Peace At Last – Āio Rawa (lyrics in English and Te Reo Māori)

NB:  the flashcard app doesn’t allow for macrons so I’ve doubled the vowel where a macron would usually show where the stress should go.

See grammar and vocabulary notes at the bottom of the page.

• Like an island of calm
  Hei motu aaio
• in dark stormy seas
  i ngaa tai tuupuhi
• (God's people) are living in peace
  ka pa mai i te maungaarongo
• with our eyes of faith
  i ngaa karu pono
• we see beyond the clouds
  ka kite ake raa
• (and know that) soon the storm will cease
  te mutunga o te tuupuhi
• To the ends of the earth.
  Ki ngaa pito o te ao
• there'll be peace (at last)
  ka maungaroongo
• For all eternity
  Mo ake tonu ee
• From the valleys below
  Mai ngaa koawaawa
• to the mountain tops
  ki ngaa keo-o ngaa maunga
• All creation will see
  Ka kite puta noa
• Peace at last
  Aaio rawa
• When the new world is here
  Aa te waa o te ao hou
• all will be one
  Ka kotahi taatou
• on earth and in heaven above
  i te ao ki ngaa rangi hoki
• And the peace (we'll know)
  me te maungaarongo
• we've never known before
  kiihai i mau i mua
• A world (ruled by) justice and love
  "He ao tika, he ao aroha"
• To the ends of the earth.
  Ki ngaa pito o te ao
• there'll be peace (at last)
  ka maungaroongo
• For all eternity
  Mo ake tonu ee
• From the valleys below
  Mai ngaa koawaawa
• to the mountain tops
  ki ngaa keo-o ngaa maunga
• All creation will see
  Ka kite puta noa
• Peace at last
  Aaio rawa

 

Link to English Lyrics on JW.org

 

ENGLISH LYRICS:

 

Grammar & Vocabulary Notes:

I’m still learning Te Reo Māori so these are just my personal notes which I hope will be of use to others.

hei = in, at, on

motu = island

āio = peace, peaceful, calm

i = in, at, on

tai = sea, tide

tūpuhi = storm, gale

ka = a particle that goes before a verb which serves to name an event as occurring or a state as existing – this is not a tense marker so can refer to the past, present or future.  The word that follows ‘ka’ becomes a verb, even if it is usually an adjective.  Ka pai 🙂

pa mai = ?

i = because, through, by reason of

maungārongo = peace

ngā karu = eyes

(whaka)pono = faith

ka kite = is seen

ake = upwards

ra = over there, yonder

mutunga = end, conclusion, finish

o = of, belongs to, from

pito = end, extremity, belly button

ao = world, globe

mo ake tonu = forever, forever and a day

ē = an interjection used to conclude a line or the end of a traditional song with no apparent meaning.

mai = from

koawaawa = valley, gorge

ki = to, towards

keo = peak, pointed summit

maunga = mountain

ka kite = will be seen

puta noa = throughout, everywhere

āio = peace

rawa =  indeed, exceedingly

ā = at, on, when (future time)

te wā = time, period of time, season

te ao hou = the new earth

ka kotahi tātou = we will be one

i = from

te ao = the earth

ki = to

ngā rangi = the heavens

hoki = intensifier (perhaps something like ‘the heavens themselves’ or ‘the very heavens’

me = and

maungārongo – peace

kīhai ….. i = didn’t, wasn’t (past negative alternative to kāore …. i)

mau = lay hold of, experience

i mua = before

he ao tika = a just world

he ao aroha = a loving world, a world of love