Freshlyground - Nomvula (After The Rain) lyrics

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

Zang' alile uyise wam mhla kwakufihlwa umzimba wesithandwa seminyaka

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!

Hayini! Azange sayibona intombi enje yakhuliswa yindoda

Dlamini! Abazange bayibona intombi enje yakhuliswa yindoda.

Sondela, mhlobo wam

Nali ibali elide; apho kwaqala khona inkathazo -zozo…

(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)