nvs. Life, health, well-being, living, livelihood, means of support, salvation; alive, living; curable, spared, recovered; healed; to live; to spare, save, heal, grant life, survive, thrive. (See Gram. 4.4.) Ola loa, long life, longevity. 

Again, continuing on our theme of LIFE and well-being, we look at another ʻōlelo noʻeau relating to ola.

Aia ke ola i ka waha; aia ka make i ka waha – Life is in the mouth; death is in the mouth. (Spoken words can enliven; spoken words can destroy.)

Another  well known ʻōlelo noʻeau that is very similar:

I ka ʻōlelo ke ola, i ka ʻōlelo ka make – In the word there is life, in the word there is death.

Words have the power to promote well-being and good health and words have the power to “kill”, both literally and metaphorically.

kahuna ʻanā.ʻanā 

n. Sorcerer who practices black magic and counter sorcery, as one who prays a person to death.

Evidence that words can kill. Yes, this is a kahuna who could and would, literally, use words to pray one to death. And I bet there is medical research that shows a WRONG diagnosis for a healthy person ends up having a negative effect on his ola.

Words heal. Words hurt. We know this to be true. Use your words carefully because what you say can make a difference. Use your ʻōlelo, words, to be a positive influence.

Can you think of an example in which the words of someone lifted you up? Or beat you down?