Читать книгу Nations's Bounty - Nontsizi Mgqwetho - Страница 14
ОглавлениеIn the first seven stanzas, Mgqwetho salutes the new year, which she hopes will not be as frustrating to black aspirations as the preceding year. Then in response to a statement, perhaps published in a newspaper, by a Mr Thwebu, she reflects on the chiefs who have provided ineffective leadership (their royal residences now tearful places), but who could be the focal points of a new national unity, restoring the nation to health.
5 The vale of tears
(On Mr Thwebu’s article)
The years roll by: are you marking time?
1The year has passed and left us,
all signs point to its passage;
the trials of ushering the new year in
are with us. 5
2The year has passed and with it
news of people on earth,
their conduct, their cruelties,
all recorded.
3Hanewu, 1920, 10
year of frustration!
We sought our freedom:
you sent down gunfire,
Pow! and Pow! again.
4Hanewu, 1920, 15
greedy sliver like dusk,
you clubbed to his knees
Doctor Rubusana,
bull with an antelope’s guile.
5Mercy, son of Rubusana, 20
who gulped rejection like water!
Be gone, 1920,
with all your events.
6Awu! So mercy, then, 1921!
Beat to a pulp 25
5 Iziko le Nyembezi
(Ngompoposho ka Mr. Twebu)
Yadlulana? Iminyaka umi ndaweninye?
1Udlule unyaka sowusishiyile
Nango amabala ati awuseko
Nembandezelo zokubuka omtsha
Ofikileyo. 5
2Udlule unyaka wemka unendaba
Zabantu bonke abasemhlabeni
Ezokuhlala nokupatana kubi
Ziyo kubhalwa.
3Hanewu! 1920 10
Nyaka wendaniso
Safuna Inkululeko
Watoba imbumbulu
Qo kekona; Qo:
4Hanewu! 1920 15
Twangutwangu olwaba njengo ngcwalazi
Wafumbalalisa ngapantsi kwenduku
Isanuse u Rubusana inkomo
Enobugqi benyamakazi.
5Taru! Nto ka Rubusana 20
Eyasela ugxeko njengamanzi
Hamba!—1920
Nemisebenzi yako.
6Awu! Camagu ke 1921
Yiya uzihlabe uzikandanise 25
the old year’s
old deeds.
7Come with your year
right to the end,
let what you’ve brought 30
well up in springs.
Mercy, Father!
The Vale of Tears:—
8United in grief
the people assembled 35
in the square
at the Water Gate.
Nehemiah 8: 1
9If you would return to Jehovah
with all your heart, 40
cast out from among you
all foreign gods.
I Samuel7: 3
10Halahoyi, Africans!
something stinks 45
like the river snake
fouling the air.
11The vale of tears
is the vale of unity
in which all assemble, 50
even those from the heights.
12Workers’ complaints
must be brought to the bosses:
there’s nowhere else
to tend their wounds. 55
13We must stand as one
to face the bosses,
lions that stalk us
with bloody eyes.
Into ezindala
Zonyaka omdala.
7Kaufike upele
Nowako unyaka
Upume nezelo 30
Zelako iqula
Taru! Bawo!
Iziko le Nyembezi:—
8Bandula bonke abantu
Bahlangana enkundleni 35
Epambi kwesango lamanzi
Njengomntu mnye.
Nehemiah 8th chap. 1st verse.
9Ukuba nibuyela ku Yehova
Ngayo intliziyo yenu 40
Kwelelisani o Tixo basemzini
Pakati kwenu.
1 Samuel 7th chap. 3rd verse.
10Halahoyi! Ke ma Afrika
Nalo ke ivumba 45
Linuka
Okwenyoka yomlambo.
11Iziko le nyembezi
Liziko lo manyano
Kona baze babuye 50
Nabasezintabeni.
12Kukusiwa kwezikalo
Zabasebenzi ezinkosini
Kuba bengena ndawo
Yokuhlambana induma. 55
13Ke lento izinkosi
Ifuna u Manyano
Kuba zingonyama ezijonga
Ngeliso elibomvu.
14God won’t deign 60
to grant us help
unless we strive
to help ourselves.
15So dance, son of Thwebu,
we’re waiting 65
to hear your words
in the clear light of day.
16Speak out!
Set wastrels trembling
so our chiefs 70
lick the cream.
17The vale of tears—
Agree with me, men!—
shields your heads
when skies are rumbling. 75
18Yes, we agree!
It’s the vale of unity.
Let’s sway together
in rhythmic dance.
19It’s a travellers’ haven— 80
Agree with me, women!—
a shelter for girls
who’ve left their men.
20Ho, Mrs M. Maxeke,
tall, bitter tree, 85
Deborah’s sister,
give us advice
on harvesting crops.
21Glean in the wake of the reapers,
Mrs. M. Maxeke, 90
so every witch
drops down dead.
22The vale of tears
is the vale of unity:
united we’ll wear 95
the raiments of heaven.
14U Tixo udinge 60
Ukuba wosinceda
Kodwa kungengapandle
Kweyetu imigudu,
15Kaudude ke! Nto ka Twebu
Sibonele 65
Indlebe zetu
Zingemki nezikova.
16Kautshile! Ondilele
Badidizele
Kuze inkosi zetu 70
Zifuman’isipehlo.
17Iziko le nyembezi
Vumani! Madoda
Inqayi nozifihla kona
Xa liduduma. 75
18Siyavuma! Ewe
Liziko lo manyano
Mazapuke ke imbambo
Nga macal’omabini.
19Likaya labahambi 80
Vumani! Bafazi
Nelokunqandela intombi
Eziyek’amadoda.
20Kaulirol’iqinga
Siwavun’amazimba 85
Hoha! Mrs M. Maxeke
Mti omde orara wakulo
Deborah
21Bhikica emva kwabavumi
Mrs. M. Maxeke 90
Ze nengcwaba lamagqwira
Libe ndaweninye.
22Iziko le nyembezi
Liziko lo manyano
Kona ukuze sizibone 95
Nezivato ze Zulu.
23Well said, son of Thwebu,
hobbling on your knees
like a slow-spreading town:
close the gap between us and our chiefs! 100
24Let them stand in the courtyards
before Maxeke, B.A.,
Find-at-the-Door-
What-you-Shot-from-Inside.
25It’s a vale to assemble 105
all grades of marksmen.
Agree with me, chiefs!
Look round as you fight.
26And so we await
the voice of our chiefs: 110
just look at the beasts
goring each other.
27On, son of Thwebu!
If you hope to succeed
you might have to dance 115
without beads round your neck.
28Hoha! Wait a minute!
We stumbled in starting
to reclaim a land
already lost. 120
29It’s the vale of sages,
returning Ntsikana,
great python uncoiling
to head on high.
30Awu, these are the words 125
of the scabby eland;
mushrooms flourish
in the flakes it sheds.
Awu! Hia!
23Kulondawo! Nto ka Twebu
Zisondeze inkosi
Nto egaqa ihamba
Ixelis’idolopu. 100
24Maziti gqi enkundleni
Koka Maxeke B.A.
Nto edubula isendlini
Bacholinto emnyango.
25Liziko lokunqandela 105
Zonke izihuluhulu
Vumani ke zinkosi
Nilwe nikangelana.
26Sekulindelwe kupela
Ilizwi le nkosi 110
Nandzo izilo
Ziza zisukelana
27Pambili! Nto ka Twebu!
Woti ukuze ulunge
Uke uxentse 115
Ungenantsimb’emqaleni.
28Hoha! Mazijike
Sifunze kakubi
Kuputunywa ilizwe
Ke lonakala. 120
29Liziko! Lezazikazi
Eliputuma u Ntsikana
Inamb’enkulu eyajikela
Ibhekisa pezulu.
30Awu! Latsho 125
Ibhadi elinebhula
Elizivutulula
Zimise Inkowane
Awu! Hia!
