Agehachou (Swallowtail Butterfly)

HIRARI HIRARI to maiasobu you ni
sugata miseta AGEHACHOU
natsu no yoru no man'naka tsuki no shita
yorokobi toshite no IEROO urei wo obita BURUU ni
yo no hate ni nite iru shikkoku no hane
As if dancing here and there in play,
A swallowtail butterfly appeared
Under the moon on a late summer's night,
With its joyful yellows and blues tinged with sorrow
Its jet-black wings look like the ends of the world

tabibito ni tazunete mita doko made yuku no ka to
itsu ni nareba oeru no ka to
tabibito wa kotaeta owari nado wa nai sa
owaraseru koto wa dekiru kedo
I once asked a traveler where he was going
And when he would end his traveling
The traveler replied that he would never stop traveling
Though he could if he wanted to

sou... jaa o-ki wo tsukete to miokutta no wa zutto mae de
koko ni imada kaeranai
kare ga boku jishin da to kidzuita no wa
imasara ni natte datta
'Well then, take care,' I said so long ago to him in farewell
He has yet to come back,
But I've only now begun to realize
That "he" is really me.

anata ni aeta sore dake de yokatta
sekai ni hikari ga michita
yume de aeru dake de yokatta noni
ai saretai to negatte shimatta
sekai ga hyoujou wo kaeta
yo no hate de wa sora to umi ga majiru
I was happy just to have been able to meet you
My whole world was filled with light
I was happy just have met you in my dreams
But then I wished for love
And the whole world changed
At the ends of the earth, the sky and sea jumbled together

shijin ga tatta hitohira no kotonoha ni kometa
imi wo tsui ni shiru koto wa nai
sou sore wa tomo ni dekiru nara anata ni todokeba ii to omou
The meaning that poets put into their words
Aren't always understood by others
But if my friends can get it
Then I hope it can reach you, too.

moshi kore ga gikyoku nara nante hidoi SUTOORII darou
susumu koto mo modoru koto mo dekizu ni
tada hitori butai ni tatte iru dake nano dakara
If all this is nothing but a theater play
Then what a cruel story it is
I can't move forward or go back
Because I'm standing on the stage all alone

anata ga nozomu no nara kono mi nado
itsudemo sashidashite ii
furisosogu hinoko no tate ni narou
tada soko ni hitonigiri nokotta boku no omoi wo
sukui agete kokoro no sumi ni oite
If you wish it, I'll come to you
No matter the time of day
I'll become your shield from a downpour of sparks
Just, please, take that last handful of my love for you
And tuck it into a corner of your heart

anata ni aeta sore dake de yokatta
sekai ni hikari ga michita
yume de aeru dake de yokatta noni
ai saretai to negatte shimatta
sekai ga hyoujou wo kaeta
yo no hate de wa sora to umi ga majiru
I was happy just to have been able to meet you
My whole world was filled with light
I was happy just have met you in my dreams
But then I wished for love
And the whole world changed
At the ends of the earth, the sky and sea jumbled together

kouya ni saita AGEHACHOU
yuragu sono keshiki no mukou
chikadzuku koto wa dekinai OASHISU
tsumetai mizu wo kudasai
dekitara ai shite kudasai
boku no kata de hane wo yasumete okure
Swallowtail butterfly bloomed from a wasteland
Fluttering about before the landscape
I can't get near to the oasis, so
Kindly give me some cold water
And, if you can, a little love
Please rest your wings on my shoulder