E Rere Te Manu
Āpirana Ngata & Hirini Melbourne
E rere te manu
Ki te mau i te rau
O te aroha
Ki te tau o tāku ate.
Chorus
Me au ngā whetū
Hei putiputi mau
Hei tātai atu
Ki tō uma
Kōpū i te ao
Pareārau ki te pō
Tīaho iho rā
Ngā whetū, te marama
Ki runga
Ki te tau, o tāku ate
Repeat chorus
E rere te manu . . . .
English translation
Fly oh bird
And carry the leaf
That symbolises love
To my precious love
Chorus
If I had the stars
I would give them to you as flowers
To adorn
Your breast
You would be like Venus in the morning
And Jupiter at night
Shine down
Oh stars and moon
On to
My precious love
Repeat chorus
Fly oh bird . . . . .
And carry the leaf
That symbolises love
To my precious love
Chorus
If I had the stars
I would give them to you as flowers
To adorn
Your breast
You would be like Venus in the morning
And Jupiter at night
Shine down
Oh stars and moon
On to
My precious love
Repeat chorus
Fly oh bird . . . . .