Umkhosi was’ uhlatshwe walawulwa,

Lonk’ elikaKleli noSandile

Layizwa intokazi kaMhlakaza

Yon’ eyayiwabonile lawo

Mathong’ okhokho bay’ abangazange

Baze bawadikaze ngamehlo.

Ilanga labe selimiswa njalo,

Lapho ngisho wena salukazi –

Umxhilibana njengodade nje,

Wawuzobhilelwa ubutshitshi,

Ukhunjuliswe lokhuy’ okudala,

Zithi kuwe izinsizwa: Qoma!

Kwaphum’ ixheg’ eselibhinca nhlanye,

Lathath’ ubhoko ladondolozela

Liqinis’ imisiph’ emilenzeni;

Lagcob’ amafuth’ ezimvub’ ekhanda

Khon’ izinwele zizobuyelana;

Laqal’ ukuphoth’ amadev’ angwevu.

Elinye lezwakala selishela

Lithi: “Uyongiphendula uthini,

Mabani lapho sengithi kuwena,

Ngiyakuthanda ntombi kaSandile?

Uyogwinya nje amazwi ami?”

Kwakusemnandi betekulisana,

Kumnand’ ukuzulisana ngem’qondo.

Kwabhinca kwahloba amakhehla

Ngisho nanamadolo njengoMthontela

Acwala ongiyane, neziqhova,

Namasakabula, nezinsimba.

Alinga nokubhina ethi: “Yeka

Kuseyithi seqa njengamathole!”

Bheka izibaya nezinxuluma

Kukhamisile lezo ziprofitho

Zamandikikazi kaXhosa

Aphupha njengoJosef’ eGibhithe,

Kepha won’ ephupha imbubhiso

Yenzalo yawoyise oMlanjeni.

Phendukis’ amehlo, uzobona

Amanqe, izinyoni zaphezulu

Zizitika, zilale zingembethe;

Nezinja, nenkentshane, nezimbodla,

Zenza isimonqo sasethala.

Likhul’ igama lakho Nongqawuze!

Laphuma lon’ ilanga njengemihla,

Nomoya wathi walakahle phezu

Kwaleyo ntaba yesiqalekiso,

Naphezu kwamagama awoMhlakaza,

NoNongqawuze nenkohliso yabo.

Ukuduma kolwandle kwabethusa,

Bese bethatha sengathi yikhona

Ukubhilwa kwabo. Noma kunjalo

Akukh’ oyedwa owezwakalayo

Ebika elokudangala nosizi.

Nanguya laphay’ uTsili iqhawe

Ebamisa isibindi njalo,

Ngokuvungamisa yon’ inkondlo

Yamaqhawe amakhulu odwa,

OMakana nawoNdlambe nawoLinda.

Amazwi abo ezwakala ngisho

Kuzo izigodlo zamathongo

Ayesakhathele, esazunywe

Ubuthongo phezu kwezicephu

Zamafu, nezolwandle, nezokhamba.

Kwakuzwakala izwi elincane

Lowesifazan’ ekikizelela

Ukungena kwamaqhaw’ ezinsizwa

Ngezigi zenhliziyo yakhe yedwa,

Igidizela ngezig’ ezinkulu

Esifubeni sakhe. Ephuph’ ebona

Bon’ oyisemkhulu bemabhongo,

Namaveleta ezinsizwa ezawa

Empini yokuqala yemibango

Yezwe lawokhokho, leli lanamuhla.

Ilanga lakhwel’ ummango walo

Liyilokhu lisinekile njalo

Imisebe yalo ehlabayo.

Lazi konke okwehlakalayo

Nokuzovela phinde lithi vuya,

Ladwengula lay’ entshonalanga.

Kwezwakala omuny’ ebuza ethi:

“Kodwa nith’ ikhona into ekhona?”

Abanye babik’ indlala nokoma,

Amaqhalaqhala athula duya.

Kwavela ishing’ elithize lathi:

“Ngikhombise, uphi uNongqawuze,

Ngincame ngizizwele ngesijula?”

Kwahlokom’ izwi labadala bathi:

“Thul’ umsindo mfana kaNobani,

Uxosha amathongo, azofika

Ngokushona kwenhlamvu yal’ ilanga.”

Yashona yathi gqwambi, kodwa dwaya.

Kwahwelela kwaqoqana ukuhlwa.

Yaphum’ inyang’ ihlek’ usulu nayo.

Luthuli lwani lolu oluthunqa

Laphaya, kade kumi izixuku

Zilindele ukubunjwa kabusha?

Ngitshele! Sekuyiwo yini lawo

Mabutho, nemihlambi, nemithimba

Ebilindwe mini yonkana lena?

Ngalalelisa ngezwa ukukhala

Kwakho wena mntwana ongenacala;

Ngalalelisa ngezwa ukukhala

Kwakho wena ntombi nenkehl’ emsulwa;

Ngalalelisa ngezwa ukukhala

Kwakho wena salukazi osele,

Kwaduma kwabikel’ izinkanyezi.