E kipi ana lākou nei. ʻAʻole naʻe ʻo lākou ponoʻī akā ʻo kā lākou mau keiki me nā moʻopuna. ʻO ke aliʻi e ola ana i ia wā e kū ʻōlohelohe ana ia, a ʻo ke aupuni e kūkulu ʻia aku ana, ʻo ia ke aupuni paʻa o Hawaiʻi nei.
These people [the missionaries] are going to rebel; not they themselves, but their children and grandchildren. The ruler at that time will be stripped of power, and the government established then will be the permanent government of Hawaiʻi.
[Prophesied by David Malo.]
379
E uhi ana ka wā i hala i nā mea i hala.
Passing time obscures the past.
618
He ikaika ke kanaka kaena i ka wā pilikia ʻole, akā he hōhē wale i ka lā o ka pilikia.
A braggart is strong when there is no trouble, but flees when there is.
883
He palupalu nā hewa liʻiliʻi i ka wā kolo, lolelua i ka wā kamaliʻi, loli ʻole i ka wā oʻo, ʻoni paʻa i ka wā ʻelemakule.
Small sins are weak in the creeping stage, changeable in childhood, unchanging when an adult, and firmly fixed in age.
[Bad habits can be changed in the early stages but eventually become firmly implanted.]
1156
I hea ʻoe i ka wā a ka ua e loku ana?
Where were you when the rain was pouring ?
[A reply to one who asks his neighbor for some of his crop. If he answered that he had been away during the rains, he would be given some food; but if he said that he had been there, he would be refused. It was due to his own laziness that he did not have a crop as fine as his industrious neighbor’s.]
2061
Maikaʻi nō ka hoʻoipoipo i ka wā e lana ana ke koko; a pau ka lana ana, pau nō ka hie o ia mea.
Lovemaking is good when the blood is circulating freely [in youth]; but when the blood ceases to circulate freely [as in old age] the pleasure one derives from it ceases.
A hua a pane; a pane ka waha, he hoʻolono ko neʻi.
A word in reply; open the mouth and speak, for a listener is here.
[A command to speak up and tell what one has come for. Used in hoʻopāpā riddling.]
51
Aia i Pāʻula ka waha o nei kauwā; aia i Alanaio ka waha o nei kauwā; aia i Paukū-nui ka waha o nei kauā.
The mouth of this slave is at Pāʻula; the mouth of this slave is at Alanaio; the mouth of this slave is at Paukū-nui.
[An insulting saying. It began when Keawe, ruler of Hawaiʻi, went on a visit to Kauaʻi and while in a crowd of chiefs silently broke wind. None knew the source, but it was Keawe’s servant who made this insulting remark. Pāʻula (Red Dish) signifies that the rectal opening shows red; Alanaio (Way-of-the-pinworm) also refers to the anus; and Paukū-nui (Large Segments) refers to large stools. Hence, a red, worm-infested anus that produces large stools. It was not until Keawe returned to Hawaiʻi that his servant learned that his own chief had been the culprit. Pāʻula, Paukū-nui, and Alanaio are place names in Hilo.]
60
Aia ke ola i ka waha; aia ka make i ka waha.
Life is in the mouth; death is in ihe mouth.
[Spoken words can enliven; spoken words can destroy.]
264
E ao, o kā i ka waha.
Watch out lest it smite the mouth.
[A warning not to be too free in using rude and insulting words toward others lest someday one must take them back. Also, things said of others may happen to the person who says them.]
277
E hea i ke kanaka e komo ma loko e hānai ai a hewa ka waha.
Call to the person to enter; feed him until he can take no more.
[Originally a reply to a password into a hula school. Used later in songs and in speech to extend hospitality.]
[Said of one who talks too much — all noise and no sense. The ʻelepī is a small black crab that makes a loud noise resembling a smacking sound made by the mouth.]
[To be returned in kind later. Pahia, an honest, kindly native of Hilo, always noticed what was given him and always said in gratitude, “Yet to come, says Pahia,” meaning that he would respond in kind. People noticed that when he was given pork, he gave pork in return, and he served fish to those from whom he received fish. His friends and their friends learned to say, “ʻYet to come,’ says Pahia,” when they intended to return a kind favor.]
230
ʻAʻole nō i ʻike ke kanaka i nā nani o kona wahi i hānau ʻia ai.
A person doesn’t see all the beauties of his birthplace.
[One doesn’t see how beautiful his birthplace is until he goes away from home.]
971
He wahi limu pae.
Seaweed washed ashore.
[An insignificant person who, like the seaweed, merely drifts.]
1101
Hoʻomau ʻia aku, wahi a ka nūpepa.
To be continued, according to the newspaper.
[Many Hawaiian newspaper articles were continued from week to week. This was said of anything put off to be finished later.]
1900
Kū ke ʻehu o nā wahi ʻauwaʻa liʻiliʻi.
How the spray dashes up before the fleet of little canoes.
[An expression originating in the game kōnane. Trifling things are as dust to experts. Used in a chant of ʻAukele-nui-a-Iku.]
2084
Mai piʻi aʻe ʻoe i ka lālā kau halalī o ʻike ʻia kou wahi hilahila e ou mau hoa.
Do not climb to the topmost branches lest your private parts be seen by your companions.
[Do not put on an air of superiority lest people remember only your faults.]
E hahai ana nō ke kolekole i kahi nui a ka wahie, a e hahai ana no ke ʻino i kahi nui o ka paʻakai.
Underdone meat follows along even where wood is plentiful, and decomposition follows along even where much salt is found.
[Even where good is found, evil creeps in.]
1318
Kahu i ka lae o ka manō, he ʻale ka wahie.
Kindle a fire on the forehead of a shark with waves for fuel.
[Said when food in the imu is not cooked because of a lack of firewood. A criticism of the hosts’ half-cooked food.]
1991
Līhuʻe hōʻā wahie lālā koa.
Līhue lights fires with koa branches.
[Līhuʻe, Oʻahu, once had a grove of koa trees whose branches were used for firewood.]
2365
ʻOhi hāpuku ka wahie o Kapaʻau.
Anything was gathered up as fuel at Kapaʻau.
[Said of one who takes anything and everything. At one time Kohala suffered a drought and food became scarce. The women did their best to raise food at ʻAinakea while the men traveled far in search of some means of relieving the famine. In order to cook their meager, inferior crops, the women used whatever they found for fuel — dried sugar-cane leaves, grasses, potatoes, and so forth.]
2544
ʻO wahie ka ʻai, ʻo loli ka iʻa, ʻo muku ka imu.
Wood is the vegetable food, sea cucumber is the meat, and a small imu is the only imu.
ʻAʻohe i nalo ka ʻulaʻula o ka lepo, loaʻa hou nō ka wahine.
The redness of the earth hasnt even vanished when a new wife is obtained.
[Said in scorn of a person who takes a new mate shortly after the death of the old one.]
235
ʻAuhea nō hoʻi kou kanaka uʻi a ʻimi ʻoe i wahine nāu?
Why is it that you do not show how handsome you are by seeking your own woman ?
[A woman might say, under the same circumstances, “ʻAuhea nō hoʻi kou wahine uʻi a ʻimi ʻoe i kāne nau?’]
456
Hānai puaʻa wahine, ma loko ka uku.
Raise a sow, for her reward is inside of her.
[A sow will bear young.]
723
He lau maiʻa pala ka wahine, hou aku nō ʻoe, pōhae.
A woman is like a yellowed banana leaf that tears when one pokes at it.
[A woman does not have the strength of a man.]
1113
Hōpoe, ka wahine lewa i ke kai.
Hōpoe, the woman who dances in the sea.
[Hōpoe was a dancer of Keaʻau, Puna, in that long ago day when gods mingled with men. Because of her dancing and her kindly nature, Hōpoe was taken by the goddess Hiʻiaka as a favorite friend. When Pele sent Hiʻiaka to Kauaʻi to fetch Lohiʻau, the first request Hiʻiaka made to Pele was to be kind to her friend, Hōpoe. After a time, when Hiʻiaka did not return as expected, Pele in a fit of rage destroyed Hiʻiaka’s grove and the beloved Hōpoe. The latter was changed into a balancing stone that seemed to dance in the sea.]
1289
Ka haka o ka moa kāne, ua kau ʻia e ka moa wahine.
The perch of the cock is now occupied by a hen.
[Said by Puna, whom Kalaniʻōpuʻu placed as governor in Hāna, Maui. Mahihelelima wanted Puna out of the way and lied that Kalaniʻōpuʻu had sent word for Puna to meet him in Hawaiʻi at once. When Puna arrived in Hawaiʻi, he discovered that he had been duped and that Kaʻuiki hill in Hāna had been taken by the Maui chiefs in the meantime. The saying was later used to mean that a superior worker had been replaced by another who was not as good.]
[Once upon a time some men of Kēʻē, Kauaʻi, fell in love with the wives of some Nuʻalolo men. They climbed the ladder up to Nualolo, threatened the men there, and departed with their wives.]
Women can be observed, [but] you cannot be matched.
[One may look at other women but none can be compared to you.]
2299
Nā wāhine kiaʻi alanui o Nuʻuanu.
The women who guard the Nuʻuanu trail.
[Hapuʻu and Kalaʻihauola were supernatural women whose stone forms guarded the Nuʻuanu trail near the gap. It was around Kalaʻihauola that the umbilical cords of babies were hidden to ensure their good health. When the new road over the Nuʻuanu Pali was made, these stones were destroyed.]
2900
Wāhine hulu pelehū.
Turkey-feathered women.
[Prostitutes who carry on with sailors in order to obtain finery to adorn themselves.]
Wahineʻomaʻo (1)
2475
"O kū, o kā," ʻo Wahineʻomaʻo.
“Kū and kā,” says Wahineʻomaʻo.
[While walking toward Hilo one day, Hiʻiaka met Wahineʻomaʻo shivering by the roadside with a pig in her arms — a gift for Pele. Hiʻiaka suggested that she start walking to Kīlauea chanting, “O kū! O kā!” Before long Wahineʻomaʻo had reached the volcano, given her offering, and returned to meet Hiʻiaka, whom she followed on the long journey to Kauaʻi. “O kū! ʻO kā!” cannot be translated. However, any work done hurriedly might be referred to this way, meaning “with a lick and a promise.”]
ʻAʻole make ka waʻa i ka ʻale o waho, aia no i ka ʻale o loko.
A canoe is not swamped by the billows of the ocean, but by the billows near the land.
[Trouble often comes from one’s own people rather than from outsiders.]
244
A waho au o ka poe pele, pau kou palena e ka hoa.
After I’ve passed the bell buoy, your limit is reached, my dear.
[A sailor’s saying used in an old hula song. When the ship passes the bell buoy on its way out to sea, the girl on the shore is forgotten.]
311
E ʻimi i ke ola ma waho.
Seek life outside.
[Consult a kahuna to see what is causing the delay in healing. Said when a person lies sick, and recovery is slow.]
467
Hānau ke aliʻi i loko o Holoholokū, he aliʻi nui; hānau ke kanaka i loko o Holoholokū, he aliʻi nō; hānau ke aliʻi ma waho aʻe o Holoholokū, ʻaʻohe aliʻi, he kanaka ia.
The child of a chief born in Holoholokū is a high chief; the child of a commoner born in Holoholokū is a chief; the child of a chief born outside of the borders of Holoholokū is a commoner.
[Holoholokū, sacred birthplace of the chiefs, is in Wailua, Kauaʻi.]
[Gone where one may find himself stranded or deserted.]
55
Aia ka wai i ka maka o ka ʻōpua.
Water is in the face of the ʻōpua clouds.
[In Kona, when the ʻōpua clouds appear in the morning, it’s a sign that rain is to be expected.]
176
ʻAʻohe loea i ka wai ʻōpae.
It is no feat to catch shrimps in a freshet.
[You don’t need experience to do that job. Shrimps were often taken in great numbers by means of wicker platforms placed across mountain streams. In time of freshets they would be swept onto these platforms and gathered.]
178
ʻAʻohe lolena i ka wai ʻōpae.
There must he no slackness when one gathers shrimp in time of a freshet.
[Let there be no slackers when there is work to be done. Lazy people don’t get anywhere.]
195
ʻAʻohe nō hoʻi ou ʻī mai ʻaʻohe wai o lalo.
You didn’t tell me that there wasn’t any water below.
[Why didn’t you warn me? Two men, one totally and one partially blind, wanted to cross Punaluʻu Stream in Kaʻū. The blind one didn’t know his companion was unable to see well. When they reached the bank he asked his companion, “Is there water down there?” The partly blind one replied, “Yes, there is.” So they jumped in with the intention of swimming across. But the stream was dry, and both men suffered broken bones and bruises.]
242
ʻAu umauma o Hilo i ka wai.
Hilo has breasted the water.
[To weather the storm. The district of Hilo had many gulches and streams and was difficult to cross.]
Eager to drink of the gushing spring of Koʻolihilihi.
[Eager to make love. Koʻolihilihi (Prop-eyelashes) is a spring in Puna. When royal visitors were expected, the people attached lehua blossoms to the makaloa sedge that grew around the spring so that when their guests stooped to drink, the lehua fringes touched their cheeks and eyelashes. The last person for whom the spring was bedecked was Keohokalole, mother of Liliʻuokalani.]
Waiahole (1)
1735
Ke kalo paʻa o Waiahole.
The hard taro of Waiahole.
[A reminder not to treat others badly. One day, a man went to Waiahole, Oʻahu, to visit his sister, whom he had not seen for many years. She was absent, and her husband neither asked the stranger in nor offered him any food. When hunger possessed the visitor he asked if he might have some taro to eat. His brother-in-law directed him to his taro patches and told him to get some from there. The man went to the patches and then continued on his way. When the woman returned she was told of the visitor, and by her husband’s description she knew that it was her brother. She rebuked him for his lack of hospitality. When they went to their taro patches they found all the taro pulled up and hacked to pieces.]
Waiakea (1)
2901
Waiakea pepeiao pulu ʻaha.
Waiakea of the ears that hold coconut-fiber snares.
[Snares for small fish, shrimp, or crabs were made of a coconut midrib and the fiber from the husk of the nut. When not in use the snare was sometimes placed behind the ear as one does a pencil. This saying is applied to one who will not heed — he uses his ears only to hold his snare.]
Waiakekua (1)
2917
Wai peʻepeʻe palai o Waiakekua.
The water of Waiakekua that plays hide-and-seek among the ferns.
[Waiakekua is in Mānoa.]
Waiʻaleʻale (3)
1590
Ka ua Noelehua o Waiʻaleʻale.
The Misty-lehua rain of Waiʻaleʻale.
[The rain of Waiʻaleʻale that moistens the lehua blossoms there.]
1621
Kaulīlua i ke anu, Waiʻaleʻale.
Extremely cold is Waiʻaleʻale.
[Said of one who is high above others, as is Waiʻaleʻale, a mountain on Kauaʻi. A chant beginning with this line was composed for a chiefess of Waialua, Oʻahu, named Kaumealani. The last person to inherit it was Kalākaua, who was also known by the name Kaulīlua.]
1756
Ke kōpiko i ka piko o Waiʻaleʻale.
A kōpiko tree on the summit of Waiʻaleʻale.
[A boast about an outstanding person.]
Waialoha (3)
1075
Hoʻokahi nō kaunu like ana i Waialoha.
Together there will he friendliness at Waialoha.
[The enjoyment of friendliness by all. Waialoha (Water-of-love) is a place on Kauaʻi. When mentioned in poetry it refers to love and friendliness.]
2465
ʻOki kilohana ka pali o Waialoha.
Straight and tall is the cliff of Waialoha.
[Said in admiration of a tall, well-formed person.]
2805
Ua kohu ke kaunu ana i Waialoha.
Lovemaking at Waialoha is suitable.
[The match is good; the course of true love should be encouraged.]
Waialua (4)
121
A nui mai ke kai o Waialua, moe pupuʻu o Kalena i Haleʻauʻau.
When the sea is rough at Waialua, Kalena curls up to sleep in Haleʻauʻau.
[Applied to a person who prefers to sleep instead of doing chores. A play on lena (lazy), in Kalena, who was a fisherman, and hale (house) in Haleʻauʻau.]
1263
I Waialua ka poʻina a ke kai, ʻo ka leo ka ʻEwa e hoʻolono nei.
The dashing of the waves is at Waialua but the sound is being heard at ʻEwa.
[Sounds of fighting in one locality are quickly heard in another.]
2000
Like nō Kaʻena me Waialua.
Kaʻena and Waialua are one.
[Kaʻena Point is in Waialua. Similar to the saying, “Six of one and half a dozen of the other.”]
2902
Waialua, ʻāina kū pālua i ka laʻi.
Waialua, land that stands doubly becalmed.
[Said in admiration for Waialua, O’ahu, where the weather was usually pleasant and the life of the people tranquil.]
Waiʻanae (2)
1524
Kapakahi ka lā ma Waiʻanae.
Lopsided is the sun at Waiʻanae.
[Used to refer to anything lopsided, crooked, or not right. First uttered by Hiʻiaka in a rebuke to Lohiʻau and Wahineʻōmaʻo for talking when she warned them not to.]
2495
ʻOla Waiʻanae i ka makani Kaiaulu.
Waiʻanae is made comfortahle by the Kaiaulu breeze.
[Chanted by Hiʻiaka at Kaʻena, Oʻahu, after her return from Kauaʻi.]
Waiānuenue (1)
1580
Ka ua lei māʻohu o Waiānuenue.
The rain of Waiānuenue that is like a wreath of mist.
[Wai-ānuenue (Rainbow-water) in Hilo, Hawaiʻi, is now known as Rainbow Falls. On sunny days a rainbow can be seen in the falls, and on rainy days the rising vapor is suggestive of a wreath of mist.]
Waiʻāpuka (1)
2819
Ua lilo paha i ke kini o Waiʻāpuka.
Taken, perhaps by the inhabitants of Waiʻāpuka.
[A play on ’āpuka (to cheat) in the place name Wai’āpuka. Said when someone has been cheated of his possessions.]
Waiehu (3)
1130
Huikau nā makau a ka lawaiʻa i Wailua, lou mai ʻo Kawelowai iā Waiehu.
The fishhooks of the fishers became entangled at Wailua and caught Kawelowai at Waiehu.
[An entangling love affair. The first line of a chant.]
1553
Ka ua hōʻeha-ʻili o Waiehu.
The skin-hurting rain of Waiehu.
[A chilly, pelting rain.]
2904
Waiehu, mai ka pali o Kapulehua a ka pali o ʻAʻalaloa.
Waiehu, from the cliff of Kapulehua to the cliff of ʻAʻalaloa.
When one wants to dance the hula, bashfulness should be left at home.
[Also expressed Aʻo i ka hula,....]
144
ʻAʻohe hua waiho i Kahiki.
Not even the eggs should be left in Kahiki.
[Used when inviting all to come — even the little children are welcome. Also, bring everything and leave nothing.]
680
He kā waiho hoʻohemahema.
A bail left unnoticed.
[Said of one who could be of help because of his skill and knowledge but is overlooked, like an unused canoe bail.]
981
Hewa kumu waiho i keiki.
Faults of the source are left to the children.
[Children suffer the consequences of the wrongs committed by their parents.]
2276
Nani ka waiho a Kohala i ka laʻi.
Beautiful lies Kohala in the calm.
[An expression of admiration for Kohala, Hawaiʻi, or for a person with poise and charm — especially a native of that district.]
2596
Pā mai, pā mai ka makani o Hilo; waiho aku i ka ipu iki, hō mai i ka ipu nui.
Blow, blow, O winds of Hilo, put away the small containers and give us the large one.
[Laʻamaomao, the god of wind, was said to have a wind container called Ipu-a-Laʻamaomao. When one desires more wind to make the surf roll high, or a kite sail aloft, he makes this appeal.]
It is well to be united in thought that all may have peace.
2910
Waikahi o Mānā.
The single water of Mānā.
[When schools of ’ōpelu and kawakawa appeared at Mānā, Kaua’i, news soon reached other places like Makaweli, Waimea, Kekaha, and Poki’i. The uplanders hurried to the canoe landing at Keanapuka with loads of poi and other upland products to exchange for fish. After the trading was finished, the fishermen placed their unmixed poi in a large container and poured in enough water to mix a whole batch at once. It didn’t matter if the mass was somewhat lumpy, for the delicious taste of fresh fish and the hunger of the men made the poi vanish. This single pouring of water for the mixing of poi led to the expression, “Waikahi o Mānā.”]
Waikakalaua (1)
2263
Nā mamo ʻuī waiū o Waikakalaua.
Children of the cow-milkers of Waikakalaua.
[The Portuguese. At one time there were many Portuguese working in a dairy at Waikakalaua, Oʻahu.]
Waikapiā (1)
1465
Ka makani kokololio o Waikapiā.
The swift, gusty wind of Waikapū.
[Waikapū is on Maui.]
Waikapū (1)
2911
Waikapū i ka makani kokololio.
Waikapū of the gusty wind.
[Refers to Waikapū, Maui.]
Waikīkī (1)
27
Aia akula paha i Waikīkī i ka ʻimi ʻahuʻawa.
Perhaps gone to Waikīkī to seek the ʻahuʻawa sedge.
[Gone where disappointment is met. A play on ahu (heap) and ʻawa (sour).]
Waikoloa (1)
437
Hamahamau ka leo o ka Waikoloa.
Hush the voice of the Waikoloa wind.
[Be silent if you don’t want to be rebuked. The Waikoloa is a cold wind.]
Waikūʻauhoe (1)
2070
Mai ke kai kuwā e nū ana i ka ulu hala o Keaʻau a ka ʻāina kāʻili lā o lalo o ka Waikūʻauhoe.
From the noisy sea that moans to the hala groves of Keaʻau, to the land that snatches away the sun, below Waikuauhoe.
[From Puna, Hawaiʻi, where the sun was said to rise, to Lehua, beyond Waikūʻauhoe, where it vanishes out of sight.]
Wailau (3)
470
Hanohano nā pali kiʻekiʻe o Wailau.
Majestic are the tall cliffs of Wailau.
[An expression of admiration for a stately and regal person. Refers to Wailau, Molokaʻi.]
1215
I Kōkī o Wailau, i ke alapiʻi a ka ʻōpae.
At Kōkī at Wailau is the stairway of the shrimp.
[Refers to Wailau, Molokaʻi, where the fishing god ʻAiʻai hid all the shrimps at a ledge called Kōkl because he was annoyed at the people there for neglecting to preserve the fish spawn. He later revealed the hiding place to a youth he especially liked.]
1539
Ka piʻi nō ia a kōkī o Wailau.
Ascends to the highest point in Wailau.
[Praise for one who has made a worthy accomplishment. The inhabitants of Wailau, Molokaʻi, a place of tall precipices, were excellent climbers. [cf 2434]]
Wailohia (1)
1098
Hoʻolike ka manaʻo i Wailohia.
Make your minds alike at Wailohia.
[Turn your minds onto the same channel with bright thoughts. A play on wai (water) and lohia (sparkle).]
Wailua (2)
1130
Huikau nā makau a ka lawaiʻa i Wailua, lou mai ʻo Kawelowai iā Waiehu.
The fishhooks of the fishers became entangled at Wailua and caught Kawelowai at Waiehu.
[An entangling love affair. The first line of a chant.]
1648
Ka wai hālau o Wailua.
The expansive waters of Wailua.
[Wailua, Kauaʻi, is the land of large streams.]
Wailuku (5)
1534
Ka papa kāhulihuli o Wailuku.
The unstable plank of Wailuku.
[Said of an unstable person or situation. First uttered by Hiʻiaka when she compared the physical condition of the chief ʻOlepau to the weak plank that spanned Wailuku Stream in Hilo.]
1658
Ka wai lumalumaʻi kanaka o Wailuku.
The water of Wailukn where men were drowned.
[Refers to Wailuku, Hilo, where victims were drowned to be offered in sacrifice at a nearby heiau.]
1711
Ke inu akula paha aʻu ʻĀlapa i ka wai o Wailuku.
My ʻĀlapa warriors must now be drinking the water of Wailuku.
[Said when an expected success has turned into a failure. This was a remark made by Kalaniʻōpuʻu to his wife Kalola and son Kiwalaʻō, in the belief that his selected warriors, the ʻAlapa, were winning in their battle against Kahekili. Instead they were utterly destroyed.]
2647
Pili ka hanu o Wailuku.
Wailuku holds its breath.
[Said of one who is speechless or petrified with either fear or extreme cold. There is a play on luku (destruction). Refers to Wailuku, Maui.]
2912
Wailuku i ka malu he kuawa.
Wailuku in the shelter of the valleys.
[Wailuku, Maui, reposes in the shelter of the clouds and the valley.]
[When rain falls at the time of a person’s death or during his funeral, it is said, the gods mingle their tears with those of the mourners.]
2303
Nā waimaka o ka lani.
The tears of heaven.
[Rain at someone’s death or during his funeral is declared to be the affectionate tears of the gods, who weep in sympathy with the mourners.]
2460
ʻO ke kāne kēlā uē waimaka.
If that is the husband [of your choice], there will he much crying [with unhappiness].
2750
Pūʻolo waimaka a ke aloha.
Tears [are] bundles of love.
[Love brings tears to the eyes.]
2891
Uē waimaka.
Cry tears.
[Said of one who weeps with unhappiness.]
Waimanu (1)
2547
ʻO Waipiʻo me Waimanu, no ʻoawa mahoe i ke alo o ka makani.
Waipiʻo and Waimanu, the twin valleys that face the wind.
[These two are neighboring valleys on Hawaiʻi.]
Waimea (12)
757
Hele pōʻala i ke anu o Waimea.
Going in a circle in the cold of Waimea.
[Said of a person who goes in circles and gets nowhere. Waimea, Hawaiʻi, is a cold place and when foggy, it is easy for one unfamiliar with the place to lose his way.]
777
Hemahema Kahuwā me Waimea.
Kahuwā and Waimea are awkward.
[These places are in the upland, where people are said to be awkward in handling canoes.]
1028
Hoʻi hou ka paʻakai i Waimea.
The salt has gone back to Waimea.
[Said when someone starts out on a journey and then comes back again. The salt of Waimea, Kauaʻi, is known for its reddish brown color.]
1339
Ka iʻa hoʻopā ʻili kanaka o Waimea.
The fish of Waimea that touch the skins of people.
[When it was the season for hinana, the spawn of ʻoʻopu, at Waimea, Kauaʻi, they were so numerous that one couldn’t go into the water without rubbing against them.]
1571
Ka ua Kīpuʻupuʻu o Waimea.
The Kīpuʻupuʻu rain of Waimea.
[An expression often used in songs of Waimea, Hawaiʻ1. When Kamehameha organized an army of spear fighters and runners from Waimea, they called themselves Kīpuʻupuʻu after the cold rain of their homeland.]
[The rain of Waimea, Hawaiʻi, that sweeps down the cliffs.]
Waineki (1)
1104
Hoʻonohonoho i Waineki kauhale o Limaloa.
Set in order at Waineki are the houses of Limaloa.
[Limaloa, the god of mirages, made houses appear and disappear on the plains of Mānā. This saying applies to the development of ideas, the setting of plans, or the arranging of things in order.]
Waiōhinu (2)
1550
Ka ua Hāʻao o Waiōhinu.
The Hāʻao rain of Waiōhinu.
[A poetical expression in reference to Waiōhinu in Kaʻū, Hawaiʻi. The Hāʻao rain comes down from the mountain in columns to Waiōhinu. It is mentioned in songs and chants of Kaʻū.]
2546
O Waiōhinu aku ia kahi o ka maiʻa pala.
That is Waiōhinu, where ripe bananas are.
[A Kaʻū saying meaning that one is in for bad luck. To see bananas while on a fishing or business trip was an omen of failure. From the story of twin brothers who were climbing a hill. The stronger brother climbed on while the weaker one sat and cried. The older looked down and said “Cry, baby, cry! Go to Waiōhinu to eat ripe bananas.”]
Waiolama (1)
1773
Ke one ʻanapa o Waiolama.
The sparkling sand of Waiolama.
[This is an expression much used in chants of Hilo, Hawaiʻi. Waiolama is a place between Waiakea and the town of Hilo. It was said to have sand that sparkled in the sunlight.]
Waiʻopua (2)
1766
Ke lino aʻe nei ke kāhau o Waiʻopua.
The dew of Waiʻopua glistens.
[Said of a person who is prosperous.]
1959
Lawelawe mālie ka Waiʻopua.
The Waiōpua breeze handles gently.
[Said of one whose ways are gentle and easygoing or of one who is very careful in handling anything.]
Waipā (1)
1107
Hoʻopāpā i Waipā ka Lūpua.
The Lūpua wind touches at Waipā.
[Said of one who cannot refrain from touching or pawing. Waipā is the name of a wind and location on Kauaʻi]
[The rain of Waipiʻo, Hawaiʻi, sweeps along the gullies and gulches as it pours]
2284
Nā pali alo lua o Waipiʻo.
Cliffs of Waipiʻo that face each other.
[Said of Waipiʻo, Hawaiʻi.]
2547
ʻO Waipiʻo me Waimanu, no ʻoawa mahoe i ke alo o ka makani.
Waipiʻo and Waimanu, the twin valleys that face the wind.
[These two are neighboring valleys on Hawaiʻi.]
2918
Waipiʻo kīmopō.
Waipiʻo of the secret rebellion.
[An epithet for the people of Waipi’o, O’ahu. After the death of Kahāhana, the chiefs of Waipi’o plotted to murder the chiefs of Maui, who were then in ʻEwa. Someone warned the Maui chiefs and all but one escaped. To throw off suspicion, the Waipi’o chiefs claimed that the one was killed by someone from Kaua’i. Later Kahekili learned that Elani, chief ofʻEwa, was in the plot, so he launched a massacre that choked the streams of Niuhelewai and Makāho in Palama with the bodies of the dead.]
Waipouli (1)
2237
Nā keiki o Waipouli me Honomaʻele.
Children of Waipouii and Honomaʻele.
[A humorous reference to very dark people. A play on pouli (dark) in Waipouli and ʻele (black) in Honomaʻele.]
Waipuhi (1)
1112
Hopo ana i ka wai poniponi o Waipuhi.
Fearful of the dark water of Waipuhi.
[Said of one who is fearful of getting into trouble.]
[Said of one who is indifferent to the problems of others. A play on uahoa (hard) in Kauahoa, a warrior of Kauaʻi.]
730
Hele akula a ahu, hoʻi mai nō e omo i ka waiū o ka makua.
He goes away and, gaining nothing by it, returns to nurse at his mother’s breast.
[Said of a grown son or daughter who, after going away, returns home for support.]
2263
Nā mamo ʻuī waiū o Waikakalaua.
Children of the cow-milkers of Waikakalaua.
[The Portuguese. At one time there were many Portuguese working in a dairy at Waikakalaua, Oʻahu.]
2506
ʻO Mahoehope ke kāne, ʻo Lanihua ka wahine, hānau ke keiki he kōkua nui a waiū nunui.
Mahoehope is the husband, Lanihua (Productive-heavenly-one) is the wife; a child born to them is either thick-shouldered or large-busted.
[Said of a child born in the month of Mahoehope. If a boy, he would be strong-shouldered and able to do much work; if a girl, she would be large of breast.]
No food is of any value when the Makahiki festival comes.
[Enjoy what you have now lest it not be of much use later. Gifts were given to the priests who came in the Makahiki procession of the god Lono. Then all trading and giving ceased. The farmers and fishermen received no personal gain until it was over.]
396
Haʻalele i ka ʻulaʻula waiwai a koho i ka ʻulaʻula waiwai ʻole.
Leaves the valuable red and chooses the worthless red.
[Said of one who rejects a suitor of rank in favor of one of lesser station.]
977
He waiwai nui ka lōkahi.
Unity is a precious possession.
978
He waiwai nui ke aloha; o kaʻu nō ia e pulama nei.
Love is a great treasure which I cherish.
[A common expression in chants and songs.]
1149
I ʻāina nō ka ʻāina i ke aliʻi, a i waiwai nō ka ʻāina i ke kānaka.
The land remains the land because of the chiefs, and prosperity comes to the land because of the common people.
[Chiefs are needed to hold the land, and commoners are needed to work the land.]
1760
Ke kuko waiwai ʻole a Keʻinohoʻomanawanui.
The worthless wish of Keʻinohoʻomanawanni.
[A worthless desire that shows no ambition. Keʻinohoʻomanawanui and his friend, Kalelealuakā discussed one night the things they would like to receive from the ruler, Kakuhihewa, if possible. Keʻinohoʻomanawanui thought of food, much food. His companion spoke of being the ruler’s son-in-law and achieving honors. Unknown to them, their discussion was overheard and reported to the ruler. Kakuhihewa was angered but was appeased by his kahuna, who told him that the wish for food was indeed worthless but the wish to be his son-in-law showed ambition and a desire to accomplish.]
A aloha wale ʻia kā hoʻi o Kaunuohua, he puʻu wale nō.
Even Kaunuohua, a hill, is loved.
[If a hill can be loved, how much more so a human?]
81
ʻAina kō kiola wale ʻia i ka nahele.
Sugar-cane trash thrown in the wilderness.
[A derogatory expression applied to a person of no consequence.]
95
Akāka wale nō ʻo Kaumaikaʻohu.
Very clearly appears Kaumaikaʻohu.
[One can very well see what the whole matter is about. Kaumaikaʻohu is a hill in Punaluʻu, Kaʻū.]
96
Akāka wale ʻo Haleakalā.
Haleakalā stands in full view.
[Said of anything that is very obvious or clearly understood.]
127
ʻAʻohe ʻalawa wale iho iā Maliʻo.
Not even a glance at Maliʻo.
[Said of a haughty person. Pele was once so annoyed with Maliʻo and her brother Halaaniani that she turned them both into stone and let them lie in the sea in Puna, Hawaiʻi. It was at the bay named after Halaaniani that clusters of pandanus were tossed into the sea with tokens to loved ones. These were borne by the current to Kamilo in Kaʻū.]
148
ʻAʻohe ʻike wale iho iā Maliʻo, i ka huhuki laweau a Uwēkahuna.
Malio is not recognized because Uwēkahuna is drawing her away.
[Said of one who refuses to recognize old friends and associates or is snubbed by friends because they have interests elsewhere. Maliʻo was a mythical woman of Puna whom Pele once snubbed. Uwēkahuna is the bluff overlooking the crater of Kīlauea.]
Hele nō ka wai, hele nō ka ʻalā, wali ka ʻulu o Halepuaʻa.
The water flows, the smooth stone [pounder] works, and the breadfruit of Halepuaʻa is well mixed [into poi].
[Everything goes smoothly when one is prosperous. A play on wai (water) and ʻalā (smooth stone). ʻAlā commonly refers to cash. In later times, Hele nō ka wai, hele nō ka ʻalā came to refer to a generous donation. Halepuaʻa is a place in Puna, Hawaiʻi.]
1780
Ke one wali o ʻOhele.
The fine sands of ʻOhele.
[ʻOhele is a place in Hilo on the town side of Waiakea, often mentioned in chants of that locality.]
2020
Lomia a wali i ka wali lima ʻole a ke aloha.
Squeezed and crushed by love, who does it without hands.
[Mōlī-lele (Mōlī’s Leap), in Kaʻū, is the place where an unhappy girl named Mōlī once leaped over the cliff in suicide. On each anniversary of her death the gale there blows a little harder than usual, and a person standing at the point from which she jumped can hear a rushing sound, as of a tapa-clad person running by.]
Go to Waolani where the supernatural beings dwell.
[Said to one who can’t be fathomed. It is the equivalent of, “Go and join your peculiar kind of people.” Waolani, in Nuʻuanu, Oʻahu, was once the home of gods, menehune, Nāwā (Noisy beings), Nāmū (Silent beings), and all manner of disgruntled, misshapen, and joyous characters who were grouped under the term ʻeʻepa.]
2113
Mākole lā i Waolani.
The red-eyed ones at Waolani.
[Waolani, Nuʻuanu, was said to have been the home of many defective people — the hunchbacked, the club-footed, the red-eyed, and so forth. To see such a person anywhere outside of Waolani was regarded as a sign of bad luck.]
2206
Nā ʻeʻepa o Waolani.
The ʻeʻepa of Waolani.
[Waolani, Nuʻuanu, was the home of legendary beings like the Nāmū (Silent ones), the Nāwā (Loud ones), menehune, and akua. This saying applies to anyone whose ways are incomprehensible.]
[It was not destroyed while it was small; now it’s too big to cope with. Said by Keaweamaʻuhili’s warriors of Kamehameha. They were at the court of Alapaʻi when the order was given to “Nip off the leaf bud of the wauke plant while it is tender” [E ʻōʻū i ka maka o ka wauke oi ʻōpiopio). This attempt to kill the baby didn’t succeed, and the child grew into a powerful warrior who quelled all of his foes.]
708
He kū kahi au, he wauke no Kūloli.
I stand alone, for I am a wauke plant of Kūloli.
[A boast — “Like the lone wauke plant of Kūloli, I stand alone in my battles.” At Kūloli, in Kona, Hawaiʻi, grew a lone wauke plant around which none other grew.]
[It was felt that discussing any business such as fishing or birdcatching before-hand results in failure.]
217
ʻAʻohe wāwae o ka iʻa; ʻo ʻoe ka mea wāwae, kiʻi mai.
Fish have no feet; you who have feet must come and get it.
[Said of one who asks for, but doesn’t come to get, what he wants. Any footless creature might be used as an example.]
557
He ʻehu wāwae no kalani.
A trace of the heavenly one’s footsteps.
[The rain, the rainbow, and other signs seen when a chief is abroad are tokens of his recognition by the gods.]
822
He moena ʻuki hehi wāwae.
A mat of ʻuki made for the feet to walk on.
[A person of little consequence.]
876
He paepae wāwae koʻu ʻili no kona kapuaʻi.
My skin is like the soles of his feet.
[An expression of humbleness acknowledging the superiority of another.]
1280
Kāʻanapali wāwae ʻulaʻula.
Red-footed Kāʻanapali.
[A term of derision for the people of Kāʻanapali. The soil there is red, and so the people are said to be recognizable by the red soles of their feet.]
Ka iʻa hāwanawana i ka wāwae, a ʻōlelo i ka lau o ka lima.
The fish that whispers to the feet and speaks to the tips of the fingers.
[The mahamoe, found in the sand. It is felt under the feet and picked up by the fingers.]
Wawaia (1)
1046
Hōkai ʻo Wawaia ke kūkini holo lalau.
The runner, Wawaia, who ran out of his course, caused hindrance and delay.
[Said of one who does not concentrate and wastes considerable time. Wawaia was a runner who, instead of running on the errand assigned to him by his chief, went on a visit before completing the errand, thus causing delay and rousing the ire of his chief.]
[The head of the weke fish is said to contain something that produces nightmares. The nearer to Lānaʻi the fish is caught, the worse the effects of the nightmares. Pahulu was the chief of evil beings (akua) who peopled the island of Lānaʻi. When Kaululaʻau, son of Kakaʻalaneo, ruler of Maui, was a boy, he was banished to Lānaʻi because of his mischief. By trickery, he rid the island of evil beings, and the spirit of Pahulu fled to the sea and entered a weke fish. From that time on, nightmares have been called pahulu, and a person who has had a nightmare is said to have been under the influence of Pahulu.]
An attractive lehua blossom on the topmost branch.
[An attractive person.]
922
He pua no ka wēkiu.
A blossom on the topmost branch.
[Praise of an outstanding person.]
1942
Lālau aku ʻoe i ka ʻulu i ka wēkiu, i ke alo nō ka ʻulu, a hala.
You reach for the breadfruit away at the top and miss the one in front of you.
[Sometimes one who reaches afar misses an opportunity that is right before him. Once Kalākaua promised to give a better position to Kamaʻiopili of Maui, but then forgot his promise. One day, while playing billiards with the king, Kamaʻiopili purposely played very badly and exclaimed, “I ke alo nō ka ʻulu, a hala,” whenever he missed the cue ball (ʻulu). This puzzled the king, and when the game was over, he asked a man who knew all the old sayings what Kamaʻiopili had meant. The king was told that Kamaʻiopili was reminding him that others had been rewarded with good positions, but that the man right in front of him, Kamaʻiopili, had been forgotten.]
[When he is old enough to toddle or creep by himself into the sunlight.]
406
Hahana ka wela.
The heat was intense.
[He or she was very angry.]
635
He ʻīnaʻi na ka wela a ka lā.
Meat consumed by the heat of the sun.
[Said of one who has a severe case of sunburn.]
1012
Hiu a wela, lawe a lilo!
Strike while hot, and take it away!
[Make passionate love and take possession. Win the game and take the prize.]
1144
Hulili wela ka lā o Maunaloa.
The sun shining on Maunaloa makes it vibrate with heat.
[Maunaloa, Moloka’i, is a very warm place.]
1501
Ka nīoi wela o Pakaʻalana.
The burning nīoi of Pakaʻalana.
[Refers to the heiau of Pakaʻalana in Waipiʻo, Hawaiʻi. The timber used about the doorway was of nioi wood. According to ancient legend, the nīoi, ʻohe, and kauila trees on Molokaʻi are said to be possessed by poison gods and are regarded as having mana. To tamper with the trees or the wood, especially in places of worship, is to invite serious trouble.]
That is the chili pepper that will burn your lips.
[Said of one whose lovemaking is like the fiery taste of peppers. It’s long remembered.]
2136
Mānā kaha kua welawela.
Mānā where the back feels the heat [of the sun].
[Refers to Mānā, Kauaʻi.]
2931
Welawela ke kai o ka moa.
Hot is the broth of the chicken.
[Said of a person who is potent in love. He is like hot chicken broth — very tasty, but not to be gulped too quickly. There is always a desire for more.]
Welehu (5)
1617
Kau ke poʻo i ka uluna ʻo Welehu ka malama.
Rest the head on the pillow; Welehu is the month.
[Said of one whose work is done and who is able to rest. Welehu is a stormy month when little can be done except remain at home and sleep.]
2474
ʻO Kulu ka pō, o Welehu ka malama, he lā iʻa ʻole.
Kulu is the night and Welehu the month; no fish is to be found that day.
[A play on kulu (drop). Welehu was said to be the month on which to lay the head on the pillow, for the sea was too rough for fishing. Hence an unlucky, unprofitable day.]
2549
ʻO Welehu ka malama, lehu nui ke poʻo i ka uahi o ka hoʻoilo.
Welehu is the month; sooty is the head in the smoke of winter.
[Said of Welehu, the most rainy of all the wet months, when the fireplace is kept going to give warmth to the house.]
2550
ʻO Welehu ke kāne, ʻo Huhune ka wahine, hānau ke keiki, he luluāʻina.
Welehu is the husband, Huhune (Tiny-specks) the wife; a child born to them is freckled.
[Said of a child born in the month of Welehu.]
2932
Welehu ka malama, liko ka ʻōhiʻa.
Welehu is the month [when] the ʻōhiʻa trees are putting forth leaf buds.
The red fish that causes a red color to show in the sea.
[The ʻalalauwā, a small red fish whose appearance in great numbers was regarded as a sign that a member of the royal family would soon die.]
2933
Weli ke kai.
A phosphorescent glow [spreads] over the sea.
[A person going fishing does not like to discuss it beforehand nor to be asked where he is going lest mischievous ghosts hear and precede him to the beach, where they may cast a phosphorescent glow in the water to keep the fish away.]
Mai ka hikina a ka lā i Kumukahi a ka welona a ka lā i Lehua.
From the sunrise at Kumukahi to the fading sunlight at Lehua.
[From sunrise to sunset. Kumukahi, in Puna, Hawaiʻi, was called the land of the sunrise and Lehua, the land of the sunset. This saying also refers to a life span — from birth to death.]
E hoʻi e peʻe i ke ōpū weuweu me he moho lā. E ao o haʻi ka pua o ka mauʻu iā ʻoe.
Go back and hide among the clumps of grass like the wingless rail. Be careful not to break even a blade of grass.
[Retum to the country to live a humble life and leave no trace to be noticed and followed. So said the chief Keliʻiwahamana to his daughter when he was dying. Later used as advice to a young person not to be aggressive or show off.]
345
E mālama i ka leo o ke aliʻi, o hāʻule wale i ka weuweu.
Take care of the chief’s voice, lest it drop among the grass.
[Heed the chief’s voice; do not ignore his commands.]
361
E noho iho i ke ōpū weuweu, mai hoʻokiʻekiʻe.
Remain among the clumps of grasses and do not elevate yourself.
[Do not put on airs, show off, or assume an attitude of superiority.]
1340
Ka iʻa hoʻopumehana i ka weuweu.
The fish that warms the clumps of grass.
[Mountain shrimp, which cling to weeds and grasses along the banks of streams when a cloudburst occurs in the upland. Unlike the ʻoʻopu, they are not washed down to the lowland.]
2476
ʻO kuʻu wahi ōpū weuweu lā, nou ia.
Let my little clump of grass be yours.
[A humble way of offering the use of one’s grass house to a friend.]
Ua ʻike nō kā he hewa ke wikiwiki lā ka waha i ka mihi.
He knows it is wrong so the mouth hastens to repent.
[Said of one who is caught in wrong-doing and quickly begs pardon to avoid due punishment.]
Wile (1)
1487
Ka moe no kau a Mele Wile, ala aʻe ua moʻa i ke kuke.
You sleep the sleep of Mary [wife of] Willie; when you awake, the food is cooked.
[A common saying on Hawaiʻi applied to any sleepy-head. Mary, wife of William Shipman, was annoyed with a servant who constantly overslept. One morning she looked into the servant’s room and loudly uttered this condemnation. The other servants laughed, and the sleeping servant was so ashamed that she rose bright and early thereafter.]
[Good-looking but unintelligent. Taken from a hula song.]
2003
Līlā ka maiʻa o ka ʻeʻa, wili ka ʻōkaʻi.
Though the banana of the mountain patch is spindly, thc blossom container twists.
[Even a spindly plant or person can bear fruit.]
2287
Nāpelepele nā pali o Kalalau i ka wili a ka makani.
Weakened are the cliffs of Kalalau in being buffeted by the wind.
[Said of one who is worn out.]
2797
Ua kaʻa niniau i ka wili wai.
Swirled about by the eddying waters.
[Dizzy from being madly in love. Also, intoxicated.]
2939
Wili i ke au wili o Kāwili.
Swirled about by the swirling Kāwili.
[Said of a confusing, bewildering situation. Kā-wili (Hit-and-twist) is a current at Kalae, Kaʻū, Hawaiʻi, that comes from the Kona side and flows out to the ocean. It is the rougher of the two currents that meet off Kalae.]
2940
Wili ka puahiohio, piʻi ka lepo i luna.
The whirlwind twists, and up goes the dust.
[With wrath, out come words that are unpleasant to hear.]
[In ʻEwa, Oʻahu. Said to be where homeless ghosts wander among the trees.]
2701
Pua ka wiliwili nanahu ka manō; pua ka wahine uʻi nanahu ke kānāwai.
When the wiliwili tree blooms, the sharks bite; when a pretty woman blossoms, the law bites.
[A beautiful woman attracts young men — sharks — who become fierce rivals over her. The law prevents the rivalry from getting out of hand — it can “bite.” It is said that when the wiliwili trees are in bloom the sharks bite, because it is their mating season.]
Wini (1)
2942
Wini ʻiʻo nō!
How pointed!
[Said of a too-bold person who questions his elders, intrudes where he is not wanted, or talks out of tum.]