Neki Hula - Traditional

 
Ke holo aʻe nei kāhi neki
I waiho ʻaoʻao mai nei ʻea ʻea
Maikaʻi kūlana hale he pili
ʻAʻohe mea hana aʻo loko ʻea ʻea
 
Kau aku i lio Hawaiʻi
Ke ʻami i ka lina poepoe ʻea ʻea
Kau aku i lio Kaleponi
Hoʻonui kailina o ka pono ʻea ʻea
 
Ku me ka maʻa i ke one
Pilipu kaʻili ka moena ʻea ʻea
Ua anu ka pua o ka hale wili
Ka wahine noho laʻi i ke kula ʻea ʻea
 
Luaole i ka hana ka hale wili
Kuʻu lei i wainapanapa maikaʻi ʻea ʻea
Haʻina ʻia mai ka puana
Ke holo aʻe nei kahi neki ʻea ʻea
Some bulrush is traveling along
And has stopped to the side of me
It has a fine appearance, good enough for a pili house
There is nothing left to do about it
 
Mount upon a Hawaiian horse
And you go around in circles
Mount upon a California horse
And your estate increases
 
Appearing accustomed to the sand
And the association with the surface of the ocean
Is made cold the flower of the mill
Its woman reposing calmly in the uplands
 
Unsurpasssed is the work of the mill
My wreath that is well twisted
The refrain is told
Of the bulrush traveling hither

 

Source: Castillo Collection Translated by Kalani Akana