The English-Kalanga Bilingual Language Learning Bible
Old Testament
Read each verse in English beside its African Kalanga equivalent.
2 Samuel 23English
2 Samuwele 23African Kalanga
- English1
These are the last words of David: “The oracle of David son of Jesse, the oracle of the man exalted by the Most High, the man anointed by the God of Jacob, Israel’s singer of songs:
African KalangaNgono ngwenu, awa ndiwo matama e bupelo a Dafite, ndebeleko ya Dafite nkololo wa Jesi, ndebeleko ye nlume wakakudziwa nzhodziwa we Ndzimu wa Jakubo, nkwali we njimbo dzinozipa dze Iziraela.
- African Kalanga
Meya ya Yahwe inolebeleka ili mundili, matama abo amu nlomo wangu.
- English3
The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me: ‘When one rules over men in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God,
African KalangaNdzimu we Iziraela walebeleka, shongwe ye Iziraela yandidwa ikati, ha nthu ebusa bathu nge ndulamo, ebusa nge kutja Ndzimu,
- English4
he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings the grass from the earth.’
African Kalangaunonga tjedza tje zhuba libhuda, enga zhuba mangwanana kusina makole, unopenya se vula yana inopenya mu bushwa.
- English5
“Is not my house right with God? Has he not made with me an everlasting covenant, arranged and secured in every part? Will he not bring to fruition my salvation and grant me my every desire?
African KalangaApa nsha wangu auzojalo ku Ndzimu kene? Ngobe wakathama tjidumano tjisingapele nami, tjisungo tjisingowosunungugwa, kugadzabgwe kusingowoshandugwa. Ndiko kose kwandinoyemula, ndiko kunowobe kukunda kwangu, tjoselele Ndzimu unowothama kuti kushingikale.
- African Kalanga
Koga bathu basina Ndzimu banonga miwha inoposegwa kutjena, isingake ikabhakhwa nge maboko.
- English7
Whoever touches thorns uses a tool of iron or the shaft of a spear; they are burned up where they lie.”
African KalangaKoga nthu unoibhata, unoshingisa tshipi kene lupa gwe thumo, inopisiwa nge moto ikalota.
- English8
These are the names of David’s mighty men: Josheb- Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter.
African KalangaAwa ndiwo mazina e babhayani bakasima Dafite baakabe anabo: We kutanga wakabe ali Jehoshibhashebeti we Ntakemoni wakabe ali nlauli we batungamili batatu, wakagwa nge thumo lile kabulaya babhayani bali makumi ali zhanakadzi (800) nge tjibaka tjing'ompela.
- English9
Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty men, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim for battle. Then the men of Israel retreated,
African KalangaWakabe entobeledza mu balume batatu bakasima wakabe ali Eleazari nkololo wa Dodo ali nkololo wa Ahohi. Wakabe ana Dafite pabakadadila Bafilisitiya bakabe bakakubunganila kugwa, ngono Baiziraela bakabgwilila shule.
- English10
but he stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead.
African KalangaIye kama katemelela Bafilisitiya kudzina tjiazha tjitje tjinyala, tjibuya tjinamatila bukano. Ngono Yahwe bakapa kukunda kukulu kwazo zhuba ilelo, babhayani bakashandukila kuna Eleazari, bewotapa koga zwibhayano mu bafi.
- English11
Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them.
African KalangaUnontobeledza wakabe ali Shama, nkololo wa Agi we Nharari. Bafilisitiya bakabe bakubunganila ku Lehi, kwabe kuna nnda we ipimbo, ngono babhayani be Iziraela bakatizha Bafilisitiya.
- English12
But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory.
African KalangaKoga Shama kama kapilimala ali pakati kwe nnda kutjigwila, katemelela Bafilisitiya, ngono Yahwe bakampa kukunda kukulu kwazo.
- English13
During harvest time, three of the thirty chief men came down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.
African KalangaMu tjibaka tjekuvuna, babhayani bali batatu mu bakulu bali makumi matatu (30) bakayenda, bakanoswika kuna Dafite ku guwu le Adulamu, kwakabe goko le Bafilisitiya lakakotokelapo mu nkuku we Refaimu.
- African Kalanga
Ipapo Dafite wakabe ali mu dizhilo, ngono babhayani be Bafilisitiya bali ku Bhetelehema.
- English15
David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!”
African KalangaNgono Dafite kalebeleka nge ishubu kati, “Ungati mmwe unganondipa vula ang'wa mu tshima le Bhetelehema lipa nkoba.”
- English16
So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the Lord.
African KalangaNdizo babhayani batatu bakasima bakapalama goko le Bafilisitiya, bakanotjela vula mu tshima le Bhetelehema lakabe lili pa nkoba, bakaitola bakazha nayo kuna Dafite. Koga kasi ing'we akaitebulila pasi kupa Yahwe.
- English17
“Far be it from me, O Lord, to do this!” he said. “Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?” And David would not drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.
African KalangaKalebeleka eti, “Yahwe, andingang'we vula iyeyi! Ndowobe ndinga ndinong'wa malopa e balume ibaba balonga butjilo gwabo mu mbatsha!” Ndizo kasiing'we. Ezwi ndizo zwakathamwa nge babhayani batatu bakabe bana tjilopa.
- English18
Abishai the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three. He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three.
African KalangaIpapo Abishayi nnung'una wa Joabu nkololo wa Zeruya wakabe ali ntungamili we babhayani bali makumi matatu (30) wakagwa nge thumo lile kabulaya babhayani bali mazana matatu (300), kabe ne tjilumbi kupinda batatu.
- English19
Was he not held in greater honor than the Three? He became their commander, even though he was not included among them.
African KalangaApa aazobe ne tjilumbi kupinda butatu kene? Wakathang'wa nlauli we bali makumi matatu (30). Ngono kasibe mwe we batatu be kutanga.
- English20
Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, who performed great exploits. He struck down two of Moab’s best men. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.
African KalangaBhenaya nkololo wa Jehoyada wakabe ali nlume una tjilopa edwa ku Kabuzele ali nthami we mishingo mikulu, wakabulaya Balume bakasima mu ngwa bali babili be Moabu. Kabuya kangina mu gomba kabulaya shumba mu zhuba lakabe lawa kapuku.
- English21
And he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear.
African KalangaKakale kabulaya nlume mbuya we N'egipiti. N'egipiti wakabe akabhata thumo nge luboko, koga Bheneya kayenda kunli akabhata swimbo, kashwabula thumo mu luboko gwe N'egipiti, kambulaya nge thumo lile.
- English22
Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty men.
African KalangaEzwi ndizo zwakathamwa ndi Bhenaya nkololo wa Jehoyada ekowana tjilumbi se balume batatu bana tjilopa.
- English23
He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.
African KalangaBhenaya wakawana tjilumbi muna bali makumi matatu (30), koga kasitongolizana ne batatu be kutanga. Dafite kanthama nkulu mu balisi babe.
- African Kalanga
Asahele nnung'una wa Joabu wakabe ali mmwe we bali makumi matatu (30) na Elihanani nkololo wa Dodo we Bhetelehema,
- African Kalanga
na Shama we Nharode na Elika we Harode
- African Kalanga
na Helezi we Npaliti na Ira nkololo wa Ikeshi edwa ku Tekowa,
- African Kalanga
na Abiezera edwa ku Anatoti na Mebhunayi we Nhushahi,
- African Kalanga
na Zalimoni we Nhohi na Maharayi edwa ku Netofa,
- African Kalanga
na Helebu nkololo wa Bhaana edwa ku Netofa na Itai nkololo wa Ribhai edwa ku Gibeya we Bhenjamini,
- African Kalanga
na Bhenaya edwa ku Pirathoni na Hidai edwa ku nkuku we Gaashi,
- African Kalanga
na Abialiboni we N'arabhati na Azimaveti edwa ku Bhahurimu
- African Kalanga
na Eliabha edwa ku Shaalibhoni nkololo wa Jasheni na Jonatani,
- African Kalanga
na Shama we Nharari na Ahiamu nkololo wa Sharari we Nharari,
- African Kalanga
na Elifeleti nkololo wa Ahasibai edwa ku Maaka, na Eliamu nkololo wa Ahithofele edwa ku Gilo,
- African Kalanga
na Hezero edwa ku Karimeli, na Paarai we N'ariba,
- African Kalanga
na Igali nkololo wa Nathani edwa ku Zobha na Bhani we N'gadi,
- African Kalanga
na Zeleke we N'amoni na Naharayi edwa ku Bheeroti nsengi we zwibhayano zwa Joabu nkololo wa Zeruya
- African Kalanga
na Ira we N'itheri na Garebu we N'itheri
- African Kalanga
na Uriya we Nhiti: Babhayani bose bakasima bakabe bali makumi matatu ana kutendeka (37).
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.