Small world – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: BUMP OF CHICKEN

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a gentle linguistic journey with BUMP OF CHICKEN's "Small world." This acoustic ballad, rich with heartfelt lyrics about connection and shared loneliness, offers an excellent opportunity to explore nuanced Japanese expressions of empathy and introspection. Its clear, evocative language and slower tempo make it perfect for understanding deeper meanings and the beauty of poetic Japanese songwriting, revealing how a 'small world' can hold profound significance.

[English]

I'm clumsy in many ways

I could only walk this path

Trying not to stumble as much as I can

And then I met you

In a world that can't be divided

Just for me, until I close my eyes and sleep

The loneliness I must face

I'm sure you have it too

I leave my secret sighs to the sunset

Things I've sunk and hidden

How do you know? Because it was the same

Even the night illuminated by scattered wishes

The parade heading somewhere, and someone's singing voice

None of it matters to us

If we laugh together, just for that moment

It's all ours

I feel like I'll soon misplace my words

Afraid I'll hurt you or make you angry

If I try to be careful

I just end up unable to speak

In your memories, just yours

No matter how I try, I can't be by your side

Tears come from there

At least now, I'm by your side

I want to feel this way because you made me feel it

Even though we don't say anything

The full moon reflects in your eyes

Unfulfilled dreams are more beautiful than any light

It's painful because I want to change but can't

Even if I can't notice a single shooting star

I found you, and you found me

I'm glad I was me

Even the night illuminated by scattered wishes

The parade heading somewhere, and someone's singing voice

None of it matters to us

If we laugh together, just for that moment

Even in a world so subtle that no one can notice

It's ours, it's ours

How do you know? Because it was the same

The full moon reflects in your eyes, the night stirs

Popcorn rolling, the climax of the parade

A world that doesn't matter swallows us, lulala, lulala

[Japanese]

いろいろと下手くそな僕は

この道しか歩いてこられなかった

出来るだけ転ばないように

そして君に出会えた

まぶた閉じてから寝るまでの

分けられない一人だけの世界で

必ず向き合う寂しさを

きっと君も持っている

秘密のため息は　夕陽に預けて

沈めて隠していた事

どうしてわかるの　同じだったから

散らばった願いの欠片で照らされた夜も

どこかへ向かうパレードも　誰かの歌う声も

僕らにはひとつも　関係ないもの

一緒に笑ったら　その時だけは全部

僕らのもの

すぐに言葉間違えそうで

傷付けたり怒らせたりしそうで

気をつけるようにしていたら

ただ喋れなくなっていた

君だけの思い出の中の

君の側にはどうやったって行けないのに

涙はそこからやってくる

せめて今　側にいる

そうしたいと思うのは　そうしてもらったから

何も喋らないのにさ

まんまるの月が　君の目に映る

叶わないままの夢はどんな光より綺麗で

変われないのに変わりたいままだから苦しくて

流れ星ひとつも　気付けなくても

君を見つけて　見つけてもらった僕は

僕でよかった

散らばった願いの欠片で照らされた夜も

どこかへ向かうパレードも　誰かの歌う声も

僕らにはひとつも　関係ないもの

一緒に笑ったら　その時だけは全部

誰にも気付けないくらい　ささやかな世界の中でも

僕らのもの　僕らのもの

どうしてわかるの　同じだったから

まんまるの月が　君の目に映る　夜が騒ぐ

ポップコーン転がっている　クライマックスのパレード

関係ない世界が　僕らを飲み込む　ルララ　ルララ

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
世界 /seɪkai/ A1	noun - world
君 /kimi/ A1	noun - you (informal)
涙 /namida/ A2	noun - tears
夢 /yume/ A2	noun - dream
声 /koe/ A2	noun - voice
思い出 /omoide/ B1	noun - memory
光 /hikari/ B1	noun - light
歌 /uta/ B1	noun - song
道 /michi/ B1	noun - path/way
夜 /yoru/ B1	noun - night
気持ち /kimochi/ B2	noun - feeling
関係 /kankei/ B2	noun - relationship
転ぶ /korobu/ B2	verb - to fall down
出会う /deau/ B2	verb - to meet
笑う /warau/ B2	verb - to laugh
気付く /kiduku/ B2	verb - to notice
苦しい /kurushii/ B2	adjective - painful

Key Grammar Structures

• この道しか歩いてこられなかった

  ➔ Using the restrictive particle "しか" with a negative verb to express "only"

  ➔ The particle "しか" emphasizes that the only option or possibility is the one described by the verb in its negative form.

• まぶた閉じてから寝るまでの

  ➔ Using "てから" to indicate "after" doing an action

  ➔ "てから" expresses the sequence of events: first one action, then another.

• 必ず向き合う寂しさを

  ➔ Using "必ず" with a verb to mean "certainly" or "always"

  ➔ "必ず" emphasizes that the action is done without fail or certainty.

• 叶わないままの夢はどんな光より綺麗で

  ➔ Using "〜より" to compare qualities (more than)

  ➔ "〜より" introduces a comparison, indicating that the dream is more beautiful than any light.

• 関係ない世界が　僕らを飲み込む

  ➔ Using the causative form "飲み込む" to mean "to swallow" or "to engulf"

  ➔ "飲み込む" generally means "to swallow," but metaphorically it can mean "to engulf" or "to consume" something like a world.

• 僕らにはひとつも　関係ないもの

  ➔ Using "も" to emphasize "none" or "not even one"

  ➔ "も" emphasizes the total negation, meaning there is not a single thing related.

• 流れ星ひとつも　気付けなくても

  ➔ Using "も" after "ひとつ" to mean "even one" (emphasizing that not even one star is noticed)

  ➔ "も" after "ひとつ" emphasizes that not even a single one (e.g., star) is noticed or acknowledged.