THE MIGHTY ZULU_Izibongo zeLembe

THE MIGHTY ZULU_Izibongo zeLembe UDlungwan’ ekaNdaba Ilembe eleq’ amanye ngokukhalipha kwalo UNodum’ ehlezi kaMenzi USishak’ asishayeki UmtakaSengakhona Bath’ uShaka kayikubusa Bath’ akakuba nkosi Kanti kulaph’ ezakunethezeka khona. Umlilo wothathe kaMjokwane Umlilo wothathe ubuhanguhangu Oshis’ zikhova eziseDlebe Kwaye kwasha neziseMabedlana. Bayethe boGambushe Nani boFaku Nize ningamthinti umtakaNdaba Ngoba ningathi ningamthinta Kobe nithint’ uPhunga Nathin’ uMageba. UNdab’ ocaba ngomkhonto Amany’ amakhos’ ecaba ngamasende. UGasane, kade lubagasela Lugasel’ imizi yamadoda Lugasel’ uPhungashe ezalwa kwaButhelezi Lugasel’ uSondaba woMthand’ ehlez’ ebandla Lugasel’ uMangwane eNgonyameni Lugasel’ uFaku eMaMpondweni Lugasel’ uGambushe eMaMpondweni. Inkonyane kaNdaba Eth’ isadl’ ezinye, yadl’ ezinye Yath’ isadl’ ezinye, yadl’ ezinye Eth’ isadl’ ezinye, yadl’ ezinye Yath’ isadl’ ezinye, yadl’ ezinye Eth’ isadl’ ezinye, yadl’ ezinye. Wena weNdlovu! Bayete! Ngithe kengabelane nani nonke. Lolu olunye lohlobo lwezinkondlo esinalo kwelikaMthaniya. Kuyadabukisa-ke nokho ukuthi ngengoba isikhathi siya ngokuya siqhubekela phambili, nalo belu luya ngokuya lushabalala. Izibongo zenkshi uShaka. Niyazi-ke, inkosi ayiqedwa. TRABNSLATION Dlungwane, son of Ndaba Axe that surpasses other axes in sharpness. Nodumehlezi of Menzi He who beats but is not beaten The son of Senzangakhona They said Shaka would not reign They said he would not become the king Yet, he was about to prosper. Fire of the long dry grass, of Mjokwane Fire of the long grass, of scorching force That burns the owls at Dlebe And those at Mabedlana, also burnt. Bayete! You of Gambushe And you of Faku Don’t touch the son of Ndaba Once you touch him You touch the ancestor “Phunga” You also touch the ancestor “Mageba”. Ndaba who razes with a spear Other kings raze with testicles. The attacker has been attacking He attacks the men’s territories He attacks Phungashe of Buthelezi He attacks Sondaba of Mthanda as he seats in a congregation He attacks Mangwane at Ngonyameni He attacks Faku at Pondoland He attacks Gambushe at Pondoland. The calf of Ndaba He who while devouring others, he devours some more And as he devours others, he devours some more He who while devouring others, he devours some more And as he devours others, he devours some more He who while devouring others, he devours some more. You of the Elephant! Bayete! I thought I would share with you all this kind of poetry we have in our beautiful land, Praise Poetry. It’s saddening thought that as time goes by is its slowly dying. Praise Poetry of the Great Shaka Zulu.