Kareuta

Romaji and English translation of the song 彼詩 (Kareuta) from the album TRACES VOL.2 BALLAD BEST (originally appearing on the photobook / bonus track release [Verwelktes Gedicht]) by the GazettE.

The lyrics don’t appear to have been changed when they re-recorded the original song for TRACES VOL.2.

Lyrics originally sung in English are in italics , and words or phrases I felt were implied are in [brackets] in the translation.

I also (usually) put repeats of chorus/verses/stanzas in [brackets] if they’re not written that way in the original lyrics for ease of singing along.

If he writes a word in the lyrics but doesn’t sing it, I put it in light grey to make it easier to skip when singing along.

I usually romajize katakana characters in CAPITALS, and keep punctuation and line spacing as close to the original booklet as possible. If you see me putting spaces before punctuation at the end of a sentence or writing things in mixed-case capitals, that’s because it’s how it was in the booklet.

Any comments I had during the romajization/translation process will be included as footnotes so as not to disturb the flow of the song. They’re not required reading, but Ruki does some pretty nifty things with his lyrics/kanji choices, or sometimes there’s further explanations about words or phrases in there.

Kareuta: Romaji

Kuukyo datta kokoro no uta     imi nado sagasezu
Furikaereba     soko ni wa nanimo nokotte nakatta
Toki ga tateba iro aseteku     hana no you na uta
Hibiku hazo mo nai kareta uta

Kako wo motomete hanarete yuku
Wakatteta¹ hazu nanoni naze itamu
Mimi ni nokoru sono neiro wa doredake mune ni hibite kurete masu ka?

Nanimo kawaranai no ni     ano koro yori mo
Mae wo muketeru no ni     okashii ne
Dandan tooiku natte     te ga todokanakute
Sabishii no wa onaji hazu nanoni
Nani wo motomete iru no?     wakatteranaku natte
Kidzukeba mou dokoka e     tobitatta ato
Muryoku na jibun ni kidzuki     furikaereba
Soko ni wa hikabita ore ga ita

Doushiyou mo naku kanashii toki ni koboreru

Namida no youna itsuwaru koto no nai uta wo
Kotoba ni naranai hodo ureshii toki ni
Egao no youna uta ga utae tara…

Furue wa mada hidoku tsudzuku
Iki wo kirashi tachi domareba
Nanimo nai katta ano toki to onaji
Tsumetai mainichi ni kaeritakunai

Osanaki　korokara     yumemiteta yume no naka
Ippozutsu     mata ippozutsu
Sasae atte     warai atte
Naite     kizutsuite
Onaji iro no yume wo tomoni aruite yukou

Doushiyou monaku tsurai toki ni misete
Yowasa wo sasaete kureta shinjiru hito e
Bukiyou na kotoba deshika ienai kedo
Kareta koe ga togireru made koko ni itai

Doushiyou monaku kanashii toki ni
Koboreru namida no youna itsuwaru koto no nai uta wo
Kotoba ni naranai hodo ureshii toki ni
Egao no youna uta ga utae tara…

Kareta koe ga togireru made koko ni itai

Kareta koe ga togireru made

Withered Song²: Translation

I’m searching for meaning in my heart’s empty song
When I turned around, there was nothing left there
Time passes, and the song begins to fade like a flower
Songs should continue to echo, not wither away

I long for the past, but it seems so far away
I should have understood, so why does it still hurt?
How long will the haunting melody that lingers in my ear continue to echo in my heart?

Nothing has changed     since that time
Before, I looked to you     It’s funny, isn’t it
Gradually, the distance [between us] increased     until you were out of my reach
Either way, loneliness is to be expected
So what am I longing for?     I don’t seem to know anymore
Before I realized where you were,     you’d flown away
I realize that on my own, I’m powerless     and looking back,
I see my shriveled self

It can’t be helped, sometimes you will be sad
Tears will fall Even songs cannot hide that fact
And sometimes you can’t help but to feel happier when you hear those words
And with a smile you’ll sing that song, then…

I was trembling violently and it went on and on
Until I ran out of breath and it finally ceased
Nothing is the same as that time
I won’t go back to being coldhearted every day

From the time we were children,     we dreamed those dreams inside us
One step at a time,     still one step at at time
We’ll support each other,     smiling together
Crying,     hurting
Together we’ll walk towards that same colorful dream

It can’t be helped, sometimes you’ll see heartbreak
We’ll support [each other through] our weakness and believe in mankind
I only have clumsy words with which to say it, but
I want to stay here until my fading voice gives out

I want to stay here until my fading voice gives out

Until my fading voice gives out

Ruki again uses his 理解 (rikai – comprehend) / 解 (waka – understand/realize) switch. See my comment in the D.L.N translation for my thoughts on this.
The second kanji used for the title, 詩 / uta, is typically translated as “poem” (the one for “song” is usually 歌 / uta) – however, he occasionally switches them out. Based on the rest of the lyrics, I ended up changing my old LiveJournal translation from “poem” to “song” since he talks about singing and echoing, which seems more like something you’d expect from music instead of poetry. It is also worth noting, however, that the name of the photobook this song was included in is [Verwelktes Gedicht], German for “Withered Poem,” so an argument could be made for “poem” over “song” based on that. I just preferred the way “song” fit with the feel of the rest of the lyrics.