The English-Kalanga Bilingual Language Learning Bible
Old Testament
Read each verse in English beside its African Kalanga equivalent.
Ruth 3English
Ruti 3African Kalanga
- English1
One day Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, should I not try to find a home for you, where you will be well provided for?
African KalangaLimwe zhuba Naomi, mmezwale babe, bakandwa bakati, “Mwanangu, apa andingakushakile nsha kene kuti ugadzikane?
- English2
Is not Boaz, with whose servant girls you have been, a kinsman of ours? Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor.
African KalangaBhoazi iwoyu wawabe ushinga ne baanadi babe n'galithaka upejo naswi. Unowobe ewulusa bhali busiku igogu mu libuwa.
- English3
Wash and perfume yourself, and put on your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking.
African KalangaAngula, uzhole, umbale zwiambalo zwizo zwakanaka tjose uyende ku libuwa, koga usitongo thama kuti akuzibe kuswikila apedza kuja ne kung'wa.
- English4
When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.”
African KalangaAti enolala uyele njele kuti walala ngayi, uyendeko, ube ufukula makumbo awe ulale paali, ngono unowokubudza kuti ushingeni.”
- African Kalanga
Ruti kashandula eti, “Kose kwamunondibudza ndowokuthama.”
- English6
So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do.
African KalangaNdizo kayenda ku libuwa, ngono kashinga sekwa alayiwa ndi mmezwale babe.
- English7
When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down.
African KalangaBhoazi kati apedza kuja ne kung'wa, moyo uwe ukashatha, ndizo kanolala pa ndzibo we mmbumba we bhali. Ruti kanyanga kafukula makumbo awe kalala.
- English8
In the middle of the night something startled the man, and he turned and discovered a woman lying at his feet.
African KalangaPakati kwe busiku nlume iwoyu kalobgwa nge hana, ngono kashanduka, kabona nkadzi ali lele pa makumbo awe.
- English9
“Who are you?” he asked. “I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer.”
African KalangaKabhuzwa kati, “Ndiwe ani?” Ngono iye kadabila eti, “Ndimi Ruti nlandakadzi wenyu, fukidzani nlandakadzi wenyu, ngoti mu n'galithaka upejo.”
- English10
“The Lord bless you, my daughter,” he replied. “This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor.
African KalangaBhoazi kabe eti, “Yahwe ngabakukombolele mwanangu, ngoti buthu gugo ku bupelo gopinda gwe kutanga, auzotobela bazhuzha be bafumi kene be bashayi.
- English11
And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All my fellow townsmen know that you are a woman of noble character.
African KalangaMwanangu, ngwenu usitjatje, ndowokuthamila kose ikoku kwaunokumbila. Bakanyi kwedu bose banoziba kuti u nkadzi wakalulwama.
- African Kalanga
Koga nenguba kuli malebeswa kuti ndi n'galithaka, kuna mmwe n'galithaka upejo kundipinda.
- English13
Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to redeem, good; let him redeem. But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives I will do it. Lie here until morning.”
African KalangaLala ipapa busiku guno, mangwana ha eduma kukugalathaka, kowobe kwakalulwama. Ha asingashake, ndotuna na Yahwe tjose, imi ndowokugalathaka. Lala kuswikila mangwana.”
- English14
So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before anyone could be recognized; and he said, “Don’t let it be known that a woman came to the threshing floor.”
African KalangaNdizo kalala ku makumbo awe kuswikila tjimuka, koga wakamuka kutji busikwana kuti asibong'we, ngoti Bhoazi wakabe ati, “Kusitongo zibgwa kuti nkadzi wakatongo zha ku libuwa.”
- English15
He also said, “Bring me the shawl you are wearing and hold it out.” When she did so, he poured into it six measures of barley and put it on her. Then he went back to town.
African KalangaIpapo kandwa kati, “Zhisa ngubgwana yawakafuka uiwale.” Kaiwala, ngono Bhoazi kayela seme dzili tathatu dze bhali kabe enkhiga iyo ebe eyenda ku nzi.
- English16
When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, “How did it go, my daughter?” Then she told her everything Boaz had done for her
African KalangaKaswika kuna mmezwale babe. Bakambhuzwa beti, “Wayenda tjini, mwanangu?” Ruti kababudza kose kwaathamigwa ndi Bhoazi.
- English17
and added, “He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”
African KalangaKabe eti, “Wandipa zwiyelo izwezwi zwe bhali zwili tathatu eti, ‘Usibgwilile kuna mmezwale babo usina tjawakabhata.’ ”
- English18
Then Naomi said, “Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.”
African KalangaNaomi kashandula eti, “Tjigalazo mwanangu kuswikila ubona tjinowoshingikala, ngoti aangagale kuswikila epedza ndebo iyeyi nasi.”
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.