UMNU. J. D. RHEINALLT JONES
Ngu-D. L. P. YALI-MANISI
translated from the Xhosa by
F. S. M. M. NCUBE
“Silila nabalilayo, “We mourn with those who mourn,
simnik’imbek’umntu wayo.” And honour where ‘tis due.”
Ukusweleka kwale ndoda igama lingasentla, kube The death of the man whose name appears
linxeba elibuhlungu kumzi ka Ntu. Imigudu aye- above, was a great blow to the African people.
nzileyo, ezama okokuba kubekho ukusebenzisana His endeavours towards harmonious relationship,
phakathi kwabaMhlophe nabaNtsundu kweli lizwe between the White and the Black of this country,
ayisayi kuze ilibaleke ezingqondweni zabayaziyo. will never be forgotten.
Xa kulapho ke, mabandla kaNtu; When time has come, O Bantu clans.
Uhambil’ uJ. D. kaJonisi, Left J. D. the son of Jones
UMagudul’ imithetho yomzi kaNtu The man who smoothed the Bantu laws,
Ejuty’ izilembe namasolotya. Refining trifles, struggling forward.
UMabijel’ izizwe nje ngechanti, For nations he toiled like water spirit,
Ehombis’ iAfrika ngemiqhele. Decorating Africa with honour.
Ngoko zidwefa sithi khuzani So dignitaries, in sympathy, mourn we with you,
Khuzani kumk’ umnt’ omkhulu. Because a great one has departed.
Mbuzeni kuChalata nokaJolobe, Of him from Chalata and Jolobe inquire,
Amathol’ eenkunzi zakwaPhalo; Descended from bulls of Phalo’s country,
Bayawaz’ umdaka kaJonisi, Who know the dark ones of Jones’ heart
Umdaka olizwi limntyangampo, With a shrill but plaintive cry
Lidiliz’ iintaba zoNdi nezoKhahlamba, Which topples down the lofty Drakensberg
Livuselel’ oondilele nabathandabuzi, Awakening doubters and heavy with sleep,
Liphaphamis’ izipam-pam nezipayi-payi, The foolish, the light of thought alike,
Li thundez’ ezadangala kwamhla zadalwa. Driving gently the inert since creation.
Wolul’ iindaw’ ezigoso namagqagala, He straightened laws and crooked points,
Wafundis’ izithulu nezidenge, Teaching fools, the deaf mutes too,
Watotobis’ iimfana neziqhwala, Giving hand to blind and lame,
Wahlahl’ iintsunguzi zobumnyama’ eAfrika Cutting the forest of Africa’s darkness,
Esalathis’ indlela koonyana bakaNtu; Pointing the way to the sons of Ntu,
Ukuze kuvel’ amadodan’ afundile; That young men educated may emerge,
Ukuze kube kh’ amaqhajan’ aqavile; Fearless, able and eloquent persons,
Akhokel’ isizwe ngengqondo nengqiqo. Leading the nation with understanding and
meditation.
Kuwe ke mdaka kaJonisi, On you then, O dark-skinned Jones
Ndibek’ ilitye lesikhumbuziso, My stone of remembrance do I place.
Thole lenkunzi yaseWelisi. You grown-up calf of a bull of Wales.
Wena wafiy’ iBilitan’ ingaxakekanga, When Britain had need of you,
Weza kuthi, aph’ eAfrika; You left to come to Africa,
Ukuz’ udle neziyatha nezilambi, To eat with fools, the starving too,
Ubelithemba lezifombo nezifologu, A hope to the hunch-backed, deformed to be,
Iint’ ezingenamva namphambili. Those things with neither past nor future.
Hamba nto kaJonisi, sabela, Respond then, son of Jones,
Ubizwe liKomkhul’ eliPhezulu, The Great Place has called you,
Ukuya kwenz’ ingxelo ngath’ eNyangweni; About us in heaven to talk,
Uthethe ngathi kuSonini-nanini; To Father Timeless make report,
Ubik’ umAfrika neegxaki zakhe; Of handicaps and smothered freedom,
Kub’ ukubonil’ ukutha kwakhe, That burns us as you know,
Engathiswa mlil’ ethiswa ziinzima, Our fire is rasping insult,
Ezenzakalisa umphefumlo kwanenyama. That weakens soul and wounds the flesh.
Sithi hamba nto kaJonis’ ufezile, Well done, O son of Jones,
Wooyisa kwancamek’ emhlabeni. Undoubted your victory is on earth,
Kubizwe wena nje kubizw’ indoda; A real man has been called away,
Namhla sinamakhul’ amathemba, This day great hopes we have in us,
Kub’ uSomandl’ uza kuv’ iindaba; That Omnipotence the news will hear,
Ezingenamphiyhi zingenangxube, In pure unmixed content from you,
Kuba wen’ ubunath’ eAfrika, In Africa, you lived with us,
Ubona sih’ ekwa naziintaka. And saw how birds on us did laugh.
Ndlelantle ndod’ enkul’ ugqibile; Farewell, great one, you work is done,
Ngqongqotho yendoda kwamany’ amadoda. In speech, in act you did excell,
Thina ma-Afrika sikuvumile. You were with us in spirit and in deed.
Goduka bawo, uye kusithethelela; Go home then, father, ambassador to be,
Sitho nathi nook sidumb’ iintliziyo, We say, though pained at heart indeed,
Kuba be singathandi kwahlulwa nawe, We did not wish that you should go,
Kwafik’ ukufa ngengqumbo nomnqweno ---- Called death with lust and wanton fury,
“Ubizwa phezulu nguNdikhoyo kamEnzi.” “The Everlasting One has bid you come.”
Ndingalila ndithini na bawo, My tongue is numbed and lost in woe,
Gwangqa ndini lomka-Jonisi? White father, son to Jones’wife.
Kub’ ukufa namhla kusongamele, This day reigns death on us supreme,
Kubethe sonke sazal’ izigulo. With horrid, scornful, sickening victory.
Wawafiy’ amadod’ esoph’ iihliziyo; The hearts of men bleed red in anguish,
Wawafiy’ iDjunivesith’ imbina-mbineka, And Witwatersrand the sting of sorrow feels,
Elo ziko likhulu lenkanyiso. Which causes your own on cheeks to hold,
Wawafiy’ amawen’ ebamb’ izidlele. That great hearth whence comes the light.
Iinto zooDokhwe zikhedame nedlaka, The son of Doke is sorry by the graveside,
Iinto zooLewini nezooDyefrisi ziyalila, So too the son of Lewin and son of Jeffreys;
Kuba namhla zingumz’ omalwangu, This day has dreaded sorrow their home besieged,
Ngokungena kwakh’ ekuphumleni. As rest eternal his share becomes.
Uya lil’ umzi wooVul’ indlela, The Pathfinder Scouts pipe shrill their farewell,
Ngesambantlanya sokumka kwakho, In mournful notes because tragic is your demise,
Ubuyintsika nexhatha kuwo, Their centre pillar and sustenance you always
were.
Engenamdintsi natyheneba. Always loved and never hated.
Ngala mazwi bawo siyendisela, These words, O father, our acceptance affirm,
Siziboph’ amanxeba sizintlinini, In tears we tend and dress our wounds,
Sizithuthuzel’ esinqhaleni; Ourselves though grieved in mind we comfort,
Kub’ ukufa kusigonyamele, For like a lion has death on you descended,
Kwasihluth’ onk’ amalungelo; While stunned by this our right was seized
Ukuz’ ubiwe singazi lutho, To know when death to you should come,
Be sisakujongil’ embusweni, We looked on you in government matters,
Kumahla-ndinyuk’ eliphakade. To guide our feet in ups and downs.
Hamba ke Gwangqa lomka-Jonisi, Farewell, you son of Mrs. Jones,
Ngonyam’ elizwi limntyangampo, Whiteman, you lion with roar so plaintive,
Eth’ ukunxakama yeenz’ umpongampo; That rumbles, amd hearts of men go frantic,
Zaxokozel’ iingxangxasi zeLigwa, The falls of the Vaal resound confused,
Zahlokom’ ezeGqili nezomDugwane, And those of the Orange and Caledon re-echo,
Zibikel’ ezomBafe neNciba; The messages cross country to the Bashee and the
Ke,
Kwavuk’ izitatavu nezitawuwa, Awakening the slow and feeble in mind,
Kwaphel’ ukunditha nokundilatha. With news announced, doubts and rumbling ended.
Ngamana waphumla kamnandi ngoxolo, May peace so still around you dwell,
Ndlov’ enkul’ endl’ igoduka, Big elephant that knew man’s end,
Ndun’ enkul’ engafanele kufa; Great one unfit to be touched by death,
Nangok’ akuffil’ ulel’ ubuthongo. Even now we see no death, you sleep.
Ngoko ke Thawe lasemzini, And so you, prince from far-off lands,
Namhla sikuyaleza zwi linye ---- To you this day one thing we say,
Ma z’ungasilibal’ eNyangweni, Remember your children when talking in heaven,
Simke nathi sisathandw’ emhlabeni, That they from earth so loved may go.
Ngenxa yomhl’ oza kusiphuthuma, The days draw nigh with death’s sad tale,
Ith’ imBongi, ath’ ama-Afrika, Ma kube njalo. The bard says this, and Africans Amen.
from: African Studies, vol. 12 no. 1, March 1953, pp. 72-74.
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