月に斑雲 紫陽花に雨
艶めく月を抱く 淡い斑雲
この私も独り 薄れ逝く
五月雨の昊を朦朧と窓越しに視て
瞳を潤わす 私は私なのだろうか?
考える そう 肘をつき
眼を閉じて 吐息を顰め
艶めく月を抱く 淡い斑雲
そっと橤へと雪ぐ 霈のように
この私も独り 翳り萎れる
逸そこのまま融けて 無空に消えたい
卍華鏡みたいな繰返す毎日に倦み
掌のうえの 気休めをまた口に含む
時は唯 明日を連れ
容赦無い 光を浴びせ
艶めく月を抱く 淡い斑雲
そっと橤へと雪ぐ 霈のように
この私も独り 翳り萎れる
逸そこのまま融けて 無空に消えたい
哀しくて、、、 もう、、、 苦しくて、、、
只管に 頭をかかえ眠る
何時からが過去なの?
何時からが未来?
現在此処に居るのは誰でしょう?
艶めく月を抱く 淡い斑雲
そっと橤へと雪ぐ 霈のように
この私も独り 翳り萎れる
逸そこのまま融けて 無空に消えたい
あの皐月のように あの紫陽花のように 私も消えたい
Clouds over the Moon, Rain on the Flowers
Pale, irregular clouds embrace the alluring moon
I'm also alone like this, fading away
I vaguely gaze through the window at a sky of summer rain
My eyes moisten, am I even myself?
Thinking about it, I lean on my elbows
I close my eyes and sigh with a furrowed brow
Pale, irregular clouds embrace the alluring moon
Like a rainy spell gently washing the stamens
I'm also alone like this, gloomily wilting
Idle as I am, I want to dissolve and vanish into emptiness
I tire of each day that repeats like a kaleidoscope
The relief on my palms, I'll hold it to my mouth again
Time is, as usual, leading into tomorrow
Pouring forth with unforgiving light
Pale, irregular clouds embrace the alluring moon
Like a rainy spell gently washing the stamens
I'm also alone like this, gloomily wilting
Idle as I am, I want to dissolve and vanish into emptiness
Sadly... so painfully...
Nothing but a troubled sleep
Since when was the past?
From when will it be the future?
Who am I here in the present?
Pale, irregular clouds embrace the alluring moon
Like a rainy spell gently washing the stamens
I'm also alone like this, gloomily wilting
Idle as I am, I want to dissolve and vanish into emptiness
Like the azaleas, like the hydrangeas, I want to disappear
Notes:
The hana in the title is written 紫陽花 (ajisai) - hydrangea. Hydrangeas grow in early summer, Japan's rainy season. The title of this song was originally meant to be just "Ajisai". Isshi talks about that and more in this interview.
Azaleas grow in May, just before rainy season begins.
*Isshi sings "iromeku" which means 'colourful' but the text is printed 艶めく (tsuyameku) which means 'alluring'.
**The kanji he uses in Kaleidoscope is not typical. Kaleidoscope is normally written with the following kanji: 万華鏡 ('ten thousand-flower-mirror'). Isshi's substituted 万 ('ten-thousand') for a symbol that is the reverse of swastika. 卍 is the symbol sauvastika, called manji in Japanese, and in Buddism it represents eternity and balance. So instead of a "mirror of ten-thousand flowers," this kaleidoscope he's comparing the days to is more of a "mirror of eternal flowers." If you're interested, you can read more about the symbol's history here.