He Īnoi Kia Mau i Te Reo Māori
A Prayer for The Māori Language. By Sir Kīngi Matutaera Īhaka
Nāu te Atua Kaha Rawa,
i homai ngā reo o tenā iwi, o tenā iwi puta noa i te ao,
ā, tukuna mai ana e koe ki ētahi te whakamāoritanga o aua reo.
Ko tō mātou reo, ko te reo Māori i hōmai e koe
i te orokohanga rā ano o te ao
hei koha māu ki a mātou, ki te iwi Māori
hei pupuri mā mātou mō ake tonu atu;
Kaua e te Matua e tukua tēnei tino taonga,
kia rite kite moa te ngaro,
engari whakakahangia mātou katoa ki te ako,
ki te pupuri kia mau, kia ita,
hei koha mā mātou ki te ao, ki a koe anō hoki;
Tēnā koe te ora nā, te Kingi tahi nā
me te Tama me te Wairua Tapu
kotahi anō Atua,
ā ake tonu atu. Āmine.
It was you God Almighty.
who gave the peoples of the world their languages,
you also sent to some the translation of those languages.
Our language, the Māori language that you gave
at the creation of the world
a gift from you to us, the Māori people
to hold on to forever;
Father don’t give us this treasure
to be extinct like the Moa that was lost,
but strengthen all of us to learn,
to hold fast, to hold tight,
a gift for us to the world and also to you;
Greetings to you, the life, the one King,
the one and only God
forever. Amen.
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