Tei hea roa ʻoe, taʻu here
Ua faʻaroʻo anei ʻoe i taʻu piʻiraʻa
Ia hoʻi mai ʻoe
Hoʻi mai, hoʻi mai iaʻu nei

ʻAuhea wale ana ʻoe
E kuʻu pua ʻapetahi
I Temēhani aʻu e ʻike
I kou nani maoli nō

I ke anu o ka noe
Hone i ke ahe ʻoluʻolu
Mohala maila i ka nani
Ka hiwa na Raʻiātea

Ke ʻume aʻe nei au
I kou ʻala anuhea
(A) Hanu iho i loko
A pili paʻa mau nō

Puana ʻia ke aloha
No kuʻu pua ʻapetahi
I Temēhani ma Raʻiātea lā
Ma laila au e hoʻi ē

Kuʻu pua ʻapetahi,
He pua nani maoli nō
Taʻu tiaré ʻapetahi,
Hope roa ite nehnehe

Where are you, my love;
Can you hear me calling,
For you to return to me,
Return, return to me

Where are you
My ʻapetahi flower
At Temēhani I know
Of your true beauty

In the chill of the mist
Kissed by the gentle winds
You bloom in beauty
Prized one of Raʻiātea

I am being drawn in
By your sweet fragrance
I will breathe it in
To achieve eternal togetherness

Told is my love
For my ʻapetahi flower
At Temēhani on Raʻiātea
It is there I will return

My ʻapetahi flower,
A flower of true beauty
My ʻapetahi flower,
A flower of true beauty

Source: Eric Lee - From the album "Anthology: 1994-2014" - Eric Lee (2014). Manaʻo: The ʻapetahi flower is indigenous to the island of Raʻiātea in Tahiti and only grows on the slopes of the Temēhani Range. Eric Lee, the composer was fortunate to have met this flower during a hike up Mount Temēhani while staying on the island of Raʻiātea in 1992. It was his first and only visit to Tahiti, but he sincerely intends to return to bring the journey of this song full circle. Mauruuru roa to his dear friend, Anthony Tirao, for helping the composer translate the intro into Tahitian. © 2014 Lee Enterprises (BMI)