Lihvuwani, Fhulufhelo and Naphtali:
Blessed was a devoted father as yours,
Whose teachings each of us still favors.
In him was a man with a joyful heart,
Therefore, generosities from him never failed to depart.
The possessions he maintained in his coffer,
Gladly he shared with every other.
Oh! And the gifts he was bestowed by the Almighty,
Surely, he gave flocks of needy as charity.
For himself, he provided not only in favor of his family,
Extended were alms given, as well, to many a stranger-
For he decreed, ‘In order to be worthy humanely,
It was symmetrically paramount how one attended a foreigner.’
Thus, to anyone in need, he gave indeed,
And to everyone, indeed, he gave his virtuous deed.
Upon him, he also gave without delay,
And, in return, asked for nothing each day.
His convictions one could not bend-
For was he a nobleman of uprightness,
And yes! His devotion to his Creator one could not amend-
For was he an admirable individual fraught with faithfulness.
The beauty of each word he selected was generous-
And those soothing words warmed us all.
The disposition he unveiled was gracious-
For anyone to be in his presence one is put at still.
To no one he deposited any betrayal,
Nor did he provoke in anyone disapproval,
Rather, to everyone he was loyal,
And to none but all he was very cordial.
He deprived us not his noble integrity,
Virtuous deeds he extended to all and, in return, we learned of equity.
And upon his conscience, we realized, was sculpted unparalleled humanity,
Which he inculcated to each one he met as an obligatory responsibility.
Resided in this meritorious human was a well-defined definiendum of compassion,
And against this character was no comparison.
Principles of his he compromised not,
Hence, we are left with a nobleman of an unblemished spot.
A helping hand he unfailingly lent,
When we needed assurance, a comforting word he shielded not from.
Neither wealth nor riches did he flaunt;
‘Humility, brother,’ said he, ‘is the rubric of wisdom.’
When we needed to be elevated he gave to us, as a support, his hand,
That we, rather than submerge, may continue to withstand.
And to all who chanced to meet his acquaintance, through his action we have been inspired,
And those noble deeds of his could never be denied.
However, though the rhythm of his whispers may now be temporally mute,
As a naked day is clothed at the appearance of the night,
Nonetheless, to him deserves our procedural tribute,
And that we may continue his selfless gests to a novel height.
Thus I say to you my adorable niece and nephew, Livhuwani and Naphtali:
Blessed was a devoted father as yours,
In whose voice in our life still roars.
RIP Nndondeni!
