Topenga Ataata
Kupu Tūpato
Mother, I tried to do right by you
– E te whaea, i whakamatau ahau ki te mahi tika i a koe
To do what you asked me to
– Ki te mahi i ta koutou i tono mai ai ki ahau
I did wrong, and I knew
– I hē ahau, a i mohio ahau
Mother, I tried to behave for you
– E te whaea, i whakamatau ahau ki te whanonga mōu
Now I’m a-diggin’ a grave for you
– Na, kei te keri au i tētahi urupa mōu
It was all I could do
– Ko te mea anake I taea e au
Find a way back home, make everything new
– Kimihia te ara hoki ki te kāinga, hanga nga mea katoa hou
I wish it was true
– Ko taku hiahia kia pono
Father, well I gave my soul to you
– E te matua, i hoatu e ahau toku wairua ki a koe
I came in blind folded for you
– I haere mai ahau i roto i te matapo i takai mo koe
It was all that I knew
– Ko nga mea katoa I mohio ahau
Open your arms and I’ll fly out of hell up to you
– Whakatuwherahia o ringaringa ka rere atu ahau i te reinga ki a koe
I wish it was true
– Ko taku hiahia kia pono
Boy, come on out from the cold
– E tama, haere mai i te makariri
You’re lost outside there, don’t you know?
– Kei te ngaro koe i waho, kaore koe e mohio?
It’s not what you say, it’s what you do
– Ehara i te mea ko tāu e mea nei, ko tāu e mahi nei
Just keep wishing your wishes are true
– Just kia mau ki te hiahia he pono koutou hiahia
Well, your dreams, they’re reality, yeah
– Well, koutou moe, kei ratou mooni, ae
There’s no pain, there’s no misery
– Kāore he mamae, kāore he mamae
Just polish the blood and the brews
– Just polish te toto me te brews
For there’s just no way you can lose
– Hoki i reira te tika kahore ara e taea e koe te ngaro
Well, I wish it was true
– Well, hiahia ahau i te reira pono
Country, I was a solider to you
– E te whenua, he mea whakapūmau ahau ki a koe
I did what you asked me to
– I mahia e au te mea i tonoa mai e koe ki ahau
It was wrong, and you knew
– He hē, ā, i mōhio koe
Country, now I’m just a stranger to you
– Whenua, inaianei he tangata ke noa ahau ki a koe
A number, a name; it’s true
– He tau, he ingoa; he pono
Throw me away when you’re through
– Maka atu ahau ina haere koe
Home of the brave and the free; the red, white, and blue
– Te whare o te toa me te koreutu; te whero, ma, me te puru
Well, I wish it was true
– Well, hiahia ahau i te reira pono
