Sea Green Singers - Repertoire

Sea Green Singers - Nkosi Sikelela Afrika, words

Nkosi sikelela - Words
Words and translation

1. x2: Nko-si si-ke-lel' i-A-fri-ka
Ma-lu-pha-kan-yi-sw'u-pho-ndo lwa-yo
Yi-zwa i-mi-than-da-zo ye-thu
1. Nko-si si-ke-le-la, nko-si si-ke-le-la
or 2. Nko-si si-ke-le-la, Thi-na lu-sa-pho lwa-yo
(many recordings use the second line for both verses).

2. (bass): Wo-za Mo-ya
All: Si-ke-le-la Nko-si si-ke-le-la)
(bass): Wo-za Mo-ya
All: Si-ke-le-la Nko-si si-ke-le-la)
Wo-za Mo-ya O-yin-gewe-le.
Nko-si si-ke-le-la, Thi-na lu-sa-pho lwa-yo.

3. x2: Mo-re-na bo-lo-ka se-cha-ba sa he-so
O fe-di-se din-twa le Mat-swen-ye-ho

4. x2: (sop): O se bo-lo-ke
(all): O se bo-lo-ke
(sop): O se bo-lo-ke
(all): O se bo-lo-ke, Se-cha-ba sa he-so
Se-cha-ba sa A-fri-ka

This verse not sung by SeaGreensingers:
5. x2: Ma-ku-be nja-lo Ma-ku-be nja-lo
ku-de ku-be ngu-na pha-ka-de.

Pronunciation
'u' pron. 'oo'.
'ph' pron. 'p'.
'th' pron,'t'.
'c' pron. as a 'tut' sound. .
'a' pron. 'ah'.

Note

Lord bless Africa
Let its horn be raised
Listen also to our prayers.

Lord bless us,
We, the family of (Africa).

Come Spirit
Come Holy Spirit
Lord bless us, we, the family of Africa.

Lord bless our nation
Stop wars and suffering
Save it, Lord
Our nation,
The African nation.
Let it be so for ever.

1. The first verse of this song was composed in 1897 by Enoch Mankayi Sontonga, a Christian musician from -the Cape Province.
Over the years it has been sung as a hymn and taken up as the national anthem by various countries in southern Africa and in South Africa it is recognised as the people's national anthem, having been adopted by the ANC tri 1925. The last stanza was added spontaneously at a meeting and is sometimes included now. It carries the additional symbolic meaning of the struggle for democracy in South Africa and is often sung defiantly with raised, clenched fists.

2. The Nguni language group comprises a wide range of languages found in South Africa, including Xhosa and Zulu, which arc commonly known. The Sotho language group comprises several related languages, the most common of which arc Tswana, Pedi and Southern Sotho.

South African National Anthem

Xhosa

Zulu

Sesotho

Afrikaans

English

Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika
Maluphakanyisw' uphondo lwayo,

Yizwa imithandazo yethu,
Nkosi sikelela
Thina lusapho lwayo.

Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso,
O fedise dintwa le matshwenyeho,
O se boloke, O se boloke setjhaba sa heso,
Setjhaba sa,

Uit die blou van onse hemel,
Uit die diepte van ons see,
Oor ons ewige gebergtes,
Waar die kranse antwoord gee

Sounds the call to come together,
And united we shall stand,
Let us live and strive for freedom
In South Africa our land.

Lord bless Africa
Let its (Africa's) horn be raised

Listen also to our prayers
Lord bless us
We are the family of it (Africa)

South Afrika — South Afrika. Lord bless our nation
Stop wars and sufferings
Save it, save it, our nation
The nation of South Africa — South Africa.

From the blue of our heavens,
From the depths of our seas,
Over our everlasting mountains,
Where the crags give answer,

Sounds the call to come together,
And united we shall stand,
Let us live and strive for freedom
In South Africa our land.