In South Africa the buffalo roused,

whose goring's feared before it gores;

the late riser misses everything,

misses the python uncoiling.

What does Daniel the prophet say

to King Nebuchadnezzar?

Read from Chapter Two

through to Chapter Six.

Jehovah removes kings

setting others in their place

with no thought of worth:

wondrous His works.

Thus Daniel the prophet,

and in this I concur:

kings ruling over us go,

others take their place.

This is it: God in Heaven controls

royalty in every nation,

grants it to whom he likes,

even to casual passers-by.

He alone created all,

asking no one's leave:

our low station's of his making,

he raised up those at the top.

Kings ruling over us go,

others take their place;

and Africa, you will meet him,

return to times you cry for.

Note the motion of sun and moon,

the bonds once foretold by Ntsikana,

oppression that crawled on its knees,

casting spells right to the Mpondo.

Oppression was touted by glittering scriptures

that taught us to cast off our blankets,

intent on unloading on us an elephant

that devours our king's domains.

Wake up, Africa! Come together!

Only a fool wrings his hands.

Mutton Gluttons sleep with open eyes.

Timber! Yellowwood forests tumble.

God alone is worth remembering.

Something twisted can't be straightened:

this new regime holds nothing new,

the present's no change from the past.

We yielded sovereignty to no purpose,

embraced the new, and lost our own:

our homes and our kingship were plundered.

Our eyes beheld, our ears perceived.

Nongqawuse, Mhlakaza's daughter,

you said: “Keep your eyes on the ocean,

you'll hear the bellowing bulls.”

Our fathers’ possessions crumbled to dust.