THESE ARE PROVERBS AND SAYINGS OF THE FORBIDDEN ISLE
Pu'uwai kau mai iluna, ho'oheno ia nei e ka ua naulu
Looking up to Pu'uwai, caressed by the rain of the Naulu wind.
He aloha Kaeo lei naulu, ke kuwini kaulana a Kahelelani
eloved is Kaeo[kulani] caressed by the Naulu wind, the famous wind of Kahelelani.
Ka-unu-nui heiau kapu noho ana i ka poli o Kauwaha
The sacred temple of Kaununui is cradled in the bosom of Kauwaha.
Ke ho'i nei ko Ni'ihau keiki i ka maluhia ka ulu hala o Halawela
When Ni'ihau's children return, there will be peace in the hala grove of
Halawela. This is a 1865 lament for the return of the islands to the natives.
Aahu ae i ka pawehe o Ni'ihau 'ai la 'oe i ka manu o Kaula.
The mats of Ni'ihau you shall wear and the birds of Kaula you will eat. Ni'ihau is alone, number one for the ali'i.
Ka ua lihau anu toetoe koou, ha ahi ka ke kapa o ka ua i lala ai.
When the rains come it is bitter cold. The fire is your blanket that will do away with the rain.
I ka lani no ka ua wai e no ke pulu.
The rain is still in the clouds. Its time to prepare the mulch.
Months in advance, Ni'ihauans prepare the land for planting, usually for uala.
Hanau Ni'ihau he 'aina, he motu, he 'aina i ke a'a i ka mole o ta 'aina.
Born the island of Ni'ihau, the land that is the stem of all the islands.
Au ka koae, he la malie.
When the koae [bird] swims, it is a calm day.
Ma ka mole mai o Lehua.
By the foundation of Lehua.
Moku ka 'ili la
Sun-snatching island [Lehua]
Ni'ihau o ManŻ-opu-pa'ipa'i
Queen ManŻopupa'ipa'i of Ni'ihau, an ancient ali'i
He kè pè maia i ke ala
The banana stalk that stands by the road. Referring to a person who was sexually impotent
Kaua'i ka'ili la, o Ni'ihau ka la kau
Kaua'i steals the sun, Ni'ihau is the sun. Kaua'i is where the sun rises, but Ni'ihau is where it sets.
Ho'ona ke ola i ka malu hau o Halali'i
Comfortable is the life in the shade of the tree at Halali'i.
He keiki mai au no na kiu eiwa, he kiu kamakani anu o Ni'ihau
I am a child from the lands of the 9 kiu winds, the cold winds of Ni'ihau
'Aina nui o Ni'ihau, piliwale mai o Lehua
Great is the land of Ni'ihau and Lehua is nearby
'Aina pohaku o Pu'ukole i ka ehukai,i ka nou hala'ole a ke Ko'olau
A land of rock is Pu'ukole in the salt spray pelting without missing the Ko'olau.
He keiki mai au no na kiu eiwa, he kiu kamakani anu o Ni'ihau
I am a child from the lands of the 9 kiu winds, the cold winds of Ni'ihau.
He Lehua kamakani olu o Ni'ihau. He leialoha kamakani pumehana o ka 'aina o Ni'ihau.
The Lehua wind caressses Ni'ihau. The leialoha is the most chrished and dearest wind of Ni'ihau.
O Ni'ihau no e ka oi aupuni mai Hawai'i moku o Keawe, O Kaua'i moku o Manokalanipo loku ia e ka ua Naulu.
Ni'ihau is the best of all from hawai'i, island of Keawe, to Kaua'i of
Manokalanipo` drenched in the dounpour of the Naulu.
Ho'oulu ia e ke konalani i ka no ke hal;a ole aka naulu,a ke ahe Lehua me ka Mikioi o ka Inuwai me ka Moae.
The Konalani makes everything grow with the persistence of the Naulu.
The breath of Lehua, the Mikioi, the Inuwai, and the Moa'e.
Kahiko e ka nani o ka 'aina o ke Konahea pili me 'oe.
Beautiful is the land from the days of old with the Konahea wind caressing you.
Waiaka hani i ka makani na kiu eiwa kona i ka 'ili.
Waiaka flirts with the winds, the nine cold winds that tingle the skin.
Heaha la ia mea i ke keiki Unulau o Hina ? Ke ho'oua mai, he ola pai Ni'ihau.
What is this to the Unulau child of Hina ? When it rain, life touches Ni'ihau.
Ka malamalama o Ni'ihau ua malie, malie hakakau ko aloha e ka Inuwai.
Ni'ihau shines in the calm, peaceful with the Inuwai that embarces her with love.
O 'oe ka ia e ka Inuwai e ho'oipo nei me Leahi.
You are the main course Inuwai courting Leahi.
Anaohano Ni'ihau i kau ike, aka Naulu a'e ho'oipo nei.
Famous is the Ni'ihau I see, caressed and loved by the naulu wind.
Waiaka flirts with the winds, the nine cold winds that tingle the skin.
Heaha la ia mea i ke keiki Unulau o Hina ? Ke ho'oua mai, he ola pai Ni'ihau.
What is this to the Unulau child of Hina ? When it rain, life touches Ni'ihau.
Ka malamalama o Ni'ihau ua malie, malie hakakau ko aloha e ka Inuwai.
Ni'ihau shines in the calm, peaceful with the Inuwai that embarces her with love.
O 'oe ka ia e ka Inuwai e ho'oipo nei me Leahi.
You are the main course Inuwai courting Leahi.
Hanaohano Ni'ihau i kau ike, aka Naulu a'e ho'oipo nei.
Famous is the Ni'ihau I see, caressed and loved by the naulu wind.
Ohi'a nalu kaulana pula kau maka a na kupuna.
Famous are the waves of 'Ohi'a that splashed in the eyes of our ancestors.
[Tava,Keale 1989:29] (NOT CONFIRMED )
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