Every reading, dated.

English Monday, 28 September 2026

The word for today

Isandla siyageza esinye. One hand washes the other.

The verse

And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. Isaiah 30:21, King James Version.

The reading

Isaiah heard the word behind him, not in front of him. Most of us meet it late, on the walk back, after the decision is already made. The elders kept a word for the same thing: isandla siyageza esinye, one hand washes the other. The left hand cannot make itself clean alone. Neither can you. Today will place you on both sides of that sentence. Somebody needs a pair of hands and you have them. Later you will need help you have not asked for. Ask. This road is walked in company. Before the day gets loud, name one person you will help, and one thing you will let another person help you with.

Carry this

Help one person without being asked, and ask for one thing before the day ends.

Source of the proverb

The proverb is isiZulu. It carries a citation in the Impande proverb registry: SA Sayings, Zulu proverbs index, retrieved 24 August 2026, where it also appears as isandla siyahlamba esinye. The verse is King James Version, public domain.

Review status: Awaiting a signature

isiZulu UMsombuluko, 28 Septhemba 2026

The word for today

Isandla siyageza esinye. One hand washes the other.

The verse

And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. Isaiah 30:21, King James Version.

The reading

U-Isaya wezwa izwi ngemuva kwakhe, hhayi phambi kwakhe. Iningi lethu liyozwa kamuva, endleleni ebuyayo, ngemva kokuba isinqumo sesithathiwe. Abadala bagcina izwi lalokhu: isandla siyageza esinye. Isandla sobunxele asikwazi ukuzihlanza sodwa. Nawe awukwazi. Namuhla uzokuma ezinhlangothini zombili zalowo musho. Othile udinga izandla, futhi unazo. Kamuva uzodinga usizo ongalucelanga. Cela. Le ndlela ihamba nabanye. Ngaphambi kokuba usuku lube nsindayo, shono igama lomuntu oyedwa ozomsiza, kanye nento eyodwa ozovumela omunye umuntu ukuthi akusize ngayo.

Carry this

Siza umuntu oyedwa ngaphandle kokucelwa, futhi cela into eyodwa ngaphambi kokuphela kosuku.

Review status: Awaiting a signature

isiXhosa UMvulo, 28 Septemba 2026

The word for today

Isandla siyageza esinye. One hand washes the other.

The verse

And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. Isaiah 30:21, King James Version.

The reading

U-Isaya weva ilizwi ngasemva kwakhe, hayi phambi kwakhe. Uninzi lwethu liyoliva kamva, kwindlela ebuyayo, emva kokuba isigqibo senziwe. Abadala bagcina ilizwi lento: isandla siyageza esinye. Isandla sasekhohlo asinakuzihlamba sodwa. Nawe awunakho. Namhlanje uya kuma macala omabini esi sivakalisi. Umntu othile ufuna izandla, kwaye unazo. Kamva uya kufuna uncedo ongalucelanga. Cela. Le ndlela ihamba nabanye. Phambi kokuba usuku lube ngxolo, biza igama lomntu omnye oza kumnceda, nento enye oya kuvumela omnye umntu akuncede ngayo.

Carry this

Nceda umntu omnye ngaphandle kokucelwa, kwaye cele into enye phambi kokuphela kosuku.

Review status: Awaiting a signature

Afrikaans Maandag, 28 September 2026

The word for today

Isandla siyageza esinye. One hand washes the other.

The verse

And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. Isaiah 30:21, King James Version.

The reading

Jesaja het die woord agter hom gehoor, nie voor hom nie. Die meeste van ons hoor dit eers later, op die pad terug, nadat die besluit al geneem is. Die ou mense het 'n woord vir dieselfde ding bewaar: isandla siyageza esinye, een hand was die ander. Die linkerhand kan homself nie skoon kry nie. Jy ook nie. Vandag gaan jy aan beide kante van daardie sin staan. Iemand het 'n paar hande nodig, en jy het hulle. Later gaan jy hulp nodig hê waarvoor jy nie gevra het nie. Vra. Hierdie pad word in geselskap gestap. Voordat die dag raserig word, noem een mens vir wie jy gaan help, en een ding waarmee jy iemand sal laat help.

Carry this

Help een mens sonder dat jy gevra word, en vra voor die dag verby is om een ding.

Review status: Awaiting a signature

English Tuesday, 29 September 2026

The word for today

Indlela yangaphambili iyanyibilika. The way ahead slides as you walk.

The verse

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31, King James Version.

The reading

Isaiah wrote to people who had walked so long that their strength was gone. The promise he gave them was not a shortcut. Renewal takes the night. Twenty-six centuries later, people still leave home before the light and take the same road back in the dark. Waiting is part of the walk, never a gap between two parts of it. The proverb says the way ahead slides as you walk: the path you see is not the path you step on, and the clearing is made by walking. So make it. Most days will not be the eagle days. Most days you put one foot down and then the other, and that is the victory the verse names. Strength for today comes back. It is renewed, not spent.

Carry this

Put one foot down, then the other. Strength for today is renewed, not spent.

Source of the proverb

The proverb is isiXhosa. Our record holds it with the source noted as Xhosa oral tradition, and names a canonical published source as still pending confirmation. It is published here with that gap stated rather than filled.

Review status: Awaiting a signature

isiZulu ULwesibili, 29 Septhemba 2026

The word for today

Indlela yangaphambili iyanyibilika. The way ahead slides as you walk.

The verse

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31, King James Version.

The reading

U-Isaya wabhalela abantu ababehamba isikhathi eside kangangokuthi amandla abo ayephelile. Isethembiso asebanika sona sasingeyona indlela emfushane. Ukuvuselelwa kuthatha ubusuku. Emakhulwini angamashumi amabili nesithupha eminyaka kamuva, abantu basaphuma ekhaya ngaphambi kokuba kukhanye, futhi babuyela ngendlela efanayo ebusuku. Ukulinda kuyingxenye yohambo. Isaga sithi indlela ebhekile phambili iyanyibilika njengoba uhamba: indlela oyibonayo akusiyo indlela oyinyathelayo, futhi indawo evulekile yenziwa ngokuhamba. Ngakho yenze. Izinsuku eziningi azizona izinsuku zokhozi. Izinsuku eziningi ubeka unyawo olulodwa bese ubeka olunye, futhi lokho kuyimpumelelo okukhulunywa ngayo ekhophasini. Amandla osuku lwanamuhla ayabuya. Ayavuselelwa, awachithwa.

Carry this

Beka unyawo olulodwa, bese ubeka olunye. Amandla anamuhla ayavuselelwa, awachithwa.

Review status: Awaiting a signature

isiXhosa ULwesibini, 29 Septemba 2026

The word for today

Indlela yangaphambili iyanyibilika. The way ahead slides as you walk.

The verse

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31, King James Version.

The reading

U-Isaya wabhalela abantu ababehamba ixesha elide kangangokuba amandla abo aphelile. Isithembiso awasinika sona sasingelondlela imfutshane. Uhlaziyo luthatha ubusuku. Kwiinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabini anesithandathu kamva, abantu basaphuma ekhaya ngaphambi kokuba kukhanye, kwaye babuyela kwindlela enye ebusuku. Ukulinda yinxalenye yohambo. Umzekeliso uthi indlela ephambi kwakho iyatyibilika njengoko uhamba: indlela oyibonayo ayisiyo indlela oyinyatheleyo, kwaye indawo evulekileyo yenziwa kukuhamba. Yenze ke. Iintsuku ezininzi aziyizo iintsuku zokhozi. Iintsuku ezininzi ubeka unyawo olunye emva kolunye, kwaye oko luloyiso oluchazwa yivesi. Amandla alanamhlanje ayabuya. Ayahlaziywa, akachithwa.

Carry this

Beka unyawo olunye, emva koko olunye. Amandla alanamhlanje ayahlaziywa, akachithwa.

Review status: Awaiting a signature

Afrikaans Dinsdag, 29 September 2026

The word for today

Indlela yangaphambili iyanyibilika. The way ahead slides as you walk.

The verse

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31, King James Version.

The reading

Jesaja het geskryf vir mense wat so lank gestap het dat hulle krag op was. Die belofte wat hy vir hulle gegee het, was nie 'n kortpad nie. Vernuwing neem die nag. Ses en twintig eeue later vertrek mense steeds voor dit lig word en vat dieselfde pad terug in die donker. Wag is deel van die stap. Die spreekwoord sê die pad voor jou gly terwyl jy stap: die pad wat jy sien is nie die pad waarop jy trap nie, en die oopte word gemaak deur te stap. Maak dit dus. Die meeste dae is nie arend-dae nie. Die meeste dae sit jy een voet neer en dan die ander, en dit is die oorwinning wat die vers noem. Krag vir vandag kom terug. Dit word vernuwe, nie uitgegee nie.

Carry this

Sit een voet neer, dan die ander. Krag vir vandag word vernuwe, nie uitgegee nie.

Review status: Awaiting a signature

isiZulu UMsombuluko, 12 Okthoba 2026

The word for today

Indlela ende iyindlela ehamba nabanye. The long road is the road that follows people.

The verse

And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet. Exodus 7:1, King James Version.

The reading

UMose wakhuluma nabantu base-Egiptu, futhi uNkulunkulu wakhombisa uMose izimpawu. Izimpawu zazikhona ukuze abantu bakholwe, hhayi ukuze babalekele. Kulesi sikhathi uNkulunkulu uthi: awuhambi yedwa. Noma ucabanga ukuthi izinyawo zakho ziyakwazi ukuhamba yonke indlela, isandla esisodwa asikwazi ukunika amandla wonke umzimba. Indlela ende iyindlela ehamba nabanye, futhi abanye bayadingeka ngaphambi kokuba uhlangane nabo. Abaningi bacabanga ukuthi ukuhamba yedwa kuyisibindi, kodwa ukuhamba nabanye kuyisibindi esikhulu, ngoba kusho ukuthi wamukela ukuthi awunakho konke. Isibindi sokuhamba yedwa sivame ukufihla amehlo empeleni esaba ukuwa. Hamba kancane namuhla. Cela umuntu oyedwa ahambe nawe isikhathi esifushane. Amandla osuku lwanamuhla ayabuya ngoba awuhambi yedwa.

Carry this

Cela umuntu oyedwa ahambe nawe isikhathi esifushane. Awuhambi yedwa namuhla.

Source of the proverb

The proverb is isiZulu, held in the Impande proverb registry as a fresh isiZulu reading of the Ubuntu line about walking with people. The verse is King James Version, public domain.

Review status: Awaiting a signature

isiXhosa UMvulo, 12 Okthoba 2026

The word for today

Inkosi ayikhuleliyo, ayisosithembiso. A promise from above is not a small thing.

The verse

Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Deuteronomy 31:6, King James Version.

The reading

UMoses wayenguMoses, kwaye abantu babengabantu, kodwa uNkulunkulu wathembisa uMoses into enye: andihambi mna ngaphandle kwakho. Loo nto yayingumbono omncinci wokuhamba. U-Israyeli wayeyakuhamba iminyaka engamashumi amane, kwaye kwakungekho ndawo yokubuyela umva. Inkolelo yokuhamba yomileyo ayisiyo eyokuhamba kuphela. Yiyo eyokuhamba nentlungu, nokuhamba namahla, nokuhamba nezinto ezingaziwayo. Isibindi asisiyo into enikezelwa ngenkani. Yinto efunwa ngumntu ongamnye. Namhlanje, into efunwa nguwe ayisiyo into enokwenziwa nguwe yedwa. Cela. Funa umntu ohamba nawe, nokuba into ayincinci. Indlela ende iyindlela ehamba nabanye, kwayo nto ayisosithembiso esincinane: yinkolelo.

Carry this

Cela umntu oyedwa ahambe nawe isikhathi esifuphi. Isibindi asisebenzi yedwa.

Source of the proverb

The proverb is isiXhosa, in the Nguni family of sayings about the weight of a promise from above. The verse is King James Version, public domain.

Review status: Awaiting a signature