Darkest Before Dawn – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: 三浦大知
• Album: HIT

Lyrics & Translation

Learning Japanese with Daichi Miura's “Darkest Before Dawn” offers a unique opportunity to connect with a message of hope and resilience. The song's clear and emotive lyrics, such as the powerful line “ひとりでもひとりじゃない” (hitori demo hitori janai - even if you're alone, you're not alone), provide a memorable and meaningful way to learn expressive phrases. The song is special for its blend of a smooth, forward-moving rhythm with a deeply encouraging theme, making the language learning process both inspiring and enjoyable.

[English]

I've always been searching for the answer

"Why?" Some would ask that question

The morning haze shrouds the road

The days we ran through

Hoping to reach higher

That's what I wished for

With that frustration

I ground it down

In this world

That’s pouring down

Everyone is waiting for the morning sun

Even alone

You’re not truly alone

The one there isn’t just you

Darkest Before Dawn, Darkest Before Dawn

Someday, when I find the answer

How many excuses can I erase?

From the open palm of my hand

Your own future

I was aiming for

No matter what dreams

If you let go of them

They become someone else’s

In this world

That’s pouring down

Everyone is waiting for the morning sun

Even alone

You’re not truly alone

The one there isn’t just you

Darkest Before Dawn, Darkest Before Dawn

Stand up again

Face it once more

Under the clear sky

A wall taller than my height

The strength I gained since then

Shows itself in my stride forward

Because someone is waiting for me to show

This moment

This impulse

Colors the black-and-white fragments

If I connect them

I can see it

A flower that blooms proudly in the sunlight

In this world

That’s pouring down

Everyone is waiting for the morning sun

Even alone

[Japanese]

いつも答え探していた

「なんで？」そう聞く人もいた

朝もや煙る道

駆け抜けた日々

もっと高く

そう願った

悔しさを

踏み固めた

この世界に

降り注ぐ

朝陽を誰しもが待っている

ひとりでも

ひとりじゃない

そこにいるのは君ひとりじゃない

Darkest Before Dawn　Darkest Before Dawn

いつか答え見つけたら

いくつ言い訳を消せるだろう

開いた手のひらに

君だけの未来

目指してた

どんな夢も

手放せば

誰かのもの

この世界に

降り注ぐ

朝陽を誰しもが待っている

ひとりでも

ひとりじゃない

そこにいるのは君ひとりじゃない

Darkest Before Dawn　Darkest Before Dawn

立ち上がって

また立ち向かって

晴れた空

背より高い壁

あれから得た強さを

前に進む姿を

見せたい人が待っているから

この瞬間が

この衝動が

白黒の欠片を色づける

つなげれば

見えるから

光を浴びて咲き誇る花

この世界に

降り注ぐ

朝陽を誰しもが待っている

ひとりでも

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
答え /kotae/ B1	noun - answer
高く /takaku/ B1	adverb - high
悔しさ /kurashisa/ B2	noun - regret
世界 /sekai/ A2	noun - world
朝陽 /asahi/ B2	noun - morning sun
未来 /mirai/ B1	noun - future
夢 /yume/ A2	noun - dream
強さ /tsuyosa/ B2	noun - strength
瞬間 /shunkan/ B2	noun - moment
衝動 /shoudou/ C1	noun - impulse
光 /hikari/ A1	noun - light
花 /hana/ A1	noun - flower
壁 /kabe/ B1	noun - wall
立ち上がる /tachiagaru/ B2	verb - to stand up
立ち向かう /tachimukau/ B2	verb - to confront

Key Grammar Structures

• なんで？

  ➔ Interrogative word 'why' used to ask for reasons or explanations.

  ➔ The word 'なんで' is a question format asking for the reason behind something.

• この世界に降り注ぐ

  ➔ Use of 'に' to indicate the target or direction of an action, here showing 'showering down on the world'.

  ➔ The particle 'に' marks the location or target where something is coming down or happening.

• ひとりでも ひとりじゃない

  ➔ Use of 'でも' to mean 'even' or 'also', highlighting inclusiveness; 'じゃない' is a negative form of 'です', meaning 'not'.

  ➔ The phrase emphasizes that even when alone, you're not truly alone due to the shared human experience.

• 立ち上がって また立ち向かって

  ➔ Use of the te-form 'て' to connect verbs indicating sequential actions, here 'stand up' then 'face again'.

  ➔ The te-form connects sequential actions, showing the progression of taking a stand and confronting challenges.

• 白黒の欠片を色づける

  ➔ Use of 'を' to mark the direct object, and '色づける' meaning 'to color' or 'to tint'.

  ➔ The particle 'を' indicates the object being colored, and '色づける' describes adding color or vibrancy.