SYMPHONIA – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: 中島美嘉
• Album: WA-Side Single「SYMPHONIA/知りたいこと、知りたくないこと」

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the beauty of the Japanese language through Mika Nakashima's 'SYMPHONIA.' This song offers a chance to learn poetic and emotional expressions, wrapped in a magnificent, symphonic melody. Its connection to the world of classical music and its themes of destiny and struggle make it a truly special and powerful piece to experience and learn from.

[English]

I gently embraced a transparent dream

On a star that will someday crumble

I was born and then

It feels like I'm disappearing

I was thinking about the fate of life

Shattered many times

Gathering my broken heart

Still looking at the sky, as if searching for a small light

Even the act of breathing

Is something I forget

Burned into my memory

Even all the sadness

Turns into beautiful music

Every time I lose meaning

You always find me

...

Even if I repeat it

I don't want to let go

Embracing encounters and farewells

I will continue to accept

Seeking answers

Wandering on a shadowy journey

I want to know how far

The world continues

As time circulates

There are things that never end

Even if someday

This body decays

It will turn into beautiful music

The proof of my life may

Shower light onto the next person

...

We are connecting to the future

...

I gently embraced a transparent dream

On a crumbling star

No matter how many times I am reborn

It will turn into beautiful music

Every time I lose meaning

You find me

And one day

A day will come when everything

Can be cherished

...

[Japanese]

透明な夢を そっと抱き寄せた

いつか崩れゆく星の上

生まれ落ちては

消えてくみたい

命の行方を考えていた

何度も砕けて

欠けた心を集める

小さな光を探すようにまだ 空を見て

息をすることも

忘れてしまうほどの

記憶に焼けつく

悲しみさえもすべて

美しい音楽になって

意味を見失うたびに

僕を見つけてくれるいつでも

繰り返しても

離したくない

出会いと別れを

受けとめてゆく

答えをもとめて

かげる旅路を彷徨う

世界はどこまで

続いてゆくの知りたいの

時間が巡るように

終わらないものがある

例えいつの日か

この身体が朽ちても

美しい音楽になって

生きた証は次の誰かへ

光を降らすかもしれない

僕らは繋いでゆく未来へと

透明な夢を

そっと抱き寄せた

崩れゆく星で

何度生まれ変わろうと

美しい音楽になって

意味を見失うたびに

僕を見つけてくれる

そして すべてのこと

愛しく思える日がくる

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
夢 /yume/ A2	noun - dream
星 /hoshi/ A2	noun - star
心 /kokoro/ B1	noun - heart/mind
光 /hikari/ A2	noun - light
悲しみ /kanashimi/ B1	noun - sadness
音楽 /ongaku/ A2	noun - music
未来 /mirai/ B1	noun - future
旅路 /tabiji/ B2	noun - journey
証 /akashi/ B2	noun - proof/evidence
出会い /deai/ B1	noun - encounter/meeting
別れ /wakare/ B1	noun - farewell/separation
答え /kotae/ B1	noun - answer
時間 /jikan/ A1	noun - time
身体 /karada/ B2	noun - body
美しい /utsukushii/ B1	adjective - beautiful
繋ぐ /tsunagu/ B2	verb - to connect

Key Grammar Structures

• 命の行方を考えていた

  ➔ 〜を考えていた (〜 o kangaete ita) - past continuous form to express 'was thinking about'

  ➔ The phrase uses the verb **考えていた** (kangaete ita), which is the past continuous tense of **考える** (to think), indicating an ongoing thought process in the past.

• 何度も砕けて

  ➔ 〜て (te-form) + いる (iru) - indicates ongoing or repeated action

  ➔ The verb **砕ける** (kudakeru) in the て-form + いる indicates a repeated or ongoing action of breaking or shattering, emphasizing multiple occurrences.

• 美しい音楽になって

  ➔ 〜に (ni) + なる (naru) - to become (a state or quality)

  ➔ The phrase **になって** uses **なる** to indicate a transformation into a certain state—in this case, becoming beautiful music.

• 意味を見失うたびに

  ➔ たびに (tabini) - every time (when the action occurs)

  ➔ The phrase **見失うたびに** uses **たびに** to indicate that the action of losing meaning happens repeatedly, every time a certain condition occurs.

• 答えをもとめて

  ➔ 〜を (wo) + もとめる (motomeru) - to seek or search for something

  ➔ The verb **求める** (motomeru) is in its dictionary form, used to express the act of seeking or looking for answers or solutions.

• 未来へと

  ➔ 〜へ (e) + と (to) - toward or to (direction)

  ➔ The particle **へ** indicates the direction or destination, and **と** adds emphasis or a sense of movement toward the future.