The strangers’ case

Shakespeare
isiZulu
Contemporary English

Grant them removed,
Kulungile mabahambe kodwa,
Alright, let them go – but

and grant that this your noise
Nani nibokhumbula ngawo lomsindo,
You must also remember, through this noise,

Hath chid down all our country’s majesty;
Niphoxe thina sonke kulesizwe.
You shame all of us in this country.

Imagine that you see the wretched strangers,
Masithi nazi zona Izingane zabantu;
Let’s say that these poor people are before us,

Their babies at their backs and their poor luggage,
Izingane zabo nazo ziboshelwe emqolo,
Their own children fastened to their backs,

Plodding to the ports and coasts for transportation,
Beyaluza nje, babheka indlela yohambo,
Wandering pathless, looking for a way to go –

And that you sit as kings in your desires,
Njengoba kunje nibusa njengamakhosi.
As things stand, you rule like kings.

Authority quite silent by your brawl,
Akekh’on’bangisayo – nihlomile,
No-one is contesting your authority – you are well armed,

And you in ruff of your opinions clothed;
Akekho’n’phikisayo ngoba niyazi,
No-one is arguing with you, because you know –

What had you got? I’ll tell you: you had taught
Niphumelele na Manginixwayise;
Are you successful? – mark my words

How insolence and strong hand should prevail,
Akukho ndlela emsulwa evela ngodlame,
There is no pure way that manifests from war.

How order should be quelled; and by this pattern
Njengoba kunje, kuyophinda kube njena,
Because of the way things are, this will happen again –

Not one of you should live an aged man,
Kunjalo kunje, lelizwe liyoswel’ amakhehla;
And if this remains the case, this country will run out of old men.

For other ruffians, as their fancies wrought,
Ngob’ ayofik’ amany’ amadelakufa,
Because other ruffians will come

With self same hand, self reasons, and self right,
Ehlome ngokufana ngamandla nangesibindi,
Equally (as you) armed with strength and bravery;

Would shark on you, and men like ravenous fishes would feed on one another.
Ezonigqilazela ukuthi nani nizijikele.
They will break you and destroy your unity.

Say now the king,
Masithi inkosi;
Say now the king,

As he is clement if th’offendor mourn,
Induna enozwelo, ena noxolo,
A leader who is sympathetic and has peace in his heart,

Should so much come too short of your great trespass
Inixolela izono zenu, nina,
Forgives you for your sins

As but to banish you,
Ngokunixosha elizweni lakini;
But expels you from your homes,

whither would you go?
Niyokhalelaphi, nina oAfrica?
Where will you cry – you, oh Africa?

What country, by the nature of your error,
Mhlaba muphi oyonamukela,
Which piece of earth will accept you

Should give you harbour?
Kungekho shlobo eduze komakhelwane?
Without friends or relations among your neighbours?

Why, you must needs be strangers:
Akukho ndawo lapho eningayakhona
There’s nowhere you can go

would you be pleased
Engek’ in’hlukanise nezintandane.
That will not treat you like an orphan.

To find a nation of such barbarous temper,
Ningathini nihlangane nalabantu?
What would you do if you came across people like this?

That, breaking out in hideous violence,
Izintswelaboya, amabhubesi ahlasela emini,
A murderous bunch, like lions that hunt during the day,

Would not afford you an abode on earth,
Amadoda angezwa, angafuni nokuthi anibone;
Men who don’t hear reason, who don’t want to see you.

Whet their detested knives against your throats,
Enibonile nje, yimpi yok’qala neyok’gcina,
But if they see you, it will be like the first war and the last,

Spurn you like dogs,
Nijarhwa ngemikhonto njengezilwane;
Chasing you with spears like animals;

and like as if that God
Engath’ anikholwa, engathi aninazihlwele,
As if you have no faith, as if you have no ancestors;

Owed not nor made not you, nor that the claimants
Engathi nakhiwe ngodaka, aninaMvelinqange,
As if you were made of mud, as if you had no God.

Were not all appropriate to your comforts, But chartered unto them,
Nibekelwe nje ukuthi kuname izitha –
Placed here for your enemies’ pleasure –

what would you think to be thus used? This is the strangers’ case;
Ningakumela na lokhu en’kwenzayo?
Imagine being on the receiving end of this.

And this your mountainish inhumanity.
Senilibele izandla ziyagezana?
Have you forgotten that one hand washes another?