Sin in Zulu
Isi-Zulu is a language spoken in Southern Africa. In this blog, we try and share its beauty thorough dot.com (small) lessons. We choose Zulu words almost similar to English so that you can give it a shot, pronounce them. Today’s lesson is sin.
a sin iso-no.
sins izo-no.
You say the ‘i’ like email, the ‘so’ like song and the ’no’ like normal. Same with the plural, but you say the ‘zo’ like Zodiac.
Religious studies were compulsory at school. British education also demanded that we have ‘civilized’ names, which meant English and biblical names. It turns out that the British could not say our African names like Nomgqibelo or Inqawekayise.
Religious studies involved knowing the bible by heart. That is why I equate it with sins, so many sins (izono)! Thou shall not do this. Thou shall not do that. Later on in life, I learned that all religions have a plethora of sins.
How about kids being naughty or not listening to their parents? Naughty is not a sin (isono), but not listening or disrespecting mama, baba, grandparents, aunties, uncles and elders in general is definitely a sin, but you don’t go to where Satan lives with his long fork. You just get something whupped. Yes indeed!
There are certain sins (izono) that are sins period, irrespective of culture or religion. Abusing baby girls and boys is a heinous crime. One offender said the baby girl was flirting with him. Adopting children - both girls and boys - for the sake of grooming them for a certain sexual lifestyle is abuse, and is definitely a sin.
Unfortunately, adoption agencies and social workers concentrate on the financial aspect and identify that as ‘in the best interest’ of the child. Africa is particularly vulnerable in this regard. You see adoptive parents at South African airports proudly holding their ‘kids,’ waiting for flights to take them abroad or locally to another province.
Sineaters, a supernatural novel by Kai Leakes has a strange character. Khamun catches bad guys, kills them and eats their sins. Sin is his favourite snack, so to speak. Sineater, translate that into Zulu: u-dla izono.
The word i-so-no is also used for a sad situation. Somebody used to be rich. Life dealt with him or he took life for granted and it showed him who is the boss. He loses everything: cars, women, houses, prestige and friends. We see him hailing a cab with shoes with an opinion and we say: isono ngo Barnabas. A husband will beat his wife and she would cry, asking what her sin is.
By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.
a sin iso-no.
sins izo-no.
You say the ‘i’ like email, the ‘so’ like song and the ’no’ like normal. Same with the plural, but you say the ‘zo’ like Zodiac.
Religious studies involved knowing the bible by heart. That is why I equate it with sins, so many sins (izono)! Thou shall not do this. Thou shall not do that. Later on in life, I learned that all religions have a plethora of sins.
How about kids being naughty or not listening to their parents? Naughty is not a sin (isono), but not listening or disrespecting mama, baba, grandparents, aunties, uncles and elders in general is definitely a sin, but you don’t go to where Satan lives with his long fork. You just get something whupped. Yes indeed!
There are certain sins (izono) that are sins period, irrespective of culture or religion. Abusing baby girls and boys is a heinous crime. One offender said the baby girl was flirting with him. Adopting children - both girls and boys - for the sake of grooming them for a certain sexual lifestyle is abuse, and is definitely a sin.
Unfortunately, adoption agencies and social workers concentrate on the financial aspect and identify that as ‘in the best interest’ of the child. Africa is particularly vulnerable in this regard. You see adoptive parents at South African airports proudly holding their ‘kids,’ waiting for flights to take them abroad or locally to another province.
The word i-so-no is also used for a sad situation. Somebody used to be rich. Life dealt with him or he took life for granted and it showed him who is the boss. He loses everything: cars, women, houses, prestige and friends. We see him hailing a cab with shoes with an opinion and we say: isono ngo Barnabas. A husband will beat his wife and she would cry, asking what her sin is.
| ZULU | ENGLISH |
| I-sono u-kubulala. | Killing is a sin. |
| I-sono u-kunukubeza izingane. | Child abuse is a sin. |
| I-sono u-kudla ingulube. | It is a sin to eat pork (for some religions). |
| Yini isono sami? | What is my sin? |
| Yini izono zethu? | What are our sins? |
| Izono zethu ziyophela. | Our sins will be washed away (Christian belief). |
| U-Bob a-kalali izono zakhe. | Bob cannot sleep. His sins haunt him. |
| Thabitha isono lento oyenzayo. | Thabitha, what you are doing is a sin. |
| Isono ngo-Zeph, aka se-nalutho. | It’s sad about Zeph. He lost everything. |
| Isono ngomakhelwane. Ingane yaboshwa. | It’s sad about my neighbour. Their child is in jail. |
By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.
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