Poe’s “The Raven” in Hawaiian! 1871.

Ke Koraka, (The Raven)

[Translated for the "Kuokoa."]

“Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary.”

1.

Ma ke aumoe pouliuli, ia’u i nalu a luluhi
Ma na mea kahiko loa, ane nalo aku no,
Kimo au la, ane moe, hikilele i ka lohe
I ka mea me he kikoni i koni ma ka puka o’u,
He malihini wahi au, i koni ma ka puka o’u,
Oia wale iho no.

2.

Paa no ia’u la ka malama, oia hoi o Dekemaba,
Pi ke ahi, a hoea me he ano lapu no;—
Eehia! i ao koke? imi u’a au i oki
Kuu kaumaha no kuu iwa i nalo ae la, no Lenoa,
No kuu iwa i kapa ia e na anela, o Lenoa,
Ia’u he inoa huna loa.

3.

Kamumumu no na pale uliuli o ko’u hale;
Ilihia kuu uhane i na hia kamahao—
Kapalili no kuu houpo! i maha’e ke koni iloko,
Pane au he malihini nei ma ka puka o’u,
Malihini e noi ana e komo ma ka puka o’u,
Oia wale ihono.

4.

A i kuu pohala ae la, noi au la e hai mai la
“I kou ano, kou inoa, oe anei o kuu Lenoa?
Oi au e moe ana, ku mai oe e koni ana,
Koni palanehe ole, koni ma ka puka o’u,
Aue lohe ole au la,” ua wehea ka puka o’u,
Pouli! oia wale no.

5.

Kilo au i ka pouli, ku makou a ane maule!
Anoano! haohao au la, hia lua ole no.
Mau no nae ke anoano, a polio panopano!
Hanuia me he leo, o ka inoa o Lenoa,
Hanu au la, e Lenoa! kupinai la, e Lenoa!
Oia wale iho no.

6.

Hoi au i kuu keena, uluhia i ka wela,
Lohe hou la i ke koni, koni oi aku no;
Oiaio! he kakani mau kuu puka aniani;
Huli au la i akaka keia ouli kamahao,
Hamau iki a akaka keia ouli kamahao,
He makani wale no.

7.

Wehe au la i ka puka, komo me he mea mahuka
He Koraka kino nui no ka wa kahiko no.
Ole oia i kunou la, ole hoi i noho la,
Kau la me he mea haaheo iluna o ka puka o’u,
Kau la ma ke kii mabela iluna o ka puka o’u,
Kau la wale iho no.

8.

Mama iki kuu kaumaha, aka iki no kuu waha,
Ma kuu nana i ka manu i ku ma oi imua o’u;
Manu poo olohelohe, ole paha wiwo oe;
E Koraka, mea kahiko e auwana’na ma ka po,
Owai kou inoa haku ma kou home ma ka po?
Pane oia, “Nalo loa.”

9.

Hoahao i kona pane, pane me he mea uhane,
Leo manu pane lea me he ano ike no!
No’u ka oli no ka ike i ka manu ano miki,
E kau mahaoi ana iluna o ka puka o’u,
Kau la ma ke kii mabela iluna o ka puka o’u,
Meia inoa “Nalo loa.”

10.

Hia au la no ka lono ia pane pili pono,
Kona ike paha keia, kona ike wale no,
I ao ia e ka haku i hau ino o kipaku,
A lohea a paa ia inoa me he inoa kanikau,
A paa loa ia inoa me he inoa kanikau,
Nalo, Nalo, “Nalo loa.”

11.

Oi i ola ae kuu eha, kau no au i noho bela
Ma ke alo o ka manu me ke kii mabela o’u;
Noho au la ma kuu bela, lilo i ka nalu ae la
I ke ano o ka manu nane no ka wa kahiko no
Manu kino wiwi ino no ka wa kahiko no
Me ia inoa, “Nalo loa.”

12.

Noho au e nalu ana, me ka pane ole ana
I ka manu me ka maka nana wela iloko o’u,
Nalu au la a kuailo me kuu poo kulou a waiho
Ma ka bela Veleveta me ka ipu lama no,
Bela uli Veleveta me ka ipu lama no,
No kuu iwa i nalo loa.

13.

Kuhi au he ahe ala no ka ipu kuai ala
O na Serapima i ku la ma ka papa hehi o’u.
Auwe au la! na ke Akua i hoouna ma lakou la
I ke klosefoma i nalo kuu kaumaha no Lenoa,
Honi i ke klosefoma, hoopoina ia Lenoa;
Pane oia, “Nalu loa.”

14.

Kaula oe! mea ino! manu paha, daimonio!
Mea hoowalewale paha, mea olulo mai ke kai!
Mehameha, wiwo ole! lele mai la i kuu home,
Home neoneo ino, e aloha a hai mai,
Ina, ea. ma Gileada, he lau bama, e hai mai,
Pane oia, “Nalo loa.”

15.

Kaula oe! mea ino! manu paha, daimonio!
Ma ka lani i kau maluna, na ke Akua ola mau
Hai mai i kuu uhane eha, aia anei ma Edena,
E apo au i kuu aloha i kapaia o Lenoa?
Apo i kuu iwa aloha i kapaia o Lenoa?
Pane oia, “Nalo loa.”

16.

Pau ko kaua launa kino, hoi iloko o ka ino,
Me kuu hulu eleele, hoi i kou home pono—
Me au mau kuu mehameha, kuu luuluu, kuu kumakena.
Hee ae mai ke kii mabela iluna o ka puka o’u;
U i kou nuku mai kuu uhane, hee ae mai ka puka o’u,
Pane oia, “Nalo loa.”

17.

Eia ua Koraka a’u la, lele ole, ke kau mau la
Ma ke kii mabela i kau iluna o ka puka o’u.
Kau la me he mea hihiu, me ka maka daimonio
A ke kau la kona aka ma ka papa hehi o’u,
O ua leo, “Nalo loa.”

Hawaii.

[This is one of many translated poems and stories found in the Hawaiian-Language Newspapers. Maybe translators of today might look at these for ideas on traditional ways stories were translated from other languages for a Hawaiian-speaking audience.

The person who translated Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven" also translated many hymns as well. For some reason "Ke Koraka" is reprinted two issues later on Feberuari 25, 1862, p. 4. For some reason, this page unfortunately is not available online.]

(Kuokoa, 2/11/1871, p. 1)

Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Buke X, Helu 6, Aoao 1. Feberuari 11, 1871.