CIRCLE

OF LIFE WITH NANTS' INGONYAMA (Xhosa)

PHONETIC
LYRIC PRONUNCIATION LITERAL TRANSLATION MEANING
Nants’ ingonyama, NANTS een-GON-yah- nants = here comes; Here comes the lion,
bakithi, baba. mah, ingonyama = lion; my people, the father
bah-KEE-tee, bakithi = my people; (of our nation).
bah-BAH. baba = father
Sithi hu SEE-tee WHOO sithi = we hail; hu = this; We hail this coming
’ngonyama. GON yah-mah. ingonyama = lion. of the lion.

’Ngonyama GON-yah-mah ingonyama = lion; The lion and the

nengwe bo! NEN-gway boh. ne = and; ngwe = leopard!
leopard;
bo = (adds emphasis,
awe)
Nants’ ingonyama, NANTS een-GON- nants = here comes; Here comes the lion,
bakithi babo. yahmah, ingonyama = lion; my dear people.
bah-KEE-tee bakithi =
bah-BOH. my people; babo = dear

Sizo nqo’! SEE-zoh N<click> Oh sizo = we will have We will have victory!
nqoba = victory
Ingonyama een-gon-YAH-mah ingonyama = lion; The lion wears the
nengwe NEN-gweh ne = and; ngwe = leopard spots.
’namabala. nah-mah-BAH-lah. leopard; (connotes royalty)
en = with; a = the;
mabala =
spots
Ingonyama een-gon-YAH-mah ingonyama = lion; ne = The lion and the
nengwe wema! NEN-gweh WEH-mah! and; leopard, oh what a
ngwe = leopard; wema sight!
= oh
my
Balek’ ingonyam’i BAH-lek baleka = run; Run, the lion will
ya gale’! een-gon-YAH-mee ingonyama = lion; i = attack!
YAH gah-LEH! and;
ya = will; galela = attack