Bakhatla at one point venerated the monkey (kgatla in Setswana). However, they got “attracted” to the eagle (lenong) and adopted it as their emblem. That is, they decided that an eagle not a monkey was worthy of their praise — or rather, it was more inspiring to want to soar like an eagle!

i)

Mokhatla moana-nong!
Moana nkholi-kholi’a holimo!
Oa ma-Molise’a Setabele.

ii)

Mokhatla moana-nong!
E holimo-limo Nkholi!
Ke molisa oa Setabele,
Leholimo la Mankoane, Mokhatla.

iii)

Mokhatla!
Kotsoan’a poli tsa ha ‘Mashale,
Nonyana e fofang holimo.
Nkholikholi, Lekholokholo.

iv)

Mokhatla oa Mankoane,
Moana-nong!
Moana-nkholi-e-holimo, Lekholokholo.
Ke lelimo la ‘Marakotsoane,
Motho oa ha Phara-ba-ha-Mokoteli ka Mosoang.

v)

Mokhatla Kotsoane!
Nonyana e holimo Nkholi,
Lekholokholo.
Motho oa ma-Molise oa Setabele,
Khau tsebeng eabo Moeketsi le Moeketsane.

vi)

Mokhatla, moana-nong!
Motho oa Mankoane,
Motho oa ma-Molise’a Setabele,
Ke motho oa ma-Nalane’a Khabo,
Moana nonyana e holimo, nkholi-kholi,
Ha tuka khabo, ha tuka lelakabe,
Ha tuka khabo e khubelu,
Khomo li be li ipetsa, li le mpetsana,
Hoja mabele a le litsoere,
A! Lekhahlela-molula!
A mautla, a solla lekholokholo!
La utla, la solla lekholokholo!
Tlake, se sole lekholokholo!
Nkholikholi ea holimo,
Sekubutu, sengala-tsela,
Oena, motho oa ma-Kobue,
Tlake, se solle, re epela motho,
Motho oa marumo ha a epeloe hae,
O tšoana le moshoela Matebeleng,
Ke motho oa mapheeke a Kobue,
Ke Mokhatla, moana-nong!