The English-Kalanga Bilingual Language Learning Bible
Old Testament
Read each verse in English beside its African Kalanga equivalent.
Genesis 18English
Kutangisa 18African Kalanga
- English1
The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day.
African KalangaYahwe bakaboneka kuna Abhurahama ali gele pa nkoba we nshasha uwe upa miti mikulu ye pakayengemala ya Mamure masikati zhuba lipisa.
- English2
Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
African KalangaKati emilidza mesho kabona balume bali batatu bali mile pejo naye. Kati ebabona kalabuka kunobashanganidza edwa pa nkoba we nshasha uwe ngono kabathigamila.
- African Kalanga
Kabe eti, “She wangu, ha kuamutjilika, musindinyenyeledze imi nlanda wenyu.
- English4
Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree.
African KalangaImani kuzhisiwe vula shomanana mungule makumbo enyu, ngono munyaluluke kusi kwe nti.
- English5
Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way–now that you have come to your servant.” “Very well,” they answered, “do as you say.”
African KalangaMume ndizhise tjiwunga kuti muje, se mazha pa nlanda wenyu, shule kwa ikoko mungapinda zwenyu.” Ndiko bakabe beti, “Shinga sekwa waleba.”
- English6
So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. “Quick,” he said, “get three seahs of fine flour and knead it and bake some bread.”
African KalangaNgono Abhurahama kalibilidza kangina mu nshasha kuna Sara ebe eti, “Tola zwiyelo zwitatu zwe bgwisa ulibilidza uvange ubhike tjiwunga.”
- English7
Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it.
African KalangaAbhurahama kalabukila ku ng'ombe kashalula ikondolo tjibuyanana katjipa nlanda wakati kalibilidza kutjibhaya ne kubabhikila itjo.
- English8
He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.
African KalangaNgono ipapo kazhisa mashwe ne nkaka mmbisi ne nyama ye ikondolo yabhikiwa kabapa izo. Bakati beja iye kabe ali mile pejo nabo kusi kwe nti.
- African Kalanga
Balume ibabo bakambhuzwa beti, “Sara nkadzi uwo ungayi?” Abhurahama kadabila eti, “Umu nshasha.”
- English10
Then the Lord said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.” Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him.
African KalangaYahwe bakati, “Ndolebesa ndowobuya ku kuli gole linozha mu nsi iwoyu, Sara nkadzi uwo unowowana mwana we tjilisana.” Sara wakabe akawhilila ali tjemukati kwe nkoba we nshasha shule kwa Abhurahama.
- English11
Abraham and Sarah were already old and well advanced in years, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing.
African KalangaAbhurahama na Sara bakabe bakwegula batjikula kwazo. Sara wakabe apinda misi ye kuwana bana.
- English12
So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?”
African KalangaNdizo Sara kaseka tjemu moyo eti, “Shule kwe ndakwegula ne nlume wangu akwegula ndingawana kushatha kene?”
- English13
Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’
African KalangaYahwe bakati kuna Abhurahama, “Ini Sara aseka eti, ‘Apa ndingawana mwana dumbu ndakwegula kene?’
- English14
Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son.”
African KalangaApa tjimwe tjiyapo tjakasimila Yahwe kene? Ndowobuya ku kuli nge tjibaka tjakabigwa mu gole linozha ngono Sara unowobe ne mwana we tjilisana.”
- English15
Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.” But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”
African KalangaSara kalandula kati, “Andizoseka,” ngoti wakabe etja. Yahwe bakati, “Waseka.”
- English16
When the men got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way.
African KalangaBalume ibabo bakamilika bakayenda bakalinga ku Sodoma, ngono Abhurahama kabapeleka.
- African Kalanga
Yahwe bakati, “Apa ndingasumbikila Abhurahama tjandinowoshinga,
- English18
Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.
African Kalangakoga ndiziba kuti Abhurahama unowobe itjaba tjikulu tjakasima ne kuti zwitjaba zose zwe shango zowokombolegwa ndiye kene?
- English19
For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.”
African KalangaAa, ngoti ndakanshalula kuti alaye bana babe ne nsha uwe kun'yedza kulondolodza zila ya Yahwe ngoshinga ndulamo ne ndingisanyo kuti ndizo Yahwe bathamile Abhurahama tjabakan'gadzabgwe.”
- English20
Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous
African KalangaIpapo Yahwe bakati, “Tjililo ngekwe Sodoma ne Gomora tjikulu ne jinyo labo lapindilila.
- English21
that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.”
African KalangaNdoyenda kunobona kene bakashinga kunoyendidzana ne tjililo itjetji tjakaswika kundili, ngono akusakajalo ndowoziba.”
- African Kalanga
Ndizo balume ibabo bakafupatila bakayenda bakalinga ku Sodoma, Abhurahama kasala ali mile mbeli kwa Yahwe.
- African Kalanga
Ipapo Abhurahama kasedzela pana Yahwe kabhuzwa eti, “Apa mungalobesa balulwami kang'ompela ne babi kene?
- English24
What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it?
African KalangaNgatitini pamwe kuna balulwami bali makumi mashanu (50) mu nzi iwoyo, apa mowoulobesa musingautjidze ngoti una balulwami bali makumi mashanu kene (50)?
- English25
Far be it from you to do such a thing–to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
African KalangaNgakube kutjena namwi kuthama tjakajali, kubulaya balulwami kang'ompela ne babi, kubhata balulwami kunofanana ne babi. Ngakube kutjena namwi ikoku. Apa nsumikilisi we shango yose aangashinge tjakalulwama kene?”
- English26
The Lord said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
African KalangaNgono Yahwe bakati, “Ha ndingawana bathu bakalulwama mu nzi we Sodoma bali makumi mashanu (50), ndowotjidza magalo iyawo wose nge kwabo.”
- English27
Then Abraham spoke up again: “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes,
African KalangaAbhurahama kati, “Bonani, ndazwipa kulebeleka na She nenguba ndisi tjimwe ndili whuluba ne nlota koga.
- English28
what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city because of five people?” “If I find forty-five there,” he said, “I will not destroy it.”
African KalangaNgatitini pamwe kwasheteka bali bashanu kuti balulwami babe makumi mashanu (50), mungalobesa nzi wose ngoti basingaswike nge bathu bali bashanu kene?” Ngono Yahwe bakati, “Andingaulobese ha ndingawana bali makumi manna ana bashanu (45).”
- English29
Once again he spoke to him, “What if only forty are found there?” He said, “For the sake of forty, I will not do it.”
African KalangaKapapha kalebeleka nabo kati, “Ha kungawang'wa bali makumi manna (40) koga kee?” She kadabila eti, “Ha ndingawana makumi manna (40) andingaulobese.”
- English30
Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?” He answered, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
African KalangaIpapo Abhurahama kati, “She ngabasigwadze moyo, imani ndilebeleke kakale. Ngatitini ha kungawang'wa makumi matatu (30) kee?” She kati, “Andingakushinge ha ndingawana makumi matatu e bathu (30).”
- English31
Abraham said, “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?” He said, “For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it.”
African KalangaIpapo Abhurahama kati, “Ndazwipa kulebeleka na She. Ha kungawang'wa makumi mabili kee?” She kati, “Andingaulobese ha ndingawana makumi mabili (20) e balulwami.”
- English32
Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?” He answered, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.”
African KalangaIpapo Abhurahama kati, “She ngabasigwadze moyo, ndowolebeleka kakale gwe bupelo. Ha kungawanika bali gumi koga kee?” She kashandula eti, “Ha ndingawana bali gumi andingaulobese.”
- African Kalanga
Yahwe bakati bapedza kulebeleka na Abhurahama bakayenda zwabo, Abhurahama kabgwilila ku nzi uwe.
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.