| Hawu baba ngashada intombi yami esikolweni emoliva
|
| (oh father I married my girl at the school on mooi river)
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| Kwashunqa uthuli kwandlovu madoda silwela lobuhle
|
| (the dust was rising with all the preparations at ndlovu’s home)
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| Usipho wakipha izinkomo ezamalobolo ezinamasondo
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| (sipho paid the bride price with a motor car)
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| Wadlala umukwa wami, wadlala engalindile
|
| (and my father-in-law performed an unexpected war dance
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| On the spur of the moment)
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| Wadlala umukwa wami engalindile kwakhikhiza abafazi
|
| (my father-in-law performed an unexpected war dance
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| And the women encouraged him with shrill cries)
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| Ngisho izulu eliphezulu lalihleka kancane
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| (even the heaven above — i.e. the zulu king — gave a small laugh)
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| 'zulu eliphezulu lalikhona lalihleka kancane
|
| (the heaven above was present and he gave a small laugh)
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| Emoliva, emoliva
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| (at mooi river)
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| Yamnandi lendaba ngaze ngashada emoliva ngiyabonga webanguni
|
| (it was a wonderful event, for I eventually got married at mooi river
|
| And I thank you people of the chunu clan)
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| Ngaze ngashada ngaze ngathola nowami
|
| (I eventually got married, I eventually even got my own wife)
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| Wemzila wangincelisa amasiko ngaze ngaba wumuthu
|
| (mzila! you suckled me on the traditions and customs
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| Of the zulu and I became a person)
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| Hawu wemakhabela nangikhulisa ngaze ngaba wumuthu
|
| (oh you people from makhabeleni you raised me until I became a person)
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| Kungathiwani ngani banguni nahlanganisa zonke izizwe
|
| (and what can be said about you, machunu people
|
| For you brought together all the nations)
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| Nahlanganisa zonke izizwe ubesehlulekile ubotha
|
| (you brought all the nations together
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| Botha long having failed to do this)
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| Nahlanganisa zonke izizwe ngobuhle ubesehlulekile ubotha
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| (you brought all the nations together in good spirit
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| Botha having long failed)
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| Emoliva
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| (at mooi river)
|
| (here I call out the praise names of various people who have been
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| Important in my life, most of whom were present at my marriage) |