"Ngaikomborerwe Nyika yeZimbabwe" (English: "Blessed be the land of Zimbabwe") "Kalibusiswe Ilizwe leZimbabwe" (English: "Blessed Be the Land of Zimbabwe")
The National Anthem of Zimbabwe, also known by its incipit in Shona, "Simudzai Mureza wedu WeZimbabwe" (English: "Raise our flag of Zimbabwe"), and the final line of each verse in Ndebele, "Kalibusiswe Ilizwe leZimbabwe" (English: "Blessed Be the Land of Zimbabwe"), was introduced in March 1994 after a nationwide competition to replace the South African-derived "Ishe Komborera Africa" with a distinctly Zimbabwean song. The winning entry was a Shona song written by Professor Solomon Mutswairo and composed by Fred Changundega.[1] It was translated into English and Ndebele, the two other main languages of Zimbabwe.[1] The Ndebele version is mainly sung in the Matebeleland regions of Zimbabwe, while the English version is not commonly sung. Some schools in Matabeleland South have introduced the Sotho/Tswana version.
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Because Zimbabwe has 16 national languages, the lyrics of the original Shona song were translated into the other 15 national languages as part of the 2013 constitutional reforms. The official texts were laid out in the 2013 Constitution, however the final English text in the Constitution varied from the more poetic and metrical version that had been in common usage up to that point and remains so today. Both the new official text and the more common variant are listed below.
In spite of all the translations being official and of equal standing according to the Constitution, the Shona and Ndebele versions remain the two most prevalent variants in regular usage.
I
O lift high, high, our flag of Zimbabwe
Born of the fire of the revolution
And of the precious blood of our heroes.
Let's defend it against all foes;
Blessed be the land of Zimbabwe.
II
Behold Zimbabwe so richly adorned
With mountains and rivers, beautiful.
Let rain abound and fields yield the seed
May all be fed and workers rewarded.
Blessed be the land of Zimbabwe.
III
O God, bless the land of Zimbabwe,
The land of our heritage,
From the Zambezi to the Limpopo.
May our leaders be just and exemplary,
Blessed be the land of Zimbabwe.
I
O lift high the banner, the flag of Zimbabwe,
The symbol of freedom proclaiming victory;
We praise our heroes’ sacrifice,
And vow to keep our land from foes;
And may the Almighty protect and bless our land.
II
O lovely Zimbabwe, so wondrously adorned
With mountains, and rivers cascading, flowing free;
May rain abound, and fertile fields;
May we be fed, our labour blessed;
And may the Almighty protect and bless our land.
III
O God, we beseech Thee to bless our native land;
The land of our fathers bestowed upon us all;
From Zambezi to Limpopo
May leaders be exemplary;[a]
And may the Almighty protect and bless our land.
I
O nyamulani mmwamba, mbendela yathu ya Zimbabwe
Yobadwa ndi moto wa nkhondo
Ndi gazi lofunikila la ngwazi zathu.
Tiyeni tiliteteze kwa adani onse;
Lidalitsidwe dziko la Zimbabwe.
II
Yang'anani Zimbabwe ya mphatso zambili
Ndi maphiri ndi msinje, zokongola.
Mvula igwe yambili ndi minda itulutse chakudya
Anthu onse akhuthe ndi a ntchito alipilidwe.
Lidalitsidwe dziko la Zimbabwe.
III
O Mulungu, dalitsani dziko la Zimbabwe,
Dziko la mphatso yathu,
Kuchokela ku Zambezi kufika ku Limpopo.
Atsogoleli akhale pa chilungamo ndi ubwino wowoneka.
Lidalitsidwe dziko la Zimbabwe.
I
Tanka ho Fulegi tan ka ho,
Ka fulegi tan ka ho,
Tcuan tcuara tem a ka kui sa-ua hi nguu ua
E tuise ho we hi hum kadi,
Zimbabwe nguu uae
II
Zimbabwe tcanuu, e nahu e nyua hue hi,
Eshingisa e gǁawu gǁaua
Tcuara gǁawu, tcuan ire ǁa,
E tuise ho we hi nguu ka di,
Zimbabwe nguu ka di.
III
Dzimu tcuara tsau maa, hi nguu ka di, Zimbabwe di.
Hu mae tanuu,
Zambezi hua ninuu kua kuise, Limpompo, kua si ke ko.
Ha tcuan ira gǁo tconi ira ebkua ho tcan, e kairse tsau muari tcuan ua tca,
Hi nguu ka di Zimbabwe di.
III
Mwari komborerai Nyika yeZimbabwe
Nyika yamadziteteguru edu
Kubvira Zambezi kuguma Limpopo
Neatungamiri aa nendaramo
Ngaikomborerwe Nyika yeZimbabwe
I
Tlakusani mujeko wa hina waZimbabwe.
Yi nga tswariwa hi ndzilo wa nyimpi
ya ntshuxeko na ngati yinyingi ya tinhenha.
Hi yi sivelela ka valala hinkwavo
a ri katekisiwe tiko raZimbabwe.
II
Langutani Zimbabwe tiko ri nga xongisiwa
hi tintshava na mikova swi khavisaka.
A yi ne mpfula masimu ya nyika.
Vatirhi va tsaka xitshungu xi xurha.
A ri katekisiwe tiko ra Zimbabwe.
III
Hosi katekisani tiko ra Zimbahwe,
tiko ra yakokwana va hina hinkwerhu,
ku sukela Zambezi ku kala Limpopo.
Na vurhangeri byi va na vunene,
a ri katekisiwe tiko ra Zimbabwe.
I
Phahamisang fuleki ea rona ea Zimbabwe
E tsoetsoeng ka ntoa ea tokoloho
Le mal'amangata abahale ba rona
Re e tsireletse ho lira tsohle;
Ha le hlohonolofatsoe lefatse la Zimbabwe.
II
Talimang Zimbabwe eona e khabisitsoe
Ka lithaba ne linoka tse bohehango.
Pula ha ine lilemo li ate
basebeletsi ba atlehe, batho bakhure
Ha le hlohonolofatsoe lefatse la Zimbabwe.
III
Morena, hlohonolofatsa lefatse la Zimbabwe,
Lefatse la baholoholo ba rona,
Ho tloha Zambezi ho fihla Limpopo.
Le baeteleli ba eme nneteng,
Ha le hlohonolofatsoe lefatse la Zimbabwe.
I
O tsholeletsang godimo, folaga ya rona ya Zimbabwe
Ee tshotshweng ke ntwa ya kgololesego
Le madi ya megaka ya rona
Re le tshireletse mo go baba ba rona
Ka le segofatswe le fatshe la Zimbabwe
II
Bonang Zimbabwe ee kgabisetsweng
Ka di thaba le dinoka tse di ntle
Pula a ine le masimo a nnc le di dipoelo
Botlhe bas a tlhtoke dijo le babereki ba duelwe
Ka le segofatswe le fatshe la Zimbabwe
III
Modimo, segofatsa le fatshe la Zimbabwe
Le fatshe boswa jwa rona
Go tswa Zambezi go ya Limpopo
A baeteledipele ba rona ba ne le maotsholo a bone a a eletsegang
Ka le segofatswe le fatshe la Zimbabwe
I
Takusani tuḽaga yashu ya Zimbabwe
Ye ya bebwa nga nndwa ya mbofholowo
Na malofha manzhi a vhahali vhashu
Ri ḽi tsireledze maswinani oṱhe;
Kha ḽi fhaṱutshedzwe shango ḽa Zimbabwe.
II
Sedzani Zimbabwe ḽone ḽo shomedzwa
Nga dzithavha na milambo, i tamisaho.
Kha i ṋe, mvula kha i ṋe zwiliṅwa zwi ande
Vhashumi vha tondwe vhathu vha fure
Kha ḽi fhaṱutshedzwe shango ḽa Zimbabwe.
III
Murena fhaṱutshedza shango ḽa Zimbabwe
Shango ḽa vhomakhulukuku vhashu riṋe roṱhe
U bva Zambezi u guma Vhembe
Vharangaphanḓa vha vhe na ndulamo.
Kha ḽi fhaṱutshedzwe shango ḽa Zimbabwe.
