picture by shuka (taupe)
立てば芍薬
座れば牡丹
歩く姿は百合の花
tateba shakuyaku
suwareba botan
aruku sugata wa yuri-no-hana
A wild peony as she stands
A blossomed one as she sits
A shape like that of a lily as she walks
君がため 君がため
恋に狂えた娘が一人
kimi ga tame kimi ga tame
koi ni kurueta musume ga hitori
It’s for your sake, for your sake
The maiden who made my love go haywire is only one…
咲けば淑やか
揺らげば可憐
眠る姿は夢見草
sakeba shitoyaka
yurageba karen
nemuru sugata wa yumemi-gusa
So graceful as she blooms
And so lovely as she sways
Her sleeping figure is that of a dreamful flower
あ可よろし あ可よろし
華を喰らうた娘が独り
aka-yoroshi aka-yoroshi
hana o kurauta musume ga hitori
Aka-yoroshi, Aka-yoroshi
The girl feasting upon that flower is lonely
華を喰らうば華に成りけし
華に成るには華を喰らうべし
hana o kurauba hana ni narikeshi
hana ni naru ni wa hana o kurau beshi
Feasting upon flowers won’t let you become one,
For one should receive it to become one
口に鈴蘭
眸に蓮華
仰ぐ姿は彼岸花
kuchi ni suzuran
hitomi ni renge
aogu sugata wa higanbana
A lily of the valley over her mouth
A lotus flower reflects in her pupils
And as she looks up the sky, her figure is that of a lycoris
色がため色がため
標失くした娘が一人
iro ga tame iro ga tame
shirube nakushita musume ga hitori
It’s for your colors, for your colors
The maiden who lost her evidence is only one
笑みは幽艶
言葉は魔性
誘う姿は常世草
emi wa yuuen
kotoba wa mashou
sasou sugata wa tokoyogusa
Her smile, so fascinating
Her words, so devilish
Her beckoning figure is that of an everlasting far away tussock
不通坊 不通坊
華と狂えた娘が一人
toosen-bou toosen-bou
hana to kurueta musume ga hitori
I shall not wander, I won’t pass through
The maiden who made me go haywire and her flower are only one…
華を喰らうば華に成りけし
華に成るには華を喰らうべし
hana o kurauba hana ni narikeshi
hana ni naru ni wa hana o kurau beshi
Feasting upon flowers won’t let you become one,
For one should receive it to become one
～
Notes:
– The whole song is archaic-sounding. I tried to use more refined word, but I avoided an archaic-style of speech because not being a native english speaker I can’t say I do know it well (long story short: I could have wrote unbelievable BS if I tried).
– The first stanza seems a line used by female kodan-sha (actresses performing the japanese declamatory performance art “kodan”) when introducing female characters, usually used as a comedy deed. It dates back to an old Heian tradition of formal introductions.
– First stanza again, both “shakuyaku” and “botan” mean “peony”, but they’re two different species (peonia lactiflora = shakuyaku, a type of flower which blooms spontaneously / peonia suffruticosa = botan, the most common tree peony breeded type, which generated from hybridisation with other species of a subsection).
I added “wild” and “blossomed” to keep two distinct words for the same flower. Also, the meaning of the first stanza is that this girl (or maybe the subject herself) is so gracious (though the word I added) that when she sits, stands or walks seems to be like a flower. Again, that’s the meaning of the same kodan section I was talking about before (and I had the pleasure to see in first person not much time ago).
– Second stanza, “kimi ga tame” is probably refering to a poem inside the Hyaku-nin Isshuu, a classical collection of 100 poems by 100 poets and one of the most ancient and famous
– Fourth stanza, “akayoroshi” is a phrase appearing over the red poetry ribbon cards of every Hanafuda deck. It’s meaning is still unknown to this day. Literal translation could be “aka” (red) and “yoroshi” (good), something like “Red poetry ribbon of good luck”. Another teory says that it comes from the sentence “jitsu ni subarashii” (“it is truly wonderful”), which went through a process and became “akiraka ni yoroshii” (“it is obviously good”) and then “akiraka yoroshi” (“obviously good”) and then “aka-yoroshi” (Source). I left it untranslated anyways, though I liked this last interpretation.
– Fifth stanza + Last stanza, the verb “kurau” could both mean “eat/drink” but also “receive”. I think this section plays over the same meaning, refering to the fact that one should act respectfully in order to obtain something (instead of eating an innocent flower). My interpretation, by the way. This stanza is also repeated from the fifth stanza onwards as a background chorus throughout the song.
– Second to last stanza: “不通坊” was translated literally: Non(不) passing(通) boy/monk/male (坊). I choose to make it sounds as if it’s the (possibly male) subject talking. Also, should be read as “futsuu-bou”, but I think she’s saying “toosen-bou” (通せん坊) meaning the same thing, “a monk/boy/person not passing through”.
～
• Title: 華唄 (hana-uta) (Flower Song)
• Circle: ABSOLUTE CASTAWAY
• Album: 華唄 (hana-uta)
• Vocals: 中恵 光城 (Mitsuki Nakae)
• Lyrics: 黒川 うみ (Kurokawa Umi)
• Arrangement: 翡翠 (Hisui)
• Release Event: C76
• Source: Original
