Sleep Walking Orchestra – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: 藤原基央, BUMP OF CHICKEN

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the enigmatic world of BUMP OF CHICKEN's "Sleep Walking Orchestra," the compelling opening theme for "Delicious in Dungeon." Its rich, globally-inspired soundscape and introspective lyrics offer a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in Japanese music and language. By exploring its unique blend of traditional and modern elements, you can not only appreciate its musical artistry but also deepen your understanding of the nuanced emotions and philosophical questions woven into its Japanese verses.

[English]

Light that slipped through the window from outside creates the first friend on the floor.

Easily taken from my empty hands, led away into a dream.

When a few ordinary things overlap, sometimes magic resides within.

That was probably a demon, and I'm trapped in an endless dream since then.

Inside a cage, I noticed a bird singing.

Things I lost, things I can't go back to.

Why does my body want to live? What is my heart seeking?

My lungs draw in the world that continues, I keep exhaling, proof of life.

Now, listen—the sound of the key turning, whispers of lost items.

Red blood flows through everything, pulling at invisible threads.

...

Remaining outside night and morning, faced with endless choices.

No matter how much I offer, there are treasures just out of reach.

Do I want to take them back? Or have I longed for them? They sway and fade beyond the bonfire.

Maybe it's time to move on—I'm not there yet, still in this endless dream.

If I am to go further forward.

Sing the song of the wind rushing past until dawn.

No matter who disappears, the stars will keep turning, tomorrow will turn the present into the past.

A brutally perfect world, where somewhere, an ant stumbles again.

The heartbeat drums still echo, guiding me that this is all there is.

Doubting everything, still my trusted steps keep moving forward.

Why does my body want to live? What is my heart seeking?

A world repeatedly connected without remorse, I keep exhaling again—the proof of life.

Now, listen—the sound of the key turning, whispers of lost items.

Red blood circulates through everything, in the place where these invisible threads unravel.

[Japanese]

外から窓をくぐった光が　床に作った最初の友達

空っぽの手を容易く取られて　連れ出されてから夢の中

幾つかの普通が重なり合うと　時々そこには魔法が宿る

あれは恐らく悪魔だった　あれから醒めない夢の中

籠の中　鳥が鳴いて気付いた

失くしていた事　もう引き返せない事

どうして体は生きたがるの　心に何を求めているの

肺が吸い込んだ　続きの世界　何度でも吐いた　命の証

さあ今　鍵が廻る音　探し物が囁くよ

赤い血が巡る　その全てで　見えない糸を手繰り寄せて

夜と朝から外れたままで　迫られ続ける取捨選択

何をどれだけ差し出したとしても　届かないほどの宝物

取り戻したいのか　憧れたのか　篝火の向こう揺れて消える

そろそろ往こうか　まだここじゃない　どこまで醒めない夢の中

まだ先へ進むというのならば

夜明けまで吹き抜けていく風の唄を

誰が消えても星は廻る　明日が今を過去にしていく

残酷なまでに完璧な世界　どこかでまた躓いた蟻

未だ響く心臓のドラム　それしかないと導くよ

疑いながら　その全てで　信じた足が運んでくれる

どうして体は生きたがるの　心に何を求めているの

性懲りも無く繋いだ世界　何度でも吐いた　命の証

さあ今　鍵が廻る音　探し物が囁くよ

赤い血が巡る　その全てで　見えない糸が解ける場所へ

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
窓 /mado/ A2	noun - window
友達 /tomodachi/ A1	noun - friend
魔法 /mahō/ B1	noun - magic
悪魔 /akuma/ B2	noun - devil
鳥 /tori/ A1	noun - bird
夢 /yume/ A2	noun - dream
鍵 /kagi/ A2	noun - key
糸 /ito/ B1	noun - thread
赤い /akai/ A2	adjective - red
血 /chi/ B1	noun - blood
風 /kaze/ A2	noun - wind
星 /hoshi/ A2	noun - star
心臓 /shinzō/ B1	noun - heart
ドラム /doramu/ B2	noun - drum
世界 /sekai/ A2	noun - world
命 /inochi/ B1	noun - life
証 /akashi/ B2	noun - proof

Key Grammar Structures

• 空っぽの手を容易く取られて

  ➔ Passive voice using 〜られる to indicate being taken or caught.

  ➔ The structure 〜られる is used to form the passive voice in Japanese.

• 幾つかの普通が重なり合うと

  ➔ Conditional clause using と to express 'when' or 'if' in context.

  ➔ The particle と after a clause indicates a conditional 'if' or 'when' relationship.

• 信じた足が運んでくれる

  ➔ Past tense form of 信じる and 〜てくれる to indicate someone else doing a favor.

  ➔ The verb 信じる in past tense combined with 〜てくれる expresses that someone else does something beneficial for the speaker.

• どこまで醒めない夢の中

  ➔ Question word どこまで combined with negative form of 目覚める to ask 'how far' one remains in an unending dream.

  ➔ The phrase combines a question word with a negative verb to inquire about the extent or limit of remaining in a dream.

• 見えない糸を手繰り寄せて

  ➔ Transitive verb 手繰り寄せて (tug or draw closer) used with 〜て to connect clauses.

  ➔ The verb 手繰り寄せて is a transitive form of 手繰る, meaning 'to pull closer' or 'draw towards oneself', used here with 〜て to connect actions.