The English-Kalanga Bilingual Language Learning Bible
Old Testament
Read each verse in English beside its African Kalanga equivalent.
Exodus 5English
Kufuluka 5African Kalanga
- English1
Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the desert.’”
African KalangaKukati shule Mushe na Aroni bakayenda kuna Faro bakandwa bakati, “Yahwe Ndzimu we Baiziraela bakati, ‘Letja bathu bangu bayende banondithamila nzano ku tjilambanyika.’ ”
- English2
Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.”
African KalangaKoga Faro kabe eti, “Yahwe ndiani wandingateedza aletja Iziraela kayenda? Anditoziba Yahwe, naiko andingaletje Iziraela kayenda.”
- English3
Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, or he may strike us with plagues or with the sword.”
African KalangaIpapo bakabe beti, “Ndzimu we Bahebheru wakashangana naswi, ndizo tokumbila, utiletje tiyende gwendo gwe mazhuba matatu mu tjilambanyika tinopa Yahwe Ndzimu wedu tjibhayilo kuti basitongodwa betiloba nge bugwele kene ne thumo.”
- English4
But the king of Egypt said, “Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor? Get back to your work!”
African KalangaKoga Mambo we Egipiti kabe eti ku bali, “Iwe Mushe na Aroni, ini musiyisa bathu nshingo wabo? Bgwililani ku nshingo wenyu.”
- English5
Then Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working.”
African KalangaFaro kabe eti, “Bonani, bathu ibaba babe banjisa mu shango ngono imwi mothama kuti banyaluluke mu nshingo wabo.”
- English6
That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and foremen in charge of the people:
African KalangaZhuba ilelo Faro kadwa bayendisi be nshingo ne bashingisi be Baiziraela kati,
- English7
“You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw.
African Kalanga“Musitongobe mutjapa bathu ibaba mashanga kuthamisa zwitina sekwa magala muthama, mubaletje banozwishakigwa mashanga.
- English8
But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don’t reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’
African KalangaKoga bathame zwitina zwinolizana ne zwabagala bethama, musitongo buya mukazwitapudza. Bathu ibaba isimbe ndizo wali belila beti, ‘Mutiletje tiyende tinopisila Ndzimu wedu tjibhayilo.’
- African Kalanga
Lemeselani balume ibaba nshingo, bashinge basiteedze manyepkhwa.”
- English10
Then the slave drivers and the foremen went out and said to the people, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I will not give you any more straw.
African KalangaNdizo bayendisi be nshingo ne bashingisi be bathu bakayenda ku bathu bakabadwa bakati, “Faro wati aatjowomupa mashanga.
- English11
Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced at all.’”
African KalangaYendani munozwishakigwa mashanga kwamungaawana, koga tjilizanyo tje nshingo atjitowotapudzika.”
- African Kalanga
Ndizo bathu bakaandama nge shango yose ye Egipiti bekubunganya malala e mashanga kuashingisa.
- English13
The slave drivers kept pressing them, saying, “Complete the work required of you for each day, just as when you had straw.”
African KalangaBayendisi be nshingo bakakulumbidza beti, “Nshingo wenyu muuligile sekwa magala mushinga muna mashanga.”
- English14
The Israelite foremen appointed by Pharaoh’s slave drivers were beaten and were asked, “Why didn’t you meet your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as before?”
African KalangaNgono bashingisi be Baiziraela bakalobgwa nge bayendisi be nshingo ba Faro, bakabhuzwiwa kuyi, “Ini nasi musaligila tjilizanyo tje zwitina tjamagala muligila?”
- English15
Then the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why have you treated your servants this way?
African KalangaBashingisi be Baiziraela ipapo bakayenda kuna Faro bakanlilila beti, “Ini mubhata balanda benyu nge zila yakajali?
- English16
Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.”
African KalangaAtitjapiwa mashanga, koga koyi, ‘Thamani zwitina.’ Bonani, tolobgwa koga ngono nlandu umu bathu benyu.”
- English17
Pharaoh said, “Lazy, that’s what you are–lazy! That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’
African KalangaMambo kadabila eti, “Mokhekheleza, mu simbe ndizo muti, ‘Mutiletje tiyende tinopisila Yahwe tjibhayilo.’
- English18
Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks.”
African KalangaYendani sakuno wali munoshinga, akuna mashanga amunowopiwa, koga muligile tjilizanyo tja kale tje zwitina.”
- English19
The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day.”
African KalangaBashingisi be Baiziraela bakabona kuti bamu tjimo tjakabipa ha bedwiwa kuyi, “Musitongo tapudza tjilizanyo tje zwitina tje zhuba ne zhuba.”
- African Kalanga
Bakati bedwa kuna Faro bakashangana na Mushe na Aroni bakabe bakabalindila.
- English21
and they said, “May the Lord look upon you and judge you! You have made us a stench to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”
African KalangaNgono bakabadwa bakati, “Yahwe bamubone! Babone tjabangashinga ndimwe! Ngoti mathama kuti tishimike mu mesho a Faro ne balanda babe. Malonga thumo mu maboko abo kuti batibulaye.”
- English22
Moses returned to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have you brought trouble upon this people? Is this why you sent me?
African KalangaIpapo Mushe kayenda kuna Yahwe kati, “She, ini mathama zwinogwadza ku bathu ibaba kene? Makabe manditumilani iko?
- English23
Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.”
African KalangaNgoti kudwila pandakalebeleka na Faro mu zina lenyu, wakathamila bathu ibaba mbipo, koga amuzosunungula bathu benyu ndodwa.”
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.