Thamela 'mbulu thamela!
Warm yourself in the sun
Water lizard or monitor (legavaan)!
Ziyaphuza izinsizwa, uxamu lothela ilanga
The warriors drink their beerwhile
The water monitor
Enjoys warming it'self in the sun

Ziyaphuz' 'insizwa
The warriors are drinking

Die son trek water, soos ek en my bier
The sun draws the water, like me and my beer
Ziyaphuz' 'insizwa
The warriors are drinking

Maar die osean is nie bang
Vir die son se vuur
But the ocean is not afraid
Of the sun's fire ziyaphuz' 'insizwa
The warriors are drinking

Ek dink aan jou want jy is nie hier nie
I'm thinking of you because you are not here
Ziyaphuz' 'insizwa
The warriors are drinking

En my bottle is leeg, en my hart is seer
And my bottle is empty, and my heart is sore
Ziyaphuz' 'insizwa
The warriors are drinking
Die pad na jou hart, is sonder a brug
The road to your heart is without a bridge
Ziyaphuz' 'insizwa
The warriors are drinking

En die myle na jou deur, is my bitter plig
And the miles to your door
Have become my relentless destiny
Ziyaphuz' 'insizwa
The warriors are drinking

Sigukile egoli madoda!
We have grown old in johannesburg, men!
Njengegolovane, ngendaba zemali
Ngendaba zemali like a rusty mine cocopan
We did this because we needed money

Guka!guka wenauzoguka othandayo
Grow old!grow old!only someone who gives
Up will grow old!
Binne in my, ek dra jou binne in my, vir ewig
Inside me, I carry you inside me, forever
My bloed is koud, en ek word oud
Soos tai kalahari hout
My blood is cold, and I grow old
Like tough hard kalahari wood
Maar herrineringe aan jou stook die
Kole in my hart
But memories of you stoke the
Coals in my hart diep in my jy's diep in my
Deep inside me, you are deep inside me
Die afstand tussen ons is so krom en skeef
The distance between us, is bent and crooked
Selfs die bottle sal my nie gou laat vergeet
Even this bottle does'nt help
Me to forget quickly
Daars n' sagte klank in die nag se lug
There is a gentle sound on the evening air
As jy slaap in die donker
En in jou drome vlug
As you sleep in the darkness
And flee into your dreams
My bottle is gebreek en my hart is seer
My bottle is broken and my heart is sore
Jy's so ver van my af
En die toekoms is leeg
You are so far from me
And the future is empty

Sigukile egoli madoda!
We have grown old in johannesburg, men!
Njengegolovane, ngendaba zemali
Ngendaba zemali like a rusty mine cocopan
We did this because we needed money