Nā Pua Lei ʻIlima - John K. Almeida


He nani nā pua lei ʻilima
ʻO ka uʻi hoʻoheno ulumāhiehie

Ulumāhiehie ka lei ʻilima
ʻOhuʻohu nā malihini me nā kamaʻāina

I laila hoʻohihi ko u manaʻo
I ka nani kaulana o ka ʻilima

Inā i hui ʻia me ka maile
Ka lei hoʻouluwehi i ke kino

Haʻina ka puana no kuʻu lei ʻilima
Kūlana hiehie me ka hanohano

Lovely wreath of `ilima blossoms
Adorns my beautiful and cherished love

The `ilima wreath, so beautiful
Adorning newcomers and natives

There my thoughts are enraptured
By the famous beauty of the `ilima

Let us weave the maile into
The lei that adorns the body

Tell the refrain of my `ilima lei
Outstanding, distinctive and magnificent


Source: John Kameaaloha Almeida CD from Cord International - Transcription by Keola Donaghy