The English-Kalanga Bilingual Language Learning Bible
Old Testament
Read each verse in English beside its African Kalanga equivalent.
Numbers 24English
Mbalo 24African Kalanga
- English1
Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not resort to sorcery as at other times, but turned his face toward the desert.
African KalangaKukati Bhalamu ebona kuti koshathisa Yahwe kukombolela Iziraela, kasitongonoshaka pheku sekwa akathama mu tjibaka tjakapinda. Kashanduka kalinga ku tjilambanyika.
- English2
When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came upon him
African KalangaNgono Bhalamu kamilidza mesho kabona pakakotokela Baiziraela ludzi nge ludzi. Meya ye Ndzimu ikadelukila munli,
- English3
and he uttered his oracle: “The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of one whose eye sees clearly,
African Kalangakatangisa ndebeleko iye kati: “Ndebeleko ya Bhalamu nkololo wa Bheori ndebeleko ye nlume wakabe ebona zubuyanana,
- English4
the oracle of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:
African KalangaNdebeleko ya iye unowha dama le Ndzimu. Iye unobona mbono inodwa kuna Masimbawose. Iye unothigama ekotamisa nsholo, mesho awe akalinga.
- African Kalanga
Mishasha iyo yakanaka seni, iwe Jakubo idzo thumba dzidzo iwe Iziraela.
- English6
“Like valleys they spread out, like gardens beside a river, like aloes planted by the Lord, like cedars beside the waters.
African KalangaInonga mikuku yakapashila kule kule, inonga minda imu phili ye gwizi, inonga makonde akadzwagwa ndi Yahwe, inonga mikosho ipa whunde ne vula.
- English7
Water will flow from their buckets; their seed will have abundant water. “Their king will be greater than Agag; their kingdom will be exalted.
African KalangaVula inowowunga idwa mu makabha awe, mbewu iye inowobe mu vula njinji, mambo uwe unowobe nkulu kupinda Agagi, bushe gugwe gowomilidzigwa pezhugwi.
- English8
“God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox. They devour hostile nations and break their bones in pieces; with their arrows they pierce them.
African KalangaNdzimu wakan'dusa mu Egipiti, Unobagwila se nyati. Unowolobesa zwitjaba zwinonyanyayidzana naye, Unowopkhwanya mafupa azo akabe zwitibhu tibhu, Unobabhaya nge misebe iye.
- English9
Like a lion they crouch and lie down, like a lioness– who dares to rouse them? “May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed!”
African KalangaUnobuba kalala pasi se shumba, kakale unonga shumbakadzi, ndiani unowommusa? Kwakakombolegwa mmwe ne mmwe unokukombolela, una bhiso mmwe ne mmwe unokulonga bhiso.”
- English10
Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam. He struck his hands together and said to him, “I summoned you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them these three times.
African KalangaBhalaki kazhala bushongola ngekwa Bhalamu, kalobanya maboko awe, kadwa Bhalamu kati, “Ndakakudanila kuwolonga bhiso mu zwita zwangu, ngono bona, wakabakombolela uyijali katatu.
- English11
Now leave at once and go home! I said I would reward you handsomely, but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded.”
African KalangaNdizo ngwenu milika uyendezo kanyi kuko. Ndakabe ndazwidwa nditi ndowokuwatsha, ngono Yahwe bakakuma mbeli kuti ndikuwatshe.”
- African Kalanga
Ngono Bhalamu kadwa Bhalaki kati, “Apa andizobudza batumwa babo bawakatuma kundili kuti,
- English13
‘Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lord - and I must say only what the Lord says’?
African Kalanga‘Nenguba Bhalaki angandipa ng'umba iye ili zhele siliva ne golide, andingatubule kutjuluka ndaulo ya Yahwe. Kuthama bubuya kene mbipo nge kuda kwangu, Yahwe tjabati ndilebe, nditjo tjandinowoleba kene?’
- English14
Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.”
African Kalanga“Ngono ngwenu, bona, ndoyenda ku bathu bakanyi kwangu. Ndizoke, ndowokubudza tjinowothamwa nge bathu ibaba mu mazhuba anozha muna bakanyi kwenyu.”
- English15
Then he uttered his oracle: “The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of one whose eye sees clearly,
African KalangaKatangisa ndebeleko iye kati: “Awha matama a Bhalamu nkololo wa Bheori, matama e nlume wabona mbono.
- English16
the oracle of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:
African KalangaMatama e nthu unowha matama e Ndzimu, unoamutjila luzibo gwe u pezhugwi zhugwi. Unobona mbono ya ibo Masimbawose, iye unothigama ekotamisa nsholo, koga mesho awe akalinga.
- English17
“I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth.
African KalangaNdombona, koga kusi ngwenu, ndakanlinga, koga kusipejo pejo. Nyenyedzi inowobhuda muna Jakubo, swimbo ye bushe inowobhuda mu Iziraela, inowopkhwanya migathu ye Moabu. Inowolobesa bakololo bose ba Shethi.
- African Kalanga
Edomu unowokundiwa, Seiri tjita tjitje unowothuyiwabo, koga Iziraela unowokunda kupinda.
- African Kalanga
Bushe gopiwa mmwe unodwa muna Jakubo, ngono unowolobesa malimbelimbe e nzi.”
- English20
Then Balaam saw Amalek and uttered his oracle: “Amalek was first among the nations, but he will come to ruin at last.”
African KalangaNdizo kalinga Amaleki, katangisa ndebeleko iye kati, “Amaleki wakabe uli iwo umbeli kwe zwitjaba zose, koga ku bupelo bose,” banowolobela tjose.
- English21
Then he saw the Kenites and uttered his oracle: “Your dwelling place is secure, your nest is set in a rock;
African KalangaKalinga Bakeniti, katangisa ndebeleko iye kati, “Mugele mu bugalo gwakabakiligwa, gunonga shaka lakabakwa mu shongwe;
- African Kalanga
Nenguba kwakajalo, Kaini unowothukudziwa. Kudza Ashuri ukutapa.”
- African Kalanga
Bhalamu katangisa ndebeleko iye kakale kati, “Yee mme wee mapalala! Apa ndiani unowotjila, ha Ndzimu ungathama ikoku kene?
- English24
Ships will come from the shores of Kittim; they will subdue Asshur and Eber, but they too will come to ruin.”
African KalangaKoga zwikepe zowodwa ku Khitimu ngono zongondongedza Ashuri na Eberi; ngono na ibobo banowoloba.”
- African Kalanga
Ndizo Bhalamu kamilika, kabgwilila kanyi kukwe na Bhalaki na iyebo kazwiyendilazwe.
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.