Aia i Pauoa ka liko ka lehua
Ka ʻiʻini pau ʻole a ka makemake
Makemake nō wau la e ʻike
lihi
*(makemake no au aʻe i
ka lihi)
I ka lawe haʻaheo a ke kīkala
Pālua, pākolu
i ke kekona
I ka hoʻi ʻākau hoʻi i ka hema
Hemahema ka palena ua lolelole
ʻUa ʻewa ka pilina me ka nihoniho
Nihoniho mai nei ko pelekoki
I ka iho ʻākau hoʻi i ka hema
*(I ka iho makawalu o ka
lihilihi)
A he lihi kuleana koʻu i laila
I ka loʻu ʻūmiʻi a ka huapala
He aloha kahi wai o ʻAuwaiolimu
Ia wai lomi lima me kuʻu aloha
Haʻina ʻia mai ana ka puana
Aia i Pauoa ka liko lehua
*Alternate Stanza
There at Pauoa is the lehua
bud
My endless yearning and
desire
I'd like to catch even a
glimpse
*(Of the proud swaying hips)
Of her figure strutting
about
Twice, thrice in a
second
Back and forth, right to
left
Not fitting right, the border
is turned inside out
The toothed edges do not fit
perfectly
Your petticoat is
scalloped
Swaying to the right and then
to the left
*(The inner layers of quantities of
lace)
I took a rightful interest
there
The sweetheart bent over with a
sidepain from walking too fast
Beloved is the stream of ʻAuwaiolimu
The water where hands were fondled with my loved one
- Tell the refrain
There at Pauoa is the lehua bud
*Alternate Translation
Sam Kanahele or Charles W. Booth are believed to have composed this song and given it to Emma Bush.
- Ka Liko Lehua