1. Ewe kambe, ndingade ndibe liciko lokuthetha iilwimi zabantu, ndide ndithethe nezezithunywa zezulu – kodwa ndingenalo uthando, intetho yam isuka ibe yingxolo nje, efana neyentsimbi ehlokomayo, necangci elikhenkcezayo.
2. Ndingade ndibe naso nesiphiwo sokushumayela ngefuthe, ndinalo lonke ulwazi, ndizazi nezinto ezingàziwa mntu, ndinalo nokholo olugungqisa iintaba, kodwa ndingenalo uthando, andinto konke!
3. Ewe, nokuba ndinganikisa ngempahla yam yonke, ndide nam ngokwam ndizinikele ukuba nditshiswe, kodwa ke ndingenalo uthando, akuncedi nto konke-konke.
4. Uthando lunomonde, lunobubele. Uthando alunamona, alugwagwisi, lungakhukhumali.
5. Uthando alugezi, alufuni okukokwalo, alunachuku, alunanzondo.
6. Uthando aluvuyiswa bububi, luvuyiswa yinyaniso.
7. Uthando aluncami; lukholwa zizinto zonke, luthemba izinto zonke, lunyamezela izinto zonke.
8. Uthando alupheli. Zikho zona iintshumayelo ezinefuthe, kodwa ziyatshitsha. Zikho neziphiwo zokuthetha iilwimi, kodwa nazo ziyabhanga. Kukwakho nokwazi, kodwa kuyadlula nako.
9. Kaloku ezi ziphiwo sinazo zokwazi nokushumayela azigqibelelanga.