ʻŌlelo Noʻeau are Hawaiian proverbs that often offer wisdom for a person to live by. The theme for this year is Aloha - the Hawaiian term for Love. These monthly posts will show you aloha in action, in the Hawaiian context.
- ʻAle = To billow, form waves; To well up (as in tears)
- Mai = Directional, toward the speaker
- Aloha = Love
- Kau = To put, place; To set, be set
- Maka = Eye
All together:
Love billows forth, is placed in the eyes.
Love wells up, is set in the eye.
Note:
Imagine there is a comma between aloha and kau, and the translation will become much easier!
Note that ʻale figuratively can mean "To well up (as in tears)," and the end of the proverb references the eyes.
Also note that maka does not need to be plural, but is put that way into English to make the translation sound more natural.