エルフ – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: Ado

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the evocative world of Ado's "エルフ" (Elf), a powerful ballad that will not only captivate you with its emotional depth but also offer a unique window into the nuances of the Japanese language. Through its poetic lyrics, you can explore expressions of complex emotions like longing, struggle, and hope, and discover how Japanese conveys such profound feelings. The song's connection to a dramatic narrative provides a rich context, making it an engaging and memorable way to deepen your understanding of Japanese vocabulary and cultural storytelling.

[English]

Run fast, even faster, so you won't be caught by sorrow

Seek out the lit path, shining brightly, so dazzling it is

Challenge those who would hurt your beauty and nobility

Go to sleep, rest when you're weary, like a star constellation without a myth

After you let go, you'll realize—your fingertips' shape, your body heat

That lingering feeling stings in your chest

Forget what you've forgotten, erase sorrow and warmth from your mind

But still, what lingers in my ears is this firm hope for reunion:

"Goodbye"

Adieu, Adieu

Love You, and you?

Dance on, even if you're laughed at, like a branch brushing off the snow

Shout out loud, from your heart, let it echo that you were here

Fireworks in the distant sky blur as they explode

Searching for the home to return to, if you’re on this long, long journey

Raise your voice high—your heart belongs to you until the very last beat

Tears, let them flow—those drops will nurture your forest

That was a century of homesickness—counting even infinity

A person fighting on the edge of a monster-like world

You are an elf, an elf

(Beloved) your journey continues

Forget what you've forgotten, erase sorrow and warmth from your mind

Yet still, what remains in my ears is this firm hope for reunion:

Goodbye

Adieu, Adieu

Love You, and you?

Adieu, Adieu

...

[Japanese]

走りなさい　疾く　もっと疾く　哀しみに追いつかれないように

探しなさい　明かりの灯る道を　それはそれは眩いでしょう

挑みなさい　君の美しさや尊さを傷つけるモノに

眠りなさい　疲れたら眠りなさい　神話を持たないあの星座のように

手を離した後　君は気づくだろう　指の形　体温

その名残が胸を刺す

忘れたことも忘れてしまえ　哀しみも温もりも消えてしまえ

されど　今も耳に残るは　固く再会をうような

「さようなら」

Adieu Adieu

Love You And you？

踊りなさい　誰に笑われても　淡雪を払う枝のように

叫びなさい　心から叫びなさい　ここに確かにいたんだと響かせて

行合いの空に遠花火が滲む

帰るべき家を探す　長い長い旅路を行くなら

高らか鳴らせ　その心臓は最後の一打ちまで君の物だ

涙涙　溢れるがいい　降る雫が君の森を育てるだろう

それは千年のホームシックでした　無限さえも数え終えて

怪物のような世界の隅っこで戦い続ける人

君はエルフ　エルフ

(愛しき)旅は続く

忘れたことも忘れてしまえ　哀しみも温もりも消えちまえ

されど今も今も耳に残るは　固く再会を希うような

「さようなら」

Adieu Adieu

Love You And you？

Adieu Adieu

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
走り /haʃiɾi/ A1	noun - running, run
哀しみ /kanaʃimi/ B2	noun - sadness, sorrow
明かり /akaɾi/ A2	noun - light, illumination
道 /miʨi/ A1	noun - road, path
眩い /mabuʃi/ B2	adjective - dazzling, radiant
美しさ /utsukushi sa/ B1	noun - beauty
尊さ /toːtosa/ B2	noun - nobility, preciousness
モノ /mono/ A1	noun - thing, object
星座 /seːza/ B1	noun - constellation
指 /jbi/ A1	noun - finger
形 /kataʨi/ A2	noun - shape, form
体温 /taion/ A2	noun - body temperature
温もり /nukumoɾi/ B2	noun - warmth
雪 /juki/ A1	noun - snow
枝 /eda/ A2	noun - branch, twig
心臓 /shinzoː/ B1	noun - heart
涙 /namida/ A1	noun - tear
森 /moɾi/ A1	noun - forest
怪物 /kaibutsu/ B2	noun - monster
世界 /sekai/ A1	noun - world

Key Grammar Structures

• 走りなさい　疾く　もっと疾く

  ➔ Imperative form of the verb plus adverbs to give a command or encouragement.

  ➔ The phrase uses the **imperative form** of the verb "走る" (to run) to give a command, emphasizing urgency with "疾く" (quickly).

• 探しなさい　明かりの灯る道を

  ➔ Imperative form of the verb "探す" + object particle "を" to indicate what to search.

  ➔ The verb "探す" (to search) is in the **imperative form** "探しなさい" to give a direct command to search, with the object "明かりの灯る道" (the lit path).

• 眠りなさい　疲れたら眠りなさい

  ➔ Imperative form of "眠る" (to sleep), combined with conditional "たら" to express "if" or "when".

  ➔ The command "眠りなさい" (sleep) is reinforced with the conditional "疲れたら" (if you are tired), indicating the appropriate time to rest.

• 手を離した後　君は気づくだろう

  ➔ Past tense verb "離す" in "離した" + after clause, indicative of an action completed before realization.

  ➔ The phrase uses the **past tense** "離した" (let go) followed by "後" (after) to indicate that after releasing, the person will realize something.

• 忘れたことも忘れてしまえ

  ➔ Imperative form of the verb "忘れる" (to forget) with the auxiliary "しまえ" implying a command to completely forget.

  ➔ The phrase uses the **imperative form** "忘れなさい" (forget) combined with "しまえ" to strongly command to forget entirely.

• 固く再会を希うような

  ➔ Verb "希う" (to wish or hope) in its plain form used with "ような" to describe something resembling a certain manner or quality.

  ➔ The phrase combines the **plain form** of "希う" (to hope) with "ような" to depict something that resembles or embodies a certain manner of longing.

• 愛しき旅は続く

  ➔ Noun "旅" (journey) with the adjective "愛しき" (beloved) and the verb "続く" (to continue) in the plain form.

  ➔ The phrase uses the **noun + adjective + verb** structure, with "旅" (journey) described as "愛しき" (beloved) and continuing with "続く" (to continue).