Hawai`i `78

Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

Ua mau ke ea o ka `âina i ka pono `o Hawai'i

Being perpetuated (is) the sovereignty of the land to righteousness/ to balance, Hawai`i

Ua mau ke ea o ka `âina i ka pono `o Hawai'i



If just for a day our king and queen

Would visit all these islands and saw everything

How would they feel about the changes of our land

Could you just imagine if they were around

And saw highways on their sacred grounds

How would they feel about this modern city life?



Tears would come from each other's eyes

As they would stop to realize

That our people are in great, great danger now

How would they feel?

Would their smiles be content, then cry



Chorus:

Cry for the gods, cry for the people

Cry for the land that was taken away

And then yet you'll find, Hawai'i.



Could you just imagine they came back

And saw traffic lights and railroad tracks

How would they feel about this modern city life

Tears would come from each other's eyes

As they would stop to realize

That our land is in great, great danger now.



All the fighting that the King has done

To conquer all these islands, now these condominiums

How would he feel if he saw Hawai'i nei?

How would he feel? Would his smile be content, then cry?



(E hana hou i ka hui)

(Repeat chorus)



Ua mau ke ea o ka `âina i ka pono `o Hawai'i

Ua mau ke ea o ka `âina i ka pono `o Hawai'i.