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| ʻElua nō māua I ʻike ia hana Laʻi wale ke kaunu Hoʻonipo i ka poli Hui Ahi wela mai nei loko I ka hana a ke aloha E lalawe nei kuʻu kino Konikoni lua i ka puʻuwai *Konikoni lua i ka pō nei ʻAuhea wale ana ʻoe Kuʻu pua i kui a lei I lei hoʻohiehie Nō ke anu ahiahi Kuʻu pua i liʻa ai Aʻu i kui ai a lawa I lei hoʻohiehie No ke anu ahiahi Elua nō māua A i ʻike ia hana Laʻi ai ka nanea ʻana Hoʻonipo i kuʻu kino *alternate lyrics |
There were just the two of us Who knew all about The activities of love That were within the heart Chorus: Like a hot fire inside The action of love Going through my entire body And throbbing in my heart *Throbbing last night Where are you The flower that I strung into a lei A lei to adorn me In the cool evening hour My flower for which I yearn I have strung and made Into an ornamental wreath In the cool evening hour There were two of us Who knew about it We enjoyed it in the calm I was being wooed *alternate lyrics |
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Source: Johnny Noble's collection - Composer of the melody and older lyrics are unknown, but Charles E. King says the tune was borrowed from a band on a Russian ship that visited Honolulu. The newer version by Doirin & Beckley was written about 1891. Doirin, a singer with the Royal Hawaiian Band was the first wife of Alfred Alohikea, the Kauaʻi composer. Beckley was a lady-in-waiting to Queen Liliʻuokalani. The two versions are basically the same, a poetry of passion, telling of sexual combustion that may result from the act of love. Much of the Hawaiian genre of poetry refers to sexual organs and sexual acts that have roots in ancient Hawaiian chants. Laʻi refers to the peace that follows passion; when coupled with kaona, it means the thrill of lovemaking. Translated by Mary Pukui. Hawaiian Text Edited by Puakea Nogelmeier | |