Memento – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: nonoc
• Album: TVアニメ「Re:ゼロからから始める異世界生活」第2シーズンEDテーマソングシングル

Lyrics & Translation

"Memento" by nonoc is an enchanting song that serves as a beautiful entry point into the Japanese language. Its poetic lyrics, which explore themes of memory, struggle, and hope, are delivered with nonoc's distinct, ethereal vocals. Understanding the nuances of its verses offers a rich opportunity to learn Japanese emotional expressions and narrative depth, making it a truly special song for language enthusiasts.

[English]

The tragedy that marks the repeating time

Embrace it and let’s start again

...

A trembling heart senses the sadness

With my weak self, there’s no escape now

If someday this snow should stop...

I hold onto your words, prepared for the hurt

No matter how many times I knock on the memories of closed doors

If there’s something to melt these frozen tears, it’s that kindness

Don’t ever abandon the dream of tomorrow

May the blocked path continue, leaving traces of life

...

Igniting a faint hope

Descending deeply into the silence and darkness

To that nostalgic smile floating in the distance

My heart begins to groan, as if crying out

Forever hiding away the unforgiven sin that still lingers

So dear, why? The more precious it is, the more I want to forget

An innocent and unchanged heart forever

That powerless day, still frozen, waits endlessly

...

The past, present, and future

Surely all of it will encounter

The separated parts of myself here

No matter how many times I knock on the memories of closed doors...

No matter how many times I dream of tomorrow...

No matter how many times I knock on the memories of closed doors

If there’s something to melt these frozen tears, it’s that kindness

Don’t ever abandon the dream of tomorrow

May the blocked path continue, leaving traces of life

...

No matter how many tragedies I overcome in repetition

I return again, still weak as I am

I’m searching, searching only for true hope

Shattered, shattered until everything becomes zero

No matter how many tragedies I overcome in repetition

I’m searching, searching only for true hope

...

[Japanese]

繰り返す時を 刻む悲劇を

抱いてまた 始めよう

震える心は 悲しみを予感してる

弱いままの自分 逃げ場はもうないの

いつかこの雪も 止むなら...

傷つく覚悟と 君の言葉 握る

何度でもドアを 閉じた記憶を 叩いて 叩いて

凍てついた涙 溶かすものなら その優しさ

何度でも明日を 夢見ることを 捨てたりしないで

塞がれた道が 命の跡が 続きますように

かすかな希望を 灯して

静寂の闇を 深く降りゆく

彼方に浮かんだ 懐かしいその笑顔に

胸は軋み出す 泣き叫んでるように

いつまでも今も 癒えない罪を 遠ざけて隠した

愛しくて どうして？ 大切なほど 忘れたくて

いつまでも何も 変わらぬ無垢で 幼い心は

力なきあの日 凍えたままで ずっと待っている

過去も現在も未来も

きっとすべては出会う

離れ離れの自分も ここで

何度でもドアを 閉じた記憶を...

何度でも明日を 夢見ることを...

何度でもドアを 閉じた記憶を 叩いて 叩いて

凍てついた涙 溶かすものなら その優しさ

何度でも明日を 夢見ることを 捨てたりしないで

塞がれた道が 命の跡が 続きますように

繰り返す 繰り返す 悲劇をいくつ越えても

また戻る また戻る 弱いままの自分

探してる 探してる 本当の希望だけを

砕かれる 砕かれる すべてがゼロになるまで

繰り返す 繰り返す 悲劇をいくつ越えても

探してる 探してる 本当の希望だけを

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
刻む /kizamu/ B2	verb - to carve, to engrave, to mark
悲劇 /higeiki/ B1	noun - tragedy
抱いて /dainte/ B1	verb - to hold, to embrace
震える /furueru/ B1	verb - to tremble, to shake
予感 /yokan/ B2	noun - premonition, presentiment
逃げ場 /nigeba/ B2	noun - escape, refuge
覚悟 /kakugo/ B2	noun - resolution, preparedness
溶かす /tokasu/ B1	verb - to melt, to dissolve
優しさ /yasashisa/ A2	noun - kindness, gentleness
夢見る /yume miru/ B1	verb - to dream, to envision
塞がれた /fusagareta/ B2	adjective - blocked, obstructed
跡 /ato/ A2	noun - trace, mark
静寂 /seijaku/ B2	noun - silence, tranquility
懐かしい /natsukashii/ B1	adjective - nostalgic, dear
軋み /kishimi/ C1	noun - creak, groan
無垢 /muku/ C1	adjective - innocent, pure
砕かれる / kudakaru/ B2	verb - to be shattered, to be crushed

Key Grammar Structures

• 繰り返す時を 刻む悲劇を

  ➔ Te form (て form) + 刻む

  ➔ The te form of the verb 繰り返す (kurikaesu) is used to connect it with the following verb 刻む (kizamu), indicating a sequence of actions.

• 震える心は 悲しみを予感してる

  ➔ ～ている (～te iru) form

  ➔ The ～ている form of the verb 予感する (yokan suru) indicates a continuous or ongoing state, here expressing that the heart is sensing sadness.

• いつかこの雪も 止むなら...

  ➔ ～なら (～nara) conditional

  ➔ The ～なら conditional is used to express a hypothetical situation, here meaning 'if this snow ever stops...'.

• 凍てついた涙 溶かすものなら

  ➔ ～ものなら (～mono nara)

  ➔ ～ものなら is used to express a strong wish or hypothetical condition, here meaning 'if only it could melt frozen tears'.

• 塞がれた道が 命の跡が 続きますように

  ➔ ～ように (～yō ni) wish

  ➔ ～ように is used to express a wish or hope, here meaning 'may the blocked path and the traces of life continue'.

• 愛しくて どうして？ 大切なほど 忘れたくて

  ➔ ～ほど (～hodo) proportional expression

  ➔ ～ほど is used to express a proportional relationship, here meaning 'the more precious, the more I want to forget'.

• 過去も現在も未来も きっとすべては出会う

  ➔ ～も (～mo) inclusive listing

  ➔ ～も is used to list items inclusively, here meaning 'the past, present, and future, all will surely meet'.

• 砕かれる 砕かれる すべてがゼロになるまで

  ➔ Passive form (～られる) repetition

  ➔ The passive form 砕かれる ( kudakareru ) is repeated to emphasize the action of being shattered, here meaning 'until everything is reduced to zero'.