The English-Kalanga Bilingual Language Learning Bible
Old Testament
Read each verse in English beside its African Kalanga equivalent.
Deuteronomy 27English
Matama 27African Kalanga
- English1
Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people: “Keep all these commands that I give you today.
African Kalanga“Ipapo Mushe ne sholotjena bakalaya bathu beti, ‘Londolodzani nlayo wose wandinomupa nasi zhuba lino.
- English2
When you have crossed the Jordan into the land the Lord your God is giving you, set up some large stones and coat them with plaster.
African KalangaNgono mu zhuba lamunotjuluka Jorodani mungina mu shango Yahwe Ndzimu wenyu yabanomupa mugadzike mabgwe makulukulu mube muapharela nge mpharelo,
- English3
Write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over to enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, promised you.
African Kalangangono mube mukwala pezhugwi kwawo matama wose e nlayo iwoyu pamunowobe mutjuluka kungina shango yamunopiwa ndi Yahwe Ndzimu wenyu, shango inowunga nkaka ne butji sekwa kati Yahwe Ndzimu wa bobatategulu benyu bakamugadzabgwe.
- English4
And when you have crossed the Jordan, set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I command you today, and coat them with plaster.
African KalangaNgono muti matjuluka Jorodani, mugadzike mabgwe iyawa andinomulaya nge kwawo nasi zhuba lino pezhugwi kwe Dombo le Ebali ngono muapharele nge mpharelo.
- English5
Build there an altar to the Lord your God, an altar of stones. Do not use any iron tool upon them.
African KalangaNgono mubakile Yahwe Ndzimu wenyu tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo, tjibeso tje mabgwe, musitongoshingisa zwishingisiwa zwe butale muali.
- English6
Build the altar of the Lord your God with fieldstones and offer burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God.
African KalangaMubakile Yahwe Ndzimu wenyu tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo nge mabgwe asakabezhiwa ngono mupisile Yahwe Ndzimu wenyu zwibhayilo zwinopisiwa mu tjili.
- English7
Sacrifice fellowship offerings there, eating them and rejoicing in the presence of the Lord your God.
African KalangaMuduse zwibhayilo zwe mbakisano muzwijile ikweno, ngono mushathe mbeli kwa Yahwe Ndzimu wenyu.
- English8
And you shall write very clearly all the words of this law on these stones you have set up.”
African KalangaMukwale mu mabgwe matama wose e nlayo iwoyu kunoboneka.’ ”
- English9
Then Moses and the priests, who are Levites, said to all Israel, “Be silent, O Israel, and listen! You have now become the people of the Lord your God.
African KalangaIpapo Mushe ne bapirisiti be Balevi bakabe beti ku Baiziraela bose, “Nyalalani muwhe imwi Baiziraela, zhuba lino mabe bathu ba Yahwe Ndzimu wenyu.
- African Kalanga
Ndizo wali muwhe whi la Yahwe Ndzimu wenyu mulondolodze milayo yabo iyeyi yandinomupa nasi lino zhuba.”
- African Kalanga
Ngono Mushe kalaya bathu zhuba ilelo eti,
- English12
When you have crossed the Jordan, these tribes shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph and Benjamin.
African Kalanga“Muti matjuluka Jorodani, aba bame pezhugwi kwe Dombo le Gerizimu kukombolela bathu, Simiyoni na Levi na Juda na Isakari na Josefa na Bhenjamini.
- English13
And these tribes shall stand on Mount Ebal to pronounce curses: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan and Naphtali.
African KalangaNgono aba banowoma pezhugwi kwe Dombo le Ebali beleba bhiso; Rubheni na Gadi na Asheri na Zebuluni na Dani na Nafutali.
- African Kalanga
Balevi banowolebeleka ne bathu bose be Iziraela nge whi lipezhugwi beti,
- English15
“Cursed is the man who carves an image or casts an idol–a thing detestable to the Lord, the work of the craftsman’s hands–and sets it up in secret.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
African Kalanga“ ‘Kuna bhiso nlume unothama ndzimu we ifano tjakabezhiwa kene tjakabumbiwa, kuthu kunoshimisa kuna Yahwe, tjithu tjakathamiwa nge maboko e mbezhi ebe etjigadzika pakasumbikika.’ Ngono bathu bose badabile beti, ‘Ngakujalo.’
- English16
“Cursed is the man who dishonors his father or his mother.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
African Kalanga“ ‘Kuna bhiso iye usingakudze tate babe na mmeyabe.’ Ngono bathu bose babe beti, ‘Ngakujalo.’
- English17
“Cursed is the man who moves his neighbor’s boundary stone.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
African Kalanga“ ‘Kuna bhiso iye unodusa n'gathu we mbakidzani uwe.’ Ngono bathu bose babe beti, ‘Ngakujalo.’ ”
- English18
“Cursed is the man who leads the blind astray on the road.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
African Kalanga“ ‘Kuna bhiso iye unotungamilila bhofu ntome mu zila.’ Ngono bathu bose babe beti, ‘Ngakujalo.’ ”
- English19
“Cursed is the man who withholds justice from the alien, the fatherless or the widow.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
African Kalanga“ ‘Kuna bhiso iye unoleyesa nlubili kene siyang'wa kene tjilikadzi tjakanlingisana.’ Ngono bathu bose babe beti, ‘Ngakujalo.’ ”
- English20
“Cursed is the man who sleeps with his father’s wife, for he dishonors his father’s bed.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
African Kalanga“ ‘Kuna bhiso iye unolala ne nkadzi wa tate babe ngoti wafumula nkadzi wa tate babe.’ Ngono bathu bose babe beti, ‘Ngakujalo.’
- English21
“Cursed is the man who has sexual relations with any animal.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
African Kalanga“ ‘Kuna bhiso iye unolala ne phuka kene ili yakatini.’ Ngono bathu bose babe beti, ‘Ngakujalo.’
- English22
“Cursed is the man who sleeps with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
African Kalanga“ ‘Kuna bhiso iye unolala ne hazwadzi iye, ali nkololokadzi wa tate babe kene wa mmeyabe.’ Ngono bathu bose babe beti, ‘Ngakujalo.’
- English23
“Cursed is the man who sleeps with his mother-in- law.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
African Kalanga“ ‘Kuna bhiso iye unolala na mezwale babe.’ Ngono bathu bose babe beti, ‘Ngakujalo.’
- English24
“Cursed is the man who kills his neighbor secretly.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
African Kalanga“ ‘Kuna bhiso iye unobulaya mbakidzani uwe nge kwakasumbikala.’ Ngono bathu bose babe beti, ‘Ngakujalo.’
- English25
“Cursed is the man who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
African Kalanga“ ‘Kuna bhiso iye unoamutjila tjizwimbanlomo kubulaya nthu usina nlandu.’ Ngono bathu bose babe beti, ‘Ngakujalo.’
- English26
“Cursed is the man who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
African Kalanga“ ‘Kuna bhiso iye usinga lumbidze matama e nlayo iwoyu nge kuashinga.’ Ngono bathu bose babe beti, ‘Ngakujalo.’
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.