The English-Kalanga Bilingual Language Learning Bible
Old Testament
Read each verse in English beside its African Kalanga equivalent.
2 Samuel 12English
2 Samuwele 12African Kalanga
- English1
The Lord sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor.
African KalangaYahwe bakatuma Nathani kuna Dafite. Wakati eswika kunli kandwa kati, “Kwakatongobe ne balume babili mu mmwe nzi, mmwe akafuma mmwe ali nshayi.
- African Kalanga
Nlume we nfumi wakabe ana pkhwizi ne mbudzi njinji kwazo ne ng'ombe,
- English3
but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.
African Kalangakoga nlume we nshayi wakabe asina tjaanatjo aisi pkhwizana hadzi ing'ompela yaakabe atenga. Wakailela, ikakulila munli ne bana babe. Yakabe ija naye mu ndilo ing'wa mu bhepe lile ibuya ilala mu maboko awe. Yakabe inga nkololokadzi munli.
- English4
“Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.”
African KalangaLimwe zhuba nlume we nfumi kakumbiwa nge mwezi mu nzi uwe, koga nlume we nfumi katjiba kutola imwe ye pkhwizi kene mbudzi kene ng'ombe iye kuibhaya ethamila mwezi uwe zojiwa. Mu bumo gwa ikoku, wakatola pkhwizana hadzi ye nlume we nshayi kaibhaya kathamila mwezi uwe zojiwa.”
- English5
David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die!
African KalangaIpapo Dafite kazhala bushongola kwazo ngekwe nlume iwoyo, ngono kadwa Nathani kati, “Ndolebesa ndotuna na Yahwe banotjila, nlume wakathama ikoku wakafanigwa ngofa!
- African Kalanga
Wakafanila lipa pkhwizana iyeyi kwakatiliyana kanna, ngobe wakathama kuthu ikoku kakale asina ngoni.”
- English7
Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul.
African KalangaNdizo Nathani kadwa Dafite kati, “Iwoyo nlume ndiwe! Ngono Yahwe Ndzimu we Iziraela bakati, ‘Ndakakubiga mambo we Iziraela, abuya akugwila kukudusa mu maboko a Saulo.
- English8
I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more.
African KalangaNdaka kupa ng'umba ya tetshi uwo, akupa bakadzi ba tetshi uwo mu maboko. Abuya akupa ng'umba dze Iziraela ne Juda. Ngono ha kuli kuti ikoku kwakabe kuli kushomanana, ndabe ndinga kupaphidzila kunjinji kakale.
- English9
Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.
African KalangaWhutini walengudza dama la Yahwe ngothama mbipo mbeli kwabo kene? Wakabulaya Uriya we Nhiti nge thumo ku ngwa, ubuya utola nkadzi uwe unthama uwo, wakambulaya nge thumo le Baamoni.
- English10
Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’
African KalangaNdizo ngwenu thumo alitjowobhuda mu ng'umba iyo, ngobe wandilengudza, ubuya utola nkadzi wa Uriya we Nhiti unthama uwo!’
- English11
“This is what the Lord says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight.
African Kalanga“Yahwe bakaleba beti, ‘Ndokumusila mbatsha kudwa mukati kwe ng'umba iyo. Ndowotola bakadzi babo mbeli kuko abapa ikamu tjitjo, ngono unowowalilana ne bakadzi babo kuli masikati.
- African Kalanga
Iwe wakakuthama wakabgwata, koga imi ndowothama kuthu ikoku masikati mbeli kwe Baiziraela bose.’ ”
- English13
Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.
African KalangaKadwa Nathani kati, “Ndakatjinyila Yahwe.” Nathani kanshandula eti, “Yahwe bakuzwiibhatigwa jinyo lilo, autjowofa.
- English14
But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the Lord show utter contempt, the son born to you will die.”
African KalangaNekwakajalo, ngobe wakalengudza Yahwe kwazo ngothama ikoku, iwoyo mwana uwo unowozwagwa unowofa.”
- English15
After Nathan had gone home, the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became ill.
African KalangaShule kwaikoku Nathani ebe eyenda ku nzi uwe. Yahwe bakaloba mwana wa Dafite waakazwala ne nkadzi wa Uriya kagwala kwazo.
- English16
David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground.
African KalangaDafite kathigamila Yahwe ekumbilila mwana iwoyu, wakazwinyima zojiwa kangina mu ng'umba iye, kalala akatizwambata pasi busiku gose.
- English17
The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them.
African KalangaSholotjena dze ng'umba iye dzikamilika dzikayenda kunli kummusa, koga kalamba muka ne zojiwa akasitongozwija nadzo.
- English18
On the seventh day the child died. David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, “While the child was still living, we spoke to David but he would not listen to us. How can we tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate.”
African KalangaMu zhuba le kutendeka mwana kafa. Ngono balanda ba Dafite bakatja kumbudza kuti mwana wafa, ngobe bezwidwa beti, “Kwakati mwana atjatjila, takalebeleka na Dafite, koga kasitongo titeedza, ngono ngwenu towombudza tjini kuti mwana wafa kene? Pamwe ungadwa ezwithama tjimwe tjakabipa!”
- English19
David noticed that his servants were whispering among themselves and he realized the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked. “Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.”
African KalangaKukati Dafite ebona kuti balanda babe banonyebezelana, kaziba ha mwana afa. Ngono kababhuzwa kati, “Mwana wafa kene?” Bakadabila beti, “Ee, wafa.”
- English20
Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.
African KalangaIpapo Dafite kamuka pasi, kangula mbili, kazhola mafuta, kaambala zwiambalo zwipoga. Kangina mu Ng'umba ya Yahwe katembezela. Kudwa ipapo kayenda ku ng'umba ye bushe, kakumbila zojiwa bakampa kaja.
- English21
His servants asked him, “Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!”
African KalangaSholotjena dzidze dzikambhuzwa dzikati, “Whutini muthama muijali? Kwakati mwana atjatjila mukazwinyima zojiwa mukanlilila, ngono ngwenu mwana wafa, mamuka mukaja zojiwa.”
- English22
He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.’
African KalangaDafite kashandula eti, “Kwakati mwana atjatjila, azwinyima zojiwa abuya alila, ngobe ndakazwidwa nditi, ‘Ndiani unoziba? Pamwe Yahwe bangandiwhila ngoni, mwana kapola.’
- English23
But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”
African KalangaKoga ngwenu mwana wafa, ndowobe nditjazwinyimilani zojiwa? Apa ndinga mmusa kene? Imi ndimi ndinowontobela, koga iye aatjowoshandukila kundili.”
- English24
Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and lay with her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The Lord loved him;
African KalangaNdizo Dafite kanyaladza nkadzi uwe Bhatisheba, kankumba kawalilana naye, kawana mwana we tjilisana kantumila zina eti Solomoni. Yahwe bakada mbisana,
- English25
and because the Lord loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah.
African Kalangangono Yahwe bakatuma nlebesambeli Nathani kantumila zina eti Jedidiya.
- African Kalanga
Ipapo Joabu kagwa ne Rabha nzi nkulu we Baamoni, ngono bakautapa.
- English27
Joab then sent messengers to David, saying, “I have fought against Rabbah and taken its water supply.
African KalangaJoabu katuma batumwa kunobikila Dafite beti, “Ndakagwa ne Rabha atapa tshima le nzi nkulu una vula njinji.
- English28
Now muster the rest of the troops and besiege the city and capture it. Otherwise I will take the city, and it will be named after me.”
African KalangaNgono ngwenu tjikubunganya babhayani bose bakasala, unginilile nzi uwutole, ndisidwe ndiutola imi, ube udwa udang'wa nge zina langu.”
- African Kalanga
Ndizo Dafite kakubunganya babhayani bose bakayenda ku Rabha, kainginilila kaikulila kaitola.
- English30
He took the crown from the head of their king -its weight was a talent of gold, and it was set with precious stones—and it was placed on David’s head. He took a great quantity of plunder from the city
African KalangaKatola tjiala mu nsholo wa mambo wabo tjebulemo gwe talenta ye golide, tjakabe tjakanakisiwa nge mabgwe akanaka, ngono tjikaambadziwa Dafite mu nsholo. Wakatolelanya ne zwakatapiwa mu nzi zwisizwishoma.
- English31
and brought out the people who were there, consigning them to labor with saws and with iron picks and axes, and he made them work at brickmaking. He did this to all the Ammonite towns. Then David and his entire army returned to Jerusalem.
African KalangaKadusila bathu bakabe bali mu nzi iwoyo kuzhe, kabalonga mu kushinga nge dzisaha ne dzipiki ne mashathu, ebuya ebathama kuti bashinge kunothamwa zwitina. Kathama eijalo mu mizi yose ye Baamoni. Ndizo Dafite ne babhayani babe bose bakabgwilila ku Jerusalema.
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.