Gijima
Sjava Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is life worth living? Should I blast myself?
They don't give a damn about our future
Pull a trigger kill uMfundi he a hero
Gijima!
Gijima, gijima, gijima
Ngiyogijima ngifike
W'othi nje
Gijima! Gijima, gijima, gijima
Ngiyogijima ngifike
Baba thuma mina, ubaba usemdala
Baba ngathi ng'nenkinga la, awubheke la
Kuyonakala la
Izwe liyobuya nini lashon' ilanga mama (may'buye i-Africa)
Baba mawukhuluma ngek'sasa lam'
Awu'bali inhlelo zek'sasa lam'
Ngob' uyazi kulelo k'sasa uzob' ungekho
Uzob' ungekho
Baba mawuthi imfundo yam' iwon' ukhiye yempumelelo ngiyala
Kungani imfundo idhing' imali
Kungani ukhiye utholwa omta kababa
Imanzi imiqamelo e-RES
Ngane zomama ziyakhal' o-weh
Baba ngicel' intabo, ngiyazi ngisese mcane
W'othi nje gijima!
Gijima, gijima, gijima
Ngiyogijima ngifike
Baba thuma mina, ubaba usemdala
W'othi nje
Gijima! Gijima, gijima, gijima
Ngiyogijima ngifike
Baba thuma mina, ubaba usemdala
Baba sas' ngekho thina (yeah)
Nilwa nodwa
Anislweli thina (yeah)
Silw' izimpi zenu thina (zimpi zango '94)
Lento eniy'bangayo ibulala thina
S'fela izono zenu thina
UBab'omkhulu Biko (Steve Biko)
Kub' ukhona, manje akasekho
Ngabe ngiyak'xeba mina
Baba ngabe ngiyak'xeba
Uvula umnyango we jele
Wavala umnyango wey' mfundo
Libambe lingashoni
Indlala ibang' ulaka
W'othi nje gijima!
Gijima, gijima, gijima
Ngiyogijima ngifike
Baba thuma mina, ubaba usemdala
W'othi nje
Gijima! Gijima, gijima, gijima
Ngiyogijima ngifike
Baba thuma mina, ubaba usemdala
The song "Gijima" by Sjava is a powerful call to action for the youth in South Africa. The lyrics depict a sense of hopelessness and despair from the perspective of a young person who wakes up questioning the value of life itself. The artist laments the lack of concern for the future of the youth by those in power, and the glorification of violence as he sings "pull a trigger kill uMfundi he a hero." He urges the listeners to take action and move forward, symbolized by the word "gijima" which means "run" in Zulu.
The verses also touch on a range of social issues prevalent in South African society, including the challenges of accessing education and opportunity, poverty, and the legacy of apartheid. The song pays homage to Steve Biko, a prominent anti-apartheid activist and leader of the Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa who was assassinated by the apartheid regime in 1977.
Overall, "Gijima" is a powerful and hard-hitting commentary on the experiences and struggles of young people in South Africa, and a call to action to overcome the challenges and move forward towards a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
Woke up in the morning and I asked myself
I woke up and questioned the value of life
Is life worth living? Should I blast myself?
I wondered if taking my own life was a better option
They don't give a damn about our future
Society does not care about our wellbeing in the long run
Pull a trigger kill uMfundi he a hero
If you kill a learner, people will see you as a hero
Gijima!
Move!
Gijima, gijima, gijima
Keep moving
Ngiyogijima ngifike
I am going to keep moving until I arrive (at my destination)
Baba thuma mina, ubaba usemdala
Father, send me, you are an old man
W'othi nje Gijima!
You just said, move!
Baba ngathi ng'nenkinga la, awubheke la
Father, I have a problem here, please look at it
Kuyonakala la
It's evident here
Izwe liyobuya nini lashon' ilanga mama (may'buye i-Africa)
When will our land return to us, as the sun rises, mother (let Africa rise again)
Baba mawukhuluma ngek'sasa lam'
Father, talk to my present (situation)
Awu'bali inhlelo zek'sasa lam'
They do not know my plans for my future
Ngob' uyazi kulelo k'sasa uzob' ungekho
Because you know that in this tomorrow, you will no longer be around
Baba mawuthi imfundo yam' iwon' ukhiye yempumelelo ngiyala
Father, my education will make me successful, I promise
Kungani imfundo idhing' imali
Why does education cost money?
Kungani ukhiye utholwa omta kababa
Why is success only found in the hands of those who have fathers?
Imanzi imiqamelo e-RES
Water scarcity in residential areas
Ngane zomama ziyakhal' o-weh
Friends of mothers are crying
Baba ngicel' intabo, ngiyazi ngisese mcane
Father, please give me a spear, I know I am still young
Baba sas' ngekho thina (yeah)
Father, we are on our own now (yeah)
Nilwa nodwa
We are fighting alone
Anislweli thina (yeah)
They don't listen to us (yeah)
Silw' izimpi zenu thina (zimpi zango '94)
We were chased by your soldiers (your soldiers in 1994)
Lento eniy'bangayo ibulala thina
This thing you are trying to achieve will kill us
S'fela izono zenu thina
We carry your sins
UBab'omkhulu Biko (Steve Biko)
The great father Biko (Steve Biko)
Kub' ukhona, manje akasekho
He was there, now he is not (here)
Ngabe ngiyak'xeba mina
Do you think I am lying?
Baba ngabe ngiyak'xeba
Father, do you think I am lying?
Uvula umnyango we jele
Open the door of the prison
Wavala umnyango wey' mfundo
Close the door of education
Libambe lingashoni
Hold on tight (to your head)
Indlala ibang' ulaka
Hunger is the cause of our suffering
Writer(s): ruff nkosi
Contributed by Dominic O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Lisa
on Eweni
Ukuk'thanda kwam ngathi kuzongholela ek'feni
My love feels for you feels like will be the death of me
Ang'saboni noma kwonakala ngwela eweni
I don't know if it will end or if it will last
Bathi ukuk'thanda kwam ngathi kuzongholela ek'feni
They say my love will last forever
Ngisho abafowethu
I'm telling my friends
Mabengbonisa ngawe
They should show you
Ang'bambeki, Ang'khuzeki
I'm not shaken, I'm not moving
Ngisho ekhaya mabengbonisa ngawe ang'bambeki
At home they should show you, I am not moved
Nangiklobolela inhloso yodwa
I have one purpose
Nganthanda ukuma kwakho
To stand by you
Ngangingazitsheli ukuthi koze kube
I won't be impatient, it will happen
Ngachazwa ukuma kwakho
I am encouraged to stand by you
Ngangingazitsheli ukuthi koze kube kanje
I won't be impatient, it will happen like this
Ngangingazitsheli ukuthi koze kufike nje
I won't be impatient, it will arrive soon
Namhlanje ungumkam Umkami
Today you are a king, my king
Ngangingazitsheli ukuthi kuyoze kufike leskhathi
I won't be impatient, it will arrive at the right time
Ang'kafuni ukuzwa lutho
I don't want to hear anything
Beng'nga'funga ukufa komntu
I wasn't thinking about someone dying
Ngang'ngak qhuba ukusuka kothul'
I didn't run away from home
Ngiyafunga ngiyagomela
I think and confirm
Makakuhluphe umuntu kulokhu
Someone will be hurt by this
Lalingaphuma ukhuni kumuntu
It hurts someone like a spear
Mayengacuphu uchuku umuntu
It doesn't matter how strong someone is
Wami engimthandayo oh yeah
My love, yes I love him
Yena ulubambo
He is my pillar