The English-Kalanga Bilingual Language Learning Bible
Old Testament
Read each verse in English beside its African Kalanga equivalent.
Judges 7English
Basumikilisi 7African Kalanga
- English1
Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh.
African KalangaKukati kutji mangwanana, Jerubhaale, iye Gidiyoni kose ne bathu bose bakanokotokela ku tshime le Harodi. Ngono bukotokelo gwe Bamidiyani gwakabe guli ku bunandzwa gwabo pa duthu le More mu nkuku.
- English2
The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands. In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her,
African KalangaYahwe bakadwa Gidiyoni bakati, “Bathu baunabo banjisa kundili kuti ndilonge Bamidiyani mu maboko abo, kusiti pamwe Baiziraela bedwa bezwikudza beti, ‘Tazwitjidza ngekwedu.’
- English3
announce now to the people, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.
African KalangaNdizo ngweno zibisa bathu uti, ‘Iye unotja ngotetema ungashanduka kabhuda mu Dombo le Giliyadi.’ ” Ndizo kukashanduka bathu bali zwiwulu zwili makumi mabili ana zwibili (22 000), kukasala bali zwiwulu zwili gumi (10 000).
- English4
But the LORD said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will sift them for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”
African KalangaKoga Yahwe bakadwa Gidiyoni bakati, “Bathu batji banji kwazo, ubayise ku vula ndowobatapudza ikoko. Ha nditi, ‘Iwoyu wakafanila yenda nawe, ngaayende,’ koga ha nditi, ‘Iwoyu aazofanila yenda nawe,’ ngaasiyende.”
- English5
So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the LORD told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues like a dog from those who kneel down to drink.”
African KalangaNdizo Gidiyoni kadelusila bathu ku vula, ngono Yahwe bakadwa Gidiyoni bakati, “Uthubukanye banokaswa vula nge lilimi se mbgwa ne banothigama pasi be ng'wa vula.”
- English6
Three hundred men lapped with their hands to their mouths. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.
African KalangaBalume bali mazana matatu (300) bakang'wa vula nge maboko bekaswa se mbgwa, ngono bose koga bakang'wa vula bakathigama.
- English7
The LORD said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the other men go, each to his own place.”
African KalangaNgono Yahwe bakadwa Gidiyoni bakati, “Nge balume bali mazana matatu (300) bakaswa ndowokusunungula ndikalonga Bamidiyani mu maboko awo. Letja bamwe bose babgwilile, mmwe ne mmwe kanyi kukwe.”
- English8
So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites to their tents but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others. Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley.
African KalangaNdizo Gidiyoni katola zwija zwe bathu mu bali ne manyanga abo ngono kashandusila bose ku mishasha yabo. Kasala nge bali mazana matatu. Bukotokelo gwe Bamidiyani gwakabe guli kusi kukwe mu nkuku.
- English9
During that night the LORD said to Gideon, “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands.
African KalangaMu busiku igogo Yahwe bakandwa bakati, “Milika, delukila pasi unonginilila bukotokelo, ngoti ndagulonga mu maboko awo.
- African Kalanga
Koga ha utja kudelukila, delukila pasi ku bukotokelo na Pura nlanda uwo,
- English11
and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.” So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp.
African Kalangangono muteedze tjabanoleba. Shule kwa ipapo mowobe makasima kudelukila pasi munonginilila bukotokelo.” Ipapo kadelukila pasi na Pura nlanda uwe ku bukotokelo gwe balume bakadedela zwibhayano.
- English12
The Midianites, the Amalekites and all the other eastern peoples had settled in the valley, thick as locusts. Their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore.
African KalangaBamidiyani ne Baamaleki ne bathu bose bekubhezhuba, bakabe baligele mu nkuku, balibanji se phashu, ne kamela dzabo dzisingabalike se nsetje we tjekelo dze gungwa.
- English13
Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. “I had a dream,” he was saying. “A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.”
African KalangaKwakati Gidiyoni ezha, kawana nlume atjaleba woloto lile ku nzwalani uwe eti, “Bona, ndakawolota tjiwunga tje bhali tjikungulukila mu bukotokelo gwe Bamidiyani. Tjakaloba nshasha nge simba gulu ngono nshasha ukawa ukakolomoka.”
- English14
His friend responded, “This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.”
African KalangaNgono nzwalani uwe kanshandula eti, “Ikoku akungabetjimwe kuzhe kwe thumo la Gidiyoni nkololo wa Joashi we N'iziraela. Ndzimu balonga Bamidiyani ne mbunga wose mu maboko awe.”
- English15
When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped God. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, “Get up! The LORD has given the Midianite camp into your hands.”
African KalangaKwakati Gidiyoni ewha woloto kose ne tjeneso yalo, kanamata Ndzimu. Kabgwilila ku bukotokelo gwe Iziraela ngono kadana eti, “Milikani, ngoti Yahwe balonga mbunga we Bamidiyani mu maboko enyu.”
- English16
Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside.
African KalangaNgono kathubukanya balume bali mazana matatu nge makupo matatu, kabiga manyanga ne majegwa asina tjimwe mu maboko abo bose, kuna mavone mu majegwa.
- English17
“Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do.
African KalangaNgono kabadwa kati, “Mundilinge, muthame tjandinothama. Ha ndiswika pa ndzibo we bukotokelo, muthame sekwa ndinothama.
- English18
When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the LORD and for Gideon.’”
African KalangaHa ndilidza lunyanga kose naibabo bandinabo, namwibo mulidzebo ku midzibo yose ye bukotokelo, ngono mumimile muti, ‘Ngwa ya Yahwe ne ngwa ya Gidiyoni.’ ”
- English19
Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands.
African KalangaNdizo Gidiyoni ne balume bali zana (100) bakabe banaye bakaswika ku ndzibo we bukotokelo kutja bigiwa balindi be busiku, bakati batjibiga balindi, bakalidza nyanga dzabo bakapkhwanya majegwa akabe ali mu maboko abo.
- English20
The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, “A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!”
African KalangaNgono makupo matatu akalidza nyanga dzawo bakapkhwanya majegwa, bakabhata mavone nge maboko abo e lumeshwe, nyanga bakadzibhata nge maboko abo e luji kudzilidza, ngono bakamimila beti, “Thumo la Yahwe ne la Gidiyoni.”
- English21
While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled.
African KalangaBakama, nlume mmwe ne mmwe pa magalo awe bakakomba bukotokelo, ngono ngwa yose ikalabuka, bakalila bakatizha.
- English22
When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the LORD caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath.
African KalangaKwakati belidza nyanga dzili mazana matatu, Yahwe bakathama kuti balume bamubukotokelo bamukilane batemane nge mathumo abo. Ngwa ikatizhila ku Bhetishita kulingisana ne Zerera kunoti ku ngathu we Abelimehola whunde ye Tabhati.
- English23
Israelites from Naphtali, Asher and all Manasseh were called out, and they pursued the Midianites.
African KalangaNgono balume be Iziraela bakadang'wa kudwa ku Nafutali ne Asheri ne Manase yose ngono bakatatamila Bamidiyani.
- English24
Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan ahead of them as far as Beth Barah.” So all the men of Ephraim were called out and they took the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth Barah.
African KalangaNgono Gidiyoni katumila batumwa mu shango ye matuthu yose ye Ifureimi eti, “Delukilani pasi ngeno mudzibilidze Bamidiyani mubakilile vula kunoti tjose ku Bhetibhara ne Jorodani.” Ndizo balume bose be Ifureimi bakadang'wa ngono bakabakilila vula kunoti tjose ku Bhetibhara ne ku Jorodani.
- English25
They also captured two of the Midianite leaders, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. They pursued the Midianites and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was by the Jordan.
African KalangaBakatapa batungamili babili be Bamidiyani, kuli Orebu na Zibi. Bakabulayila Orebu ku shongwe ya Orebu, ngono Zibi bakambulayila ku tjiswinilo tje nkumbi tja Zibi. Bakatatamila Bamidiyani ngono bakabuya ne nsholo wa Orebu ne wa Zibi kuna Gidiyoni seli ye Jorodani.
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.