This poem is written by Israel Mlisela Mpande from Ncambele in Mthatha under chief Zibuzele. He praises another imbongi, Lizo Ndobe.
Khani rhabule mawethu kodwa ningagqibi. Kodwa ukuba nithe nagqiba solandelisa enye ibhekile.
Cho-o-o-osi
Chosi mz’ ontsundu
Chosi banta’ begazi
Nangona kuyingxaka-ngxaka
Kuxaken’ oxam be phaxulana ngemisila
Yingxuba ka xaka madoda
Umilowo ka sigxeleshene
Siman’ uba maxhaphetshu sixhakamfulana
Ngelix’ iinkomo zigxusha zigxwal’ emswaneni.
Kaloku thina sakhawulwa ngobuthi
Ngoku zalwa ko nyana wesi hobe
Int’ egqagramla kurhorh’ iholo!
Int’ ebayithiya ngoKumkani
Ngenxa yobu ngangamshe be qonga!
Ngotyo-ngotyo ndini nt’ entsimb’ ayigobi
Ith’ iz’ igob’ igotywe zintsimbi zabelungu! Wena wedwa uyabusa kub’; uphil’ isihobe
Waxelelis’ uYesu ngothando lwento yakho.
Rhali-rhali kwabo bangakwaziyo
Kub’ imin’; ezinje ziyobayimbali! ncamncelele kwabo bakwaziyo
Ngoba baxhaml’ ixesh’ aph’ amaxox’ aw’ egxuma.
Ndihlatywa yintloko yeengcinga
Ndirhawuzelelwa yintlonzi
Ndiz’ dina ngetyala lombuzo othi
“Kaze woz’ aphind’ abekh’ ofana nawe”
Ngcali ndini yakwa Ndobe
Ngcaphephe ndini yamaMpondo
Nkcubabuchopho ndini yoMzantsi Afrika!
Wena dlula beyibuza!
Nok’ indima ndiyibethel’ umgama ndiw’ hambile
Ndivumele ndiqubul’ iqakathi lam
Ndityath’ ingubo yam egxeni ndijongis’ umboko wam ngakuthi
Apho ndofika khona ndingqengqe ngoqolo
Ndiqamele ngenqindi ndiqiqis’ ingqondo ndiqikelelisa ngalento yalomqamel’ ungekhoyo
Kodwa ndothi ndisaqamele ngal’ elonqindi
Ndasuka ndiphakame ndilixhum’ entla kweentloko zakothu
Ngoba nam ngeny’ imini ndinqwenel’ uba liqhawe lamqhawe nje ngomfo kaNdobe!
I aspire to inspire before I expire! Lizo Ndobe inspires me.
Israel Mpande
