アルジャーノン – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: ヨルシカ

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the heartfelt world of ヨルシカ's "アルジャーノン," a song that beautifully intertwines with the themes of love, dreams, and personal transformation. By exploring the lyrics and the story behind the song, you'll gain insights into the nuances of Japanese language and culture, while also reflecting on the universal experiences of love and self-discovery.

[English]

Why did you give your heart to me?

Why did you draw your eyes for me?

Swallowing winds that are bigger than the sky, clouds drifting by

My eyes are dreaming again

While barefoot

You slowly change, so very small

Like watching a bread that’s slowly swelling

You gradually start running

Ahead of long labyrinths, unaffected by fear

Why did you give me your name?

Why did you create hands for me?

Swallowing waves larger than the sea, with sands flowing by

Your small hands still looked far away

Let out a yawn

We slowly fall asleep

A very long tree growing right in the middle of our minds

Walking slowly at the roots

As if not fearing the long maze ahead

Will we someday meet someone we can never catch up to?

Will we someday be frozen before an unbreakable wall?

Will you someday give up on that too?

Slowly changing

Slowly changing

Slowly changing

We are slowly forgetting, so very small

Like watching a tower that gradually crumbles

We are slowly falling asleep

Falling asleep slowly

You are slowly changing, so very small

Like that shade of a tree growing in the middle of it

You slowly start running

Unfazed by the long labyrinth ahead

Certainly, while hesitating

[Japanese]

貴方はどうして僕に心をくれたんでしょう

貴方はどうして僕に目を描いたんだ

空より大きく 雲を流す風を呑み込んで

僕のまなこはまた夢を見ていた

裸足のままで

貴方はゆっくりと変わっていく とても小さく

少しずつ膨らむパンを眺めるように

貴方はゆっくりと走っていく

長い迷路の先も恐れないままで

貴方はどうして僕に名前をくれたんでしょう

貴方はどうして僕に手を作ったんだ

海より大きく 砂を流す波も呑み込んで

小さな両手はまだ遠くを見てた

あくびを一つ

僕らはゆっくりと眠っていく

とても長く 頭の真ん中に育っていく大きな木の

根本をゆっくりと歩いていく

長い迷路の先を恐れないように

いつかとても追いつけない人に出会うのだろうか

いつかとても越えられない壁に竦むのだろうか

いつか貴方もそれを諦めてしまうのだろうか

ゆっくりと変わっていく

ゆっくりと変わっていく

ゆっくりと変わっていく

僕らはゆっくりと忘れていく とても小さく

少しずつ崩れる塔を眺めるように

僕らはゆっくりと眠っていく

ゆっくりと眠っていく

貴方はゆっくりと変わっていく とても小さく

あの木の真ん中に育っていく木陰のように

貴方はゆっくりと走っていく

長い迷路の先も恐れないままで

確かに迷いながら

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
心 /こころ/ B1	noun - heart; mind; spirit
夢 /ゆめ/ A2	noun - dream
風 /かぜ/ A2	noun - wind
手 /て/ A1	noun - hand
名前 /なまえ/ A2	noun - name
壁 /かべ/ B1	noun - wall
迷路 /めいろ/ B2	noun - maze; labyrinth
変わる /かわる/ B1	verb - to change
走る /はしる/ A2	verb - to run
小さく /ちいさく/ A2	adverb - small; little
眠る /ねむる/ B1	verb - to sleep
育つ /そだつ/ B1	verb - to grow; to be raised
大きく /おおきく/ A2	adverb - big; large
恐れる /おそれる/ B2	verb - to fear; to be afraid of
忘れる /わすれる/ B1	verb - to forget
崩れる /くずれる/ B2	verb - to collapse; to fall apart

Key Grammar Structures

• 貴方はどうして僕に心をくれたんでしょう

  ➔ The use of 〜でしょう (deshou) indicates conjecture or supposition, often used when the speaker is pondering or asking for confirmation.

  ➔ The phrase "〜でしょう" expresses uncertainty or conjecture about a situation, often translating to "I wonder" or "probably".

• 空より大きく 雲を流す風を呑み込んで

  ➔ The verb 呑み込む (nomikomu) means "to swallow" or "to engulf," and is used here metaphorically to describe comprehending or absorbing.

  ➔ The verb "呑み込む" is used figuratively to describe grasping or comprehending abstract concepts or feelings.

• 僕らはゆっくりと忘れていく

  ➔ The verb 忘れる (wasureru) in the form 忘れていく (wasurete iku) indicates a gradual process of forgetting over time.

  ➔ The construction "〜ていく" describes a gradual transition or change over time.

• 長い迷路の先も恐れないままで

  ➔ The phrase ままで (mamade) indicates doing something "as it is" or "without changing"/ "remaining in a certain state."

  ➔ The pattern "〜まで" (mamade) combined with まま (mama) emphasizes doing something while remaining unchanged or in a specific state.

• 確かに迷いながら

  ➔ The phrase ながら (nagara) is used to indicate simultaneous actions, i.e., "while" doing one thing, another is happening.

  ➔ The particle "〜ながら" connects two verbs, indicating that both actions happen at the same time.