Nomalizo
A woman's name, representing the protagonist of the story

Came from the countryside
Nomalizo left her rural hometown to pursue her dreams

Came to the city
She arrived in the bustling metropolis with high hopes

The golden city
The city is symbolically referred to as golden, representing its wealth and opportunities

Where life is tricky
The city presents many challenges that make life difficult

Came chasing her dream up
Nomalizo went to the city in search of her aspirations

Where many had walked before
Countless people had come to the city with the same dreams

Fallen hopes, faded dreams
Many who came before Nomalizo failed to achieve their goals in the city

Somebody just shut the door
Potential opportunities were closed to some aspirants

Shut the door in their face
People who wanted to pursue their dreams were met with obstructions and setbacks

Nomalizo mtakwethu bathi kulikhuni kule lizwe
Nomalizo's family and friends back home said this land is tough

Nomalizo akuni mvul'aphekhaya
Nomalizo didn't want to go back home, no matter what

Nomalizo mtakwethu bathi kulikhuni kule lizwe
Nomalizo's family and friends back home said things will get better with time

Nomalizo akuni mvul'aphekhaya
Nomalizo refused to give up and return home

Nomalizo mtakwethu, bathi kuyobuya kulunge
Nomalizo's loved ones believed she would achieve her dreams one day soon

Bawo kuzawubuye kulunge mtakwethu
The speaker asks for divine intervention to help Nomalizo succeed

There was a time when this whole life was a village
The speaker reminisces about a simpler, communal way of life

Happy days, loving eyes, kiss the sun and catch the sky
Everyone was happy and connected to nature

Walk together, eat together, every man a brother
The community was unified and treated each other like family

That was then
The speaker acknowledges that times have changed

So very different from the golden city
The city is contrasted with the village, which is seen as a more positive place

Give me back that old time feeling
The speaker yearns for the sense of community and unity that existed in the past

Give it back, I want it back
The speaker is pleading for things to return to the way they were

Give it back to me
The speaker is directing their request for a return to the past sense of community

Give it back, I want it back (a piece of mine)
The speaker wants to feel a sense of ownership and belonging in their community again