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| 1 |
Hee!    a ri limi; |
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This year we do not hoe; |
| 2 |
Ri tshelukwa u lima  . |
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We pass a year without hoeing a single row. |
| 3 |
A ri yeni ri ye hayani! |
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Come let us go home! |
| 4 |
 -ha ni vhone  ! |
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Come and see wonderful things! |
| 5 |
Bvumelani, zwi vhe zwivhuya! |
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Join in the chorus of approval. let everything be good. |
| 6 |
Zwa vha zwivhi ri shavha u seiwa. |
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We shun what is bad for fear of mockery. |
| Chorus: |
Hu na vho-mukoma ro ngo tevhutshela. |
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We're occupied with our ruler's business, and so we go out to work late in the afternoon. |
| This refers to the fact that girls undergoing initiation will be too busy learning at the ruler's place, and also working for him, to be able to help in the gardens of their own families. In particular, it refers to domba, which usually lasts a year. The song also refers to the fascination and novelty of initiation (line 4, cf. line 1 of Song No. 33), and to the idea that the country should be at peace and there should be no quarrelling during initiation (lines 5 and 6). |
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