初夏 – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: Ado

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the raw emotional landscape of Ado's "初夏" (Shoka), a powerful song written and composed by the artist herself. Through its poignant lyrics, you can explore nuanced Japanese expressions of self-reflection, frustration, and yearning. The song's unique blend of rock dynamics and Ado's distinctive vocal delivery offers an immersive listening experience, making it an excellent piece to connect with the depth of the Japanese language and modern J-Pop artistry.

[English]

Even if I cling to the thought of wanting to die, it means nothing.

I don't know that everything tangible has an end.

At the very bottom, in a drunken state, with these chaotic lyrics,

there are countless lives that cannot be saved.

Am I trying to be rewarded by hurting and being hurt?

"You can be happy...!" or something? (laughs)

Once again, I'm intoxicated by the early summer breeze.

I end up singing about my conceited self.

I don't know the right answer, so,

please tell me.

Tell me!

The words I loved have been broken.

I believed that someday I would be rewarded.

This voice I've built up is the wrong answer in this world.

"I hate that face that knows nothing."

No matter how many times, dozens, hundreds, thousands,

I want to die.

I was a fool, a little garden with puddles.

To close the wounds, I repeat the act of self-pleasure.

Astonished profile.

Even if I line up beautiful words more lovely than dreams before dawn,

the beautiful fireworks of the city wither.

I'm not there; it's a festival after the fact.

The words I couldn't say overflow and won't stop.

Even if my wishes come true, nothing changes.

The promise we made someday has been forgotten.

Unable to be held back, I'm here alone.

No matter how many times, thousands, tens of thousands, billions,

won't you kill me?

If ethics creates reason,

is this hoarse voice justice?

If correctness always becomes kindness,

please tell me.

Tell me.

Teach me.

Answer me!

That person I loved will no longer save me.

I believed that someday I would be rewarded.

The future I once envisioned has long become the past.

"I know nothing," so I sing here.

No matter how many times, dozens, hundreds, thousands,

I breathe,

no matter how many times, thousands, tens of thousands, billions,

I shouted.

...

[Japanese]

死にたい死にたいって縋ってたって何にも意味ないな

僕は知らないんだ 形あるもの全てに終わりが来ること。

最底、酩酊で、ありのままの、無茶苦茶な歌詞では

救えない命がいくつもある

傷つけて、傷つけて 報われようとしているのか？

「幸せになれる……！」とか？笑

初夏の風にまたや酔わされて

自惚れた自我を歌ってしまう

正しい答えがわからない、だから

教えて

教えて！

好きだった言葉は壊されてしまいました

いつか報われると信じていたのに

積み上げたこの声はこの世界の不正解だ

「何も知らないその顔が嫌い。」

何十回何百何千回だって

死にたいんだ

僕は僕は、僕は馬鹿だった 水溜る箱庭

傷口を塞ぐために また自慰を繰り返す

呆れた横顔

夜明け前の夢より綺麗な言葉を並べても

美しく枯れる都会の花火

そこに僕はいない 後の祭

言えなかった言葉が 溢れ出して止まらないな

望みを叶えても 変わりゃしなくて

いつの日にか交わした約束は忘れられて

引き止められず、ここには1人

何千回何万何億回だって

殺してくれないか

倫理が道理を作るのなら

嗄れたこの声は正義なの？

正しさが常に優しさになるなら

教えて

教えて

教えて

答えて！

好きだったあの人はもう僕を救わないな

いつか報われると信じていたのに

いつの日にか描いた未来はとうに過去になって

「何も知らない」だから、ここで歌う

何十回何百何千回だって

息をしては

何千回何万何億回だって

叫んだんだ

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
死にたい /ʃinitai/ B1	adjective - wanting to die
意味 /imi/ A2	noun - meaning, significance
終わり /owari/ A2	noun - end, finish
救う /sukuu/ B2	verb - to save, to rescue
命 /inochi/ A2	noun - life
傷つける /kizutsukeru/ B2	verb - to hurt, to wound
幸せ /shiawase/ A2	adjective - happy, fortunate
風 /kaze/ A1	noun - wind
自我 /jiga/ B2	noun - ego, self
言葉 /kotoba/ A1	noun - word, language
声 /koe/ A1	noun - voice
顔 /kao/ A1	noun - face
夢 /jume/ A2	noun - dream
花火 /hanabi/ A2	noun - fireworks
未来 /mirai/ A2	noun - future
正義 /seigi/ B2	noun - justice

Key Grammar Structures

• 死にたい死にたいって縋ってたって何にも意味ないな

  ➔ て form (te-form) for connecting clauses

  ➔ The phrase uses the te-form of the verb to connect thoughts, indicating a continuation of ideas.

• 僕は知らないんだ 形あるもの全てに終わりが来ること。

  ➔ こと (koto) to nominalize a verb

  ➔ The use of こと turns the action of 'coming to an end' into a noun phrase, allowing for discussion about it.

• 傷つけて、傷つけて 報われようとしているのか？

  ➔ ようとしている (you to shite iru) to indicate an attempt

  ➔ This structure indicates that the subject is trying to do something, in this case, to be rewarded.

• 好きだった言葉は壊されてしまいました

  ➔ てしまう (te shimau) to express regret or completion

  ➔ This phrase indicates that the beloved words have been broken, expressing a sense of loss.

• 何千回何万何億回だって

  ➔ だって (datte) to express 'even if' or 'no matter how many times'

  ➔ This expression emphasizes the number of times something is done, indicating persistence.

• 引き止められず、ここには1人

  ➔ ず (zu) to indicate negation or inability

  ➔ This structure indicates that the subject cannot be stopped, emphasizing solitude.

• 倫理が道理を作るのなら

  ➔ のなら (no nara) to express a conditional

  ➔ This phrase sets up a hypothetical situation, suggesting that if ethics create reason, then something follows.