Ētahi ruri tawhito: He mea whakamāori i te reo Ingarihi me te reo Tati Tawhito
Some translations of Medieval lyric poems into Māori
He waiata tangi
Harakoa ana tā Hine-raumati wā
Kōrihi noa manu,
Tēnā ko Mākeremumu te pātata mai
Hūkerikeri noa ai.
Auē, kātahi roroa te pō uriuri nei!
Raro nei au, te kōtonga hara nui
Pākinikini ai, tangi ai, kōngenge ai.
An English Song (13th Century)
Mirie it is while sumer ilast
with fugheles song
oc nu necheth windes blast
and wider strong.
Ei ei what this nicht is long
And ic with wel michel wrong
Soregh and murne and fast.
(from MS. Rawl. G. 22)
He pao
Ko ngā manu i ngā rākau
Ko ngā ika i ngā wai
Me pōrangi haere ai
Haere pākinikini noa au
Mō te tinana tino pai.
A Song
Foweles in the frith,
The fisses in the flod,
And I mon waxe wod
Sulch sorw I walke with
For best of bon and blood.
(from MS. Douce 139, c. 1270)
Ki te Hauāuru
Hauāuru, āhea koe pā mai ai?
Kia ua noa mai te hāuaua.
E Ihu! Mei takoto te ipo i ōku ringa,
Mei moe au i te moenga anō.
To the Western Wind
Western wynde when will thow blow
The small rayne down can rayne
Cryst yf my love were in my armys
And I yn my bed agayne.
(c. 1530)
Ki te Hau Tonga
Pupuhi mai, Hau Tonga,
Tukua mai te ipo
Pupuhi e te Hau Tonga
Pupuhi, puhi mai.
To the Northern Wind
Blow, northerne wynd,
Sent thou me my swetyng!
Blow, northerne wynd,
Blou! Blou! Blou!
(from the Harley Manuscript, c. 1330)
He pao i te reo Tati Tawhito
Ko ngā manu katoa kua tīmata kōhanga—
hāunga ko tāua.
He aha tā tāua e tatari nei?
Fragment in Old Dutch
All the birds have begun nests,
Except me and you —
What are we waiting for now?
Old Dutch Text
Hebban olla uogala nestas hagunnan,
hinges his end thu —
uuat umbidan uue nu?
(from an 11th C. manuscript)
Image: ‘Large tree in forest.’ From the album: Tararua tramping [circa 1920a], Levin, by Leslie Adkin. Te Papa. Catalogue entry here.