The English-Kalanga Bilingual Language Learning Bible
Old Testament
Read each verse in English beside its African Kalanga equivalent.
Ezra 4English
Ezera 4African Kalanga
- English1
When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel,
African KalangaKwakati zwita zwa Juda na Bhenjamini zwiwha kuti ibabo bakabuya kutapiwa banomusa Ng'umba ya Yahwe, Ndzimu we Iziraela,
- English2
they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.”
African Kalangangono bakayenda kuna Zerubhabeli ne misholo ye misha bakabadwa beti, “Ngatishanganyileni namwi kumusa Ng'umba ye Ndzimu, ngobe totembezela Ndzimu nng'ompela, kakale takabe tiudusila zwibhayilo kudwa tjose mu tjibaka tja Mambo Esarihadoni we Asiriya iye wakatizhisa pano.”
- English3
But Zerubbabel, Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.”
African KalangaNgono Zerubhabeli, Jeshuwa ne misholo ye misha ye Iziraela bakadabila beti, “Amuna gobe naswi mu kumusa Ng'umba ye Ndzimu wedu. Iswi toga tobakila Yahwe, Ndzimu we Iziraela, sekwa takadwiwa ndi Mambo Sirasi, mambo we Pheshiya.”
- English4
Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building.
African KalangaBabakidzani nabo bakagwisa kunyadzamoyo bathu be Juda ne kubathama kuti batje kudwilila bemusa Ng'umba ye Ndzimu.
- English5
They hired counselors to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.
African KalangaBakatenga bakumbuludzi kuti batjinye ndongoloso ye Bajuta mu mbuso wose wa Sirasi mambo we Pheshiya, kuswikilila tjibaka tje mbuso wa Dariyasi mambo we Pheshiya.
- English6
At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes, they lodged an accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.
African KalangaMukutangisa kwe mbuso wa Ahasurusi zwita zwe bathu bakabe begala mu Juda ne Jerusalema zwikabe zwikwala lukwalo gunobalingisa nlandu.
- English7
And in the days of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic script and in the Aramaic language.
African KalangaKakale mu mazhuba a Atazezasi mambo we Pheshiya, Bhishilamu na Mitiredati, na Tabheele ne bamwe bose bakabe beshingidzana nabo bakakwala lukwalo, bekwalila Atazezasi. Lukwalo gwakabe gwakakwagwa nge Tjiaramu, gukoshanduligwa.
- English8
Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows:
African KalangaRehumi we ntungamili na Shimishayi we nkwalili, bakakwalila Mambo Atazezasi lukwalo whogu, guli gunolingisa Jerusalema nlandu:
- English9
Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary, together with the rest of their associates–the judges and officials over the men from Tripolis, Persia, Erech and Babylon, the Elamites of Susa,
African Kalanga“Kudwa kuna Rehumi ntungamili, Shimishayi we nkwalili ne banoshingidzana nabo ne basumikilisi ne kudwa ku mamwe makombgwa banodwa ku Tapeli ne Pheshiya ne Ereke ne Bhabhiloni ne Baelamu be Susa,
- English10
and the other people whom the great and honorable Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the city of Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates.
African Kalangane zwitjaba zose zwakatogwa ndi Osinapari nkulu enozwigadza ku nzi nkulu we Samariya ne mu ntuthu uku golombedzo le gwizi gwe Yufuratesi.”
- English11
(This is a copy of the letter they sent him.) To King Artaxerxes, From your servants, the men of Trans- Euphrates:
African KalangaOku ntutshi we lukwalo gwabakatumilila: “Kuna Mambo Atazezasi: Bakwali, balanda benyu, banogala ku golombedzo le Yufuratesi.
- English12
The king should know that the Jews who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are restoring the walls and repairing the foundations.
African Kalanga“Mambo bakafanila ziba kuti Bajuta bakazha ku tili, bedwa kumuli bakayenda ku Jerusalema, banomusa nzi nkulu iwoyu wakapanduka, wakabipa. Banopedzisa makuma kakale banomusa thiwa dzayo.
- English13
Furthermore, the king should know that if this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty will be paid, and the royal revenues will suffer.
African KalangaNgono ngwenu mambo bakafanila ziba kuti, ha bemusa nzi nkulu, bebebebaka makuma bepedza, abangatjalipe lukhetho ne ndilo ya Nzinda ne mimwiso ne matula e bushe e mari anowotapudzika.
- English14
Now since we are under obligation to the palace and it is not proper for us to see the king dishonored, we are sending this message to inform the king,
African KalangaNgwenu ngekuti tipasi kwe tjisungo tje ng'umba ye bushe, atitoshaka kubona mambo belengudziwa, ndizo totumila ndayidzo iyeyi tizibisa mambo
- English15
so that a search may be made in the archives of your predecessors. In these records you will find that this city is a rebellious city, troublesome to kings and provinces, a place of rebellion from ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed.
African Kalangakuti kuthamwe shakisiso mu whalo dze zwiyitikalo zwa ntolo dzakabigwa ndi bobatategulu benyu. Mu whalo idzedzo dze zwiyitikalo zwa ntolo mowowana ili kuti nzi nkulu iwoyu, nzi wakapanduka wakabe ubhatisa bomambo ne mituthu kunolema, bugalo gwe bupanduki kudwa tjose ntolo. Ndizo wakabe wakolomogwa.
- English16
We inform the king that if this city is built and its walls are restored, you will be left with nothing in Trans-Euphrates.
African KalangaTozibisa mambo kuti ha nzi iwoyu ungamusiwa makuma kapedziwa, Tetshi bedu abatjowobe ne simba le kulaula ntuthu uku golombedzo le Yufuratesi.”
- English17
The king sent this reply: To Rehum the commanding officer, Shimshai the secretary and the rest of their associates living in Samaria and elsewhere in Trans- Euphrates: Greetings.
African KalangaMambo batumila shandulo: “Kuna Rehumi we ntungamili, Shimishayi we nkwalili na bose banoshingidzana nabo banogala mu Samariya na ngayi na ngayi mu golombedzo le Yufuratesi: Dumiliso!
- African Kalanga
“Lukwalo gwamakatumilila kwakabagwa shandulilo yago nge njele mbeli kwangu.
- English19
I issued an order and a search was made, and it was found that this city has a long history of revolt against kings and has been a place of rebellion and sedition.
African KalangaNdakadusa ndaulo kuti kushakisisiwe, ngono kwakawanika ili kuti iwoyu nzi nkulu wakadwa kule nge kupandukila bomambo ne kuti wagala uli nzi we kupanduka ne kupambusa.
- English20
Jerusalem has had powerful kings ruling over the whole of Trans-Euphrates, and taxes, tribute and duty were paid to them.
African KalangaJerusalema wakabe na bomambo bakasima bebusa golombedzo le Yufuratesi lose, lukhetho, mimwiso, ndilo ya Nzinda zwakabe zwilipiwa ku bali.
- English21
Now issue an order to these men to stop work, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order.
African KalangaNgwenu, dusila bathu ibabo ndaulo kuti bamise kushinga, kuti ndizo nzi nkulu iwoyu usitongomusiwa kuswikila imi ndidusa ndaulo.
- English22
Be careful not to neglect this matter. Why let this threat grow, to the detriment of the royal interests?
African KalangaNdizo mubhate musimise kuti kusibe ne jinyo lingabepo mu zwithu zwe bushe.”
- English23
As soon as the copy of the letter of King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum and Shimshai the secretary and their associates, they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and compelled them by force to stop.
African KalangaKwakati shandulo ye lukwalo gwa Mambo Atazezasi yabagwa mbeli kwa Rehumi na Shimishayi we nkwalili ne bamwe bakabe beshinga nabo, bakamilika tjinyolotjo bakayenda ku Bajuta ku Jerusalema bakabe bebakombeledza kuti bamise kubaka.
- English24
Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
African KalangaNshingo we kumusa Ng'umba ye Ndzimu mu Jerusalema ukapelela uli mile usingadwilile kuswikila gole le bubili le mbuso wa Dariyasi mambo we Pheshiya.
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.