Blessed in Zulu

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Blessed is busisa in Zulu. 

In fact, busisa is a verb which means to bless.  It can be used in a religious context like saying the pastor or the Pope blesses somebody.  It also refers to talent, when we say someone is blessed with a good voice or excellence in mathematics.  Some people are not blessed with good voices.  They sing off key and are clueless about the injury to the ear.  Some families say a blessing before they eat.  A blessing is called i-sibusiso, a popular boy’s name.
Bu-si-sa.  The first part is pronounced as in bull, but a soft -b-.  The second part as in sing and the third part as in saffron.

ZULU
ENGLISH
Busisiwe (Busi for short).
A girl’s name which means the blessed one.
Sibusiso (Sbu for short).
A boy’s name which means a blessing.
I-gama lami u-Busisiwe.
My name is Busisiwe.
I-gama lami u-Sibusiso.
My name is Sibusiso.
Ba-busisiwe nge-ngane ye-ntombazane.
They are blessed with a baby girl.
Ba-busisiwe nge-ngane yo-mfana.
They are blessed with a baby boy.
U-busisiwe nge-ndoda e-lungile.
She is blessed with a good husband.
U-busisiwe nge-ngane e-hlakani-phile.
She is blessed with a clever child.
U-busisiwe ngo-mzima o-muhle.
She is blessed with a good body.
Ma-si-busise u-kudla.
Let us bless the food.
A-ka-busiswa-nga nge-zwi. 
He is not blessed with a good voice.
I-zi-busiso zi-ka-mama.
Mama’s blessings.

By:  Nonqaba waka Msimang.

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