Ka Momi - by King David Kalākaua

Ua kaʻahele au maluna o ka ʻili honua me na moana
A ʻInia mamao me Kina kaulana
Hoʻea i na ʻae kai o Aferika
A me na palena o Europa
A halawai me ka ikaika o na ʻāina a pau
 
 
A iaʻu i ku ai ma na ʻaoʻao o na poʻo aupuni
Ka poʻe mana maluna o lakou me ka hiehie
Hoʻomapopo iho la au i ka ʻuka iki a nawaliwali o koʻu
Me koʻu noho aliʻi hoʻokahua ʻia
Maluna o kahi puʻu pele
A ma kahi he miliona i hoʻoko i ka keia mau moʻī
He mau tausani wale no malalo o koʻu malu
 
 
Aka ke ʻupu nei loko naʻu ke kaena hiki
Aia he mau nani
Maloko o na poʻai o ko'u mau ʻae kai
I ʻoi aku ka makamae i ka oʻu
Mau hoa aliʻi
ʻA'ohe oʻu kumu hopo maloko o koʻu aupuni
 
 
He hiki ke hui me koʻu lahui me ka weli ʻole
ʻAʻohe makaʻu noʻu iho me ke kiaʻi paʻa ole ia
A naʻu ke kaena he momi i hoʻouna
ʻIa mai luna mai naʻu
Eia me aʻu ke aloha pili paʻa o koʻu lahui kanaka
I have traveled over many lands and distant seas
To India afar and China renowned
I have touched the shores of Africa
And boundaries of Europe
And have met the great ones of all lands
 
 
As I stood at the side of heads of governments
Next to leaders proud of their rule,
Witnessing their authority over their own
I realized how small and weak is the power I hold
My throne is established on a heap of lava
They rule where millions obey their commands
Only a few thousands can I count under my care
 
 
One thought came to me of which I may boast
Of all beauties
Locked within these shores
One is a jewel more precious than any owned by
My fellow monarchs
I have nothing in my Kingdom to dread
 
 
I mingle with my people without fear
And in safety, I require no bodyguards
My gift is a pearl of great price given
To me from above
The loyalty of my people


Source: The Echo of Our Song, translated & edited by Mary Puku'i - This chant was composed by the King when he returned from his world tour, November of 1881. He left Honolulu on the ship, City of Sydney, January 20, 1881, stopped in Japan where he was the guest of Emperor Mutsuhito for two weeks and visited Kobe, Osaka, Kyoto and Nagasaki. He saw the Chinese cities of Shanghai, Tientsin and Hong Kong before continuing on to Siam, Malaysia and Burma. In India, he travelled by train to Calcutta and Bombay then boarded a steamer and went to Egypt and was received with great hospitality by Tewfik, the Egyptian Khedive or Viceroy who instinctively sympathized with his problems. He visited Alexandria, the Suez and after four months in the Orient, headed for Europe via Naples where he met with King Humberto of Italy and was granted an audience with Pope Leo XIII, in the Vatican. He arrived in London the first week of July and was lavishly entertained by Queen Victoria and prominent members of the nobility, government and the church. He visited Belgium, France, Spain and Portugal, met with Prince William, later Kaiser William II, in Berlin, Germany, and Archduke Albrecht in Austria. He stopped in New York City before going on to Washington, D.C., where he was was greeted by President Chester Arthur. He left San Francisco October 22, on the steamer Australia and arrived home in Honolulu on October 29, 1881

Emperor Mitsuhito

 

Tewfik, Viceroy of Egypt

 

King Humberto of Italy
 
 
Pope Leo XIII