Imbongi Yomnqamlezo

(Ibhalwe ngu-M.K. MTAKATI ngo-1884)

Nkunkuthela enkulu masikubulele:

Duma barhwaqele

Ukwelesithathu izulu

Mdibanisi wemizan'eyalanayo.

ngxam enkulu yaseBhetelehem

Ngazi bayiuza nganin'abeli lizwe,

Ingazang'ilishiy'izulu inenxeba,

Kok'uwazuzile wen'eGolgotha ngenxa yethu.

Sitshatshela esikhulu somzi obengezelayo lilanga,

Kanti oko bungcwalisa bakho obududumayo,

Sikuhlaba ngemithandazo, sikuhlozinga

Ngemikhwa yethu, sikuntlintlitha sikuqwemema.

Iintliziyo zethu zenze ibuyambo

Jayi omkhulu wezihlwele,

Nyothula Yehova le ntsapho yakowethu

Enzonzobileni yobumnyama.

Nyulushendini ngenxa yethu obe sisigculelo,

Mthwali wendeleko zabaninzi;

Menzi wonqangazo eGolgotha unzonzotheka

mhlabi ngezihlaba usezulwini

Ngonyama enkulu yeJudeya,

Ngonyama yesizwe sikaJuda,

Engenakoyikeka nangona ibharhula

Kwezethu iintliziyo eziswele inguquko

Qadi elikhulu laseZulwini

Elangnongnozelwa ngenxa yethu;

Papasha udaba lwasezulwini

Kule miganxanxa yeli lizwe.

Wen'oomfefe zingenzkulandeleka

Ngokusiza abalambathayo,

ogazi lakho lamfononekayo,

Uzizingelel'imiphefumlo.

Wen'owaphuziswa ukufa ngenxa yethu,

Wamphuthisa obesigagamela;

Ophanzis'ubumpi emnqamlezweni,

Ucamagushela imbedlenge.

khulisa intsapho yeli lizwe

Ngungcwelesheshe yezwi lakho;

Velela umlisela nomthinjana

Uwukhokhelele eZulwini.

Rhamncwa elimehlo anje ngawesibane,

Sinungunungu esingcwele sesinunzela,

Lukhunikazi olumasasawula eBethlemjuda

Abathi belunqula babelucecela.

Khalimela uburhalarhume nobudenge,

Kwintlanga zomzantsi nomphezulu;

Sebe lesaqoni kweseZulwini iParadesi,

Khubalo labenziwe amanxeba ngumtyholi.

Ibone ntonina le nzalo kwaJesse,

Le nto ibuya imthandabuza eGolgotha?

Yanana isithsaba segolide ngomlilo--

Tsheli Mikayeli! vela usilamlele.

Nzwana kaThixo eyafel'izono zethu,

Yathwala awethu amatyala nezigxeko:

Ngubani na oyakunyuk'induli yeKhalavari

Ethwel'ezakh'izono ezisa kuwe yise?

Sixeko seJerusalem esizele yintlokoma,

Eyenziwa zii-Kerubin ngamaphiko zidumise

Zivuma ngemilomo ubuqaqawuli bakho,

Yenza nathi sithembe sofika senjenjalo.

Xelela aboni basabele ezintabeni,

Nabasezintabeni emancamin'omhlaba,

Basabe ngoloyiko uburhalarhume bakho--

Kanti nalapho Yesu nguwe ongaphambili.

Hay'intombi zeli lizwe ''ezingaconiswayo'',

Bona, zona azilwenzanga uzilo,

Kanti ezakwaJuda zilele ezintabeni,

Zive kusithiwa intombi inomntwana

Mntwan'unani na lo useBhetelehem?

Simve thina ngabagqithi Emzimayi,

Bathi uhleli nonina esitalini

Babuye besithi uvela ezulwini.

Uz'ungaqumbi noko sithi, usiqalekise,

Ngaba le nyaniso siyigxeka,

Kuba novuke engcwabeni esityela

Singekholwa noko kuwe singakwazi.

Bon'iitempile zakho ngamanxowa,

Imithendeleko yakho ishiyiwe,

Neendlela zesikhungo zimile uqaqaqa!

Iphi na imbewu yakwaXhosa neyaseMbo?

Yokwenzela indlu yakho intlokoma!

sahluke phi na thina kwabalandulayo

KuPilati ukuba bayamazi,

Nangezabo izandla bambethelela/

Mkhosi mni na lo ndiwubona uthe rherhelele,

Uyijikeleza le mvana inamanxeba,

Wambethe wonke iminweba efanayo,

Ikhazimla imhlophe njengengqele?

Ndaza ndeva ilizwi lindityela--

"Aba ke bathe dwe ubabonayo,

Iingubo zeentliziyo zabo zihlanjiwe

Egazini layo imvana;

Abathe ngoko bavunyelwa

Ukungena ngamasango kulo mzi

Benokutya ngoko ngokuthanda

Kumthi ophakathi emyezweni."

Akwaba nathi beli lizwe soxunela

Sakuva kubaliswa ngelo khaya,

ukuba kunye nabo sebelapho,

Sibuse wena Yesu kwelo Bhotwe,

Mntyangampo mni na lo uvela eLabanon,

Wehlisa eli lizwe wemisa ngoThukela?

Ndiwuve kwintlango yeKhalahari,

Ubik'ubukumkani bezulu bukufuphi.

Bekungasekho namnye na Mesiya

Oseleyo asenzele ibali lezi nceba?

Nanku sithe sakufika eMlungwini,

Salibala sakulahla sakugxeka.

Sixokolo samakhilwa esiseNkandla,

Nzwan'enkulu ezelwe kwaWesile,

Bangene abaseTshatshi ngothelelo,

Kanti ikhaya layo yiZion.

Ndlovu ekumka kunemigudu eNain,

Yenze imfama yakhangela eJeriko;

Nesidenge eDikapolisi sithethile,

Sithi uvuse obefile eBhetani.

Dibanisa Impenduza nomkhambathi,

Zijabule phantsi komnqamlezo;

Hlongoza abemi bentwanazana,

Basabele balandele indwe yakho.

Bhangisa intlonti ezimbi emzimnyathi,

Ude uMrolosi noMpompothi

Yangane nomZambezi ngenguquko,

Ziqhayise kunye ngoBaptizesho.

Qause elikhulu ngesikuthantasa.

Gxumeka ibhanile yezwi lakho eMlambongwenya,

Ibebezele ngenxa yakho emafini.

Ibabaze ubukhulu bakho, Immanyuweli.

Ntab'endlw'enkulu yezikhungo.

Sihlala sod'wendlwini njengentaka,

Sihlala sodw'endlwini yasemafini.

Kanti kuloo ndawo ugodukile.

Khaka kampetu kwibandla loBhaptizesho,

Khaka lomzimba nomphefumlo,

Soziphepha ngawe sakuphethela

Iintolo zokufa nezesiHogo.

Ngcongol'etyunyuzwe luBethelo,

Ukwenzel'aboni basindiswe;

Gxalaba elithwel'umthi wezigxeko,

Ukuze umginwa athwale isithsaba.

Sifuba lugangatho kuloGabriel,

Menzi weenkwenkwezi nezilimela;

Umntwan'okulala kumbambalala,

Wantsuku ntathu ngolweSabatha.

Ngubani na othe masisabe umsind'ozayo?

Nothe lo msindo ubuyile, ngubani na?

Nanku sonwabile namhlanje singathuthubali,

Ukuvuma izono zethu phambi kwakho.

Amathambo alele ekufeni emThombe,

Makabethane ngamadolo ethandaza;

Namawak'angcwaty'eSandlwana

Makenze ungqungo esangweni leZion.

Khanitsho lo uthe iinkolo mazibe mbini,

Oko uThixo athe malube lunye,

Amasiko obumnyama nobuqaba

Siwashiye ukuba sikholwe senzeni na?

Wena sithi akucekecwanga sithi ugweleqiwe:

Siqale ngokwamkela uBhaptizesho,

Kanti noko intliziyo nemikhwa yethu

Asiyakho yekaSathana

Qwaqwadu lenzulu yeNkakayezi,

Olwenze sombath'ubuqaqawuli,

Sasaza uMbonambi ngeTempile,

Neziko lamarhiwa omGungundlovu.

Velela umthinjana ngenguquko,

Uyincame ingqongqo nomyiyizelo,

Ubambane ngezandla emfundweni,

Ungene ubambane enyangweni udumisa.

Khaliphisa umlisela weli lizwe,

Ngenkolo ubhedeshe wena Yesu;

Ululahle umetsho nomtshotsho,

Uzukise ubukho bakho Immanyuweli.

Kuze kudunyiswe wena Yise,

Nawe Nyana, nawe Moya,

Kubekh'uzuko nayo yonk'imbeko

Kude kuse kulo iphakade.-Amen