中島みゆき 歌でしか言えない
Nakajima Miyuki – Uta de shika ienai
(Nakajima Miyuki – I can only tell you in a song)
A translation of the lyrics of Nakajima Miyuki
http://sites.google.com/site/gregsharp
Version 1.0: May 7, 2010
Copyright (C) 2009-2010
English translations by Greg Sharp <gregsharp@geocities.com>
Some translations are a bit rough, so please give me your suggestions!
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C. Q. (1)
======
[Chorus A]
C.Q. C.Q. C.Q. C.Q. C.Q. C.Q. C.Q. C.Q.
[Repeat chorus A]
[Chorus B]
だれかいますか だれかいますか だれかいますか どこかには
だれかいますか 生きていますか 聞こえていますか
Is someone there? Is someone there? Is someone there? Anywhere?
Is someone there? Is anyone alive? Can you hear me?
[Repeat chorus A]
送ってみる 送ってみる あてのない呼びかけを
耳をすます 耳をすます あてのない空へ
I'll try, I'll try, sending out a message
I strain my ears, I strain my ears, to the empty sky
ただ人がいることを ただ聞いてみたいだけ
なにも欲しがりはしない ただ聞いてみたいだけ
だれかの頷く声 だれかの頷く声
歩いた道のことや 仕事して来たことや
どうでもいいようなこと ただ聞いてほしいだけ
I just want to listen, to see if someone is there
I don't expect anything, I just want to listen
For someone's response, for someone's response
About the street I walked down, or that I came back from work
I just want you to listen, to things that aren't important
咲いてた花のことや 拾ったボールのこと
ただ聞いてほしいだけ ただ聞いてほしいだけ
A flower in bloom, a ball I found
I just want you to listen, I just want you to listen
[Repeat chorus B]
突然波が通る 大きな波が通る
呼びかけても応えない 大きな波が通る
名前やＴｅｌ．ナンバー Ｉ．Ｄ．ナンバー クラスナンバー
そんなことつまらない 私を表さない
どうでもいいようなこと ただ聞いてほしいだけ
A sudden wave crashes, a huge wave crashes
I call out but there's no reply, a huge wave crashes
My name, my telephone number, my ID number, my class number
Those things are boring, they're not me
I just want you to listen, to things that aren't important
孵ったヒナのことや 好きな人の話
ただ聞いてほしいだけ ただ聞いてほしいだけ
A newly hatched chick, your lover's words
I just want you to listen, to things that aren't important
[Chorus C]
C.Q. C.Q. （だれかいますか）
C.Q. C.Q. （だれかいますか）
C.Q. C.Q. （だれかいますか）
C.Q. C.Q. （C.Q. C.Q.）
C.Q. C.Q. (Is anyone there?), etc.
[Repeat chorus C]
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おだやかな時代
Odayakana jidai
(When it's quiet)
======
[Chorus A]
まだ眠っている 町を抜け出して駈け出すスニーカー
おだやかでなけりゃ 残れない時代少し抜け出して
You're still sleeping, I put on sneakers to sneak out of town
When it's not quiet, time slowly slips away
[Repeat chorus A]
きのう産まれた獣たち もう目を開けて歩き出すよ
駅は部屋のドア 開ければそこから始まるよレールウェイ
The beasts who were born yesterday, are already up and about
The train station is a door, open it and the railway starts
おだやかな時代 鳴かない獣が好まれる時代
標識に埋もれて 僕は愛にさえ辿り着けない
目をこらしても霧の中 レールの先は見えないけど
止まり方しか習わなかった 町の溜息を僕は聞いている
When it's quiet, that's the time for quiet beasts
It's dead and buried, I can't even struggle on with love
I strain to see through the fog, I can't see the rail ahead
I only ever learned to stop, listening to the sighs of the city
[Chorus B]
毎日 Broken my heart 声もたてずに
毎日 Broken my heart 傷ついていた
毎日 Broken my heart 声もたてずに
毎日 Broken my heart 傷ついていた
Every day, broken my heart, I don't scream out
Every day, broken my heart, but it hurts
Every day, broken my heart, I don't scream out
Every day, broken my heart, but it hurts
昨夜の雨が残す水たまり 靴底にしみて爪先を濡らす
僕はジョークだけが上手くなった 愛を真に受けてもらえなくなった
僕に怯える天使たちよ 僕は君ほど強くないさ
まだ眠っている 町を抜け出して駈け出すスニーカー
The puddles left by last night's rain, soak my soles and make my feet wet
I was only ever good at telling jokes, no one took me seriously for love
The angels are afraid of me; I'm not as strong as you
You're still sleeping, I put on sneakers to sneak out of town
[Repeat chorus B x3]
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トーキョー迷子 (2)
Tokyo maigo
(Lost girl in Tokyo)
======
思い出は綺麗 本当より綺麗
ありえぬほどいい人が 心で育つ
思い出はひいき あいつだけひいき
いいところだけ思い出す それほどひいき
Memories are beautiful, more beautiful than reality
An impossibly wonderful man will grow in your heart
Memories are good to you, he was so good to you
Remembering only the good times, that's how good they are
[Chorus]
１年２年は夢のうち まさかと笑って待てば
３年４年は洒落のうち 数えて待てば
５年かければ 人は貌だちも変わる
ましてや男ましてや他人 今日もトーキョー迷子
Years one and two, are like a dream
Waiting and laughing, how could this be?
Years three and four, are like a joke
Counting and waiting
But after five years
Even people's faces change
Even men, even strangers
I'm a lost girl in Tokyo
ここで待っておいで すぐ戻って来るよ
言われたようにそのままで ここにいるのに
気にかかってふらり 待てなくってふらり
歩きだしてそのせいで なおさら迷子
“Wait here, I'll be right back”
And I wait, as if that's what you said
Nervous and anxious, I couldn't wait any more
So I went out walking, and that's why I'm lost
[Repeat chorus]
鴎でも独り 見習えばいいのに
木の葉でも独り 独りずつなのに
Seagulls are lonely, I should learn from them
Leaves are lonely, all by themselves on the tree
[Repeat chorus x 0.5]
[Repeat chorus x 1.5]
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Maybe (3)
======
[Chorus]
Maybe 夢見れば Maybe 人生は
Maybe つらい思いが多くなるけれど
Maybe 夢見ずに Maybe いられない
Maybe もしかしたら
Maybe, when you dream
Maybe, painful thoughts begin to grow
But maybe, we can't live without dreaming
Maybe, maybe
雲の流れは西から東 ４つの季節をつないでゆく
今日も地上に吹きつける風は 左から右 右から左
１秒毎に気が変わる 予測のつかない癇癪持ち
１つのビルの角を曲がる度に 意外な向きで吹きつけて来る
The clouds move from west to east
The four seasons move together
The wind blows against the earth again today
From left to right, from right to left
Changing its mind every second
With a passion I can't predict
I walk around the corner of a building
And it blows in a direction I can't imagine
私は唇かみしめて 胸をそらして歩いてゆく
なんでもないわ私は大丈夫 どこにも隙がない
なんでもないわ私は大丈夫 なんでもないわどこにも隙がない
I chew my lip
And walk on, with my head held high
“It's nothing, I'm OK”
“No chinks in my armor”
“It's nothing, I'm OK”
“It's nothing, no chinks in my armor”
[Repeat chorus]
弱気になった人たちは 強いビル風に飛ばされる
私は髪をきつく結いあげて 大きなバッグを持ち直す
思い出なんか何ひとつ 私を助けちゃくれないわ
私をいつも守ってくれるのは パウダールームの自己暗示
Weaker people
Would be blown away by the strong wind from the building
But I bind my hair up tightly
And get a better grip on my big bag
I don't have any memories
That will save me
The thing that protects me
Is what I tell myself in the powder room
感情的な顔にならないで 誰にも弱味を知られないで
なんでもないわ私は大丈夫 私は傷つかない
なんでもないわ私は大丈夫 なんでもないわ私は傷つかない
“Don't show any emotion on your face”
“Don't let anyone know how weak you are”
“It's nothing, I'm OK”
“I'm not hurt”
“It's nothing, I'm OK”
“It's nothing, I'm not hurt”
[Repeat chorus]
なんでもないわ私は大丈夫 なんでもないわ私は傷つかない
“It's nothing, I'm OK”
“It's nothing, I'm not hurt”
[Repeat chorus]
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渚へ
Nagisa he
(To the shore)
======
悪い相性と占われても
見の程知らずがまだとまらない
海風のせいね
壊れる理由を言え波頭
壊れるゆくえを言え夜光虫 (4)
海風のせいね
Heaven knew we weren't right for each other
I should have known my rightful place, but I couldn't stop
I blame it on the ocean breeze
The whitecaps tell me why we fell apart
The red tide tells me how far we'll fall
I blame it on the ocean breeze
問いつめて戻る心はあわれみばかり
それはなんて情熱から遠すぎて
My probing heart comes back filled with pity
How is that so different from passion?
[Chorus A]
渚へ 渚へ 渚へ あいつを恨みたくない
渚へ 渚へ 渚へ あいつを恨みたくない
To the shore, to the shore, to the shore
I don't want to blame him
To the shore, to the shore, to the shore
I don't want to blame him
騙されたのよと騒ぐな外野
気持ちはわかるとわかるな学者
海風のせいよ
裏切りなんかじゃないというのに
謝られたのが何より辛い
くえない奴よ
You in the outfield, don't tell me I was deceived
You're not so smart, don't tell me you know how I feel
It was because of the ocean breeze
I told him he didn't stab me in the back
But he apologized, and that's the hardest part
What a sneaky guy
[Chorus B]
追いかけて手練手管は裏目のダイス
誰か教えてよ大人しくしてりゃ戻ったの
Chasing him and begging is like using loaded dice
Someone please tell me he came back, while I've been waiting here quietly
[Repeat chorus A]
[Repeat chorus B]
[Repeat chorus A]
======
永久欠番
Eikyuu ketsuban
(A missing number, forever)
======
どんな立場の人であろうと
いつかはこの世におさらばをする
たしかに順序にルールはあるけど
ルールには必ず反則もある
No matter what kind of person you are
You'll say goodbye to this world
There must be a rule about the exact sequence
And I'm sure there are exceptions to the rule
街は回ってゆく
人１人消えた日も
何も変わる様子もなく
忙しく忙しく先へと
The city spins around
Even on the day when someone disappears
Nothing seems different
Hurrying, hurrying forward
100年前も100年後も
私がいないことでは同じ
同じことなのに
生きていたことが帳消しになるかと思えば淋しい
A hundred years ago, or a hundred years from now
In either case I'm not around
Even though it's the same
It's sad to think my life will be gone
街は回ってゆく人１人消えた日も
何も変わる様子もなく忙しく忙しく先へと
かけがえのないものなどいないと風は吹く
The city spins around
Even on the day when someone disappears
Nothing seems different
Hurrying, hurrying forward
The wind whispers
“No one is irreplaceable”
愛した人の席がからっぽになった朝
もうだれも座らせないと
人は誓ったはず
でも その思い出を知らぬ他人が平気で座ってしまうもの
The morning when a loved one's seat becomes empty
No one will ever sit there again
Is what you hope
But a stranger, who doesn't share your memory, will sit there easily
どんな記念碑（メモリアル）も 雨風にけずられて崩れ
人は忘れられて 代わりなどいくらでもあるだろう
だれか思い出すだろうか
ここに生きてた私を
Any kind of memorial will be eroded by the wind and rain
People will forget, and many things will change
Who will remember
That I lived here?
100億の人々が
忘れても 見捨てても
宇宙（そら）の掌の中
人は永久欠番
宇宙の掌の中
人は永久欠番
Even if 10 billion people
Forget me or abandon me
In the palm of eternity
My number will be missing forever
In the palm of eternity
My number will be missing forever
======
笑ってよエンジェル
Waratte yo enjeru
(Laugh, angel)
======
愛しさ余れば憎さがつのる
あれはうそっぱち 愛しさ足らず
たとえ 労いひとつ返されなくても
嘆くようじゃ まだまだハンパな恋さ
If you love too much, you invite hatred
No that's a lie, you can never love too much
For example, if I don't repay your kindness
You will sigh, but you will still have love for me
だから
応えられなくてごめん そんなふうに悩まないで
遥か離れてしまっても泣き顔よりはいい
ほんとさ
So...
I'm sorry I didn't respond, please don't worry so
Even I'm far away, it's better than a crying face
Yes, it's true
[Chorus]
笑ってよエンジェル夢の中エンジェル
君の笑顔消えてくれるな それだけが願いさ
笑ってよエンジェル夢の中エンジェル
君の笑顔消えてくれるな それだけが願いさ
Laugh, angel, in my dreams, angel
Don't let your smile disappear, that is my wish
Laugh, angel, in my dreams, angel
Don't let your smile disappear, that is my wish
さよなら三角また来て四角
こんど会う時は なおさら深く
君を打つ冬風の風上に立ち
やすらかに暮らせと祈り続けよう
Goodbye triangle, see you later square
When we meet again, it will be deeper
I stand in front, blocking the winter wind that strikes you
And continue to pray that your life will be peaceful
だから
思い出せなくてごめん そんなふうに悩まないで
遥か離れてしまっても恋しさは育つよ
ほんとさ
So...
I'm sorry I don't remember you, please don't worry so
Even I'm far away, my love will grow
Yes, it's true
[Repeat chorus]
さよなら三角また来て四角
こんど会う時は なおさら深く
さよなら三角また来て四角
Goodbye triangle, see you later square
When we meet again, it will be deeper
Goodbye triangle, see you later square
======
た・わ・わ (5)
Ta wa wa
======
モンローウォークにつられてつい振り返る (6)
男心はみんな彼女のマリオネット
胸は熟したフルーツさ眩暈を誘う
みんな寝不足なのさ彼女の夢で
醒めてもうつつ幻づくめ
悩ましい膝組みかえながら
When she walks like Marilyn Monroe, they always turn their heads
She plays men's hearts like marionettes
Breasts like ripe fruits, it makes them dizzy
They can't get enough sleep, dreaming of her
And when they wake, reality becomes illusion
Rearranged by her seductive legs
[Chorus]
た・わ・わ おまえを殺したい
た・わ・わ あいつをとらないで
Ta wa wa
I want to kill you
Ta wa wa
Don't take him
糸を渡ってゆくような細いピンヒール
きっと迎えてくれる期待の手招きさ
まとうシルクドレスは腰までバックレス
流し目ひとつくれたら天にも昇る
不思議な奴さ優しい奴さ
男の弱み全て知ってる
Stiletto heels as thin as a tightrope
Surely someone will beckon, hoping I'll come over
Silk dress, backless down to my waist
If one of them looks me over, I'll be in heaven
A mysterious man, or a kind man
I know all their weaknesses
[Repeat chorus x2]
よりどりみどり気まぐれ次第
誘いかけない男なんてありえない
I can pick and choose, subject only to my whim
There isn't a man that I can't have
[Repeat chorus x2]
======
サッポロ SNOWY
Sapporo SNOWY
======
大陸からの強い寒気が下がって
今夜半 冷え込みます
夕方遅く降りだした雪は明日も
かなり強く降るでしょう
昨日ついた足跡もみんなみんな包んで
Strong, cold air is blowing down from the continent
Everything will freeze overnight
The snow that started falling late in the evening
Will get get worse tomorrow
It will hide all, all of yesterday's footprints
[Chorus]
サッポロ SNOWY まだ SNOWY あの人が
まだ好きになってくれないから
サッポロ SNOWY まだ SNOWY 帰れない
今日も天気予報 長距離で聞く
SNOWY
Sapporo SNOWY, still, SNOWY, he
Because he doesn't love me yet
Sapporo SNOWY, still, SNOWY, I can't come back
So I listen to the forecast from far away
SNOWY
吹雪の海で迷っている漁船から
無線は強気な駄洒落
氷の国の人は涙のかわりに
負けん気なジョークを言う
昨日あった出来事もみんなみんな包んで
From a fishing boat lost in the blinding snow
The wireless broadcasts awful puns
People from this icy land don't cry
Instead, they compete by telling jokes
It will hide all, all of yesterday's deeds
[Repeat chorus]
本やTVで覚えたことも嘘ではないけど
The things I learned from books and TV aren't lies, but...
サッポロ SNOWY いつか SNOWY あの人に
言葉にならない雪を見せたい
サッポロ SNOWY ただ SNOWY 降りしきる
あの雪の中の素顔見せたい
Sapporo SNOWY, someday, SNOWY, he
I want to show him snow that's not so bad
Sapporo SNOWY, yet, SNOWY, it keeps falling
I want to show him my true self in that snow
[Repeat chorus]
======
南三条 (7)
Minami san jou
(Third street south)
======
地下鉄の海へ流れ込む人の流れに身をまかせ
今日も流れゆく流れゆく心のぬけがら
互いに誰もがまるで人のいない砂漠をゆくように
うまくすり抜けてすり抜けて触れあわず流れゆく
I let myself be carried by the stream of people into the subway sea
My heart's empty husk floats away, floats away again today
Like we all went to a desert with no one else around
If I carefully slip through, slip through I can float away without touching anyone
突然袖引かれ見れば
息をきらしてる笑顔
なんてなつかしい、と汗かいて
忘れたい忘れないあの日の女
Suddenly I see someone tugging a sleeve
Smiling and out of breath
It all comes back to me, and I start to sweat
I want to forget, but can't, the girl (I was? I met?) that day
[Chorus]
南三条 泣きながら走った
胸の中で あの雨はやまない
南三条 よみがえる夏の日
あの街並は あとかたもないのに
Third street south, I cried while I ran
In my heart, the rain never ends
Third street south, I remember that summer day
But the city street, it shows no trace
流れてゆく人の流れ何ひとつも知らなくて
ただ二人は親しそうに見えるだろう
I knew nothing of the flow of people
But two of them seemed so (kind? intimate?)
会いたかったわ会いたかったわと無邪気はあの日のまま
会いたくなんかなかったわ私は急ぐふり
どこまでゆくのと
背中で眠る赤子を揺りあげながら
私ふけたでしょうあなたより年上みたいねと
I wanted to meet them, I wanted to meet them, I was so innocent that day
I didn't want to meet them, and I pretended to hurry
Where should I go to?
Swinging a sleeping baby on my back
I was so old, older than you are now
なにも気づいてないのね
今もあの日と同じね
もしもあなたなんか来なければ
今もまだ私たち続いたのに
I didn't notice anything
Today is just like that day long ago
If you never would have come
We would have continued like that to today
[Repeat chorus]
ほんとは違うわかっているの私と切れて後のことだと
でも憎まずにはいられなかったの
I know it wasn't true, it was after you had left me
But I couldn't help but hate you
この人なのよと呼び寄せた男に心当たりはなく
そんなはずはないあの人と幸せになったはず
戸惑う私に気づいて教える屈託のない声で
あなたの知ってるあの人とは間もなく切れたわと
I had no idea who the man was who called out that (I?, she?) was the one
No way! We should have been happy together
I was confused, and a calm voice explained to me
The man you know is going to (leave you?)
そんなこと知らなかった
彼といると思ってた
ずっと憎んで来た無駄な日々返してと
何を責めればいいの
I didn't know that
I thought we were together
If I take back all these wasted days that I've hated him
Who can I blame?
[Repeat chorus]
許せないのは許せなかったのは
あの日あいつを惚れさせるさえできなかった自分のことだった
What I won't forgive, what I can't forgive
Is that I couldn't let him love me that day
======
炎と水
Honoo to mizu
(Flame and aqua)
======
あなたは炎の大地を歩き
途切れた未来へ注ぎ込む者
けれども情の深さのあまり
己を癒せず凍えゆく者
You walk the fiery earth
You pour yourself on interrupted future
But your compassion is so deep
You freeze without healing yourself
私は凍った大地を歩き
凍てつく昨日を暖める者
けれども思いの熱さのあまり
己を癒せず身を焦がす者
I walk the frozen earth
I warm the frozen yesterdays
But my thoughts are so hot
I burn up without healing myself
[Chorus]
Flame & Aqua なんて遠い者たち
私たちは互いに誰より遠い
Flame & Aqua なんて同じ者たち
いちばん遠い者がいちばん近いの
Flame and aqua, we're so far apart
Farther apart than anyone
Flame and aqua, we're the same
The farthest people are the closest
私はあなたを傷つける者
誰よりあなたを傷つける者
けれども唯一癒せるすべを
それとは知らずに持っている者
I'm the one who hurts you
I'm the one who hurts you most
And I hold the only way to cure you
Without knowing it
[Repeat chorus]
Flame & Aqua 互いから生まれあう
あなたがいなければ
私はまだ生まれていないような者
Flame and aqua, born from each other
If you weren't here
It would be like I was never born
あなたがあなたになればなるほど
私が私になればなるほど
互いは互いが必要になる
誰から教えられることもなく
You are the most like you
I am the most like me
We need each other
We can't learn from any other
Flame & Aqua あなたは一途な水
私たちの行方を指し示す者
Flame & Aqua 私は揺れる炎
私たちの行方を照らし出す者
Flame & Aqua 求めずにはいられない
私たちはあまりにひとりでは担い過ぎる炎と水
Flame and aqua, you are the ultimate water
You point the way for us to go
Flame and aqua, I am the dancing flame
I shine the way for us to go
Flame and aqua, we must seek each other out
We are flame and aqua, it's too much to bear alone
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Notes
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(1) C. Q. likely means “seek you.” The lyrics to this song are enigmatic at first listen. The protagonist has been telling small stories about how her day went to her lover. However, her lover makes no reply, because he is not listening to her. She hopes that he will listen and respond, even the content of her stories are not big.
(2) Her boyfried left her. She waits, expecting him to come back. She waits 1, 2, 3, 4, even 5 years for him. She gets so nervous waiting for him that she wanders the streets of Tokyo over and over, getting lost.
(3) She walks around the corner of the building. Something triggers her memories, and she is almost blown away. But she uses a special technique to keep from being overwhelmed. She repeats to herself: “I am strong, I am strong, I am strong.”
(3) 夜光虫 is Noctiluca scintillans, a bioluminescent protist indicated in red tide.
(5) The dictionary says たわわ means “drooping” or “bending” of a branch laden with fruit. If this meaning was intended, it can be explained that the girl is laden with all the men that she can choose from.
(6) モンローウォーク refers to the walking style of Marilyn Monroe.
(7) Minami san-jou is in Susukino, the entertainment district of Sapporo. Not that I would have any personal knowledge of the area. (How the hell did I get home?)