The English-Kalanga Bilingual Language Learning Bible
Old Testament
Read each verse in English beside its African Kalanga equivalent.
2 Samuel 2English
2 Samuwele 2African Kalanga
- English1
In the course of time, David inquired of the Lord. “Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” he asked. The Lord said, “Go up.” David asked, “Where shall I go?” “To Hebron,” the Lord answered.
African KalangaShule kwa ikoku Dafite wakabhuzwa Yahwe eti, “Apa ndiyende ku mmwe we mizi mikulu ye Juda kene?” Yahwe bakan'dabila beti, “Yenda.” Dafite kabhuzwa eti, “Ndiyende kuna upi nzi?” Yahwe bakabe beti, “Ku Heburoni.”
- English2
So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel.
African KalangaNdizo Dafite katathilako, kayenda ne bakadzi babe babili, Ahinoami we N'jezerele na Abigaile tjilikadzi ya Nabali we N'karimeli.
- English3
David also took the men who were with him, each with his family, and they settled in Hebron and its towns.
African KalangaDafite wakazha ne balume baakabe anabo, mmwe ne mmwe ne nsha uwe, ngono bakagala mu mizi ye Heburoni.
- English4
Then the men of Judah came to Hebron and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. When David was told that it was the men of Jabesh Gilead who had buried Saul,
African KalangaNdizo balume be Juda bakazha, ngono bakazhodza Dafite kube mambo we ludzi gwa Juda. Bakati bebudza Dafite beti, “Balume be Jabeshi Giliyadi ndibo bakabiganya Saulo.”
- English5
he sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead to say to them, “The Lord bless you for showing this kindness to Saul your master by burying him.
African KalangaDafite katuma batumwa ku balume be Jabeshi Giliyadi, kuti babadwe bati, “Yahwe ngaba mukombolele ngobe makalakidza buthu igogu muna Saulo tetshi wenyu nge kumbiganya!
- English6
May the Lord now show you kindness and faithfulness, and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this.
African KalangaNgono ngwenu Yahwe ngababe ne lubu kumuli ne malebeswa, ngono namibo ndowomuthamila bubuya ngobe mathama kuthu ikoku.
- English7
Now then, be strong and brave, for Saul your master is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”
African KalangaNgono ngwenu simani mube ne tjilopa, ngobe Saulo tetshi wenyu wafa, ngono nsha wa Juda wandizhodza kube mambo wabo.”
- English8
Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-Bosheth son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.
African KalangaKoga Abineri nkololo wa Neri nlauli we babhayani ba Saulo wakatola Ishibhosheti nkololo wa Saulo, kanzhisa ku Mahanayimi.
- English9
He made him king over Gilead, Ashuri and Jezreel, and also over Ephraim, Benjamin and all Israel.
African KalangaKambiga mambo we Giliyadi ne Baashuri ne Jezirele ne Ifureimi ne Bhenjamini newe Iziraela yose.
- English10
Ish-Bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.
African KalangaIshibhosheti, nkololo wa Saulo, wakabe ana makole ali makumi manna (40) ha etangisa kubusa Iziraela, ngono wakabusa makole mabili. Koga be ludzi gwa Juda guka tobela Dafite.
- English11
The length of time David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
African KalangaTjibaka tjakatogwa ndi Dafite ali mambo mu Heburoni ebusa ludzi gwa Juda makole ali kutendeka ana mimwedzi ili mitathatu.
- English12
Abner son of Ner, together with the men of Ish- Bosheth son of Saul, left Mahanaim and went to Gibeon.
African KalangaAbineri nkololo wa Neri ne balanda ba Ishibhosheti nkololo wa Saulo, bakabhuda mu Mahanayimi beyenda ku Gibiyoni.
- English13
Joab son of Zeruiah and David’s men went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. One group sat down on one side of the pool and one group on the other side.
African KalangaJoabu nkololo wa Zeruya ne balanda ba Dafite, bakabhuda bakanobashangamidza ku dziba la Gibiyoni. Goko limwe lakagala ku ndzibo mmwe we dziba, limwe likagala ku ndzibo mmwe we dziba.
- English14
Then Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have some of the young men get up and fight hand to hand in front of us.” “All right, let them do it,” Joab said.
African KalangaAbineri kati kuna Joabu, “Bazhuzha ngabamilike bagwisane mbeli kwedu.” 'GJoabu kabe eti, “Kwakalulwama, ngabamilike.”
- English15
So they stood up and were counted off—twelve men for Benjamin and Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David.
African KalangaNdizo bakamilika bakapinda bebagwa, bali gumi lina babili (12) ba Bhenjamini kuna Ishibhosheti nkololo wa Saulo, ne balanda ba Dafite bali gumi lina babili (12).
- English16
Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his dagger into his opponent’s side, and they fell down together. So that place in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim.
African KalangaMmwe ne mmwe wakabe ezhwabula wakalingisana naye nge mavudzi ebe embhaya nge thumo mu mbadu, ndizo bakawila pasi bakafa bose. Pathu ipapo mu Gibiyoni pakabe kodang'wa Helikatihazurimu.
- English17
The battle that day was very fierce, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by David’s men.
African KalangaMu zhuba ilelo kwakabe ngwa inotjisa kwazo, Abineri ne Baiziraela bakakundiwa nge balanda ba Dafite.
- English18
The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai and Asahel. Now Asahel was as fleet-footed as a wild gazelle.
African KalangaBakololo ba Zeruya nge butatu bakabe bali ipapo, ili Joabu na Abishayi na Asahele. Asahele wakabe elabuka se phala,
- African Kalanga
katatana na Abineri akansendama Abineri kusina kwaangadzetelako.
- African Kalanga
Abineri katjebuka shule, kandwa kati, “Apa ndiwe Asahele kene?” 'GKadabila kati, “Ee, ndimi.”
- English21
Then Abner said to him, “Turn aside to the right or to the left; take on one of the young men and strip him of his weapons.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him.
African KalangaAbineri kandwa kati, “Tendebukila ku luji kene ku lumeshwe, utatane ne mmwe we babhayani untolele tjaanowobe anatjo.” Koga Asahele kabe asingashake misa kutatana naye.
- English22
Again Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me! Why should I strike you down? How could I look your brother Joab in the face?”
African KalangaAbineri kazwibgwilulula kakale kati, “Shanduka udwe shule kwangu, ini ushakakuti ndikubulaye? Ndowo lingana ne nkulu uwo Joabu tjini kene?”
- English23
But Asahel refused to give up the pursuit; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into Asahel’s stomach, and the spear came out through his back. He fell there and died on the spot. And every man stopped when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.
African KalangaKoga kalamba shanduka, ndizo Abineri kambhaya ne bhato le thumo lile mu ntumbu, thumo libe linothuka ku shule, ebe ewa efila ipapo. Koga bose bakati beswika pakabe Asahele afilapo, bakama koga kukasibe ne unozunguzika.
- English24
But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, and as the sun was setting, they came to the hill of Ammah, near Giah on the way to the wasteland of Gibeon.
African KalangaKoga Joabu na Abishayi bakatatana na Abineri, kukati zhuba lingina bakaswika pa duthu la Amma lakalingisana ne Giya pa zila inoyenda ku tjilambanyika tje Gibiyoni.
- English25
Then the men of Benjamin rallied behind Abner. They formed themselves into a group and took their stand on top of a hill.
African KalangaBathu be Bhenjamini bakazwibumba shule kwa Abineri, bakabe tjithu tjing'ompela, bakama zubuyanana pezhugwi kwe duthu.
- English26
Abner called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their brothers?”
African KalangaNdizo Abineri kakambidza Joabu kati, “Apa thumo lowolilila tjose kene? Apa autoziba kuti ku bupelo kowogwadza kene? Kowodza kukabe lini usathu ukamisa bathu babo kutatana ne hama dzabo kene?”
- English27
Joab answered, “As surely as God lives, if you had not spoken, the men would have continued the pursuit of their brothers until morning.”
African KalangaJoabu kadabila kati, “Ndotuna nge Ndzimu unotjila, ha wabe usalebeleka bathu bangu babe bowotatana namwi kuswikila mangwanana.”
- English28
So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the men came to a halt; they no longer pursued Israel, nor did they fight anymore.
African KalangaNdizo Joabu kalidza lunyanga ngono babhayani bose bakama pabakabe balipo, bakasitjatatamile Baiziraela kene kuli kugwa nabo.
- English29
All that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, continued through the whole Bithron and came to Mahanaim.
African KalangaAbineri ne bathu babe bakalalila beyenda busiku gose bakapalama nkuku we Jorodani, bakanotjuluka gwizi gwe Jorodani, bakayenda kakale mangwanana wose bakanoswika ku Mahanayimi.
- English30
Then Joab returned from pursuing Abner and assembled all his men. Besides Asahel, nineteen of David’s men were found missing.
African KalangaJoabu kashanduka mukutatana na Abineri, kakubunganya bathu bose, ngono kawana balanda ba Dafite bali gumi lina zhanalume (19) basipo, kuzhe kwa Asahele.
- African Kalanga
Koga balanda ba Dafite bakabe babulaya balume be ludzi gwa Bhenjamini bali mazana matatu ana makumi ali kutathatu (360) bakabe bana Abineri.
- English32
They took Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and arrived at Hebron by daybreak.
African KalangaJoabu ne bathu babe bakatola itumbu tja Asahele bakambiganya kwakabe kwabiganyiwa tate babe mu Bhetelehema. Ndizo bakalala beyenda busiku gose, kukati kuyedza bakabe beswika ku Heburoni.
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.