TESTAMENT – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: 水樹奈々

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the electrifying world of 'TESTAMENT' by Nana Mizuki, a high-octane anime opening that’s perfect for learning Japanese through its powerful lyrics. This song’s fast-paced rock sound and dramatic themes of perseverance and unwavering love offer an immersive experience, allowing you to grasp passionate expressions and fight-oriented vocabulary while enjoying one of J-Pop's most iconic vocal performances. Its strong connection to the 'Senki Zesshou Symphogear AXZ' anime also provides a rich cultural context to enhance your language learning journey.

[English]

Take flight, raising your voice

The dream in that clenched hand

Is so intense it can even carve open fate's rails (fiercely)

Letting myself be carried by the surging emotions

Can we provide the answer that justice demands? (We)

Cutting through the darkness and silence

Loudly like a lightning bolt

Let's push forward, piercing through the love we believe in

Even if my life burns out and I fall, a song that never ends

Illuminates the future shrouded in lament

Even if the world forsakes me and loneliness shoots its arrows

The passion that burns in my heart—flame—cannot be extinguished

Resound to you, no matter how many times, Love of all energy

The hope in those arms I hold tight

Cells inscribe their resolve (etching it)

We were born with feelings that can't be put into words

Expressing them in melodies (drawing them)

Every time I yearn for something

The light and dark swirl together—a duet—

Let's entrust ourselves to the heartbeat that instinct shows

If you desire it

Let's shout out loud enough to cover the heavens and the earth

The more I chase, the more the confusion takes root and shatters

Even if someone's wish tries to cloud this sky

The tomorrow we weave together pierces through the darkness

Stripping away the concept trapped in the noise—a veil—

I want to protect a smile more special than a miracle

Even if my life burns out and I fall, a song that never ends

Illuminates the future shrouded in lament

Even if the world forsakes me and I am shattered

The passion that burns in my heart—flame—cannot be extinguished

Resound to you, no matter how many times, Love of all energy

Take flight, raising your voice

...

[Japanese]

飛び立て、声を翳して

握り締めたその手にある夢は

運命ーレールーさえ抉じ開けるほど疼くよ（激しく）

沸き上がる感情に身を任せ

正義が求める答え、出せるのか？（僕らは）

暗闇ー沈黙ーちんもくを切り裂いてく

稲妻のように高らかに

信じた愛を貫き進もう

命燃え尽きて倒れても 終わることのない歌が

嘆きで霞む未来照らし出す

例え、世界から見放され 寂寥の矢射られても

胸に灯る情熱ー炎ーほのおは消せないから

君に響け何度でも Love of all energy

抱き締めたその腕にある希望

細胞が覚悟へと記していく(刻むよ)

僕たちは産まれ落ちる前から

言葉にできない想いを旋律に(描いて)

何かに焦がれるたび

渦巻いて行く明暗ーデュエットー

本能が示す鼓動に委ねよう

君が望むなら

天地さえ覆すほど叫ぼう

追うほどに根付く迷い打ち壊す

誰かの願いが この空を曇らせようとしても

君と紡ぐ明日が闇を穿つ

喧騒に囚われた概念ーべールーを剥ぎ取り

奇跡より特別な笑顔を守りたい

命燃え尽きて倒れても 終わることのない歌が

嘆きで霞む未来照らし出す

例え、世界から見放され 砕かれても

胸に灯る情熱ー炎ーほのおは消せないから

君に響け何度でも Love of all energy

飛び立て、声を翳して

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
夢 /yume/ A2	noun - dream
運命 /unmei/ B2	noun - destiny
感情 /kanjō/ B1	noun - emotion
正義 /seigi/ B2	noun - justice
未来 /mirai/ A2	noun - future
情熱 /jōnetsu/ B2	noun - passion
希望 /kibō/ A2	noun - hope
愛 /ai/ A1	noun - love
歌 /uta/ A1	noun - song
声 /koe/ A1	noun - voice
光 /hikari/ A2	noun - light
道 /michi/ A2	noun - path
心 /kokoro/ A1	noun - heart
力 /chikara/ A2	noun - power
運 /un/ B2	noun - fortune
希望 /kibō/ A2	noun - hope

Key Grammar Structures

• 飛び立て、声を翳して

  ➔ Imperative form + te-form to connect commands or actions

  ➔ The phrase uses the **imperative form** to give an order or encouragement, combined with the **te-form** to connect actions smoothly.

• 運命ーレールーさえ抉じ開けるほど疼くよ（激しく）

  ➔ Using the noun + さえ (even) + verb to express emphasis or that even 'fate' can be opened.

  ➔ The particle **さえ** emphasizes that even something as abstract as 'fate' can be influenced or opened.

• 命燃え尽きて倒れても 終わることのない歌が

  ➔ Conditional form + ても (even if) expresses concession or contrast

  ➔ The **ても** form indicates that regardless of dying out or falling, the song continues without end.

• 嘆きで霞む未来照らし出す

  ➔ Noun + で indicating the means/method (by grief) / verb in causative form

  ➔ The particle **で** indicates the means or method, here 'grief,' which causes the future to be illuminated.

• 君と紡ぐ明日が闇を穿つ

  ➔ Verb stem + ぐ (gure) to form a verb, used here with紡ぐ to mean 'to weave/together'.

  ➔ The **ぐ** (gure) suffix, attached to the verb stem, is used to create a verb meaning 'to weave' or 'to spin', expressing the act of creating or shaping the future together.

• 例え、世界から見放され 寂寥の矢射られても

  ➔ Conditional clause + でも (even if) expressing concession; 例え introduces a hypothetical scenario.

  ➔ The phrase uses a **conditional clause** with でも to express that even if the world forsakes us and arrows of loneliness are shot, the resolve remains.

• 君に響け何度でも Love of all energy

  ➔ Verb in imperative form (響け) + もでも (repetition emphasis)

  ➔ The **imperative form** of the verb **響け** (resound) is emphasized with **でもでも** to express repeated or unwavering resolve.