- Ua ka`ahele au maluna o ka `ili honua me na moana
- A `Inia mamao me Kina kaulana
- Ho`ea i na `ae kai o Aferika
- A me na palena o Europa
- A halawai me ka ikaika o na `aina a pau
-
-
- A ia'u i ku ai ma na 'ao'ao o na po'o aupuni
- Ka po'e mana maluna o lakou me ka hiehie
- Ho'omapopo iho la au i ka 'uka iki a nawaliwali o
ko'u
- Me ko'u noho ali'i ho'okahua 'ia
- Maluna o kahi pu'u pele
- A ma kahi he miliona i ho'oko i ka keia mau mo'i
- He mau tausani wale no malalo o ko'u malu
-
-
- Aka ke 'upu nei loko na'u ke kaena hiki
- Aia he mau nani
- Maloko o na po'ai o ko'u mau 'ae kai
- I 'oi aku ka makamae i ka o'u
- Mau hoa ali'i
- 'A'ohe o'u kumu hopo maloko o ko'u aupuni
-
-
- He hiki ke hui me ko'u lahui me ka weli 'ole
- 'A'ohe maka'u no'u iho me ke kia'i pa'a ole ia
- A na'u ke kaena he momi i ho'ouna
- 'Ia mai luna mai na'u
- Eia me a'u ke aloha pili pa'a o ko'u lahui kanaka
|
- I have traveled over many lands
and distant seas
- To India afar and China
renowned
- I have touched the shores of
Africa
- And boundaries of Europe
- And have met the great ones of
all lands
-
-
- As I stood at the side of heads
of governments
- Next to leaders proud of their
rule,
- Witnessing their authority over
their own
- I realized how small and weak
is the power I hold
- My throne is established on a
heap of lava
- They rule where millions obey
their commands
- Only a few thousands can I
count under my care
-
-
- One thought came to me of which
I may boast
- Of all beauties
- Locked within these
shores
- One is a jewel more precious
than any owned by
- My fellow monarchs
- I have nothing in my Kingdom to
dread
-
-
- I mingle with my people without
fear
- And in safety, I require no
bodyguards
- My gift is a pearl of great
price given
- To me from above
- The loyalty of my people
|
Source: The Echo of Our Song, translated
& edited by Mary Puku'i - This chant was composed by the
King when he returned from his world tour, November of 1881.
He left Honolulu on the ship, City of Sydney, January 20,
1881, stopped in Japan where he was the guest of Emperor
Mutsuhito for two weeks and visited Kobe, Osaka, Kyoto and
Nagasaki. He saw the Chinese cities of Shanghai, Tientsin
and Hong Kong before continuing on to Siam, Malaysia and
Burma. In India, he travelled by train to Calcutta and
Bombay then boarded a steamer and went to Egypt and was
received with great hospitality by Tewfik, the Egyptian
Khedive or Viceroy who instinctively sympathized with his
problems. He visited Alexandria, the Suez and after four
months in the Orient, headed for Europe via Naples where he
met with King Humberto of Italy and was granted an audience
with Pope Leo XIII, in the Vatican. He arrived in London the
first week of July and was lavishly entertained by Queen
Victoria and prominent members of the nobility, government
and the church. He visited Belgium, France, Spain and
Portugal, met with Prince William, later Kaiser William II,
in Berlin, Germany, and Archduke Albrecht in Austria. He
stopped in New York City before going on to Washington,
D.C., where he was was greeted by President Chester Arthur.
He left San Francisco October 22, on the steamer Australia
and arrived home in Honolulu on October 29, 1881
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