Chou (Butterfly)

Fly me to the sky kyou mo
I'm crying to the sky negau [1]
'anna ni takai basho ni wa ikenai'
nando mo sora wo mite   nando mo habataki
sono tabi tooku kaze ni moteasobareta
Fly me to the sky, this day too
I'm crying to the sky, praying [1]
'It's too high for me to reach,'
I gaze at the sky, I beat my wings
But the distant wind just teases me

'azayaka na hane wo hirogete
koyoi wa donna mitsu te ni iremashou ka?'
fukashigi na sejou wa yagate
watashi wo akagane ni somete shimatta [2]
shinka sareta yoroi no hane wo matotte iru chou wa kanashii
'Stretch out your brilliant wings,
What kind of nectar will you get tonight?'
This mysterious world has finally
Stained me in copper hues [2]
This sad butterfly wears new wings of armor

Fly me to the sky daremo ga
I'm crying to the sky warau [3]
'anna ni omoi hane nante iranai'
nanika no sei ni shite   nando mo kizutsuke
sabitsuita chi ga hokori wo sakenda
Fly me to the sky, everyone is
I'm crying to the sky, laughing and jeering [3]
'I don't need these heavy wings.'
Blaming others, getting hurt
My red-rusted blood cries out of pride:

'sora takaku maiagaru no wo
wasurete shimattara sono sugata no mama...
utsukushiku KOKORO migake yo'
utsushidasarete yuku kagami no you ni
inochi kakete sora he to mukau chou wa yagate nana-iro ni naru
'If you forget how to climb high in the sky
You'll stay forever like this...
So polish your beautiful heart!'
So that it'll shine like a mirror
Risking its life, this butterfly heads for the sky
And soon turns in a shimmering seven colors

hitori demo hitorikiri demo
ikite iku n'da kara tobu shika nai deshou
mashou toka no mahou no mitsu ga
temaneki wo shitatte nakitai toki datte
azayaka na hane ni mou ichido
modoreta sono toki wa   yoroi wo matotta
dareka no moto he to tonde yuku   kanashii me de sora wo miageru...
Even if I'm alone, even if I'm all alone,
I've got to go, so there's nothing left to do by fly
The devil's nectar may beckon to me
And I might fall into tears
But once I get back my brilliant wings
I'll have wearing a suit of armor
I'll fly off and go to someone
Gazing at the sky with sad eyes...

Translator's Notes :
[1] The reading 'negau' (to pray, to ask for) is given the kanji 'higan' (an earnest wish).
[2] The reading 'akagane' (copper) is given the kanji 'kin-iro' (gold).
[3] The reading 'warau' (to laugh) is given the kanji 'choushou' (to scorn, to jeer).