The English-Kalanga Bilingual Language Learning Bible
Old Testament
Read each verse in English beside its African Kalanga equivalent.
Exodus 33English
Kufuluka 33African Kalanga
- English1
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’
African KalangaYahwe bakadwa Mushe bakati, “Milika iwe ne bathu bawakadusa mu shango ye Egipiti muyende ku shango yandakatuna kuna Abhurahama na Isaki na Jakubo nditi, ‘Ndowoipa bana babo.’
- English2
I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.
African KalangaNdowotuma ntumwa we kudzimu kakutungamila ngono ndowotata Bakanana ne Baamori ne Bahiti ne Baperizi ne Bahivi ne Bajebusi.
- English3
Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way.”
African KalangaYendani ku shango inowunga nkaka ne butji koga anditowoyenda namwi kuyita kuti ndisitongo mulobesa ngoti mu bathu bana misholo yakawoma.”
- English4
When the people heard these distressing words, they began to mourn and no one put on any ornaments.
African KalangaKukati bathu bewha matama iyawa anogwadza, bakalila, kukasiyite waambala zwinonakisa.
- English5
For the Lord had said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go with you even for a moment, I might destroy you. Now take off your ornaments and I will decide what to do with you.’”
African KalangaNgoti Yahwe bakabe badwa Mushe bakati, “Idwa Baiziraela uti, ‘Imwi mu bathu basingawhe, ha ndingayenda namwi kene kuli kwe tjibakana, ndingamulobesa. Ndizo ambulani zwinonakisa zwenyu kuti ndizo ndibone kuti ndingatini namwi.’ ”
- African Kalanga
Ndizo Baiziraela bakaambula zwinonakisa zwabo kudwa pa Dombo le Horebu.
- English7
Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.” Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp.
African KalangaMushe wakabe akawolobela tola nshasha ewubaka kuzhe kwe bukotokelo, kule ne bukotokelo, ebe ewudana eti nshasha we bushanganilo. Ngono mmwe ne mmwe wakabe eshaka Yahwe wakabe ebhuda eyenda ku nshasha we bushanganilo kuzhe kwe bukotokelo.
- English8
And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent.
African KalangaTjibaka tjimwe ne tjimwe Mushe tjaakabe eyenda ku nshasha, bathu bose bakabe bemilika, nlume mmwe ne mmwe ema pa nkoba we nshasha uwe ebe enlinga kuswikila engina mu nshasha.
- English9
As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses.
African KalangaKwakabe kuti Mushe engina mu nshasha gole libe lideluka lima pa nkoba we nshasha, Yahwe bebe belebeleka na Mushe.
- English10
Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to his tent.
African KalangaBathu bakabe beti ha bebona gole lili mile pa nkoba we nshasha bakamilika bakanamata, mmwe ne mmwe ali pa nkoba we nshasha uwe.
- English11
The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.
African KalangaYahwe bakabe belebeleka na Mushe bakalingana saikoko se nthu angabe elebeleka ne nzwalani uwe. Mushe wakabe eti eshanduka ebgwilila ku bukotokelo, nlanda uwe, nzhuzha Joshuwa nkololo wa Nuni, esala asingabhude mu nshasha.
- English12
Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’
African KalangaMushe kadwa Yahwe kati, “Bonani, makandidwa mukati, ‘Tungamila bathu ibaba’, koga amuzondizibisa wamunondituma naye. Koga makati, ‘Ndokuziba nge zina, naiko unodika kundili.’
- English13
If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”
African KalangaNdizo ngwenu, ndomukumbila ha ndidika kumuli, mundilakidze zila dzenyu kuita kuti ndimuzibe ndiamutjilike kumuli. Mukumbule kakale kuti bathu ibaba nge benyu.”
- African Kalanga
Yahwe bakashandula beti, “Ndowoyenda nawe, ngono ndowokupa kunyaluluka.”
- English15
Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.
African KalangaMushe kabe eti ku bali, “Ha musingawoyenda nami, musitimilidze kudwa ipapano.
- English16
How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”
African KalangaKowozibgwa tjini kuti mondida kene, imi ne bathu benyu? Apa akungazibgwe amayenda naswi kene, kuyita kuti kube ne kuthubukana pakati kwedu ne bathu bamwe bose bamu shango?”
- English17
And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”
African KalangaYahwe bakabe bedwa Mushe beti, “Itjetji tjawaleba ndowotjishinga ngoti ndakuda ndokuziba nge zina.”
- African Kalanga
Mushe kabe eti, “Ndomukumbila, mundilakidze tjedza tjenyu ndomukumbila.”
- English19
And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
African KalangaYahwe bakabe beti, “Ndowothama kuti bubuya gwangu gose gupinde mbeli kuko, ngono ndowoleba zina langu ‘Yahwe’ paulipo. Ndowowhila ngoni wandinowowhila ngoni, adwila moyo wandinowodwila moyo.
- African Kalanga
Koga aungabone buso gwangu ngoti nthu aangandibone katjila.”
- African Kalanga
Yahwe bakabe beti, “Bona kuna pathu pamwe pejo nami paunowomapo pezhugwi kwe shongwe.
- English22
When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by.
African KalangaKowoti tjedza tjangu tjipinda, ndowokulonga mu phaswa dze shongwe ndibe ndikuzwimba nge tjiazha tjangu kuswikila ndapinda.
- African Kalanga
Ipapo ndowodusa tjiazha tjangu ndizo iwe unowobona shule kwangu, koga buso gwangu autogubona.”
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.