The English-Kalanga Bilingual Language Learning Bible
Old Testament
Read each verse in English beside its African Kalanga equivalent.
Numbers 31English
Mbalo 31African Kalanga
- African Kalanga
Yahwe bakadwa Mushe bakati,
- English2
“Take vengeance on the Midianites for the Israelites. After that, you will be gathered to your people.”
African Kalanga“Bgwilizila Bamidiyani tjabakathama mu Baiziraela, shule kwa ikoku, unowofa.”
- English3
So Moses said to the people, “Arm some of your men to go to war against the Midianites and to carry out the Lord’s vengeance on them.
African KalangaNgono Mushe kadwa bathu be Iziraela kati, “Muzwilulwamisile babhayani munogwa ne Bamidiyani, Yahwe babgwilizilile tjabakathamwa ne Bamidiyani.
- African Kalanga
Dusani balume bali tjiwulu tjing'ompela (1 000) mu ludzi gumwe ne gumwe gwe Iziraela bayende ku ngwa.”
- English5
So twelve thousand men armed for battle, a thousand from each tribe, were supplied from the clans of Israel.
African KalangaNdizo muna bali zwiwulu be Baiziraela kukashalugwa balume bali tjiwulu tjing'ompela (1 000) koga, mu ludzi gumwe ne gumwe, bose bakabe bali zwiwulu zwili gumi lina bubili (12 000) bakazwilulwamisila kuyenda ku ngwa.
- English6
Moses sent them into battle, a thousand from each tribe, along with Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, who took with him articles from the sanctuary and the trumpets for signaling.
African KalangaMushe wakabatumila kungwa bali tjiwulu kudwa mu ludzi gumwe ne gumwe, bakatungamigwa ne mpirisiti Finihasi nkololo wa Eleazari akabhata zwija zwe bugalo gwakayengemala ne lunyanga gunolaula ngwa.
- African Kalanga
Bakagwa ne Bamidiyani Yahwe sekwa bakadwa Mushe, ngono bakabulaya balume bose,
- English8
Among their victims were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba–the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.
African Kalangabakabulayilanya kose na bomambo babo bashanu Evi na Rekemu na Zuri na Huri na Reba na pezhugwi kwa ibaba bakabulaya na Bhalamu nkololo wa Bheyori nge thumo.
- English9
The Israelites captured the Midianite women and children and took all the Midianite herds, flocks and goods as plunder.
African KalangaBathu be Iziraela bakatapa bakadzi ne bana be Midiyani, bakazwitolegwa zwithuwo ne thundu yabo yose.
- African Kalanga
Bakapisa mizi mikulu yose mu magalo abakabe baligele ne makotokelo abo wose.
- African Kalanga
Bakatola zose zwakatapiwa zwabakawana nge ngwa, bathu kose ne zwithuwo.
- English12
and brought the captives, spoils and plunder to Moses and Eleazar the priest and the Israelite assembly at their camp on the plains of Moab, by the Jordan across from Jericho.
African KalangaBakazwizhisa kuna Mushe neku mpirisiti Eleazari ne gubungano le Iziraela lakabe lakotokela mu lubala gwe Moabu seli kwe gwizi gwe Jorodani kulingisana ne Jerikho.
- English13
Moses, Eleazar the priest and all the leaders of the community went to meet them outside the camp.
African KalangaMushe ne mpirisiti Eleazari ne batungamili bose be gubungano le bathu be Iziraela bakabhuda bakanobashanganidza kuzhe kwe bukotokelo.
- English14
Moses was angry with the officers of the army–the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds–who returned from the battle.
African KalangaNgono Mushe kazhala bushongola ngekwe balauli be babhayani ne balauli be babhayani be bali zwiwulu ne balauli be babhayani be bali mazana, bakabe babuya ku ngwa.
- African Kalanga
Kababhuzwa kati, “Apa makaletja bakadzi betjila kene?
- English16
“They were the ones who followed Balaam’s advice and were the means of turning the Israelites away from the Lord in what happened at Peor, so that a plague struck the Lord’s people.
African KalangaBonani, Bakadzi ndibo bakateedza gumbuludzo la Bhalamu ku Peori bakathama kuti bathu be Iziraela bathamile Yahwe mbipo. Ngono tjiga tjikazha mu gubungano la Yahwe.
- African Kalanga
Ndizo ngwenu, bulayani bana bose be tjilume, mube mubulaya bakadzi bose bakatongo walilana.
- African Kalanga
Koga muzwisiyile baanadi bose basathu bakawalilana.
- English19
“All of you who have killed anyone or touched anyone who was killed must stay outside the camp seven days. On the third and seventh days you must purify yourselves and your captives.
African KalangaMmwe ne mmwe wabulaya nthu ne mmwe ne mmwe wabhata itumbu anokotokela kuzhe kwe bukotokelo kwe mazhuba ali kutendeka. Mu zhuba le butatu ne muzhuba le butendeka, muzwitjenepadze imwi ne bakadzi bamakatapa.
- African Kalanga
Mutjenapadze tjiambalo tjimwe ne tjimwe, ne tjimwe ne tjimwe tjakathamwa nge ganda ne tjakathamwa nge bukuse gwe mbudzi kene nge lukuni.”
- English21
Then Eleazar the priest said to the soldiers who had gone into battle, “This is the requirement of the law that the Lord gave Moses:
African KalangaMpirisiti Eleazari kadwa balume bakabe bayenda ku ngwa kati, “Nlayo wakapiwa Mushe ndi Yahwe ndi woyu:
- African Kalanga
Zose zwakathamwa nge golide ne siliva ne phangula ne tshipi ne nge ntodo,
- English23
and anything else that can withstand fire must be put through the fire, and then it will be clean. But it must also be purified with the water of cleansing. And whatever cannot withstand fire must be put through that water.
African Kalanganenge tjimwe ne tjimwe tjisingake tjikatshwa mu moto, mutjibabe nge moto, ngono tjowotjenapala. Nenguba kwakajalo, mutjitjenapadze nge vula inotjenapadza. Ne tjingatshwa nge moto, mutjisuke nge vula.
- English24
On the seventh day wash your clothes and you will be clean. Then you may come into the camp.”
African KalangaMube musuka zwiambalo zwenyu mu zhuba le butendeka, ngono mowobe matjenapala. Ngono shule kwa ipapo mowodumigwa kungina mu bukotokelo.”
- African Kalanga
Yahwe bakadwa Mushe bakati,
- English26
“You and Eleazar the priest and the family heads of the community are to count all the people and animals that were captured.
African Kalanga“Iwe ne mpirisiti Eleazari ne batungamili be misha mu gubungano, mubale zose zwakatapiwa, bathu kose ne zwithuwo.
- English27
Divide the spoils between the soldiers who took part in the battle and the rest of the community.
African KalangaMukobanye zwakatapiwa kabili, muzwikobele bakabe bayenda ku ngwa ne gubungano lose.
- English28
From the soldiers who fought in the battle, set apart as tribute for the Lord one out of every five hundred, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, sheep or goats.
African KalangaNgono mutolele Yahwe lukhetho mu babhayani bakabe bayenda ku ngwa, mutole tjing'ompela mu mazana ali mashanu (500) e bathu kene ng'ombe kene madonki kene pkhwizi kene mbudzi.
- English29
Take this tribute from their half share and give it to Eleazar the priest as the Lord’s part.
African KalangaMutole gwamu le bubili mu gobe labo mupe Eleazari ili tjipo tjinopiwa Yahwe.
- English30
From the Israelites’ half, select one out of every fifty, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats or other animals. Give them to the Levites, who are responsible for the care of the Lord’s tabernacle.”
African KalangaMu gobe le bathu be Iziraela, mutole tjing'ompela mu makumi mashanu mamwe ne mamwe e bathu kene ng'ombe kene madonki kene ngubi ye pkhwizi, mu zwithuwo zose, muzwipe Balevi ibo bashingili be bugalo gwa Yahwe.”
- African Kalanga
Mushe na Eleazari bakathama sekwa kadwiwa Mushe ndi Yahwe.
- African Kalanga
Ipapo muna zwakabe zwatapiwa nge babhayani bakabe bayenda ku ngwa kwakasala, pkhwizi dzili zwiwulu zwili mazana ali matathatu ana makumi ali kutendeka ana dzili shanu (675 000)
- African Kalanga
ne ng'ombe dzili zwiwulu zwili makumi ali kutendeka ana mbili (72 000)
- African Kalanga
ne madonki ali zwiwulu zwili makumi matathatu ana ing'ompela (61 000)
- African Kalanga
ne bakadzi bakabe basathu bakawalilana bali zwiwulu zwili makumi matatu ana kubili (32 000).
- African Kalanga
Ngono gwamu lakabe gobe le babhayani bakabe bayenda ku ngwa dzakabe pkhwizi dzili zwiwulu zwili mazana matatu ana makumi matatu ana dzili kutendeka ne mazana mashanu (337 500).
- African Kalanga
Ngono lukhetho gwa Yahwe kwakabe pkhwizi dzili mazana ali matathatu ana makumi ali kutendeka ana dzili shanu (675).
- African Kalanga
Ng'ombe dzakabe dzili zwiwulu zwili makumi matatu ana dzili tathatu (36 000) mudzili lukhetho gwa Yahwe gwakabe guli ng'ombe dzili makumi ali kutendeka ana kubili (72).
- African Kalanga
Madonki akabe ali zwiwulu zwili makumi matatu ana mazana ali mashanu (30 500), muali lukhetho gwa Yahwe gwakabe guli madonki ali makumi ali kutathatu ana kung'ompela (61).
- African Kalanga
Bathu bakabe bali zwiwulu zwili gumi lina kutathatu (16 000), mubali bali makumi matatu ana kubili (32) bakabe lukhetho gwa Yahwe.
- English41
Moses gave the tribute to Eleazar the priest as the Lord’s part, as the Lord commanded Moses.
African KalangaNgono Mushe katola zwakabe zwili lukhetho gwa Yahwe kazwipa Eleazari Yahwe sekwa bakabe badwa Mushe.
- African Kalanga
Mushe wakatola gwamu muna zwakabe zwili zwe babhayani bakabe bayenda ku ngwa epa bathu be Iziraela sa woku:
- African Kalanga
Pkhwizi dzili zwiwulu zwili mazana matatu ana makumi matatu ana kutendeka ana mazana ali mashanu (337 500)
- African Kalanga
ne ng'ombe dzili zwiwulu zwili makumi matatu ana kutathatu (36 000)
- African Kalanga
ne madonki ali zwiwulu zwili makumi matatu ana mazana ali mashanu (30 500)
- African Kalanga
ne bathu bali zwiwulu zwili gumi lina kutathatu (16 000)
- English47
From the Israelites’ half, Moses selected one out of every fifty persons and animals, as the Lord commanded him, and gave them to the Levites, who were responsible for the care of the Lord’s tabernacle.
African Kalangamu gwamu le bathu be Iziraela Mushe wakatola tjili tjing'ompela mu makumi mashanu mamwe ne mamwe epa Balevi bakabe bali batjengeti be bugalo gwa Yahwe, koga sekwa bakabe badwa Mushe.
- English48
Then the officers who were over the units of the army–the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds–went to Moses
African KalangaNdizo batungamili bakabe bakatungamila babhayani ne balauli be babhayani bali zwiwulu ne balauli be babhayani bali mazana bakayenda kuna Mushe,
- English49
and said to him, “Your servants have counted the soldiers under our command, and not one is missing.
African Kalangabakandwa bakati, “Balanda benyu babala babhayani ba pasi kwenyu, ngono akuna ne nng'ompela wakatilashikila.
- English50
So we have brought as an offering to the Lord the gold articles each of us acquired–armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings and necklaces–to make atonement for ourselves before the Lord.”
African KalangaNgono tazhisa zwipo kuna Yahwe, zwadwa mu mmwe ne mmwe wedu, zwitimbi zwe golide, maseka e maboko, rin'gi dze zwinyala, mang'ina e zebe ne zwitimbi, kuzwithamila gadzano mbeli kwa Yahwe.”
- African Kalanga
Mushe ne mpirisiti Eleazari bakaamutjila golide mubali ne mikhabo yose yakathugwa.
- English52
All the gold from the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds that Moses and Eleazar presented as a gift to the Lord weighed 16,750 shekels.
African KalangaGolide yose yakadusiwa nge balauli be babhayani bali zwiwulu ne balauli be babhayani bali mazana yakadusiwa kupiwa Yahwe yakabe ingabe bulemo gwe tjilizanyo tje seme dzili mazana mabili (200).
- African Kalanga
Babhayani bakabe bayenda ku ngwa bakazwitolegwa zwakabe zwatapiwa ku ngwa.
- English54
Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted the gold from the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds and brought it into the Tent of Meeting as a memorial for the Israelites before the Lord.
African KalangaNgono Mushe na Eleazari we mpirisiti, bakaamutjila golide mu balauli be babhayani bali zwiwulu ne balauli be babhayani bali mazana. Bakaibiga mu nshasha we bushanganilo, ili tjikumbuludzo mu bathu be Iziraela mbeli kwa Yahwe.
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.