• Nkosi Sikelel'iAfrika
• Shosholoza
• Thula Mama Thula - A Xhosa Lullaby

NKOSI SIKELEL'IAFRIKA

(This version is one of many variations)

Nkosi sikelel’ iAfrika
Maluphakamis’ uphondo lwayo
Yizwa imithandazo yethu
Nkosi sikelela, nkosi sikelela

Woza moya [sikelela nkosi] [woza woza]
Woza moya oyingcwele
Nkosi sikelela, thina lusapho lwayo.

(The next section is Sotho)

Morena boloka sechaba saheso
Ofedise dintoa lematsoenyeho

[Oseboloke] Oseboloke
[Oseboloke morena]
Sechaba saheso
Sechaba saAfrika

Amandla – ngawethu!

Lord bless Africa
May her horn be raised
Hear our prayers
Lord bless us, Lord bless us.

Come spirt, bless us Lord
Come Holy Spirit
Bless us, the family (of Africa).

Lord take care of the nation
Stop the struggle and frustrations

Save it, save it
Save it Lord, save it
Our nation
Our Africa.

The power – it is ours!

SHOSHOLOZA

Version One

Shosholoza (x2)
I-ye-he
Kulezo ntaba
Stimela siphum' eMzantsi-Afrika

Wen' uyabaleka (x2)
Kulezo ntaba
Stimela siphum' eMzantsi-Afrika

Shosholoza (x2)
Iyehe
Kulezo ntaba
Stimela siqabel' eMzantsi-Afrika

Basically the song seems to be a mixture of Zulu and Ndebele. It means:

Shosholoza
Iyehe
Over those mountains
The train is coming out of South Africa

You are running
Over those mountains
The train is coming out of South Africa

• In the second version the last line means the train is crossing over South Africa
• eMzantsi-Afrika used to be eZimbabwe

THULA MAMA THULA - A Xhosa Lullaby

Imfene mam' imfene yamthabath' umntwana
Wasuke wakhala wathi iyo (x2)

Khawuthule mama thula, thula mama thula,
Thula mama thula, thula yithi tu (x2)

Yamthabath' umntwana yambeka egxeni
Wasuk wakhala wathi iyo (x2)

Mother! The baboon took the baby
The baby cried and said "iyo"

Be quiet mother, be quiet
Be quiet mother, be quiet

The baboon put the baby over his shoulder
The baby cried and said "iyo"

(from "Songs sung by South African children, Grassroots Educare Trust, 1992:33)