Gobhoza kuze kube nini manzi

Agubha ngempophoma nokwesaba,

Nobuhle! Yebo, ungaphazanyiswa

Gobhoza nokujul’ ogcobe isimongo

Sekhanda lakho ngomudwa wothingo

Lwenkosikazi, nenkung’ engapheli

Egubuzele izinyawo zakho.

Ukuphe nezwi lokuqhaqhabuka,

Namandl’ okukhuluma naye yedwa,

Laph’ uthulis’ imilomo yesintu

Ngaphezu kwedwala laseSibungu.

Mamo! Uban’ ongas’ asukumele

Phezul’ answininize njengentethe

Yomhlabathi weshongololo ngoba

Ethemb’ impikisano nawe Dumase?

Esuswa nhlungu zini naluthando

Lwakuxobisa ngamsindo muni?

Nolwandle luhoxekela emuva

Lusinel’ emuva njengezomgqizo

Kunoba lwelanyathiselwe nawe;

Nkathimbe luyalala luthi daxa

Njengomunt’ osedakwe wacobeka

Yilanga nawumsebenzi onzima.

Kunjal’ ulwandle luyazikhathaza,

Ludunduzel’ amagagas’ emzansi,

Luwaqoqel’ umhlambikazaluse,

Asin’ imini nobusuk’ engemi.

Ngeliny’ ilang’ abuy’ adambe phansi,

Acweng’ ubuhle besibhakabhaka.

Kwenziwa yini wena ungaphozi,

Ungagugeli phansi ugobhoza

Udwengula impophoma kaVictoria,

Ngeliny’ ilang’ ungadambeli phansi

Kodw’ ugobhoz’ imini nobusuku?

Yeka lokhu kukhuthala okungaka!

Kaning’ ikhwezi likaMhlayonke

Selokhu lavul’ amehlo phezulu,

Lakuzwa ububula njengempisi.

Nezinkanyezi zesibhakabhaka

Ezikhanyise zilind’ imini

Yomyalo wengelosi laph’ umhlaba

Uyakudazuluk’ uncibilike,

Uvulekele phezu kukaThixo,

Namehlo akh’ ahlaba njengomkhonto –

Zibek’ indlebe phezu kwezwi lakho

Dumase, ngathi zithi: “Hamba njalo

Wen’ ovalelis’ ungavalelisi.”

Ihlamvu lonk’ eliphukazelela

Lengamel’ iziziba zakho zonke,

Lidonsa lonk’ uhlaza lwemithambo

Esegazini lal’ eziphethwini

Zemijobulukana yamandambi

Apheshethwa ngumoya wenyakatho.

Bheka-ke, naz’ izinyoni zindizela

Zizimis’ isibindi zisondela

Eduze, zibhukudis’ izimpaphe

Phakathi kofasimbe nay’ inkungu

Oyiphefumulela ngaphezulu!

Kazinayo nangebhe yalo msindo.

Kuyinjabulo ngisho ukuthinta

Umphetho weminyibe yesibhamba

Esingamful’ imichilo yemvul’ eyehlayo

Ixoshan’ ishayek’ edwaleni,

Kuqhume imiqhele yamagwebu,

Kudamuzeke nentuthu yamanzi

Eyona ifïhla imingcwi yamaza,

Iveza nothingo lwenkosikazi

Oluyinhlobisalanga emini.

Iyona le eyakh’ umthal’ ebusuku,

Iwufafaza ngezinkwenkwezana.

Min’ engingenal’ izwi njengelakho

Elokhu limi njalo limpompoza,

Kunjengomfanekiso wesilima

Uma ngiling’ ukuchaza phansi

Ngalolu sib’ olugcobhoz’ uyinki

Isimo sobukhosi nesobuhle –

Ngenzela nokuvus’ uthando kubo

Abangazange bakubone ngeso.

Uphumuz’ imiphefumul’ ehlwelwe,

Eyimihambima ingenendawo

Yokubeka nohlangothi ngenkathi

Ilizw’ elakho izwi ikubheka.

Amehlo abo agcwal’ intokozo,

Bahlale phansi bazicobelele

Insangu, bashay’ amadosh’ ogwayi,

Babheme bakubuke baze bome

Bamel’ ubuthongo bazilalele.

Umsindo wakh’ unjengoju lwenyosi,

Unjengesandla somzanyan’ ekhanda,

Selul’ iminwe sithungath’ unwele

Silulalisa, siluvusa phansi.

Nemihambim’ ithol’ isiphephelo

Ngasezimpikweni zamanz’ amhlophe

Adilika empophomeni yakho.

Dilika njal’ uzubikele bonke

Abenzalo ye-Afrik’ abezayo!