The English-Kalanga Bilingual Language Learning Bible
Old Testament
Read each verse in English beside its African Kalanga equivalent.
2 Samuel 17English
2 Samuwele 17African Kalanga
- English1
Ahithophel said to Absalom, “I would choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David.
African KalangaPezhugwi kwa ipapo Ahithofele kadwa Abusalomu kati, “Ndokumbila shalula balume bali zwiwulu zwili gumi lina babili (12 000), ndikomilika busiku ndinotatana na Dafite.
- English2
I would attack him while he is weary and weak. I would strike him with terror, and then all the people with him will flee. I would strike down only the king
African KalangaNdowon'wana atjakanyala kakale akapuna moyo, ndowontjisa ne bathu bose baanabo banowotizha. Ndowobulaya mambo koga,
- English3
and bring all the people back to you. The death of the man you seek will mean the return of all; all the people will be unharmed.”
African Kalangandowobgwiliza bathu ku kuli. Mushaka bulaya nthu ng'ompela kowobe kudwa shanduka kwe bathu bose, ndizo bathu bose banowogala ne mbakiso.”
- African Kalanga
Gumbuludzo ileli likashathisa Abusalomu ne batungamili bose be Iziraela.
- African Kalanga
Koga Abusalomu kabe eti, “Dana Hushai we N'ariki, tiwhebo munli tjaanowoleba.”
- English6
When Hushai came to him, Absalom said, “Ahithophel has given this advice. Should we do what he says? If not, give us your opinion.”
African KalangaNgono kukati Hushai azha, Abusalomu kandwa kati, “Etji nditjo tjalebgwa ndi Ahithofele, apa tithame sekwa akumbuludza kene? Ha kusakajalo utibudze kuti tithameni.”
- African Kalanga
Ipapo Hushai kadabila Abusalomu eti, “Ngwenu gumbuludzo lamapiwa ndi Ahithofele alizolulwama.”
- English8
You know your father and his men; they are fighters, and as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Besides, your father is an experienced fighter; he will not spend the night with the troops.
African KalangaHushai kadwilila eti, “Moziba kuti tate benyu ne babhayani babo bagwi bakasima ne kuti bakalinda banonga bhira hadzi yatolegwa bana mu shango. Pezhugwi kwa ikoku, tate benyu mbhayani unoziba ngwa, abangalale bali pakati kwe babhayani busiku.
- English9
Even now, he is hidden in a cave or some other place. If he should attack your troops first, whoever hears about it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the troops who follow Absalom.’
African KalangaNdomubudza, na ngwenu wali bakabgwata mu limwe le makomba, pamwe bali pamwe pathu. Ngono ha bamwe bathu bangabatanga, unowowha ngekwako unoti, ‘Kwabe ne lufu mu batobeli ba Abusalomu.’
- English10
Then even the bravest soldier, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will melt with fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a fighter and that those with him are brave.
African KalangaIpapo nenguba kuna nlume una tjilopa, una moyo unonga we shumba, unopelegwa nge simba, ngobe Iziraela yose inoziba kuti tate benyu mbhayani wakasima, kakale na ibabo banabo babhayani bana tjilopa.
- English11
“So I advise you: Let all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba—as numerous as the sand on the seashore— be gathered to you, with you yourself leading them into battle.
African KalangaKoga gumbuludzo langu nge linoti, Baiziraela bose bakubunganile pa muli, kudwa ku Dani kunoti ku Bheerisheba, bali bunji gunonga nsetje we gungwa, mube muyenda ku ngwa nge kwenyu.
- English12
Then we will attack him wherever he may be found, and we will fall on him as dew settles on the ground. Neither he nor any of his men will be left alive.
African KalangaNdizo towonowana Dafite paanowobe alipo, ngono towonobawila se khawa idwa pezhugwi, tibe timbulaya kose ne bathu babe kusina ne ng'ompela unowosala.
- English13
If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it down to the valley until not even a piece of it can be found.”
African KalangaHa atizhila mu mmwe nzi, ipapo Baiziraela banowozha nge mitjili ku nzi iwoyo, tibe tiukwebela mu nkuku, kudzina kusala kusina nenguba lili bgwana lingawanika pawabe ulipo.”
- English14
Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel.” For the Lord had determined to frustrate the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.
African KalangaNgono Abusalomu ne bathu bose be Iziraela bakabe beti, “Gumbuludzo la Hushai we N'ariki loyita pa gumbuludzo la Ahithofele.” Yahwe bakumbuludza kuti gumbuludzo la Ahithofele lakalulwama lisitongo tobegwa, kuti ndizo Yahwe bazhise mbipo muna Abusalomu.
- English15
Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, “Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the elders of Israel to do such and such, but I have advised them to do so and so.
African KalangaNdizo Hushai kadwa bapirisiti Zadoki na Abiathari kati, “Ahithofele wakakumbuludza Abusalomu ne batungamili be Iziraela sawhoku, ngono oku ndiko imi sekwa ndakakumbuludza.
- English16
Now send a message immediately and tell David, ‘Do not spend the night at the fords in the desert; cross over without fail, or the king and all the people with him will be swallowed up.’”
African KalangaNdizo ngwenu tumilani thumwa kuna Dafite tjinyolotjo kuti banon'dwa bati, ‘Mu busiku gwa nasi musitongo lala panotjulukwa gwizi mu tjilambanyika, koga mugwise nge zila dzose mutjulukile seli, kusajalo mambo ne bathu bose baanabo bawolobesiwa.’ ”
- English17
Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En Rogel. A servant girl was to go and inform them, and they were to go and tell King David, for they could not risk being seen entering the city.
African KalangaIpapo Jonatani na Ahimaazi bakabe bakalinda bali pa nsenya we Enerogele, nlandakadzi wakabe egala ezha ewobabudza tjinoshingikala, ibo bekoyenda benobudza Mambo Dafite, ngobe ibo bakabe basakafanila bong'wa bengina mu nzi.
- English18
But a young man saw them and told Absalom. So the two of them left quickly and went to the house of a man in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it.
African KalangaKoga kukashingikala kuti mbisana ababone, ebe enobudza Abusalomu, ndizo bubili gwabo bakatizha tjinyolotjo bakanobgwata ku ng'umba ye mmwe nlume ku Bhahurimu, wakabe ana tshima mukati kwe nzi uwe ngono bakangina mulili.
- English19
His wife took a covering and spread it out over the opening of the well and scattered grain over it. No one knew anything about it.
African KalangaNkadzi we ng'umba iyeyo katola thobo kaiwala pa nlomo we tshima, kadzwala mathunde pezhugwi kwayo, kuti kusibe ne ungaziba tjikusi kwayo.
- English20
When Absalom’s men came to the woman at the house, they asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” The woman answered them, “They crossed over the brook.” The men searched but found no one, so they returned to Jerusalem.
African KalangaKukati babhayani ba Abusalomu bezha ku nkadzi bakambhuzwa bakati, “Bangayi bo Ahimaazi na Jonatani?” 'GNkadzi kabashandula eti, “Batjulukila seli kwe lukobana.” Babhayani bakabashaka ngono bakasi bawane, bakabe bebgwilila ku Jerusalema.
- English21
After the men had gone, the two climbed out of the well and went to inform King David. They said to him, “Set out and cross the river at once; Ahithophel has advised such and such against you.”
African KalangaKukati babhayani basinoyenda, Ahimaazi na Jonatani bakabhuda mu tshima bakabikila Dafite beti, “Milika tjinyolotjo utjuluke nkuku. Ngobe Ahithofele wakumbuludza nge kwenyu sawhoku na woku.”
- English22
So David and all the people with him set out and crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, no one was left who had not crossed the Jordan.
African KalangaIpapo Dafite kamilika ne bathu bose baakabe anabo bakatjulukila seli kwe Jorodani, kukati zhuba libhuda kukabe kusitjina ne nng'ompela wabo wakabe asathu katjulukila seli kwe Jorodani.
- English23
When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his house in order and then hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.
African KalangaKukati Ahithofele ebona kuti gumbuludzo lile alizoshingikadziwa, kabelesa donki iye, ngono kayenda kanyi kwabo ku nzi nkulu wakanyi kukwe. Kati asina kululwamisa zwe nsha uwe, kazwisungilila kafa, ngono kabiganyigwa mu ikumbu tja tate babe.
- African Kalanga
Ipapo Dafite kayenda ku Mahanayimi nge tjibaka tjakabe Abusalomu ne Baiziraela betjuluka Jorodani.
- English25
Absalom had appointed Amasa over the army in place of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Jether, an Israelite who had married Abigail, the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah the mother of Joab.
African KalangaIpapo Abusalomu wakabe atjibiga Amasa kutungamila ngwa mu bumo gwa Joabu. Amasa wakabe ali nkololo we nlume wakabe edang'wa Ithera we N'iziraela, wakabe akalobola Abigaile nkololokadzi wa Nahashi, hazwadzi ya Zeruya, mme ba Joabu.
- African Kalanga
Baiziraela na Abusalomu bakakotokela mu shango ye Giliyadi.
- English27
When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Makir son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim
African KalangaKukati Dafite eswika ku Mahanayimi kashanganidziwa ndibo Shobi nkololo wa Nahashi edwa ku Rabha we Baamoni na Makiri nkololo wa Amiele edwa ku Lodeba na Bharizilai we N'giliyadi edwa ku Rogelimu.
- English28
brought bedding and bowls and articles of pottery. They also brought wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans and lentils,
African KalangaBakazha bakasenga malawo ne ndilo ne zwija zwe ntapkhwi ne mathunde e korong ne mathunde e bhali ne bgwisa ne mathunde akakangiwa ne nyemba ne lishumbe.
- English29
honey and curds, sheep, and cheese from cows’ milk for David and his people to eat. For they said, “The people have become hungry and tired and thirsty in the desert.”
African KalangaNenge butji gwe nyutji ne nkaka wakabidwa ne pkhwizi ne tjatjile, bezwizhila Dafite ne baakabe anabo kuti baje. Ngobe bakabe beziba kuti Dafite ne babhayani babe bakanyala kakale bana zhala ne nyota mu tjilambanyika.
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.