Thamele - Johnny Clegg, Soweto Gospel Choir

Thamela 'mbulu thamela!

Warm yourself in the sun, water lizard or monitor (legavaan)!

Ziyaphuza izinsizwa, uxamu lothela ilanga

The warriors drink their beer.

while the water monitor enjoys warming itself in

the sun

Ziyaphuz' 'insizwa

The warriors are drinking

Die son trek water, soos ek en my bier

The sun draws the water, like me and my beer

Ziyaphuz' 'insizwa

The warriors are drinking

Maar die osean is nie bang vir die son se vuur

But the ocean is not afraid of the sun’s fire

Ziyaphuz' 'insizwa

The warriors are drinking

Ek dink aan jou want jy is nie hier nie

I’m thinking of you because you are not here

Ziyaphuz' 'insizwa

The warriors are drinking

En my bottle is leeg, en my hart is seer

And my bottle is empty, and my heart is sore

Ziyaphuz' 'insizwa

The warriors are drinking

Die pad na jou hart, is sonder a brug

The road to your heart is without a bridge

Ziyaphuz' 'insizwa

The warriors are drinking

En die myle na jou deur, is my bitter plig

And the miles to your door, have become my relentless destiny

Ziyaphuz' 'insizwa

The warriors are drinking

Sigukile egoli madoda!

We have grown old in johannesburg, men!

Njengegolovane, ngendaba zemali, ngendaba zemali

Like a rusty mine cocopan, we did this because we needed money

Guka!

guka wena.

uzoguka othandayo

Grow old!

grow old!.. only someone who gives up will grow old!

Binne in my, ek dra jou binne in my, vir ewig

Inside me, I carry you inside me, forever

My bloed is koud, en ek word oud, soos tai kalahari hout

My blood is cold, and I grow old, like tough-hard kalahari wood

Maar herrineringe aan jou stook die kole in my hart

But memories of you stoke the coals in my hart

Diep in my .jy's diep in my.

Deep inside me, you are deep inside me

Die afstand tussen ons is so krom en skeef

The distance between us, is bent and crooked

Selfs die bottle sal my nie gou laat vergeet

Even this bottle does’nt help me to forget quickly

Daars n' sagte klank in die nag se lug

There is a gentle sound on the evening air

As jy slaap in die donker en in jou drome vlug

As you sleep in the darkness and flee into your dreams

My bottle is gebreek en my hart is seer

My bottle is broken and my heart is sore

Jy’s so ver van my af, en die toekoms is leeg

You are so far from me and the future is empty

Sigukile egoli madoda!

We have grown old in johannesburg, men!

Njengegolovane, ngendaba zemali, ngendaba zemali

Like a rusty mine cocopan, we did this because we needed money