This South African Songstress was featured in the South African Music Docum… Read Full Bio ↴This South African Songstress was featured in the South African Music Documentary "Amandla!" Sibongile Khumalo is one of the leading ladies in the South African tradition of heavenly voices. She has an excellent album titled "Live at the Market Theatre", which is a tribute to South African musicians including Miriam Makeba, Prince Lengoasa, Bheki Mseleku, Caiphus Semenya, Dorothy Masuka amongst others.

She is also trained as an opera singer and brought that vibe to these recordings. On one of the tracks on the album she switched from vocals to violin; the result sounded celtic. It is what the Afro Celt Sound System would sound like if they were invited to play at Buckingham Palace.

Mayihlome
Sibongile Khumalo Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hii hii
Safa saphela
Hii hii
Safa saphela

Mina ngizw' isililo
Siphuma le

Ngaphesheya kwentaba zoKhahlamba

Mina ngizwa
Isikhalo
Siphuma le ngaphesheya kweNciba

Mina ngizw' isikhalo
Siphuma le
Ngaphesheya kweThukela

Mina ngizw' isikhalo
Siphume le ngaphesheya kweLimpopo
Baphela abantu

Hii hii safa saphela
Hii hii safa saphela

Mayihlome mayihlome
Mayihlom' ihlasele
Mayihlome dokotela
Ihlasel' ingculaza

(Mayihlome)
(Mayihlom' ihlasele)
Mayihlome, mayihlome ihlasele
Ihlasel' ingculaza

Mina ngizw' ubumaye maye
Buphuma le emagumbin' amane alomhlaba

Mina ngizw' ubumaye maye
Baphela abantu ezweni yelele awuhhyelele

Thina sizwa ubumayemaye
Baphela abantu ezweni
Bafa baphela

Hii hii safa saphela
Hii hii safa saphela

Mayihlome
Mayihlome bo
Mayihlom' ihlasele
Shumayela weMfundisi
Shumayel' ubatshele
Behlasel' ingculaza

Mayihlome
Mayihlome bo
Mayihlom' ihlasele
Lethani amakhambi ezanusi
Sihlasele ingculaza

Awu hhe ahhhe
Saphela isizwe sonke
Awu hhe
Izigidi nezigidi
Zilele emigodini (Awu hhe)
Wensizwa wentombi ulalele na ?
Saphela isizwe sonke
Saphela isizwe sonke

Hi hi safa saphela (saphela thina)
Hi hi safa saphela

Mayihlome mayihlome
Mayihlom' ihlasele
Awu mayihlome bo
Mayihlome dokotela
Ihlasel' ingculaza

Mayihlome, mayihlome bo
Mayihlome ihlasele
Shumayela wemfundisi
Shumayela ubatshele
Bahlasele ingculaza

Mina ngizwa

Isikhalo
Ubumaye maye

Overall Meaning

The song "Mayihlome" by Sibongile Khumalo is a deeply emotional, spiritual and socially conscious song that focuses on the pain and suffering of people, with a particular emphasis on the African continent. The song starts with the repeated line "Hii hii Safa saphela," which can be translated as "We are dying, we are fading." This line sets the mood for the rest of the song, which is characterized by lamentations and cries for help.

The first verse of the song paints a picture of a person who hears the cries of mourning and grief coming from various parts of the country. The lyrics say that the person is hearing the sorrowful sounds from over the mountains of Khahlamba, over the Nciba river, over the Thukela river, and over Limpopo. The use of different rivers and mountains is a poetic way of expressing the vastness of the problem.

The chorus of the song, "Mayihlome mayihlome, Mayihlom' ihlasele, Mayihlome dokotela, Ihlasel' ingculaza" repeats a call for Mayihlome, which can be translated as "The healer has arrived." The song is a prayer for the healer to come and heal the sick and dying.

The second verse of the song talks about the pain and suffering caused by war and violence. The lyrics say that people are dying everywhere, and there is no escape from it. The verse ends with the repeating line "Thina sizwa ubumayemaye, Baphela abantu ezweni, Bafa baphela," which means "We hear the mournful cries of the dying people on this land, they are dying." The repetition of the line emphasizes the gravity of the situation.

The song ends with a final call for Mayihlome to heal the sick and suffering people. The lyrics say that the people are tired of dying and that they need help. The use of the word "we" throughout the song creates a sense of community and solidarity in the face of these hardships.

Line by Line Meaning

Hii hii
Sound effect of a mournful tone

Safa saphela
Everyone is dying

Mina ngizw' isililo Siphuma le Ngaphesheya kwentaba zoKhahlamba
I hear the cry of mourning, It comes from beyond the mountains of Khahlamba

Mina ngizwa Isikhalo Siphuma le ngaphesheya kweNciba
I hear a lamentation, It comes from beyond the hills of Nciba

Mina ngizw' isikhalo Siphuma le Ngaphesheya kweThukela
I hear a lamentation, It comes from beyond the Thukela river

Mina ngizw' isikhalo Siphume le ngaphesheya kweLimpopo Baphela abantu
I hear a lamentation, It comes from beyond the Limpopo river, People are dying

Mayihlome mayihlome Mayihlom' ihlasele Mayihlome dokotela Ihlasel' ingculaza (Mayihlome) (Mayihlom' ihlasele) Mayihlome, mayihlome ihlasele Ihlasel' ingculaza
Mayihlome, mayihlome, May the one who heals save us Doctor, heal the diseases Heal the sickness (Mayihlome) (Mayihlome, heal) Mayihlome, mayihlome, heal us Heal the sickness

Mina ngizw' ubumaye maye Buphuma le emagumbin' amane alomhlaba
I hear the roar of thunder, It comes from the four corners of the world

Mina ngizw' ubumaye maye Baphela abantu ezweni yelele awuhhyelele
I hear the roar of thunder, People are dying in a world that is wailing without ceasing

Thina sizwa ubumayemaye Baphela abantu ezweni Bafa baphela
We hear the roar of thunder, People are dying in the world, They are dying, they are dying

Mayihlome Mayihlome bo Mayihlom' ihlasele Shumayela weMfundisi Shumayel' ubatshele Behlasel' ingculaza
Mayihlome, mayihlome, May the one who heals save us Sing, Pastor, Preach and heal the sickness

Mayihlome Mayihlome bo Mayihlom' ihlasele Lethani amakhambi ezanusi Sihlasele ingculaza
Mayihlome, mayihlome, May the one who heals save us Bring the bones of the ancestors So we can cure the sickness

Awu hhe ahhhe Saphela isizwe sonke Awu hhe Izigidi nezigidi Zilele emigodini (Awu hhe) Wensizwa wentombi ulalele na ? Saphela isizwe sonke Saphela isizwe sonke
Ah, ah, The whole nation is dying Ah, ah, The drums are silent They are left in the caves (Ah, ah) Hey young girl, are you sleeping? The whole nation is dying The whole nation is dying

Hi hi safa saphela (saphela thina) Hi hi safa saphela
Hi hi, everyone is dying (we are dying) Hi hi everyone is dying

Mayihlome mayihlome Mayihlom' ihlasele Awu mayihlome bo Mayihlome dokotela Ihlasel' ingculaza
Mayihlome, mayihlome, May the one who heals save us Ah, heal us Doctor, heal the sickness

Mayihlome, mayihlome bo Mayihlome ihlasele Shumayela wemfundisi Shumayela ubatshele Bahlasele ingculaza
Mayihlome, mayihlome, May the one who heals save us Sing, Pastor, Preach and heal the sickness

Mina ngizwa Isikhalo Ubumaye maye
I hear a lamentation, The roar of thunder

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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