PLEDGE

Romaji and English translation of the song PLEDGE from the album TOXIC, the single PLEDGE, and the compilation album TRACES VOL.2 BALLAD BEST by the GazettE.

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

PLEDGE was used as the commercial theme song advertising a 2010 GEM CEREY / Ruki of the GazettE jewelry collaboration.

• 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.

PLEDGE: Romaji

Kizutsuketa ato de shika     kizukenakatta koto
Ayamachi no kazu     kimi wo motome     mitsume aeta hazusa

Chiisana uso ga hibi wo umeteita     utagai wo kawasu you ni
Ushinau imi wo kokoro ga shiru     tachitsukusu nido me no fuyu

Kimi wa mienai asu ni tomadoi     koe wo age naiteita ne
Kotoba wo sagasu koto mo dekizuni ochiru namida wo hirotta

Sabishisa ni tsutsumareta hibi wa tagai wo nurashi
Rikai wo motomeai     kurikaeshite mata fukaku omoeru

Towa wo kanjita no wa uso janai
Tashikani kimi no tonari de

“Aishiteru” nande     mou iranai     tada     zutto sobani ite to
Koe wo karashi naiteita kimi ni     kowarete yukitai

Saisho de saigo no kotoba wa kimi he
Sono ude wo hanasanu you
Kata wo narabeta onaji yume ga futari wo sarau

Chiisana uso ga katachi wo kaete shiroi iki ni tokete yuku
Ushinau imi wo wasurenu you ni nandomo mune ni kizamu yo

“Sayonara” wa kokoni oite     arukidasou
Mou nido to miushinau koto wa nai

Futari     ai wo tashikameau you ni kanashimi mo mite kitakara
Ashita     futari kiete shimatte mo     mou nakana kuteii yo

Itsuka sugisaru kisetsu no you ni kawari yuku futari ga ite
Kanashimi ni tachi domaru yoru ga kitemo     wasurenaide
Owaru koto wa nai
Fukai yume no naka

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PLEDGE¹: Translation

It was only after I undoubtedly hurt your feelings     that I realized
Instead of me finding fault     with what you wanted     we should have been fixing our eyes on each other

Every day was filled with little lies     so I could avoid your questions
My heart knows the reason I lost you     as I stood frozen for the second time that winter

I feel lost in a future where I can’t see you,     so I raised my voice and cried
My falling tears accumulated because of the words I wasn’t able to find

Those days wrapped in loneliness soaked us both
We try to understand each other     over and over again     we still want it so deeply

It wasn’t a lie when I said it felt like an eternity
That I was by your side

I don’t need     even “I love you”s anymore     if you’ll just     stay by my side forever
Because [I’m the reason] your voice is hoarse from crying
I want to be broken, too

My first and last words are for you
So please don’t let go of my arm
That common dream we shared, standing shoulder-to-shoulder, swept us both away

Those small lies change shape and melt into the white mist of our breath
So that I don’t forget the meaning of losing you, I’ll carve it into my heart over and over again

You said “goodbye” as if you were going to walk away
But there’s no need, because I won’t lose you again

Together     we had to see sadness so our love could be strengthened
Even if we knew we were going to disappear      tomorrow     we still wouldn’t have to cry anymore

Someday, like the passing seasons, we two will also change
But if a night ever comes when you’re frozen by sorrow     don’t forget
Inside this deep dream
There is never an end

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TRACES VOL.2 BALLAD BEST album cover art © 2017 Sony Music / JPU Records