God Save the King
God save our gracious King,
Long live our noble King,
God save The King.
Send him victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us:
God save The King.
O Lord our God, arise,
Scatter our enemies,
And make them fall;
Confound their politics,
Frustrate their knavish tricks;
On thee our hopes we fix:
God save us all.
Thy choicest gifts in store
On him be pleased to pour,
Long may he reign.
May he defend our laws,
And ever give us cause
To sing with heart and voice,
God save The King.
Note: The second verse of God Save The King is often left out.
Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand features a te Reo Māori version on their website.
Edward Marsh Williams, the eldest son of Henry Williams, translated the national anthem, 'God save the Queen', into te reo Māori in 1860. Edward Williams had helped his father in the original translation of the Treaty of Waitangi, and then accompanied Major Thomas Bunbury as an interpreter when the Treaty was taken round various tribes in New Zealand in 1840 to obtain signatures. Williams was then appointed the first official government interpreter. His version of the anthem was printed in 1897 on small cards, to be used by Māori accompanying Richard Seddon to Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee celebrations in England.
Listen to the first verse of 'E te atua tohingia te kuini' being sung at a welcome for Queen Elizabeth II in 1971 here.
Updated on 11th May 2023