Topenga Ataata
Kupu Tūpato
How does it feel
– Me pēhea te āhua
To treat me like you do?
– Ki te hamani i ahau kia rite ki a koe?
When you’ve laid your hands upon me
– A, no te kua whakatakotoria e koe tou ringa ki runga ki ahau
And told me who you are
– Na ka mea mai ki ahau ko wai koe
I thought I was mistaken
– I whakaaro ahau kua hē ahau
I thought I heard your words
– I whakaaro ahau kua rongo ahau i au kupu
Tell me how do I feel
– Korero mai ki ahau me pehea taku whakaaro
Tell me now, how do I feel
– Korero mai ki ahau ināianei, me pēhea taku whakaaro
Those who came before me
– Ko te hunga i haere mai ki mua i ahau
Lived through their vocations
– I ora i roto i a rātau mahi
From the past until completion
– Mai i te wā o mua tae noa ki te otinga
They’ll turn away no more
– Ka tahuri atu rātau
I still find it so hard
– He uaua tonu ki ahau
To say what I need to say
– Ki te mea i te mea e hiahia ana ahau ki te mea
But I’m quite sure that you’ll tell me
– Engari e tino mohio ana ahau ka korerotia mai e koe ki ahau
Just how I should feel today
– Me pēhea taku whakaaro i tēnei rā
I see a ship in the harbor
– Ka kite ahau i tētahi kaipuke i te tauranga
I can and shall obey
– Ka taea e au, ka whakarongo hoki
But if it wasn’t for your misfortune
– Engari ki te kore mo to kino
I’d be a heavenly person today
– He tangata rangi ahau i tēnei rā
And I thought I was mistaken
– A i whakaaro ahau kua hē ahau
And I thought I heard you speak
– A i whakaaro ahau kua rongo ahau i a koe e korero ana
Tell me, how do I feel
– Korero mai ki ahau, me pehea taku whakaaro
Tell me now, how should I feel
– Korero mai ki ahau ināianei, me pēhea taku whakaaro
Now I stand here waiting
– Na e tu ana ahau i konei e tatari ana
I thought I told you to leave me
– I whakaaro ahau i mea ahau ki a koe kia whakarere i ahau
While I walk down to the beach
– I a au e haere ana ki te takutai
Tell me how does it feel
– Korero mai ki ahau me pehea te ahua
When your heart grows cold, grows cold…
– A, no te tupu matao tou ngakau, tupu matao…
