alpha whiskey hotel

I had never heard about Angela Aki or her new hit song Tegami~Haikei Juugo no Kimi he until Nick Ramsay blogged about it a couple weeks back. Now no matter how many times I read this song, I can’t stop the lump from forming at the back of my throat.. Somehow the lyrics and music join together to make this a really powerful song.

I figured that there are likely dozens of translations out there, but I didn’t look because I wanted to take a crack at translating it myself without being influenced by any of the others. Feel free to offer suggestions; this was a quickie 10-minute job, so I may have misunderstood something…

[As always, if you're going to post this translation somewhere else, I would really appreciate your linking back to this blog, or at the very least, not removing my name. I'm sick of seeing my translation of Robinson posted everywhere without my name on it.]

手紙　~　拝啓十五の君へ
Letter ~ To 15-year-old you

Lyrics and Music: Angela Aki
English Translation: Drew Hamilton <awh@awh.org>

拝啓　この手紙読んでいるあなたは　どこで何をしているのだろう

Dear you who are reading this letter: I wonder where you are and what you’re doing.

十五の僕には誰にも話せない　悩みの種があるのです

15-year-old me has worries that I can’t talk to anyone else about.

未来の自分に宛てて書く手紙なら
きっと素直に打ち明けられるだろう

If I write this letter to my future self, surely I will be able to honestly and openly express myself.

今　負けそうで　泣きそうで　消えてしまいそうな僕は
誰の言葉を信じ歩けばいいの?
ひとつしかないこの胸が何度もばらばらに割れて
苦しい中で今を生きている
今を生きている

Whose words should I believe now, when I’m on the edge of losing, on the brink of tears, and on the verge of disappearing? When this heart that I only have one of is constantly being broken to pieces? When I’m living through these difficult years?

拝啓　ありがとう　十五のあなたに伝えたい事があるのです

Dear 15-year-old you, thank you for you letter. I have some things that I’d like to say to you.

自分とは何でどこへ向かうべきか　問い続ければ見えてくる

If you keep asking yourself “in which direction should I head?” the answer will come to you

荒れた青春の海は厳しいけれど
明日の岸辺へと　夢の舟よ進め

The rough seas of adolescence are harsh, but the ship of your dreams will continue to the riverbank of tomorrow

今　負けないで　泣かないで　消えてしまいそうな時は
自分の声を信じ歩けばいいの
大人の僕も傷ついて眠れない夜はあるけど
苦くて甘い今を生きている

And when you don’t want to lose, to cry, when you don’t want to disappear, believe in your own voice. And even the adult me has times when I get hurt, even has sleepless nights, but life is bittersweet.

人生の全てに意味があるから　恐れずにあなたの夢を育てて
Keep on believing

There is meaning to the entirety of one’s life, so follow your dreams without unease; keep on believing.

負けそうで　泣きそうで　消えてしまいそうな僕は
誰の言葉を信じ歩けばいいの?
ああ　負けないで　泣かないで　消えてしまいそうな時は
自分の声を信じ歩けばいいの
いつの時代も悲しみを避けては通れないけれど
笑顔を見せて　今を生きていこう
今を生きていこう

Whose words should I believe now, when I’m on the edge of losing, on the brink of tears, and on the verge of disappearing? When you don’t want to lose, to cry, when you don’t want to disappear, believe in your own voice. And whatever your age, sorrow can’t always be avoided, but I now try to live my life showing my smiling face.

拝啓　この手紙読んでいるあなたが
幸せな事を願います

Dear you who are reading this letter,
I wish good things for you.

[It should go without saying, but it seems not to. If you are going to post my translations somewhere else, please feel free, but come on, please leave my name on it, and a link back to my blog. And whatever you do, don’t pass it off as your own work. That is just not nice.]

Lyrics and music: Masamune Kusano
English translation: Andrew Hamilton <awh@awh.org>

緑のトンネル抜けて 朝の光に洗われるような
わずかな微笑みさえも 残らずみんな分けあえるような
可愛い歳月を 君と暮らせたら

I emerge from the tunnel of greenery, and the morning sun
is somehow cleansing. Although I only give a faint smile,
I share it with everyone. If I could live with you in these
lovely times…

ジグザグこだましながら 声が遠くまで届いていきそうな
見上げれば 雲の流れに 今いる場所を忘れちゃいそうな
寂しいあの街で 君と暮らせたら

My voice seems as though it could reach into eternity as it
echoes back and forth. If I look up at the movement of the clouds,
I can almost forget the place I’m standing right now. If I could
live with you in that lonely little town….

可愛い歳月を 君と暮らせたら

If I could live with you in these lovely times…

十五の頃の スキだらけの 僕に笑われて
今日も眠りの世界へと すべり落ちていく

Being laughed at by my 15-year-old, unguarded self,
I slip off into the world of sleep…

[It should go without saying, but it seems not to. If you are going to post my translations somewhere else, please feel free, but come on, please leave my name on it, and a link back to my blog. And whatever you do, don't pass it off as your own work. That is just not nice.]

Lyrics and music: Ken Hirai
English translation: Andrew Hamilton <awh@awh.org>

Translator’s note: The “just your shell” in the first line is literally
translated as “your discarded skin is beside me”, what an insect might leave
behind after a metamorphosis. The idea is that the girl, although physically
present, has already moved on past the relationship to a different stage in
life — her soul isn’t there anymore. However, though insect carcasses may
have their place in Japanese torch songs, I don’t think they belong in English
ones, so I’ve translated it a bit more liberally. Thanks to Ryo and Hideki
for their ideas about the symbolism here.

朝目覚める度に　君の抜け殻が横にいる
ぬくもりを感じた　いつもの背中が冷たい
苦笑いをやめて　重いカーテンを開けよう
眩しすぎる朝日　僕と毎日の追いかけっこだ

Every time I open my eyes in the morning, the body that’s beside me is just your shell,
and your back, where I always felt warmth, is now cold.
I stop my bitter smiling and throw open the heavy curtain
to the over-brilliant morning sun that chases me down each day.

あの日　見せた泣き顔
涙照らす夕陽　肩のぬくもり
消し去ろうと願う度に
心が　体が　君を覚えている
Your love forever

The tear-stained face that you showed me that day, shining in the sunset,
and the warmth of your shoulder –
whenever I wish for these memories to disappear,
my heart and body suddenly remember you.
Your love forever

瞳を閉じて　君を描くよ　それだけでいい
たとえ季節が　僕の心を　置き去りにしても

Closing my eyes and seeing you; that alone is enough
even if the seasons leave my heart deserted.

いつかは君のこと　なにも感じなくなるのかな
今の痛み抱いて　眠る方がまだ　いいかな

I suppose that sometime in the future, I may feel nothing for you.
It’s better to go to sleep embracing my current pain, isn’t it?

あの日　見てた星空
願いかけて　二人探した光は
瞬く間に消えてくのに
心は　体は　君で輝いてる
I wish forever

Even though the light that we wished on and searched for
as we looked at the starry sky that night has been extinguished,
my heart and body still sparkle because of you.
I wish forever

瞳をとじて　君を描くよ　それしか出来ない
たとえ世界が　僕を残して　過ぎ去ろうとしても

Closing my eyes and seeing you; I can’t do any more that that
even if the world passes me by and leaves me.

Your love forever
瞳をとじて　君を描くよ　それだけでいい
たとえ季節が　僕を残して　色を変えようとも
記憶の中に君を探すよ　それだけでいい
なくしたものを　越える強さを　君がくれたから
君がくれたから

Your love forever
Closing my eyes and seeing you; that alone is enough
even if the seasons pass me by and all the colours change.
I shall search for you in my memory; that alone is sufficient
because you gave me strength that overcomes what I lost.
Because you gave me that.