Mad World – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: 浜崎あゆみ
• Album: M(A)DE IN JAPAN

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into Ayumi Hamasaki's thought-provoking song 'Mad World' and explore its profound message about environmental destruction and societal apathy. Discover how this J-pop ballad encourages listeners to reflect on their role in shaping a better world.

[English]

If only the trees could speak,

What would they be trying to tell us?

Cut down so cruelly,

Lying on the edge of death.

In endless foolishness,

The god of blame is laughing.

Tell me, if you would,

What do you think in times like this?

Tell me, if it were me,

What would I be feeling when I cry?

What would I be thinking,

I wonder?

Who can I truly pour my heart out to?

Even if just one person stands up,

It all feels meaningless.

Is this how someone unaware waits for others to go ahead?

Tell me, if you would,

What do you think in times like this?

Tell me, if it were me,

What would I be feeling when I cry?

What would I be thinking,

I wonder?

Who can I truly pour my heart out to?

[Japanese]

もし樹々が話せたら

何を訴えるだろう

無残に切り倒され

横たわる死の淵で

終わりなき愚かさに

ツケの神が笑ってる

教えてよねぇあなたなら

こんな時何を想う

教えてよねぇ私なら

こんな時何を想い涙して

いるのかなんて

本当を誰に吐けばいい

たった自分ひとりだけが

立ち上がったとこで

意味はない

そうやって知らぬ誰かが

先に立つのを待つの？

教えてよねぇあなたなら

こんな時何を想う

教えてよねぇ私なら

こんな時何を想い涙して

いるのかなんて

本当を誰に吐けばいい

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
樹々 /jyː/ B1	noun - trees
訴える /u.tsuː.a.ɛ.ru/ B2	verb - to appeal, to complain, to plead
切り倒され /ki.ri.tɑ.se/ B2	verb (passive form) - cut down, felled
淵 /fu.ni/ B2	noun - abyss, bottom of a deep place
愚かさ /o.ka.sa/ B1	noun - foolishness, stupidity
神 /ʃin/ A2	noun - god
笑ってる /wa.ra.tte.ru/ B1	verb (present continuous) - is laughing
想う /o.mo.u/ B1	verb - to think, to feel
涙 / nama.da/ A2	noun - tears
本当 /ho.ntoː/ B2	noun - truth, reality
吐けば /mo.tak.e.ba/ B2	verb - to vomit, to say
立ち上がった /ta.ti.a.ga.tta/ B2	verb (past tense) - stood up, rose
意味 /i.mi/ A2	noun - meaning, significance
知らぬ /sɯ.ɾa.nu/ B1	verb (negative form) - do not know

Key Grammar Structures

• もし樹々が話せたら

  ➔ Conditional form with 'たら' (if/when)

  ➔ Expresses a hypothetical situation or condition.

• 何を訴えるだろう

  ➔ Use of 'だろう' for conjecture or probability

  ➔ 'だろう' indicates conjecture or assumption about something.

• 横たわる死の淵で

  ➔ Using 'で' to indicate location or point of action

  ➔ 'で' marks the location where the action or state occurs.

• 終わりなき愚かさに

  ➔ 'なき' form to indicate lack or absence

  ➔ 'なき' is a classical or literary form used to mean 'without' or 'lack of'.

• ツケの神が笑ってる

  ➔ Using は to mark the subject of the sentence

  ➔ 'は' marks the topic or subject of the sentence, emphasizing it.

• こんな時何を想う

  ➔ Using 何を + verb to ask 'what' in a question

  ➔ '何を' is used with a verb to form a question asking 'what'.