Mî Nei (How About Me) - Words & music by Charles E. King

 

Ke huli hele (ke huli hele)
A`e nei `oe (huli `oe)
E ake ana e kô (e ake e kô)
Ka `ano`i a loko (loko)

Mauka makai (mauka makai)
I`ô i `a`ne`i (i`ô i `ane`i)
Kâu huli `ana (kâu huli `ana)
I kô ka `i`ini (ka` i`ini a loko)

Pehea nô ho`i (pehea nô ho`i)
I nâ ma`ane`i (ma`ane`i kâua)
Kilohi mai `oe (kilohi mai `oe)
I nêi a u`i

Nâ pâpâlina (nâ pâpâlina)
A`o mî nei (mî nei)
Nâu e `ike mai (nâu e `ike mai)
Noho ê ke onaona (ona)

Pali ê ke kua (pali ê ke kua)
Mahina ê ke alo (mahina ê ke alo)
Ma`ane`i poli `oe (ma`ane`i poli `oe)
Pumehana kâua (pumehana kâua)

Nâ maka nei (nâ maka nei)
Ka`ili pu`uwai (ka`ili pu`uwai)
Ke honi nei ihu (ke honi nei ihu)
`Olu `oe `olu au

Nêia mau lima (nêia mau lima)
Nêia po`ohiwi (lima)
`Alawa mai `oe (`alawa mai `oe)
Aia i lalo ia nani (nani)

Ke ki`ina nei lâ (ke ki`ina nei lâ)
A ka lawe mâlie (a ka lawe mâlie)
Ho`ohihi `oe (ho`ohihi `oe)
Ke `ike mai (ke `ike mai)

Ha`ina ka puana (ha`ina ka`puana)
Pili i ka`u kê pau (pili i ka`u kê pau)
`Ahahana lilo `oe (`ahahana lilo `oe)
Lilo iâ mî nei

 

Searching for love
Are you
Wanting love
In your heart

In the mountains, by the sea
Here and there
Searching
For your desire

Why not
Look this way
Glance here
At this beauty

These cheeks
Of mine
You will see
Are soft and sweet

Straight as a cliff is my back
Bright as the moon my face
Come to my bosom
We'll both be warm

These eyes
Pierce the heart
Kiss and
You're satisfied, I'm satisfied

These hands
These shoulders
You, glance over here
There below is beauty

Inviting you
Take it easy
You'll be entranced
With what you see

The story is told
Tied fast to my leading string
Watchout, you're caught
Caught by me

 

Source: Kings's Hawaiian Melodies, Translator unknown Copyright 1948 by Charles E.King