Anata ni Translation

Original Lyrics | Romanji Reading | English Translation | Translation Annotations

Maybe the boy in Anata ni is dreaming of Lily from the Momo album.

I actually started translating this song a long time ago... Maybe four years ago? But it was a bit too high level for me. Actually, in a weird way, it's a still a bit high level for me. I guess that's what studying is for, huh?

I have the most poignant memory of singing this song in my red Toyata Corsa, not too soon after I was forced to scrap my white Toyota Corsa, with my ex-boyfriend (before he was my boyfriend) on my way to see Kamikouchi.

So, sadly, this makes song makes me both angry, and a little nostalgic/sad all the same time.

Also, another translation can be found here. We obviously disagree on some translations....


あなたに
モンゴル８００

メセージ

人にやさしくされた時　自分の小ささを知りました
あなた疑う心恥て　信じましょう心から
流れゆく日々その中で　変わりゆく物多すぎて
揺るがないものただ一つ　あなたへの思いは変わらない
泣かないで愛しい人よ　悩める喜び感じよう
気がつけば悩んだ倍　あなたを大切に思う
ほら　元どおり以上だよ　気がつけばもう僕の腕の中

あなたに　逢いたくて　逢いたくて
あなたに　逢いたくて　逢いたくて
眠れない夜　夢で逢えたら考えすぎで　眠れない夜
夢で逢えたら　どこへ行こうか？
あなたがいれば　どこでもいいよ

あなたに　逢いたくて　逢いたくて
あなたに　逢いたくて　逢いたくて
流れゆく日々　季節は変わる　花咲き散れば元にもどるの
こんな世の中　誰を信じて歩いてゆこう
手を取ってくれますか？


Anata ni
Mongoru Happyaku

MESEEJI

Hito ni yasashiku sareta toki jibun no chiisasa wo shirimashita
Anata utagau kokoro haji te shinjimashou kokoro kara
Nagareyuku hibi sono naka de kawariyuku mono oo sugite
Yuruganai mono tada hitotsu anata he no omoi ha kawaranai
Nakanaide itoshiihito yo nayameru korokobi kanjiyou
Ki ga tsukeba nayanda bai anata wo taisetsu ni omou
Hora motodoori ijou dayo ki ga tsukeba mou boku no ude no naka

Anata ni aitakute aitakute
Anata ni aitakute aitakute
Nemurenai yoru yume de aetara kangaesugi de nemurenai yoru
Yume de aetara doko e yukouka?
Anata ga ireba dokodemo ii yo

Anata ni aitakute aitakute
Anata ni aitakute aitakute
Nagareyuku hibi kitsetsu wa kawaru hana saki chireba moto ni modoru no
Konna yo no naka dare o shinjite aruiteyukou
Te o tottekuremasuka?

To You
Mongol 800

Message

I know how small I am when people are being nice to me
You were ashamed of your doubting heart, so let’s believe with all our hearts!
As the days pass, the things that change become too much
There is but one thing that does not waver, and that is my thoughts of you.
Don’t cry, beloved one. Let’s feel the joy of worrying.
If you’ll notice, the pain will double, and I will be thinking of you. (1)
Look, it’s no more than it was before, and if you’ll notice, you’re still in my arms.


I wanna see(2), wanna see you (3)
I wanna see, wanna see you
Sleepless nights, if I think too much about meeting you in my dreams, I can’t sleep
If I meet you in this dream, where shall we go?
As long as you’re there, anywhere is fine.

I wanna see, wanna see you
I wanna see, wanna see you
These passing days, the seasons change, if the blossoming flowers scatter, I’ll put them back together
In the middle of this world, who will you believe, and go walk with?
Will you take my hand?

Translation Annotations:

(1) It is way more than possible that I translated this incorrectly.

(2) This is probably better translated as “I miss you”. The Japanese don’t have a verb was we do for missing something, and even their adjective is a bit off when you try to translate. So, the best way to say “I miss you” is “I want to see you” and this largely because there is no present or future tense in Japanese. So, knowing that it may be in the future tense, can lend it a sort of feeling of longing.

(3) I choose to translate it like this because the way it’s sung, you can barely hear half the syllables. It sort of sounds like “aitate” as opposed to “aitakute”. Also, the better translations is probably, “I miss you”… but that didn’t fit very well. Also, the lyric’s kanji has deliberately chosen the old version of how to write this verb (逢うas opposed to会う). I suppose this is to make the meaning more beautiful.

Ryuukyuu Aika Translation

Original Lyrics | Romanji Reading | Translation | Annotations

When I was teaching English, the only way I could get my students to listen to English music is if I played Monpachi or Avril Lavigne. I didn't like the latter, and I loved the former, so it's pretty obvious which one I choose. Of course, they only wanted to listen to the Japanese songs by Monpachi, so it often backfired, but on the whole it worked out all right.

One of my students, though, always wanted to listen to Ryuukyuu Aika. Why? I have no idea. I wish I had asked. Unfortunately, at the time, my Japanese wasn’t great and I didn’t really know what the song was about. Now, I really want to know why a student from the middle of Japan indentified with such a patriotic song of a place he has very little to do with.

Oh Masashi, I wish I could ask you.

[EDIT : The kimono the person is wearing above is the Okinawan style kimono. The design is inspired by my favorite traditional singers, Tink Tink (テインクテインク) in this video.]


琉球愛歌
MONGOL800
メッセージ

泣かないで人々よ　あなたのため明日のため
すべての国よ　うわべだけの付き合いやめて
忘れるな琉球の心　　武力使わず　自然を愛する
自分を捨てて誰かのため何かができる

日々あなた思い　一生が終わればいい
日々の暮らしの中　間違いだらけこの世の中

責任たらい廻し　子は親殺し　平気な顔
貧しい国見殺し　無力な自分　くずれる今

日々あなた思い　あなた思い　一生が終わればいい
日々あなた思い　あなた思い　一生が終えてもいい
日々あんたと僕　あなたと僕　一生を終えようか

Ryukyuu Aika
Mongoru Happyaku
MESSEEJI

Nakaide hitobito yo Anata no tame ashita no tame
Subete no kuni yo Uwabedake no tsukiai yamete
Wasureru na ryuukyuu kokoro buryoku sukawazu Shizen wo aisuru
Jibun wo sutetee dare ka no tame nanika ga dekiru

Hibi anata omoi Isshou ga owarebaii
Hibi no kurashi no naka Machigai darake kono yo no naka

Sekinin tarai mawashi Ko ha oyagoroshi Heiki na kao
Mazushii kuni migoroshi Muryoku na jibun Kuzureru ima

Hibi anata omoi Anata omoi Isshou ga owarebaii
Hibi anata omoi Anata omoi Issho ga oetemoii
Hibi anata to boku Anata to boku Isshou wo oeyouka


Ryuukyuu (1) Love Song
MONGOL800
Message

They are people who don’t cry for you or tomorrow
This whole country should stop socializing with just outward appearances
Don’t forget your Ryuukyuu heart, which doesn’t use military force (2) which loves nature
Leave yourself behind because you can do anything for someone else’s sake.

Day after day, your thoughts are that it’d (3) be better if it ended
Day after day in our lives, the world is full of mistakes

Responsibilities are being passed around, children kill their parents with calm faces
We let this poor country die, we have no power, and it’s all crumbling

Day after day, your thought, your thoughts are that it’d be best for it to end
Day after day, your thoughts, your thoughts are it’d be okay to finish it
Day after day, you and me, you and me, let’s finish it!


ANNOTATIONS:

1. Ryuukyuu is the native name for Okinawa. Obviously, it’s a more patriotic term for Okinawans who don’t feel that connected to mainland Japan.

2. I’d like to explain this a bit more, but since I’m not an expert I think I’d like to let this quote from a 1968 TIME article say it all (well, most of it anyway):

“History of Okinawa reveal distinguished record of conquerors.
We have honor to be subjugated in fourteenth century by Chinese pirates, In sixteenth century by English missionaries, In eighteenth century by Japanese warlords, And in twentieth century by American Marines."

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,841453,00.html#ixzz1MC3nAOKp

3. This isn’t about suicide… It’s just really hard to translate what it’s talking about. It uses the kanji for one and life (pronounced isshou) and it doesn't translate too well into English. It can mean doing something your whole life, or it can mean life (as in life, or an era) until its end. So… I just decided to call it “it” to be vague as well.