source for lyrics and information from https://folksong.org.nz/ehara_i_te_mea/index.html
C F
Ehara i te mea Not the thing
G F C
Nō ināianei te aroha of recent times, is love
F Dm
Nō nga tīpuna but by the ancestors it has been
G C
Tuku iho, tuku iho passed down, passed down.
He mea nui ra te aroha
Ki te ngakau o te hunga
Whakaaro Rangatira
E tangi nei e mihi ana
Whakapono, tumanako Faith, hope
Te aroha te aroha; and love;
Nō nga tīpuna by the ancestors they have been
Tuku iho, tuku iho passed down, passed down
Te whenua, te whenua From the land, the land
Te oranga o te iwi comes the wellbeing of the people;
Nō nga tīpuna by the ancestors it has been
Tuku iho, tuku iho passed down, passed down.