The English-Kalanga Bilingual Language Learning Bible
Old Testament
Read each verse in English beside its African Kalanga equivalent.
Leviticus 25English
Zwipo 25African Kalanga
- African Kalanga
Yahwe bakadwa Mushe ali mu Dombo le Sinai bakati,
- English2
“Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a sabbath to the Lord.
African Kalanga“Lebeleka ne bathu be Iziraela ubadwe uti, ‘Ha muswika mu shango yandinomupa, mowolondolodza zhuba le kunyaluluka le Sabata la Yahwe.
- English3
For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops.
African KalangaMulime mudzwale minda yenyu, musunulile minda yenyu ye mizhambi makole ali matathatu, mubuye mutjele mitjelo yayo.
- English4
But in the seventh year the land is to have a sabbath of rest, a sabbath to the Lord. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards.
African KalangaKoga gole le butendeka lowobe Sabata, nsi we kunyaluluka kuzhele kwe shango, ibe Sabata kuna Yahwe, musitongolima minda kene kuli kusunulila minda yenyu ye mizhambi.
- English5
Do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land is to have a year of rest.
African KalangaMusitongovuna mazhamba kene mukatjela zhambi mu mizhambi isakasunuligwa, lowobe lili gole le nsi we kunyaluluka kwe shango.
- English6
Whatever the land yields during the sabbath year will be food for you–for yourself, your manservant and maidservant, and the hired worker and temporary resident who live among you,
African KalangaNenguba nnda usakalimiwa mu gole ilelo le Sabata, unowokubidwisila zojiwa, zwe balandalume ne balandakadzi babo ne bashingi babo ne bataya bakabakidzana nawe,
- English7
as well as for your livestock and the wild animals in your land. Whatever the land produces may be eaten.
African Kalangane zwithuwo zwizo ne phuka dze shango dzimu shango yenyu, tjimwe ne tjimwe tjinowobe tjabidwa tjijiwe.
- English8
“ ‘Count off seven sabbaths of years–seven times seven years–so that the seven sabbaths of years amount to a period of forty-nine years.
African Kalanga“ ‘Ngono unowozwibalila bo Sabata bali kutendeka be makole, makole ali kutendeka katendeka, ngono unowozwiwanila mazhuba a bo Sabata bali kutendeka be makole, makole wose aswike makole ali makumi manna ana ali zhanalume.
- English9
Then have the trumpet sounded everywhere on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement sound the trumpet throughout your land.
African KalangaNdizo unowotuma ntumwa kapoteleka elidza lunyanga mu zhuba le bugumi le mwedzi we kutendeka, mu zhuba le gadzano unowotuma ntumwa kapoteleka elidza lunyanga mu shango iyo yose.
- English10
Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each one of you is to return to his family property and each to his own clan.
African KalangaNgono unowoyengemadza gole le makumi ali mashanu, ubeuzibisa bagali be shango ngekwe sununguko mu shango yose, kowobe kushatha kuko, ha mmwe ne mmwe wenyu ebgwilila ku thundu iye ne mmwe ne mmwe wenyu ebgwilila ku nsha uwe.
- English11
The fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; do not sow and do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the untended vines.
African KalangaGole ileli le makumi ali mashanu libe le kushatha mu muli, musitongodzwala nenguba kuli kuvuna mazhamba, kene kutjela zhambi mu mizhambi yenyu isakasunuligwa.
- English12
For it is a jubilee and is to be holy for you; eat only what is taken directly from the fields.
African KalangaNgobe i gole le kushatha, lowobe lakayengemala mu muli, mowoja mazhamba akabidwa mu minda.
- African Kalanga
“ ‘Mu gole ileli le kushatha mmwe ne mmwe wenyu unowobgwilila ku thundu iye.
- English14
“ ‘If you sell land to one of your countrymen or buy any from him, do not take advantage of each other.
African KalangaNgono ha utengesela ikamu kene utenga mu ikamu, amutowotjebelana.
- English15
You are to buy from your countryman on the basis of the number of years since the Jubilee. And he is to sell to you on the basis of the number of years left for harvesting crops.
African KalangaUnowotenga mu ikamu tjitjo kuyendidzana ne makole e kushatha kwapinda, naiye unowotengesa kuyendidzana ne makole akavung'wa mathunde mu minda.
- English16
When the years are many, you are to increase the price, and when the years are few, you are to decrease the price, because what he is really selling you is the number of crops.
African KalangaHa makole ali manjinji unowopapha themba, ngono ha makole ali mashomanana unotapudza themba, ngobe ili tjilizanyo tje zojiwa zwaanokutengesela.
- African Kalanga
Musitongo tjebelana, koga mutje Ndzimu wenyu, ndimi Yahwe Ndzimu wenyu.
- African Kalanga
“ ‘Ndizo mutobele milayo yangu, mulondolodze ndaulo dzangu mudzithame, kuti mugale mu shango makatjengeteka.
- African Kalanga
Shango inowobidwisa mitjelo yayo, ngono mukaja mukaguta muligele muili makatjengeteka.
- English20
You may ask, “What will we eat in the seventh year if we do not plant or harvest our crops?”
African Kalanga“ ‘Ngono ha mungati, “Towojani mu gole le butendeka, ha tisingalime kene kuli kuvuna zojiwa zwedu?”
- English21
I will send you such a blessing in the sixth year that the land will yield enough for three years.
African KalangaNdowolaula makombolelo angu kamuzhila mu gole le butathatu, kuti ndizo azhise zojiwa zwe makole mabili.
- English22
While you plant during the eighth year, you will eat from the old crop and will continue to eat from it until the harvest of the ninth year comes in.
African KalangaHa mulima mu gole le buzhanakadzi mowobe mutjaja zojiwa zwakalaluka, kudzina kube gole le buzhanalume, ha zojiwa zwalo zwivung'wa, mowobe mutjaja zwakalaluka.
- English23
“ ‘The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants.
African Kalanga“ ‘Shango isitongo tengesegwa tjose, ngobe shango nge yangu, imwi mu bataya ne bayendi bangu.
- English24
Throughout the country that you hold as a possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land.
African Kalanga“ ‘Ngono mu shango yose yaunowowana se lukata, wakafanila kube ne luzibo gwe kudzutunugwa kwe shango.
- English25
“ ‘If one of your countrymen becomes poor and sells some of his property, his nearest relative is to come and redeem what his countryman has sold.
African KalangaHa mmwe wenyu angabe nshayi, kabe etengesa gwamu limwe le thundu iye, gamu lile ngalidzutunule tjatengesiwa nge mwana wa tate babe.
- English26
If, however, a man has no one to redeem it for him but he himself prospers and acquires sufficient means to redeem it,
African KalangaHa nthu asina gamu lingaidzutunula, kube kuti shule efuma ewana kwakalizana kuidzutunula,
- English27
he is to determine the value for the years since he sold it and refund the balance to the man to whom he sold it; he can then go back to his own property.
African Kalangangaabale makole etjinga aakaitengesa, abe elipa waakatengesela epapha themba pezhugwi mu makole akaitengesa, ngono abgwilizigwe thundu iye.
- English28
But if he does not acquire the means to repay him, what he sold will remain in the possession of the buyer until the Year of Jubilee. It will be returned in the Jubilee, and he can then go back to his property.
African KalangaKoga ha asina kumu maboko kwakalizana kuzwiidzutunulila, ndizo tjaatengesa tjowobe mu maboko e wakatjitenga kudzina kube gole le kushathila makole mashanu apinda, mu gole ilelo le kushatha inowobe isunungugwa, ngono unowobgwilizigwa thundu iye.
- English29
“ ‘If a man sells a house in a walled city, he retains the right of redemption a full year after its sale. During that time he may redeem it.
African Kalanga“ ‘Ha nthu angatengesa ng'umba ye bugalo ili mu nzi wakabakiligwa nge luswingo, una fanilo dze kuidzutunula mu gole ilelo laakaitengesa ndilo lizhele, fanilo dze kuidzutunula igole ling'ompela.
- English30
If it is not redeemed before a full year has passed, the house in the walled city shall belong permanently to the buyer and his descendants. It is not to be returned in the Jubilee.
African KalangaHa asaidzutunula mu tjibaka tje gole, ng'umba imu nzi wakabakiligwa nge luswingo, inowobe ye wakaitenga tjose, kuyenda nge zwizekugwana zwizwe, aingadzutunugwe mu gole le kushatha.
- English31
But houses in villages without walls around them are to be considered as open country. They can be redeemed, and they are to be returned in the Jubilee.
African KalangaKoga ng'umba dzimu nzi usakabakiligwa nge luswingo dzowotogwa se shango yakazhuka koga, dzingadzutunugwa, ngono dzikabgwiliziwa mu gole le kushatha.
- English32
“ ‘The Levites always have the right to redeem their houses in the Levitical towns, which they possess.
African KalangaNenguba kwakajalo Balevi ibo bana fanilo dze kudzutunula ng'umba misi yose, mu mizi ye lukata gwabo, Balevi bangadzidzutunula mu tjibaka tjimwe ne tjimwe.
- English33
So the property of the Levites is redeemable–that is, a house sold in any town they hold–and is to be returned in the Jubilee, because the houses in the towns of the Levites are their property among the Israelites.
African KalangaNgono ha mmwe we Balevi asashingisa simba lile le kudzutunula, ng'umba yakatengesiwa mu nzi we lukata gwabo inowobgwiliziwa mu gole le kushatha, ngobe ng'umba dzimu mizi ye Balevi pakati kwe bana be Iziraela lukata gwabo.
- English34
But the pastureland belonging to their towns must not be sold; it is their permanent possession.
African KalangaKoga shango ye mafulilo imu mizi yabo aingatengesiwe, ngobe lukata gwabo.
- English35
“ ‘If one of your countrymen becomes poor and is unable to support himself among you, help him as you would an alien or a temporary resident, so he can continue to live among you.
African Kalanga“ ‘Ha una gamu lili nshayi, lisingatubule kuzwitjidza, ulibhatshe se ntaya, ligale lili kusi kuko.
- English36
Do not take interest of any kind from him, but fear your God, so that your countryman may continue to live among you.
African KalangaUsitongotola mmwiso mulili, koga utje Ndzimu uwo, kuti gamu lilo litjilile kusi kuko.
- African Kalanga
Usitongo liadzima mari nge kushaka mmwiso, kene kukulipa zojiwa zwizo ushaka kuzwizwadza.
- English38
I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God.
African KalangaNdimi Yahwe Ndzimu wenyu, wakamudusa ku shango ye Egipiti, azha amupa shango ye Kanana, kuti ndibe Ndzimu wenyu.
- English39
“ ‘If one of your countrymen becomes poor among you and sells himself to you, do not make him work as a slave.
African Kalanga“ ‘Ha gamu lilo lili nshayi lili pakuli, libe lizwitengesa mukuli, usitongolishingisa se nlanda.
- English40
He is to be treated as a hired worker or a temporary resident among you; he is to work for you until the Year of Jubilee.
African KalangaLowogala nawe se nshingi kakale linga nlubili. Lowokushinga kuswikila gole le kushatha.
- English41
Then he and his children are to be released, and he will go back to his own clan and to the property of his forefathers.
African KalangaMu tjibaka itjetjo lowoyenda ne bana balo lithubukana nawe libgwilila ku nsha walo ne ku lukata gwa bobatategulu balo.
- English42
Because the Israelites are my servants, whom I brought out of Egypt, they must not be sold as slaves.
African KalangaNgobe Baiziraela balanda bangu, bandakadusa mu shango ye Egipiti, abazofanila tengesiwa benothamiwa balanda.
- African Kalanga
Usitongo busa bathu nge kwakasima, koga utje Ndzimu uwo.
- English44
“ ‘Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves.
African KalangaHa ushaka balandalume ne balandakadzi, unganobatenga mu tjaba dzakakupoteleka.
- English45
You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property.
African KalangaUngatenga bana be bataya bamugele nabo ne mu makamu abo amugele nabo akazwaligwa mu shango yenyu ndibo baungathuwa,
- English46
You can will them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly.
African Kalangakakale mungabasiyila bana benyu kube thaka, mukabazwithamila balanda benyu nge kusingapele, koga mu zwikamu zwenyu bana be Iziraela, musibabhate ngekwakasima.
- English47
“ ‘If an alien or a temporary resident among you becomes rich and one of your countrymen becomes poor and sells himself to the alien living among you or to a member of the alien’s clan,
African Kalanga“ ‘Ha ntaya kene nlubili ugele namwi angafuma, ngono ikamu tjitjo tjibe tjibe nshayi, tjibe tjizwitengesa mu ntaya kene mu nlubili ugele namwi kene mu mmwe we nsha we ntaya,
- English48
he retains the right of redemption after he has sold himself. One of his relatives may redeem him:
African Kalangaungati asinozwitengesa kadzutunugwa, mmwe we bana ba tate babe ungandzutunula.
- English49
An uncle or a cousin or any blood relative in his clan may redeem him. Or if he prospers, he may redeem himself.
African KalangaKene bali batatenini, kene mwana wa tate babe ungandzutunula, kene mmwe we gamu lipejo ne nsha uwe ungandzutunula, kene ashaba kafuma ungazwidzutunula.
- English50
He and his buyer are to count the time from the year he sold himself up to the Year of Jubilee. The price for his release is to be based on the rate paid to a hired man for that number of years.
African KalangaUngalebesana ne wakantenga bakabala makole kudwa mu gole lawakazwitengesa kudzina kunoti mu gole le kushatha. Ngono themba ye kusunungugwa kukwe iyendidzane ne mbalo ye makole ne ndipo ye nshingi mu tjibaka tjaakabe ana tetshi uwe.
- English51
If many years remain, he must pay for his redemption a larger share of the price paid for him.
African KalangaHa kutjina makole manjinji sekwa babala ndiko, unowodusa mari anopindiwa ne themba ye kudzutunugwa kukwe.
- English52
If only a few years remain until the Year of Jubilee, he is to compute that and pay for his redemption accordingly.
African KalangaHa kwasala makole mashomanana kunoti ku gole le kushatha, unowobala naye, kuyendidzana ne makole e nshingo, ebe ebgwiliza mamwe mari elipa kudzutunugwa kukwe.
- English53
He is to be treated as a man hired from year to year; you must see to it that his owner does not rule over him ruthlessly.
African KalangaNgono agale naye se nshingi unolipiwa gole ne gole, asitongo mbhata ngekwakasima.
- English54
“ ‘Even if he is not redeemed in any of these ways, he and his children are to be released in the Year of Jubilee,
African KalangaNgono ha asadzutunugwa nge imwe ye zila idzedzi, asunungugwe mu gole le kushatha, iye ne bana babe.
- English55
for the Israelites belong to me as servants. They are my servants, whom I brought out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.
African KalangaNgobe bathu be Iziraela balanda bangu, balanda bangu bandakadusa ku shango ye Egipiti. Ndimi Yahwe Ndzimu wenyu.’ ”
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.