Welcome to Gaia! :: View User's Journal | Gaia Journals

Okay, next one's up, but I wanted to start this time with an opening rant. I have next to no confidence in the translation as it currently stands. I think that in a month or so, when I'm back in classes, the translation will change drastically (I am confident about the transliteration, however). The only question is how much. With that said, I think this does at least get the basic idea across, and so I am still posting it up. You will note that this time, there are asterisks but no corresponding footnotes. That's because I wound up with too many footnotes and decided to prune a few off (When a good tenth of the line is made up of asterisks, you know you've got a problem). Once I figure out exactly what footnotes I want to keep and which ones can probably be inferred, I will update this entry with the translation notes. One more note: If anyone reading this (If anyone is reading this) knows someone who has some real ability in Japanese who could double-check my work, I'd be most appreciative. This is the first time in a while that I have finished a song but was still doubting whether or not it accurately conveys the song, and so I'm certain there are some serious holes.
UPDATE: See, one day, and I already figured out that I needed to edit most of the ending. ^_~ Also, a partial footnoteage is now up. I still haven't figured out a good way to differentiate them without taking up too much of each line on asterisks, but I'll see to that in a bit. We'll see how long this version lasts.
With that, I give you:

Ark
Sound Horizon

「──箱庭を騙る檻の中で　禁断の海馬に手を加えて
”Hakoniwa wo kataru ori no naka de kindan no kikan* ni te wo kuwaete
In a cell with a fake garden, you broke the prohibition on tampering with people’s minds
驕れる無能な創造神にでも　成った心算なの……」
Ogoreru munou na kami* ni demo natta shinsan/tsumori* na no……”
You wanted to become a pompous but powerless god……”

…Love wishing to the “Ark”

(崩壊　其れは孕み続けた季節　二月の雪の日　『妹』（Soror)の記憶)
(Houkai. Sore wa harami tsuzuketa kisetsu. Nigatsu no yuki no hi. Soror no yume*)
(Crumbling. It’s the mating season. A snowy day in Febuary. Soror’s recollection.)

「我々を楽園へ導ける箱舟は　
“Wareware wo rakuen e michibikeru hakobune wa
“The ark that leads us to paradise
哀れなる魂を大地から解き放つ
Aware naru tamashii wo daichi kara tokihanatsu
Frees the helpless spirits from the earth
救いを求める貴女にArkを与えよう」
Sukui wo motomeru anata ni Ark wo ataeyou”
You seek salvation, and so I’ll present you with the Ark.”
《Arkと呼ばれた物》(それ)は月光を受けて銀色に煌いた…
Sore* wa gekkou wo ukete giniro ni kirameita…
It reflected the moonlight and shone with a silver glow…

想い出まで裏切った　冷たい言葉の雨
Omoide made uragitta tsumetai kotoba no ame
He betrayed everything, including her memories, in a rain of cold words
幸せだった二人　永遠に届かなくなる前に…
Shiawase datta futari towa* ni todokanaku naru mae ni…
The two of them were eternally happy, before she could no longer reach him…

「ねぇ…何故変わってしまったの？　あんなにも愛し合っていたのに」
“Nee... naze kawatte shimatta no? Anna ni mo ai shiatte ita no ni”
“Hey... why is it different now? We loved each other so much.”
涙を微笑みに換え詰め寄る　《Arkと呼ばれた物》(Knife)を握って…
Namida wo hooemi ni kae tsumeyoru Knife* wo nigitte…
Turning her tears into a smile, she draws closer, gripping the knife…

──愛憎の箱舟
……Aizou no Ark*
……O Ark of love and hatred

「さぁ…楽園へ還りましょう、お兄様…」
“Saa... rakuen e kaerimashou, Onii-sama...”
“Come on, let’s go home to Paradise, Brother...”

(因果　其れは手繰り寄せた糸　六月の雨の日　『兄』(Frater)の記憶)
(Inga. Sore wa taguriyoseta ito. Rokugatsu no ame no hi. Frater* no yume.)
Cause and effect. It’s a thread passing between two hands. A rainy day in June. Frater’s recollection.

信じてたその人に裏切られた少女
Shinjiteta sono hito ni uragirareta shoujo
That girl who he betrayed believed in it
逃げ込んだ楽園は信仰という狂気
Nigekonda rakuen wa shinkou to iu kyouki
She took refuge in a Paradise that was faith turned to madness
新しい世界へと羽ばたける自己暗示
Atarashii sekai e to habatakeru jikoanji*
She brainwashed herself with the idea of flying away to a new world
澄み渡る覚醒は進行という凶器
Sumiwataru kakusei wa shinkou to iu kyouki
Waking up with a clear head was a dangerous weapon called moving on




最期の瞬間(とき)に廻った　歪な愛の記憶
Saigo no toki* ni megutta ibitsu na ai no kioku
That last time, the memories of an elliptical, warped love spun round
脆弱な精神が堪えきれず　あの日嘘を吐いた…
Zeijaku na kokoro* ga taekirezu ano hi uso wo tsuita
His weak heart could not stand up to her that day when he lied

律すれば律する程堕ちる　赦されぬ想いに灼かれながら
Rissureba rissuru hodo ochiru yurusarenu omoi ni yakare nagara
If judgment is cast, then they will fall into that judgment while being burnt by the lack of forgiveness
まぐわう傷は深く甘く　破滅へ誘う…
Maguwau kizu wa fukaku amaku hametsu e izanau
The cut raked deeply into his body, inviting him sweetly into destruction

──背徳の箱舟
……Haitoku no Ark*
……O immoral Ark

「さぁ…楽園へ還りましょう、お兄様…」
“Saa... rakuen e kaerimashou, Onii-sama...”
“Come on... let’s go back to Paradise, Brother...”

被験体＃1096　通称『妹』(Soror)同じく
Hikentai #1096 tsuushou “Soror” onajiku
Experimental subject #1096, codename Soror, murdered
被験体＃1076　通称『兄』(Frater)を殺害
Hikentai #1076 tsuushou “Frater” wo satsugai
Experimental subject #1076, codename “Frater” from the same experiment








＜症例番号(Case Number)12＞
Case Number 12
過剰投影型依存における袋小路の模型(モデル)
Kajoutou eigata ison ni okeru fukurokouji no MODERU
Hyper-dependence on projection onto others leading to cessation of function
即ち《虚妄型箱舟依存症候群》(Ark)
Sunawachi Ark
Also called the Ark*

限りなく同一に近づける　追憶は狂気にも似た幻想
Kagiri naku douitsu ni chikazukeru tsuioku wa kyouki ni mo nita gensou
Coming closer to being one soul with no boundaries between the selves, the memories are illusions that look more and more like insanity
求める儘に唇を奪い合い　少しずつ楽園を追われてゆく
Motomeru mama ni kuchibiru wo ubaiai sukoshi zutsu rakuen wo owarete yuku
Struggling with their lips, as if calling out for each other, continuing to be chased a little at a time by this Paradise
同じ心的外傷(トラウマ)重ねれば響き合う　けれどそれ以上には…
Onaji TORAUMA kasanereba hibikiau keredo sore ijou ni wa…
If the same traumas* pile up, they’ll resonate with each other, but for at least that…

「──箱庭を騙る檻の中で　禁断の海馬(器官)に手を加えて
”Hakoniwa wo kataru ori no naka de kindan no kikan* ni te wo kuwaete
In a cell with a fake garden, you broke the prohibition on tampering with people’s minds
驕れる無能な創造神にでも　成った心算なの？」か…
Ogoreru munou na kami* ni demo natta shinsan/tsumori* na no?” ka…
You wanted to become a pompous but powerless god…” right?

在りし日に咲かせた花弁は　暗闇に散り逝くように凛と
Arishi hi ni sakaseta hanabira wa kurayami ni chiriyuku you ni rin to
The petals of the flowers she had grown when she was alive, as if falling into darkness
少女の声色で囁く「楽園へ還りましょう」…
Shoujo no kowairo de sasayaku “Rakuen e kaerimashou…”
Coldly whisper in the girl’s voice, “Let’s go home to Paradise…”

…Love wishing to the “Ark”

監視卿(Watcher)は天を仰ぎ深い溜息を吐く
Watcher wa ten wo aogi fukai tameiki wo haku
The Watcher looked up and breathed a sigh
失った筈の《左手の薬指》(場所)が虚しく疼いた
Ushinatta hazu no basho ga munashiku uzuita
Something that it was thought he had lost now hurt uselessly

──ふと彼が監視鏡(Monitor)の向こうへ視線を戻すと
......Futo kare ga Monitor no mukou e shisen wo modosu to
.......When he suddenly brought his gaze back to the other side of the Monitor
嗚呼…いつの間にか少女の背後には『仮面の男』が立っていた──
Aa... itsu no ma ni ka shoujo no haigo ni wa “kamen no otoko”* ga tatte ita.......
Oh... at some point, the “masked man” had come and was standing behind the girl......

*A multiple-translation footnote. The kanji is written “kaiba,” which can be read as “sea horse,” “walrus,” or “hippocampus.” Given the context, I am taking “hippocampus” as the most likely intended translation. However, the word is read, “kikan” or “organ.”
* The kanji for “souzou kami” or “god of creation” is read simply “kami” or “god.” Possibly, this is an attempt to link the imagery to the Judeo-Christian G-d.
*The kanji reads “shinsan,” but the word at this part sounds like “tsumori,” which basically means the same thing. Still, unlike the other notes, I do not have confirmation that it’s not just my ears going funny, so I’m leaving both words up.
*The kanji here is written “kioku” or “memory,” but read as “yume” or “dream.”
*The “sore” or “this” is in a parenthetical, and before it is written “Ark to yobareta mono” or “The thing called Ark.” I can only imagine that this is to clear with people what the this is referring to. Later on, the same thing is done, but with the word “Knife” in sore’s place.
*The word “eien” meaning “eternity” is replaced with the word “towa,” which means the same thing.
*”Jikoanji” means “autosuggestion in Japanese. Autosuggestions come from an old branch of self-improvement that I do not know much about. I hope to do more research later. However, dictionary.com says that they are “suggestion arising from oneself, as the repetition of verbal messages as a means of changing behavior.” I took my translation from that definition. The term “brainwashing,” however, might still be too strong.
*The word “shunkan,” meaning “seconds,” is replaced with “toki,” meaning “time.”
*The word “seishin,” meaning spirit or soul, is replaced with “kokoro,” meaning “heart.
*A long strain of kanji that is never actually spoken is another name given to the syndrome: delusionary-type ark-dependent syndrome. However, the entire thing is just read, “Ark.”
*The kanji is a combination of “mato,” meaning target, and “gaishou,” meaning “wound.” This would seem to indicate that the line refers to physical injury. However, the entire thing is simply read, “torauma,” a borrowed word meaning trauma, but of a psychological nature. The word in English, of course, refers to both and so serves as a sturdy blanket term.
*A friend I showed this song to interpreted the “masked man” to be a shinigami. The fact that the term is in quotes in the original lyrics as well supports that idea in my opinion.