MOKOLO NAKOKUFA – SAM MANGWANA

(chorus) Mokolo nakokufa

Mokolo ya liwa

Mokolo mosusu ngai nakanisi

Naloti lokola ngai nakolala

Aa mama aa Mokolo ya liwa

Mokolo nakokufa nani akolela ngai?

Nakoyeba te

Tika namilela

Liwa ya nzamba soki mpe liwa ya mai

Liwa ya nkisi soki mpe liwa ya mpasi mama

Mokolo ya liwa, mama

Mokolo nakokufa, ngai moto ya mbongo

Nakanisa nini kaka mosolo o?

Nakanisa lopango na bakaminyo

Nakanisa bana ngai natinda kelasi koyekola

Mokolo ya liwa, mama

Mokolo nakokufa, ngai moto ya pauvre

Nakanisa nini kaka bana na ngai?

Nakanisa kaka mpasi ya mokili ezali kotikala

Mokolo Nakokufa

Mokolo nakokufa ngai moto ya kwiti

Nakanisa kopo ya masanga na ngai

Nakanisa nini kaka suka ya sanza

Tango namelaka ngai na baninga

Aa mama, mokolo ya liwa

Mokolo nakokufa nani akolela ngai?

Nakoyeba te

Tika namilela

Liwa ya nzamba soki mpe liwa ya mai

Liwa ya nkisi soki mpe liwa ya mpasi mama

Aa mama, mokolo ya liwa.

(spoken) Liwa, elombe ayaka nayo centre na la vie

(spoken) Tabu, O Maloba

Mokolo nakokufa ngai moto ya kwiti

Nakanisa kopo ya masanga na ngai

Nakanisa nini kaka suka ya sanza

Tango nakutana ngai na baninga

Aa mama, mokolo ya liwa

(chorus) Mokolo ya Liwa

Mokolo nakokufa

TRANSLATION

The day I will day

The day of my death

The other day I was wondering

I dreamt as I was sleeping

Ah mother, the day of my death

The day I day, who will weep for me?

I don’t know

Let me weep for myself

Death in the forest or in water?

Death by witchcraft or of illness

The day of my death, Mother

The day I will die, I the rich man

What will I think of, but my property?

I’ll think of my houses and lorries

I’ll think of the children I sent to school

The day of my death, mother

The day I die, I the poor man

What will I think of but my children?

I’ll only think of the problems of the world that will be left

The day I die

The day I die, I the drunkard

I’ll only think of my glass of beer

What will I think of but the end of the month

When I used to drink with my friends

Ah mother, the day of my death

The day I die, who will weep for me?

I don’t know

Let me weep for myself

Death in the forest or death in water?

Death by witchcraft or of illness?

Ah mother, the day of my death

Death, the hero who comes with you to the centre of life

Tabu, Oh, words!

The day I die, I the drunkard

I’ll think of my glass of beer

What will I think of but the end of the month

When I met with friends

Ah mother, the day of my death

The day of my death

The day I will die