Sondela, mhlobo wam
Nali ibali elide
Apho kwaqala khona inkathazo -zozo
Ndakhuliswa nguyise wam, owaswelekelwa esemtsha
NguDarly wakhe, umama wam uEdith Nomvula, Thomas Mahola

Sasibathathu kumama wam, ndingowesbini ke mna
Umafungwashe katata Ubhut' Doc Nceba Mahola

eDon Bosco Kwazakhele, 4 rooms, with a dining-room table eBhayi
Zange balile nabathathu ecamb' kwengcwaba lakhe
Zandl' ezincinci zalahl' uthuth' eluthuthweni singasazi nesizathu
Tyhini na bethuna usishiyil' uSis' Nono! Usishiyil' uSis' Nono!
Usishiyil' uSis' Nono!

Hayini! Azange sayibona
Intombi enje yakhuliswa yindoda
Ao ae o
Dlamini! Abazange bayibona
Intombi enje yakhuliswa yindoda.
Ao ae o

Sondela, mhlobo wam
Nali ibali elide
Apho kwaqala khona inkathazo -zozo

© Freshlyground

Translation from Xhosa to English
(Come closer my friend
Here follows a long tale about where the trouble started
I was raised by my father
Who was bereaved at a young age by his true darling, my mother
Edith Nomvula Thomas Mahola
There were three of us by my mother, myself the second
The middle child of my father, Bhut' Doc Nceba Mahola
Never did my father cry, when they hid the body of the love of many years
At Don Bosco; Kwazakhele… four rooms (with a dining room table) in Port Elizabeth
Neither did the three cry at the side of the grave,
Small hands throwing dust to dust not knowing the reason:
Tyhini na bethuna! Sis' nono has left us! Sis' nono has left us!
Hayini!
Never have we seen such a girl raised by a man.
Dlamini!
Never have they seen such a girl raised by a man.
Come closer my friend
Here follows a long tale about where the trouble started)

© Freshlyground