just my luck we got a she is legend variation of this song while i was sitting on this. i'm paranoid of spoilers though so i'll tackle that version when it comes to global servers. wee.
also yeah i'm locked in. i'm gonna do all of love song from the water. the entire album. so stay tuned!!!!
(Stars that shine so bright)
(Block you out of my view)
The winds that blow on strong
Give rise to anxiousness
Across the seasons birds still fly,
Flapping their wings as they
Aim for a brighter star
Try to go as far as them,
Like our ancestors once did
This vivid landscape changes and sways
Even the sea’s blue waves will gray
It's a somber thought to dwell
All will bid farewell, so
When that day arrives, could you please tell me
Will I still laugh? Or will I cry?
Which will it be? (On that morning sky…)
I’ve grasped at your path, traced all your footsteps
If only I had followed you then, it still haunts me
Now you're a memory…
Anytime now, winds blow cold
Leaving behind with them
The warmth of harvest time
Only to meet again
When flowers bloom anew
That will mark the day when all
Life springs back into our view
This short breath turns into white mist
And my fingers numb their grip
Yet still, I will push ahead
Far past wounds I bled, so
When that day arrives, when I tell the truth
Will you be mad? Or will you cry?
Which will it be? (Even called by name…)
I grasped at your hand, asked to stay by you
I beg of you, not to leave me all on my own
I hate being alone…
The words you speak asleep are a magic spell
(The words you speak asleep are a magic spell)
(The words you speak asleep are a magic spell)
(The words you speak asleep are a magic spell)
When that day arrives, when I make it there
Will they all laugh? Or will they cry?
Which will it be? (On that morning sky…)
I’ve grasped at your path, traced all your footsteps
If only I had followed you then, it still haunts me
(Even when called by name…)
Let's prepare for flight
The winter is coming up in line
The harvest season will pass in time, leaving us in drought
(On that morning sky…)
All that’s erased by wind
Blinded by the stars that never end
That morning sky is perfect for saying goodbye
(Even when called by name…)
(You’re blocked out of my view)
(Even when called by name)
(You’re blocked out of my view)
I don't particularly have any notes on specific lines this time, only a general note that due to the translation and the original Japanese having very different line lengths, some lines were extended in this lyric set to have a bit more meat to them- I tried to avoid extending too far past the original meaning, but I'm not poetic enough to bs one line into three without a bit of ad-libbing.
Far from the place where I was born
My soul cried out for home
Adrift amongst the seas and storm
Washed up on the cove
Head spinning, it's a blur to me
Mind clouded by fog
Yet still, my world’s topsy-turvy
Even standing strong
Look and you’ll see
Reflecting in my eyes
A lost-and-found
Perspective on the meaning of life
Ticking down, ticking down, as the time passes by
I endure through the “now”, as a mere passer-by
If the future is nil, then I can't be upset
Since I can't help it, it's my helplessness*
Raining down, raining down, a storm ceaseless to calm
Violently pouring down on this man-cladden rock
Yet among all the roars and the pounding torrent
I hear somehow, a love-filled ballad
Those tears streaming down
Softening my cheeks
I gently wipe it now
The profile of your voice**
For peace the beating hearts will bleed
When spears are our shield***
Hearing the contradiction ring
I threw what I wield
I scrub until the stains are gone
Yet it won't wash away
That grimy coloration from
blood, sweat, fear, and pain
Look and you’ll see
Slashing through my eyes
Deep in the wound
Are the sins I carried throughout my life
Blowing on, blowing on, the wind passes me by
And the days passing on quickly blur in my eyes
Hurry up, hurry up, I search urgently on
In the wake of a timeless eternity
Leaving it all behind, all of my rationale
The mob passed on through and they drowned my voice out
Like a flash, then I knew that I was by myself
Choking alone in dark seas full of doubt
Those tears streaming down
Softening my cheeks
Reminding me of now
The profile of your voice
I won't cry anymore!
Ticking down, ticking down, as the time passes by
I endure through the “now”, as a mere passer-by
If the future is nil, then I can't be upset
Since I can't help it, it's my helplessness
Raining down, raining down, a storm ceaseless to calm
Snow and hail beating down, make me weak to the touch
Yet among all the roars and the pounding torrent
I hear somehow, a love-filled ballad
Those tears streaming down
Softening my cheeks
I gently wipe it now
The profile of your voice
Those tears streaming down
Softening my cheeks
Reminding me of now
The profile of your voice
The profile of your voice
The profile of your voice
The profile of your voice
The profile of your voice
The profile of your voice
The profile of your voice
The profile of your voice
I fear that I’ll lose it now…
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Notes:
I struggled to make this line flow well while retaining the meaning. What's actually being said here is along the lines of “I can’t rely on tomorrow since i’m always nervous and hesitant”- I ended up taking a somewhat flowery approach to portraying this line and while in my mind, it still comes across closely enough, I can understand finding this line to be an overly nihilistic interpretation. I don't even know if it's really worth making this note, but I figured I’d address it just to cover my bases.
These lines and the subsequent variations seem vague and up to interpretation. While I personally interpret it as the narrator reminiscing on a past loved one, hence the first person pronouns, some translations place it in the second person, as if the narrator is wiping someone else’s tears, or they keep the ambiguity and frame the lines in the third person.
Additionally, the line simply translates as “that profile”, leaving it vague if the narrator is referring to a person’s physical form or a more abstract descriptor. I elaborated on this based on my interpretation in order to maintain the song’s flow. If you wish to cover this song with alterations, this line would likely be the best place to look if you want to adjust things to fit your own interpretation.
The kanji 矛 (spear) and 盾 (shield) together form 矛盾 (contradiction). I thought of ways to portray this wordplay in English, but ultimately decided a more direct translation of the meaning would be the best option, even if it doesn't quite carry the same weight.
Additionally, I rearranged these lines a bit for flow.
