Nomvula (After the Rain)

Sondela mhlobo wam

Nali ibali elide apho kwaqala khona inkathazo -zozo

Ndakhuliswa nguyise wam owaswelekelwa esemtsha

NguDarly wakhe umama wam uEdith Nomvula Thomas Mahola

Sasibathathu kumama wam ndingowesbini ke mna umafungwashe katata

Ubhut' Doc Nceba Mahola

Zang' alile uyise wam mhla kwakufihlwa umzimba wesithandwa seminyaka

EDon Bosco Kwazakhele 4 rooms with a dining-room table eBhayi

Zange balile nabathathu ecamb' kwengcwaba lakhe

Zandl' ezincinci zalahl' uthuth' eluthuthweni singasazi nesizathu

Tyhini na bethuna usishiyil' uSis' Nono Usishiyil' uSis' Nono

Hayini Azange sayibona intombi enje yakhuliswa yindoda

Dlamini Abazange bayibona intombi enje yakhuliswa yindoda.

Sondela mhlobo wam

Nali ibali elide apho kwaqala khona inkathazo -zozo

Come closer my friend

Here follows a long tale about where the trouble started

I was raised by my father

Who was bereaved at a young age by his true darling my mother

Edith Nomvula Thomas Mahola

There were three of us by my mother myself the second

The middle child of my father Bhut' Doc Nceba Mahola

Never did my father cry when they hid the body of the love of many years

At Don Bosco Kwazakhele Four rooms

With a dining room table

In Port Elizabeth

Neither did the three cry at the side of the grave

Small hands throwing dust to dust not knowing the reason

Tyhini na bethuna Sis' nono has left us Sis' nono has left us

Hayini

Never have we seen such a girl raised by a man.

Dlamini

Never have they seen such a girl raised by a man.

Come closer my friend

Here follows a long tale about where the trouble started