Impi

Impi
Oh nans'impi iyeza
Ubani bengathinta amabhubesi
Impi
Oh nans'impi iyeza
Ubani bengathinta amabhubesi

Impi
Oh nans'impi iyeza
Ubani bengathinta amabhubesi
Impi
Oh nans'impi iyeza
Ubani bengathinta amabhubesi

All along the river
Chelmsford's army lay asleep
Come to crush the children of Mageba
Come to exact the realm's price for peace
And in the morning
As they saddled up to ride
Their eyes shone with the fire and the steel
The general told them
Of the task that lay ahead
To bring the people of the sky
To heel

Impi
Wo nans'impi iyeza
Ubani bengathinta amabhubesi
Impi
Wo nans'impi iyeza
Ubani bengathinta amabhubesi

Mud and sweat on polished leather
Warm rain seeping to the bone
They rode through the season's wet weather
Straining for a glimpse of the foe
Hopeless battalion
Destined to die
Broken by the benders of kings
Vainglorious general
And victorian pride
Would cost him and eight hundred men their lives

Impi
Wo nans'impi iyeza
Ubani bengathinta amabhubesi
Impi
Wo 'nans'impi iyeza
Ubani bengathinta amabhubesi

They came to the side of the mountain
Scouts rode out to spy the land
Even as the realm's soldiers lay resting
Mageba's forces were soon at hand
And by the evening
The vultures were wheeling
Above the ruins where the fallen lay
An ancient song
As old as the ashes
Echoed as Mageba's warriors marched away

Impi (Ah impi baba)
Wo nans'impi iyeza
Ubani bengathinta amabhubesi (Amabhubesi bo)
Impi (Hha yelele ma)
Wo 'nans'impi iyeza
Ubani bengathinta amabhubesi (Hha yelele ma)

Impi (Yasho inkani baphela)
Wo nans'impi iyeza (Yasho inkani baphela)
Ubani bengathinta amabhubesi ( Sengibonile hololo mama)
Impi (Yasho inkani baphela)
Wo nans'impi iyeza (Yasho inkani baphela)
Ubani bengathinta amabhubesi (Sengibonile hololo mama)

Impi (Hawu yeye)
Wo nans'impi iyeza (Hawu yeye)
Ubani bengathinta amabhubesi (Ongathinta amabhubesi bo)
Impi (Hawu yeyeyeye)
Wo nans'impi iyeza (Hawu yeyeyeye)
Ubani bengathinta amabhubesi (Hawu bo)
Hawu yeye