Haeso

Author: Tsebo Makakole

Haeso, my home town,
I was born as Mosotho oa Mofokeng,
Mosotho oa Moshoeshoe,
Kheleke ea ho beola Ramonaheng litelu.
I…from the mountain called Makhoarane,
Lesotho le hare ho Afrika Boroa,
The nation of Basotho’s great legend, Moshoeshoe.

What a beautiful, stunning mountainous country,
So ravishing, so luxuriant,
The welding of our clans and tribes.
Li telele tse tšoeu lithaba ka Maluting,
Li khutšoane tse talana ka mabalane.
The sun rises from the east and
Sets to the west, with saffron colours.

Makhulo a le matalana, ekare bolele ba bolibeng,
Likhomo li shahlile, mpa li le lilota.
Country for achievers, country for developers.
So nice to live here, haeso Lesotho,
Where I know balimo ba ka.

Again, banana ba ka da, ke likheleke,
Tsa ho hlantša hlooho.
Khotmane feeling like proposing to one,
Joalo ka bo-Pinky, bo-’Mastšoana.

Likheleke tsa Basotho
Live in a meandering country
Because they were defeated by
Moshoeshoe’s weakness.

But still, re ntse re mo leboha
Ka ho boloka haeso Lesotho.
Because he fought for liberty and freedom.
He raised Lesotho’s black child.

Haeso marabeleng, haeso litaung,
A small country called a kingdom has
Bana ba nonneng, bana ba mafurafura,
Ba mafehlefehle, ekare lipere tsa staleng.
Tšea e le ea e motona,
Lithethana e le tsa e motšehali,
Ba li tenne e ka re litotobeke,
Walking freely like Kings and Queens,
Joalo ka mohuli lepatlelong la thaba.

Haeso, your air is fresh,
You’re clean and green.

Oh! Haeso, haeso.
Lia luma lipina motseng oa lapeng,
Bana ba thala-thala ekare maroele.
Haeso kea utloa kea hlapanya,
Motjeko khafetsa,
Ho cha leoto, ho cha monate.

Sehanyata se apere kobo ea seakhi se setona,
Se tenne Brantutu, bo benya bo re tseke!
Se llisa crockett, se llisa florsheim…KOATLA! KOATLA!
Se hata butle-butle. Haeso, haeso Maluting.

Ke Basotho ba ho tiea feela.
Ba ja,
Ee ere ho khoroe, u ba bone ba raha, ba thakhinya,
Ba thiba ka nqena le ka nqane.
Ho tantša e le nthoe nyenyane,
Ba li roba from head to toe,
Monyonyo e le oa ntja le katse,
They sing Sesotho songs,
Joalo ka makhele le mangae.

I don’t want to be an American,
I hate ke tšoana le majatlhapi.
Ke Mosotho ka tsoalo le puo,
Mali a ‘M’e le Ntate,
Ha ke bua, leleme le lelemela joalo ka metsi a pula,
Le phatlalla ha ke bua le ea mosehlana ngoanana,
Le nama joalo ka thota ea mokhoabo.
Puo ea ka e hlakile joalo ka leholimo.

I say I’m proud of my country, Lesotho.
I’m proud of my culture and tradition.
I’m proud of who I am and
I’m proud to be Mosotho.
Freedom ha e be teng haeso Lesotho.

Haeso Maluting Lesotho.