Ngahlangana nomfo' kasibiya izolo
(I met up with sibiya yesterday)
Wathi "we-jonathan, angiphathekile kahle mina
(he said, "jonathan, I am in a very bad way)
Ngiphupha ubaba ongasekho ekhomba inkomo yakhe
(I dream of my late father pointing at his ox)
Ngikhumbula engitshela ethi "wemfana wami
(and I remember him telling me -- "my boy
Uma ngihamba kulomhlaba wemfana wami
(on the day I pass away and leave this earth)
Musa ukungifihla ngebokisi (x3)
(do not bury me in a coffin)
Wemfana wami
(my boy)
Awungebesa ngesikhumba senkomo emhlophe, wemfana wami
(you should bury me wrapped in the skin of a white ox, my boy)
Awungihambisa ngenkomo emhlophe
(you should send me on my last journey by means of a white ox)
Inkomo, inkomo kababa, wo-ye-ye-ye!
(the ox, the ox of my father)
Chorus
Akalele ubaba ekhaya
(father is not at ease at home)
Akafuni ibokisi, ufuna inkomo
(he does not want a coffin, he wants an ox)
Akalele ubaba ekhaya
(father is not resting at home)
Washo mfokasibiya wathi "jonathan lalela lana
(sibiya continued saying, "jonathan, listen here)
Ngokushona kababa kwenzeka isimanga
(on the day my father died a most unfortunate thing happened)
Abantu bomndeni babethi bayamdumisa
(our family thought they would give hima great sendoff)
Bamfihla ngebokisi engalifuni
(and they buried him in a coffin, knowing he did not want this)
Saxabana thina sodwa bomndeni (x2)
(we fought among ourselves, we the members of the family)
Saxabana ngoba ngathi mina bayasithela ngebadi
(we argued because I said they had done something which would bring great
Misfortune)
Benkunzima ngelelolanga sifihla ubaba
(it was difficult the day we buried my father)
Benkunzima ngelelolanga
(it was difficult that day)
Chorus
Ubaba akalele ekhaya, ugudla isibaya
(father is not at ease at home, his spirit wanders around the cattle
Enclosure)
Ibokisi lakhe selimbophile
(it feels imprisoned by the coffin)
Ufuna isikhumba senkomo yakhe (x2)
(his spirit still wants to be accompanied by his ox)