Ua mau ke ea o ka `âina i ka pono `o hawai'i
being perpetuated (is) the sovereignty of the land to righteousness/ to balance, hawai`i
ua mau ke ea o ka `âina i ka pono `o hawai'i

if just for a day our king and queen
would visit all these islands and saw everything
how would they feel about the changes of our land
could you just imagine if they were around
and saw highways on their sacred grounds
how would they feel about this modern city life?

tears would come from each other's eyes
as they would stop to realize
that our people are in great, great danger now
how would they feel?
would their smiles be content, then cry
Chorus:
cry for the gods, cry for the people
cry for the land that was taken away
and then yet you'll find, hawai'i.

could you just imagine they came back
and saw traffic lights and railroad tracks
how would they feel about this modern city life
tears would come from each other's eyes
as they would stop to realize
that our land is in great, great danger now.

all the fighting that the king has done
to conquer all these islands, now these condominiums
how would he feel if he saw hawai'i nei?
how would he feel? would his smile be content, then cry?
(e hana hou i ka hui)
(repeat chorus)

ua mau ke ea o ka `âina i ka pono `o hawai'i
ua mau ke ea o ka `âina i ka pono `o hawai'i.