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Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika

From Wikisource

"Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" (Xhosa pronunciation: [ŋkʼɔsi sikʼɛlɛl‿iafrikʼa], lit. 'Lord Bless Africa') is a Christian hymn originally composed in 1897 by Enoch Sontonga, a Xhosa clergyman at a Methodist mission school near Johannesburg.

The song became a pan-African liberation song and versions of it were later adopted as the national anthems of five countries in Africa including Zambia, Tanzania, Namibia and Zimbabwe after independence, and South Africa after the end of apartheid. The song's melody is still used as the national anthem of Tanzania and the national anthem of Zambia (Zimbabwe and Namibia have since changed to new anthems with original melody composition).

Lyrics

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Historic lyrics

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The words of the first stanza and chorus were originally written in Xhosa as a hymn. In 1927 seven additional Xhosa stanzas were added by the poet Samuel Mqhayi.

Xhosa English translation

Nkosi, sikelel' iAfrika
Malupakam' upondo lwayo;
Yiva imitandazo yetu

Chorus

Yihla Moya, yihla Moya
Yihla Moya Oyingcwele

Sikelela iNkosi zetu;
Zimkumbule umDali wazo;
Zimoyike zezimhlouele,
Azisikelele.

Sikelel' amadol' esizwe,
Sikelela kwa nomlisela
Ulitwal' ilizwe ngomonde,
Uwusikilele.

Sikelel' amakosikazi;
Nawo onk'amanenekazi;
Pakamisa wonk'umtinjana
Uwusikilele.

Sikelela abafundisi
Bemvaba zonke zelilizwe;
Ubatwese ngoMoya Wako
Ubasikelele.

Sikelel' ulimo nemfuyo;
Gzota zonk'indlala nezifo;
Zalisa ilizwe nempilo
Ulisikelele.

Sikelel' amalinga etu
Awomanyana nokuzaka,
Awemfundo nemvisiswano
Uwasikele

Nkosi Sikelel, Afrika;
Cima bonk' ubugwenza bayo
Neziggito, Nezono zayo
Uwazikelele.

Lord, bless Africa
May her horn rise high up;
Hear Thou our prayers and bless us.

Chorus

Descend O Spirit
Descend, O Holy Spirit

Bless our chiefs;
May they remember their Creator;
Fear Him and revere Him,
That He may bless them.

Bless the public men,
Bless also the youth
That they may carry the land with patience,
and that Thou mayst bless them.

Bless the wives;
And also all young women;
Lift up all the young girls
And bless them.

Bless the ministers
of all the churches of this land;
Endue them with Thy Spirit
And bless them.

Bless agriculture and stock raising;
Banish all famine and diseases;
Fill the land with good health
and bless it.

Bless our efforts of union and self-uplift,
Of education and mutual
understanding
And bless them.

Lord, bless Africa
Blot out all its wickedness
And its transgressions and sins,
And bless us.

Contemporary

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Xhosa Zulu English Afrikaans (as per Elvis Blue's version)

Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika
Maluphakanyisw' uphondo lwayo
Yiva imithandazo yethu
Nkosi Sikelela Nkosi Sikelela

Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika
Maluphakanyisw' uphondo lwayo
Yizwa imithandazo yethu
Nkosi Sikelela
Thina lusapho lwayo.

Chorus

Yihla moya, yihla moya
Yihla moya oyingcwele
Nkosi Sikelela
Thina lusapho lwayo.

(Repeat)

Nkosi, sikelel' iAfrika,
Malupnakanyisw' udumo lwayo;
Yizwa imithandazo yethu
Nkosi sikelela, Nkosi sikelela,

Nkosi, sikelel' iAfrika,
Malupnakanyisw' udumo lwayo;
Yizwa imithandazo yethu
Nkosi sikelela,
Nkosi sikelela,

Chorus

Woza Moya (woza, woza),
Woza Moya (woza, woza),
Woza Moya, Oyingcwele.
Usisikelele, Thina lusapho lwayo.

(Repeat)

Lord, bless Africa
May her spirit rise high up
Hear thou our prayers
Lord bless us, Lord bless us.

Lord, bless Africa
May her spirit rise high up
Hear thou our prayers
Lord bless us
Your family.

Chorus

Descend, O Spirit
Descend, O Holy Spirit
Lord bless us
Your family.

(Repeat)

Seën ons Here God, seën Afrika
Laat haar mag tot in die hemel reik
Hoor ons as ons in gebede vra
Seën ons, in Afrika
Kinders van Afrika
Hou u hand, o Heer, oor Afrika
Lei ons tot by eenheid en begrip
Hoor ons as ons U om vrede vra
Seën ons, in Afrika
Kinders van Afrika

Chorus

Daal neer, o Gees, Heilige Gees
Daal neer, o Gees, Heilige Gees
Kom woon in ons,
lei ons, o Heilige Gees
Seën ons Here God, seën Afrika
Neem dan nou die boosheid van ons weg
Maak ons van ons sonde ewig vry
Seën ons, in Afrika
Kinders van Afrika

(Repeat)