why, or why not

It's in English (or at least Engrish) already, so what is there to translate? As it happens, I've managed to find a scan of the lyrics booklet, and it contains the meaning in Japanese as well as the lyrics that are actually sung. While they did a fairly credible job on the English, there are parts that don't really convey the intended meaning.

So first, here are the actual lyrics with the Japanese as given in the booklet.


Vocals:
Lyrics:
English Lyrics:
Composition & Arrangement:
片霧烈火
interface
綾菓
大嶋啓之
Rekka Katakiri
 
Kazaha
Hiroyuki Oshima
Lyrics Japanese
Intro ~18 seconds
To get my happiness I had done everything,
but had done nothing to be blamed and accused of.
The sound of footsteps became louder every day,
Then I noticed the fact there was no time.
幸福になるために、私はできる限りのことをした、
けれど、非難されるようなことは一切しなかった。
足音は、日増しに大きくなっていく。
果たして私は、もう時間が残されていないことに気づいた。
I was a believer in life to be myself always,
and was asking whether I would be alive.
常に自分らしくあるために、私は自らの生を肯正した、
そして、私が生きられるかどうかについて、問いつづけた。
Give me a reason why not to adopt in this way,
or judge me to be guilty of so many incurable sins.
Tell me why, or why not. Complaining way too much,
maybe I overlooked something fatal for me.
なぜ、この方法を用いてはならないかという理由を教えてください、
さもなければ、私を不治の罪により有罪であると、裁いてください。
なぜそうなのか、なぜそうではないのか、教えてください。
などと多くの不平を言いながら、もしかすると私は、
私にとって致命的な何かを、見落としていたのかもしれない。
Interlude ~35 seconds
The whole world was at a complete standstill,
and I was in fetters, at the mercy of the mob.
The silent warning became louder every day.
Then I kept pretending not to hear.
あまねく世界は、静止していた。
私は束縛されていて、暴徒らのなすがままだった。
無言の警告は、日増しに大きくなっていく。
果たして私は、それらが聞こえないふりをした。
Its meaning had been in the eyes of beholder all along.
It had grown dark before I found a sign.
その意味は、はじめからずっと、観察者の目に宿っていた。
私が兆候を見つけるより先に、辺りは暗くなっていた。
"Among the nonsense tragedies, what on earth are you looking for?
You only have to be honest with yourself and your own fate."
Tell me why, or why not. Complaining way too much,
maybe I overlooked something fatal for me.
「意味のない悲劇の中で、いったい何をお探しですか?
あなたは、あなた自身とその運命に対し、素直になりさえすればよいのです」
なぜそうなのか、なぜそうではないのか、教えてください。
などと多くの不平を言いながら、もしかすると私は、
私にとって致命的な何かを、見落としていたのかもしれない。
Interlude ~30 seconds
There is nobody who knows there will be nobody.
Except for me, all the world has gone mad.
今、ここに誰もいないことを知るものは、誰もいない。
私を除いて世界中のすべてが、まったくどうかしているのだ。
So what is forgiveness you are willing to withhold?
What is the well-being you are willing to make?
Now what? So what? Don't you come interrupt me, oh please,
while I am interrupting myself.
あなた(たち)が差し控えてもかまわないと思っている容赦とは、何ですか。
あなた(たち)が作り出してもかまわないと思っている安寧とは、何ですか。
だからどうすればいいの、だからどうだというの。
私が私を押しとどめているうちは、どうか私の邪魔をしないでよ。
Closing ~50 seconds
 

Now for the translation of the Japanese. I'm skipping the Romanization, since it's not really relevant to the song in this case, and leaving out the "hide column" buttons since there are only two columns anyway. This also reads more like prose than poetry, so I'm not capitalizing the first letter of each line, either.


The Meaning
Japanese Translation
幸福になるために、私はできる限りのことをした、
けれど、非難されるようなことは一切しなかった。
足音は、日増しに大きくなっていく。
果たして私は、もう時間が残されていないことに気づいた。
I've done everything I could to be happy,
but not a single thing to be criticized for.
The sound of footsteps grows louder day by day.
And in the end, I realized there was no time left.
常に自分らしくあるために、私は自らの生を肯定した、
そして、私が生きられるかどうかについて、問いつづけた。
In order to be myself at all times, I affirmed my life,
and I kept questioning whether I would be able to live.
なぜ、この方法を用いてはならないかという理由を教えてください、
さもなければ、私を不治の罪により有罪であると、裁いてください。
なぜそうなのか、なぜそうではないのか、教えてください。
などと多くの不平を言いながら、もしかすると私は、
私にとって致命的な何かを、見落としていたのかもしれない。
Please give me a reason why not to use this method,
or judge me guilty on account of irredeemable sins.
Please tell me why it is so, or why it is not so.
Perhaps, as I was making many such complaints,
I overlooked something that was fatal to me.
あまねく世界は、静止していた。
私は束縛されていて、暴徒らのなすがままだった。
無言の警告は、日増しに大きくなっていく。
果たして私は、それらが聞こえないふりをした。
The whole wide world was standing still.
I was bound, at the mercy of a mob.
The wordless warnings grow louder day by day.
And in the end, I pretended I couldn't hear them.
その意味は、はじめからずっと、観察者の目に宿っていた。
私が兆候を見つけるより先に、辺りは暗くなっていた。
Its meaning had dwelt in the beholder's eyes all along.
It grew dark all around me before I found a sign.
「意味のない悲劇の中で、いったい何をお探しですか?
あなたは、あなた自身とその運命に対し、素直になりさえすればよいのです」
なぜそうなのか、なぜそうではないのか、教えてください。
などと多くの不平を言いながら、もしかすると私は、
私にとって致命的な何かを、見落としていたのかもしれない。
"What are you seeking in these meaningless tragedies?
You need only be accepting of yourself and your fate."
Please tell me why it is so, or why it is not so.
Perhaps, as I was making many such complaints,
I overlooked something that was fatal to me.
今、ここに誰もいないことを知るものは、誰もいない。
私を除いて世界中のすべてが、まったくどうかしているのだ。
There is no one who knows that there is no one here now.
Something's just not right with everything in the world except for me.
あなた(たち)1が差し控えてもかまわないと思っている容赦とは、何ですか。
あなた(たち)1が作り出してもかまわないと思っている安寧とは、何ですか。
だからどうすればいいの、だからどうだというの。
私が私を押しとどめているうちは、どうか私の邪魔をしないでよ。
What mercy is it that are you1 are willing to withhold?
What social harmony is it that you1 are willing to create?
So what am I supposed to do, and why should I even care?
Please don't disturb me while I'm holding myself in check.

1 "You" here is optionally plural due to the たち (tachi) in parentheses.

 


And since I'm sure someone will want these side-by side:


Engrish vs English
Lyrics Translation
To get my happiness I had done everything,
but had done nothing to be blamed and accused of.
The sound of footsteps became louder every day,
Then I noticed the fact there was no time.
I've done everything I could to be happy,
but not a single thing to be criticized for.
The sound of footsteps grows louder day by day.
And in the end, I realized there was no time left.
I was a believer in life to be myself always,
and was asking whether I would be alive.
In order to be myself at all times, I affirmed my life,
and I kept questioning whether I would be able to live.
Give me a reason why not to adopt in this way,
or judge me to be guilty of so many incurable sins.
Tell me why, or why not. Complaining way too much,
maybe I overlooked something fatal for me.
Please give me a reason why not to use this method,
or judge me guilty on account of irredeemable sins.
Please tell me why it is so, or why it is not so.
Perhaps, as I was making many such complaints,
I overlooked something that was fatal to me.
The whole world was at a complete standstill,
and I was in fetters, at the mercy of the mob.
The silent warning became louder every day.
Then I kept pretending not to hear.
The whole wide world was standing still.
I was bound, at the mercy of a mob.
The wordless warnings grow louder day by day.
And in the end, I pretended I couldn't hear them.
Its meaning had been in the eyes of beholder all along.
It had grown dark before I found a sign.
Its meaning had dwelt in the beholder's eyes all along.
It grew dark all around me before I found a sign.
"Among the nonsense tragedies, what on earth are you looking for?
You only have to be honest with yourself and your own fate."
Tell me why, or why not. Complaining way too much,
maybe I overlooked something fatal for me.
"What are you seeking in these meaningless tragedies?
You need only be accepting of yourself and your fate."
Please tell me why it is so, or why it is not so.
Perhaps, as I was making many such complaints,
I overlooked something that was fatal to me.
There is nobody who knows there will be nobody.
Except for me, all the world has gone mad.
There is no one who knows that there is no one here now.
Something's just not right with everything in the world except for me.
So what is forgiveness you are willing to withhold?
What is the well-being you are willing to make?
Now what? So what? Don't you come interrupt me, oh please,
while I am interrupting myself.
What mercy is it that are you1 are willing to withhold?
What social harmony is it that you1 are willing to create?
So what am I supposed to do, and why should I even care?
Please don't disturb me while I'm holding myself in check.

1 As noted above, "you" here is optionally plural.

 

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