya mabgwe e thiwa, katema ifano tja Ashera, kapkhwanya nyoka ye phangula yakabe yathamiwa ndi Mushe ngoti kuswika mu tjibaka itjetjo bathu be Iziraela bakabe beipisila motsha, yakabe idang'wa Nehushitani.
- English5
Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him.
African KalangaHezekiya wakagalabgwe muna Yahwe Ndzimu we Iziraela, kwakabe kusina wakanga iye muna bomambo bose be Juda shule kukwe kene muna ibabo bakabe bali mbeli kukwe.
- English6
He held fast to the Lord and did not cease to follow him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses.
African KalangaWakabhatilila muna Yahwe, kasipambuke mu kubatobela, kabhata milayo ya Yahwe yabakalayila Mushe.
- English7
And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him.
African KalangaYahwe bakabe banaye, kabhudilila mutjimwe ne tjimwe tjaakabe ethama. Kapandukila mambo we Asiriya, kasinshingile.
- English8
From watchtower to fortified city, he defeated the Philistines, as far as Gaza and its territory.
African KalangaKakunda Bafilisitiya kunoti tjose ku Gaza ne mituthu yayo kudwa ku ngadzi kunoti ku nzi we matizhilo.
- English9
In King Hezekiah’s fourth year, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Shalmaneser king of Assyria marched against Samaria and laid siege to it.
African KalangaMu gole le bunna le mbuso wa Hezekiya kuli gole le butendeka le mbuso wa Hosheya nkololo wa Ela mambo we Iziraela, Shalimanesa kanginilila Samariya kaikomba nge ngwa.
- English10
At the end of three years the Assyrians took it. So Samaria was captured in Hezekiah’s sixth year, which was the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel.
African KalangaKwakati kubupelo gwe makole matatu Baasiriya bakaitola. Mu gole le butathatu le mbuso wa Hezekiya kuli gole le buzhanalume le mbuso wa Hosheya mambo we Iziraela, Samariya ikatapiwa.
- English11
The king of Assyria deported Israel to Assyria and settled them in Halah, in Gozan on the Habor River and in towns of the Medes.
African KalangaMambo we Asiriya kasengela Baiziraela ku Asiriya kababiga mu Hala ne ku Haba gwizi gwe Gozani ne mu mizi mikulu ye Mediya,
- English12
This happened because they had not obeyed the Lord their God, but had violated his covenant–all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded. They neither listened to the commands nor carried them out.
African Kalangangoti abazoteedza whi la Yahwe Ndzimu wabo, ngono bakatjinya tjidumano na zose zwakalebgwa ndi Mushe nlanda wa Yahwe, abazozwiteedza kene kuli kuzwishingikadza.
- English13
In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s reign, Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them.
African KalangaMu gole le bugumi lina ali manna (14) le mbuso wa Hezekiya, Senakheribu mambo we Asiriya kazha kuwonginilila mizi mikulu yose ye matizhilo ye Juda ngono kayitapa.
- English14
So Hezekiah king of Judah sent this message to the king of Assyria at Lachish: “I have done wrong. Withdraw from me, and I will pay whatever you demand of me.” The king of Assyria exacted from Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.
African KalangaHezekiya mambo we Juda katumila ndayidzo kuna mambo we Asiriya ku Lakhishi eti, “Ndatjinya, shanduka undilekedze, ndowokulipa tjaunoshaka.” Ngono mambo we Asiriya kalipisa Hezekiya mambo we Juda talenta dze siliva dzili mazana matatu (300) ne talenta dze golide dzili makumi matatu (30).
- English15
So Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the temple of the Lord and in the treasuries of the royal palace.
African KalangaHezekiya kampa siliva yose yakabe ili mu ng'umba ya Yahwe nemu matula e ng'umba ya mambo.
- English16
At this time Hezekiah king of Judah stripped off the gold with which he had covered the doors and doorposts of the temple of the Lord, and gave it to the king of Assyria.
African KalangaMu tjibaka itjetjo Hezekiya ka kokonola golide mu matendele e ng'umba ya Yahwe nemu makwasayile, yakabe ya namatidziwa na Hezekiya mambo we Juda kayipa mambo we Asiriya.
- English17
The king of Assyria sent his supreme commander, his chief officer and his field commander with a large army, from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. They came up to Jerusalem and stopped at the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Washerman’s Field.
African KalangaMambo we Asiriya katuma ntungamili nkulu we ngwa ne ntungamili we bashingi be nzi wa mambo ne nlauli we babhayani kuna Mambo Hezekiya ku Jerusalema ana ngwa whulu kudwa ku Lakhishi. Bakayenda bakanoswika ku Jerusalema, bakati beswika bakama pa ngolo ye dziba lipezhugwi, limu zila ipa nnda we nsuki.
- English18
They called for the king; and Eliakim son of Hilkiah the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary, and Joah son of Asaph the recorder went out to them.
African KalangaBakadana mambo, ngono Eliyakimu nkololo wa Hilikiya wakabe ali ntjengeti we ng'umba ye bumambo, na Shebina we nkwalili na Jowa nkololo wa Asafu we nkwali we zwakashingikala bakayenda kubali.
- English19
The field commander said to them, “Tell Hezekiah: “ ‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: On what are you basing this confidence of yours?
African KalangaNkulu we balauli be babhayani kabadwa kati, “Kadweni Hezekiya muti, ‘Mambo nkulu, mambo we Asiriya kati, tjawakabiga mutjili ini wakadzikama wakajali kene?
- English20
You say you have strategy and military strength–but you speak only empty words. On whom are you depending, that you rebel against me?
African KalangaApa unokumbula kuti kuleba matama koga ndiwo maano ne simba lekugwa kene? Wakabiga muna yani haundipandukila kene?
- English21
Look now, you are depending on Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff, which pierces a man’s hand and wounds him if he leans on it! Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who depend on him.
African KalangaBonani, wakabiga mu Egipiti, igoguja ludozo gwe lushanga gwakavunika, gunowobhaya mmwe ne mmwe unodozola nago. Faro mambo we Egipiti wakajalo kuna ibabo bose bakabiga munli.
- English22
And if you say to me, “We are depending on the Lord our God”-isn’t he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, “You must worship before this altar in Jerusalem”?
African KalangaKoga ha mungandidwa muti, “Takabiga muna Yahwe Ndzimu wedu.” Apa ate uli iwo we magalo akatuthumala ne zwibeso zwinopisigwa zwibhayilo zwakakolomogwa ndi Hezekiya, edwa Juda ne Jerusalema eti, “Mu namate mbeli kwe tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo tjimu Jerusalema kene?”
- English23
“ ‘Come now, make a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses– if you can put riders on them!
African KalangaBuya ngeno udumane na tetshi wangu mambo we Asiriya. Ndowokupa mbizi dzili zwiwulu zwibili (2 000), ha ungawana bataswi badzo.
- English24
How can you repulse one officer of the least of my master’s officials, even though you are depending on Egypt for chariots and horsemen?
African KalangaAungatubule kumidzana ne nng'ompela we bashomanana tjose be balanda ba tetshi wangu, ha ilikuti wakabiga mu koloyi dze ngwa ne bataswi be mbizi be Egipiti.
- English25
Furthermore, have I come to attack and destroy this place without word from the Lord? The Lord himself told me to march against this country and destroy it.’”
African KalangaPezhugwi kwa ipapo, apa ndazha kuwonginilila ndi kolomodza magalo iyawa kusina dama ladwa kuna Yahwe kene? Yahwe ndibo bandidwa bakati ndinginilile shango iyeyi ndiyikolomodze.’ ”
- English26
Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, and Shebna and Joah said to the field commander, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, since we understand it. Don’t speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people on the wall.”
African KalangaKoga Eliyakimu nkololo wa Hilikiya na Shebina na Jowa bakadwa nkulu we batungamili be babhayani be Asiriya beti, “Tokumbila kuti utilebese nge Tjiaramu ngoti totjiwa, usitilebese nge Tjijuta mu zebe dze bathu ibaba ba pezhugwi kwe guma.”
- English27
But the commander replied, “Was it only to your master and you that my master sent me to say these things, and not to the men sitting on the wall–who, like you, will have to eat their own filth and drink their own urine?”
African KalangaKoga ntungamili kabadabila eti, “Apa moti ndatumwa kuwoleba zwithu izwezwi kuna tetshi wenyu ne ku muli koga kene? Akuzojalo, ndatumwa neku bathu bapezhugwi kwe guma, banowoja mapambuko abo bakang'wa mitundo yabo koga samwi.”
- English28
Then the commander stood and called out in Hebrew: “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria!
African KalangaIpapo nkulu we balauli be babhayani be Asiriya kamilidza whi kalebeleka nge Tjijuta eti, “Iwhani matama a mambo nkulu, mambo we Asiriya,
- English29
This is what the king says: Do not let Hezekiah deceive you. He cannot deliver you from my hand.
African KalangaMambo bakati, ‘Musitjengedziwe ndi Hezekiya ngoti aatowotubula ku musunungula mu luboko gwangu.
- English30
Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the Lord when he says, ‘The Lord will surely deliver us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.’
African KalangaMusitongo duma Hezekiya eti mugalebgwe muna Yahwe eti, nge malebeswa Yahwe banowotitjidza. Nzi nkulu iwoyu awungatogwe nge Asiriya.’
- English31
“Do not listen to Hezekiah. This is what the king of Assyria says: Make peace with me and come out to me. Then every one of you will eat from his own vine and fig tree and drink water from his own cistern,
African KalangaMusitongo teedza Hezekiya. Mambo we Asiriya kati, ‘Dumanani nami mube ne mbakiso mubhudile ngeno kundili, ipapo mmwe ne mmwe wenyu unowoja zhambi dze nzhambi uwe ne phaya dze mpaya uwe eng'wa vula mu tshime lile,
- English32
until I come and take you to a land like your own, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and honey. Choose life and not death! “Do not listen to Hezekiah, for he is misleading you when he says, ‘The Lord will deliver us.’
African Kalangakudzina ndizha ndiwomutola ndimuyisa ku shango inonga yenyu, shango ye mathunde ne nkumbi we zhambi, shango ye tjiwunga ne minda dze mizhambi, shango ye miti ye mitoba ne butji, kuti mutjile musife. Musiteedze Hezekiya apa emutjengela eti Yahwe banowotisunungula.
- African Kalanga
Apa kuna imwe ye midzimu ye zwitjaba yakatongo sunungula shango yawo mu luboko gwa mambo we Asiriya kene?
- English34
Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah? Have they rescued Samaria from my hand?
African KalangaIngayi midzimu ye Hamati ne Aripadi? Ingayi midzimu ye Sefarivaimu ne Hena ne Iva? Apa yakasunungula Samariya mu luboko gwangu kene?
- English35
Who of all the gods of these countries has been able to save his land from me? How then can the Lord deliver Jerusalem from my hand?”
African KalangaNdiipi midzimu pakati kwayo yose iyeyi yakatongo sunungula shango dzayo mu maboko angu kene? Apa ngono mungandibudza kuti Yahwe ungasunungula Jerusalema mu maboko angu kene?’ ”
- English36
But the people remained silent and said nothing in reply, because the king had commanded, “Do not answer him.”
African KalangaKoga bakanyalala zwabo bakasitongo ndabila ngekuti mambo bakabe bati, “Musitongo nshandula.”
- English37
Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary and Joah son of Asaph the recorder went to Hezekiah, with their clothes torn, and told him what the field commander had said.
African KalangaIpapo Eliyakimu nkololo wa Hilikiya iye wakabe ali ntjengeti we ng'umba ye bumambo ana Shebina nkwalili na Jowa nkololo wa Asafu ali nkwali we zwakashingikala, bakayenda kuna Hezekiya bapalula zwiambalo zwabakaambala, ngono bakambudza matama wose alebgwa ne nkulu we balauli be babhayani be Asiriya.
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.