I think there’s some kind of virally-transmitted Aquired Translation Obsession Syndrome (ATOS) that uses electronic dictionaries as its vector, because now that I have a dictionary, I have this obsession with looking things up in it. So I bought the “Sakura” single by Naotarou Morimoto, and translated it.
Maeva and I are going to do a duet of this song at our Sayonara Karaoke party. It’s going to be one of those Moments, you see.
I’ll follow up with an MP3 shortly.
We’ll be waiting For the day when we can meet again
At the avenue with the sakura we’ll wave, and call out
No matter how hard the times You were always laughing
And though I was sure I would falter I felt I could go on
And through the misty air, I can still hear that song
Sakura, Sakura, do they not yet bloom?
Knowing yet that their fall is at hand
Farewell, my friend, it is time for us to journey
But keep, now, that unchanging memory
Perhaps I can say them now without lying
I hope for a future where you can shine these true words
And the town moves on, as if to nudge us forward…
Sakura, Sakura, the petals simply fall
Trusting in the moment that they’ll be reborn
Weep not, my friend, though it’s time to part
Come, let us part with guileless smiles
Sakura, Sakura, Now they soar upon the wind
aglow forever, bathed in light
Farewell, o friend let us meet here again
On the street covered in falling petals
Here are the Japanese lyrics. I don’t think there’s a demand for the romanization, but one never knows. I can romanize them and post that if anybody cares, but these kanji aren’t too hard to read, as kanji go.
僕らはきっと待ってる 君と会える日々を
さくら並木の道の上で 手を振り叫ぶよ
どんなに苦しい時も 君は笑っているから
挫けそうになりかけても 頑張れる気がしたよ
霞ゆく景色の中に あの日の唄が聴こえる
さくら さくら 今、咲き誇る
刹那に散りゆく運命(さだめ)と知って
さらば友よ 旅立ちの刻 変わらないその想いを 今
今なら言えるだろうか 偽りのない言葉
輝ける君の未来を願う 本当の言葉
移りゆく街はまるで 僕らを急かすように
さくら さくら ただ舞い落ちる
いつか生まれ変わる瞬間(とき)を信じ
泣くな友よ 今惜別の時 飾らないあの笑顔で さあ
さくら さくら いざ舞い上がれ
永遠(とわ)にさんざめく光を浴びて
さらば友よ またこの場所で会おう さくら舞い散る道の上で