Ikliphu Yevidiyo
Ingoma
I’ve been watching him for my entire life
– Ndimbukele ubomi bam bonke
I hate the air he breathes, his foolish decrees
– Ndiwuthiyile umoya ophefumlayo, imimiselo yakhe yobudenge
His words so contrived
– Amazwi akhe aqulunqwe kangaka
And I hate the way the townspeople gather outside
– Kwaye ndiyayithiya indlela abantu basezidolophini bahlanganisana ngaphandle
They hang on every breath, cling to his chest
– Baxhoma wonke umoya, babambelele esifubeni sakhe
Home to his heart full of pride
– Ikhaya entliziyweni yakhe izele likratshi
The oracle told him to beware the Ides
– I-oracle yamxelela ukuba alumkele I-Ides
And I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t wishing
– I’d be lying if i’d say i’d be lying
For untimely death or demise
– Ukufa ngokungalindelekanga okanye ukufa
Or am I just wishing I could be like you?
– Okanye ngaba ndinqwenela ukuba ndibe njengawe?
That the people would see me too as a poet
– Ukuba abantu bangandibona njengembongi
And not just the muse
– Kwaye hayi nje imyuziyam
Oh, it’s not true, I don’t wish harm upon you
– Hayi, ayiyonyani, andinqweneli ukonzakala kuwe
From birth we’ve been like brothers of different mothers
– Ukususela ekuzalweni siye saba njengabazalwana boomama abahlukeneyo
Within the spirit of the same womb
– Ngaphakathi komoya wesibeleko esifanayo
May the gods strike me down if I forsake you
– Ngamana oothixo bangandibetha ukuba ndikushiyile
Frater meus, you’re beautifully made
– Mthobeli mthimkhulu, you are beautiful
And to you I’m forever grateful
– Kwaye kuwe ndinombulelo ongunaphakade
I’ll never forget that you showed me to make art
– Andisoze ndiyilibale into yokuba wena wandibonisa ubugcisa
And I know the love you showed me came
– Kwaye ndiyazi ukuba uthando ondibonise lona lufikile
From a pure and noble heart
– Ukusuka kwintliziyo ehlambulukileyo kwaye ehloniphekileyo
I love you, and if you want, I’ll call you King
– Ndiyakuthanda, kwaye ukuba ufuna, ndiza kukubiza Ngokuba Ngukumkani
But why do I lie awake each night thinking
– Kutheni ndivuka rhoqo ebusuku ndicinga
“Instead of you, it should be me”?
– “Endaweni yakho, kufanele ukuba ibe ndim”?
Something wicked this way comes
– Into engendawo ngale ndlela iza
And as I set to face it, I’m unsure
– Kwaye xa ndidibana nayo, andiqinisekanga
Should I embrace it, should I run?
– Ngaba ndimele ndiyithathe, ndibaleke?
What motivates me? Hatred? Is it love?
– Yintoni endikhuthazayo? Intiyo? Ngaba luthando?
What’s more wrong; that I too wish to be great
– Yintoni ephosakeleyo ngakumbi; ukuba nam ndifuna ukuba mkhulu
Or my mother wished she’d had a son?
– Okanye umama wayenqwenela ukuba abe nonyana?
And even if I can’t be the one
– Kwaye nkqu ukuba mna andinaku kuba omnye
Maybe I could at least help make way for him
– Mhlawumbi ndingamnceda ubuncinci
Until the day that he comes
– Kude kube ngumhla wokufika kwakhe
Maybe my name could also be known
– Mhlawumbi igama lam linokwaziwa
That I helped return good to the people
– Ukuba ndincede ukubuyela okulungileyo ebantwini
And restored greatness to Rome
– Ukubuyiselwa kobukhulu Eroma
Brutus, Brutus, Brutus, Brutus!
– Brutus, Brutus, Brutus, Brutus!
Brutus, Brutus, Brutus, Brutus!
– Brutus, Brutus, Brutus, Brutus!
Brutus, Brutus, Brutus, Brutus!
– Brutus, Brutus, Brutus, Brutus!
Brutus, Brutus, Brutus, Brutus!
– Brutus, Brutus, Brutus, Brutus!
My name is Brutus and my name means heavy
– Igama lam ndingubrutus kwaye igama lam lithetha ubunzima
So with a heavy heart
– Ngoko ngentliziyo enzima
I’ll guide this dagger into the heart of my enemy
– Ndiza kuyikhokela le ntaka entliziyweni yotshaba lwam
My whole life, you were a teacher and friend to me
– Ubomi bam bonke, ubungutitshala kunye nomhlobo kum
Please know my actions are not motivated only by envy
– Nceda uqaphele ukuba izenzo zam azikhuthazwa ngumona kuphela
I, too, have a destiny
– Nam ndinekamva
This death will be art
– Oku kufa kuya kuba bubugcisa
The people will speak of this day from near and afar
– Abantu baya kuthetha ngale mini, bevela kude, bevela kude
This event will be history, and I’ll be great too
– Esi siganeko siya kuba yimbali, kwaye ndiya kuba mkhulu kakhulu
I don’t want what you have, I want to be you
– Andifuni ukuba into onayo, ndifuna ukuba nguwe
I always knew I could be the one
– Bendisoloko ndiyazi ukuba ndingaba nguye
Though I feel the endless pain of being
– Ndiva iintlungu ezingapheliyo zokuba
And I am scorched by the Sun
– Ndatshiswa Lilanga
Of humble origins and born of the cursed sex
– Imvelaphi ethobekileyo kunye nokuzalwa kwesini esiqalekisiweyo
My name is Brutus, but the people will call me Rex
– Igama lam ngu Brutus, kodwa abantu baya kubiza Kum Rex
