Iā ʻOe E Ka Lā E ʻAlohi Nei - by Nahinu

Iā ʻoe e ka lā e ʻalohi nei ʻeā
Ma nā welelau ma nā welelaua ʻo ka honua

Hōʻike aʻe ʻoe i kou nani ʻeā
I ka mālamalama, i ka mālamalama ʻoi kelakela

Nāu i nōiʻi nōwelo aku ʻeā
Pau nā pali paʻa, pau nā pali paʻa i ka ʻike ʻia

ʻIke ʻoe i ka nani aʻo Himela ʻeā
Ka hene wai ʻolu, ka hene wai ʻolu lawe mālie

Mauna i lohia me ke onaona ʻeā
Kaulana i ka nani, kaulana i ka nani me ke kiʻekiʻe

Kiʻekiʻe ʻo ka lani noho mai i luna ʻeā
Nau i aʻe nā, nau i aʻe nā kapu o Kahiki

Hehihehi kū ana i ka huku ʻale ʻeā
I ke kai hālaʻi, i ke kai hālaʻi lana mālie

Kiʻina ʻia aku nā pae moku ʻeā
I hoa kui lima, i hoa kui lima nou e Kalani

Ma ia mau alanui malihini ʻeā
Au i ʻōlali, au i ʻōlali hoʻokahi ai

O ka lama o ke ao kou kokua ʻeā
Hōkūloa no, hōkūloa no kou alakaʻi

Lilo i mea ʻole nā enemi ʻeā
Lehelehe ʻeuʻeu, lehelehe ʻeuʻeu hana loko ʻino

He ola ʻo Kalani a mau aku ʻeā
A kau i ke ao, a kau i ke ao mālamalama

Hea no wao ʻo mai ʻoe ʻeā
O ka lani Kawika, o ka lani Kawika kou inoa

Haʻina ʻia mai ana ka puana ʻeā
No Kalākaua, no Kalākaua no he inoa
To you, O sun shining down
Throughout the ends of the world
 
Show forth your beauty
The greatest of all lights
  
It is you who seek and delve
Till the solid cliffs yield their secrets
  
You'll see the beauty of the Himalayas
The gentle slope of refreshing water
  
A mountain rich with fragrance
Famed for its beauty and height
 
High above sits my royal chief
You who tread the sacred places of Kahiki
 
Treading on the rising billows of waves
And over the calm tranquil sea
  
Reaching out to other islands
For companions to go hand in hand with you
  
Over those unfamiliar trails
You walk alone
  
The light of the day shall be your help
The morning star your guide 
 
Your enemies become nothing
The evil ones with jabbering mouths
  
Long may you live, O heavenly one
Till you reach the world of light
  
I call, you answer
Heavenly one, David is your name

This is the end of my chant
In honor of Kalākaua 


Source: Na Mele Welo Translated by Mary Pukui - There are several versions of this chant. Chiefess Nahinu, a cousin of Queen Kapiʻolani, composed this song in 1881, for King Kalākaua before he left on his world tour. This was a prayer wishing him successs and happiness on his long journey. The aged kaula or seer, from the old school, was from Kauaʻi and her meles were prophetic. Verse 2 refers to the regions of the Himalayas, the home of the Brahmins. The King was initiated into the Brahmin brotherhood at their hidden and most sacred temple. Himela is also interpreted as the sexual organs of a woman. There is also an expression of a secret love affair between the King and a Danish beauty. Pali paʻa in verse 3 and mauna in verse 5 is the kaona for the body of a woman. The stamping on taboos in verse 6 refers to the belief that royalty was exempt from the taboos of ordinary people. Kahiki is Hawaiian for Tahiti or any foreign country. Huku ʻale in verse 7 is symbolic of the action of the female sexual organs.