Japanese death and life poem

The Japanese, they got some serious business going on. In the metaphorical sense and maybe the literal sense too.

ame ni mo makezu
kaze ni mo makezu
yuki ni mo natsu no atsusa ni mo makenu
jōbu na karada wo mochi
yoku wa naku
kesshite ikarazu
itsu mo shizuka ni waratte iru
ichi nichi ni genmai yon gō to
miso to sukoshi no yasai wo tabe
arayuru koto wo
jibun wo kanjō ni irezu ni
yoku mikiki shi wakari
soshite wasurezu
nohara no matsu no hayashi no kage no
chiisa na kayabuki no koya ni ite
higashi ni byōki no kodomo areba
itte kanbyō shite yari
nishi ni tsukareta haha areba
itte sono ine no taba wo oi
minami ni shinisō na hito areba
itte kowagaranakute mo ii to ii
kita ni kenka ya soshō ga areba
tsumaranai kara yamero to ii
hideri no toki wa namida wo nagashi
samusa no natsu wa oro-oro aruki
minna ni deku-no-bō to yobare
homerare mo sezu
ku ni mo sarezu
sō iu mono ni
watashi wa naritai

Be not defeated by the rain, Nor let the wind prove your better.
Succumb not to the snows of winter. Nor be bested by the heat of summer.

Be strong in body. Unfettered by desire. Not enticed to anger. Cultivate a quiet joy.
Count yourself last in everything. Put others before you.
Watch well and listen closely. Hold the learned lessons dear.

A thatch-roof house, in a meadow, nestled in a pine grove’s shade.

A handful of rice, some miso, and a few vegetables to suffice for the day.

If, to the East, a child lies sick: Go forth and nurse him to health.
If, to the West, an old lady stands exhausted: Go forth, and relieve her of burden.
If, to the South, a man lies dying: Go forth with words of courage to dispel his fear.
If, to the North, an argument or fight ensues:
Go forth and beg them stop such a waste of effort and of spirit.

In times of drought, shed tears of sympathy.
In summers cold, walk in concern and empathy.

Stand aloof of the unknowing masses:
Better dismissed as useless than flattered as a “Great Man”.

This is my goal, the person I strive to become.

Translation courtesy of http://benotdefeatedbytherain.blogspot.com/2009/09/this-is-poem-that-i-have-enjoyed-for.html

I’m working on “Stand aloof of the unknowing masses”. Since being seen as a fool or as baka, is better than living in obedience to society’s evil and especially humanity’s evil/flaws. If being too close to DC, the capital of the US, makes you corrupt… what does that say about being too attached to human society and people. It’s merely a density problem. Too dense and anything can become toxic, even oxygen.

My favorite trilogy has the youth, spring, and love phase of life well done. That’s Muv Luv Extra.

マブラヴ MuvLuv
MuvLuv Extra and Unlimited Opening Theme

心がゆれ動くたび kokoro ga yureugoku tabi
街も人も言葉も machi mo hito mo kotoba mo
違う色になる chigau iro ni naru
Each time my heart is shaken,
the streets, the people, the words,
all change their colors.

会えないだけで切ない aenai dake de setsunai
迷いの時の中で mayoi no toki no naka de
いつも呼んでいた itsudemo yondeita
It hurts every time I can’t see you.
I’ve always been calling for you
in my moments of indecision.

気づいてる?　夜の涙 kizuiteru? yoru no namida
ため息と孤独 tameiki to kodoku
ねえ　連れ出してすぐに nee, tsuredashite sugu ni
Have you noticed? I cry at night.
I sigh in my solitude.
Hey, take me away, right now.

あなたの瞳が映し出す未来 anata no hitomi ga utsushidasu mirai
ふたりの出会いに意味があるのなら futari no deai ni imi ga aru no nara
今　同じ夢を ima, onaji yume wo
見つめたいの　鍵をあげる mitsumetai no, kagi wo ageru
心の扉開けて kokoro no tobira akete
The future reflected in your eyes.
If there’s a reason we met,
then I want to have the same dream as you.
I’ll give you the key.
Open the door to my heart.

失うことが怖くて ushinau koto ga kowakute
気持ち隠し続けて kimochi kakushitsuzukete
ひとり悩んでた hitori nayandeta
I’m afraid of losing you,
so I keep hiding my feelings,
and worrying alone.

醒めない夢をさまよい samenai yume wo samayoi
いつも心ゆれてた itsumo kokoro yureteta
懐かしい痛み natsukashii itami
I wander through an unwaking dream.
I’ve always been anxious about this.
Such familiar pain…

強くなる　近づきたい tsuyoku naru, chikazukitai
大切な人に taisetsu na hito ni
そう　生まれ変わるから sou, umarekawaru kara
I’ll be strong. I wanna get closer to you.
You’re important to me.
Yes, I’ll try to better myself.

ふたりの想いがつくりだす世界 futari no omoi ga tsukuridasu sekai
本当の気持ちを見つめる勇気を hontou no kimochi wo mitsumeru yuuki wo
今　抱きしめたい ima, dakishimetai
優しくなる　感じあえる yasashiku naru, kanjiaeru
翼を今広げて tsubasa wo ima hirogete
The world our feelings create.
Right now, I want to embrace
the courage to look upon our true feelings.
I’ll be kind. We can feel each other.
Now spread your wings.

あなたの勇気が切り開く未来 anata no yuuki ga kirihiraku mirai
ふたりの想いが見つけだす希望 futari no omoi ga mitsukedasu kibou
今　信じあえる ima, shinjiaeru
あきらめない　心かさね akiramenai, kokoro kasane
永遠を抱きしめて eien wo dakishimete
The future your courage carves out for us.
Right now, we can trust each other,
and the hope that we’ll find our true feelings.
I won’t give up. Let’s put our hearts together.
Embrace eternity.

I will
MuvLuv Extra Ending Theme

あなたに届けよう　この想い今すぐに anata ni todokeyou, kono omoi ima sugu ni
強く抱きしめていて　ずっと忘れないように tsuyoku dakishimetite, zutto wasurenai you ni
I want this feeling to reach you right away.
Hold me as tight as you can, so that you’ll never forget me.

こわれていくバランス kowareteiku baransu
ふたりはどうなるのかな futari wa dou naru no kana
あなたは何も感じないの？ anata wa nanimo kanjinai no?
A balance continues to fall apart.
What’ll happen to the two of us?
Do you feel nothing?

あのコもあなたのこと ano ko mo anata no koto
見てると知っていたから miteru to shitteita kara
小さなことでも胸が痛んだ chiisana koto demo mune ga itanda
I’ve always known that she
was also looking at you.
It’s not a big deal, but my chest hurt.

このままじゃ変わらない　いつまでも kono mama ja kawaranai, itsumademo
臆病な私はもう終わりにして okubyou na watashi wa mou owari ni shite
Nothing will ever change, the way things are going.
I’m gonna put an end to my cowardice.

あなたに伝えよう　この気持ちまっすぐに anata ni tsutaeyou, kono kimochi massugu ni
名前を呼ぶだけで　切なさあふれる namae wo yobu dake de, setsunasa afureru
月明かり映して　零れた涙光る tsukiakari utsushite, koboreta namida hikaru
この手つかまえていて　ずっと離れないように kono te tsukamaeteite, zutto hanarenai you ni
I want to convey this feeling to you directly.
Just hearing you call my name makes the pain well up.
My tears flow, reflecting the moonlight.
Hold onto my hand, so that you’ll never let go.

あなたのことばかりの anata no koto bakari no
日記は続いてくよ nikki wa tsuzuiteku yo
読み返すたび　嬉しくて yomigaesu tabi, ureshikute
I keep adding to my diary,
full of nothing but you.
Rereading it always makes me happy.

ときめきも悲しみも tokimeki mo kanashimi mo
まよいも教えてくれた mayoi mo oshietekureta
どんな思い出も宝物だよ donna omoide mo takaramono dayo
You’re the one who taught me how to feel
excitement, sadness, and uncertainty.
All of my memories with you are treasures.

優しさに包まれ　守っていく yasashisa ni tsutsumare, mamotteiku
ふたりが信じている　永遠のとき futari ga shinjiteiru, eien no toki
I’m wrapped in kindness, which continues to protect
the eternal time we both believe in.

あなたに届けよう　この想い今すぐに anata ni todokeyou, kono omoi ima sugu ni
もう振り向かないで　扉の向こうへ mou furimukanaide, tobira no mukou e
夜空に降り続く　流れ星に祈るよ yozora ni furituzuku, nagareboshi ni inoru yo
強く抱きしめていて　ずっと忘れないように tsuyoku dakishimeteite, zutto wasurenai you ni
I want this feeling to reach you right away.
I pray to the shooting stars in the night sky that you’ll
never look back again, and just go through that door.
Hold me as tight as you can, so that you’ll never forget me.

あなたの微笑みは　私の勇気になる anata no hohoemi wa, watashi no yuuki ni naru
ふたりの物語　これから始まる futari no monogatari, kore kara hajimaru
輝く時間を越えて　私を連れていって kagayaku jikan wo koete, watashi wo tsureteitte
きっとみつけられるよ　いつか夢見た明日を kitto mitsukerareru yo, itsuka yume mita ashita wo
Your smile is my courage.
Our story starts here and now.
Take me beyond this shining time.
I’m sure we’ll be able to find the future we dreamed of.

This is the dirge in the conclusion of the trilogy.

How did we get here from the beginning? Well…

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