21mg Translation

A translation of Matenrou Opera’s “21mg” from their first major album “Justice”. The lyrics are written from the view of someone – probably a drug addict – who is contemplating suicide and reflecting on any reason why he probably shouldn’t. His fate remains unknown, but it’s a beautiful and painfully close study to thoughts that go through one’s head as they are thinking about this subject.

Please do not steal this translation or use it without my permission. All rights belong to Matenrou Opera and their label Sherow Artist Society/Bellwood Records.

 

 

 

~.oOOo.~

 

 

 

 

 

[let me fly]
なんでこんなに気を張ってんだろう? 見張ってんだろ?
自由って言葉に囚われすぎて 全然自由じゃない
さあ 手を開いて 常識の渦 グルグルまわして 捕まえて
[let me fly]
Nande konna ni ki wo hattendarou? Mihatten daro?
Jiyuu tte kotoba ni torawaresugit Zenzen jiyuu ja nai
Saa Te wo hiraite Joushiki no uzu Guruguru mawashite Tsukamaete
[let me fly]
Why am I holding myself back like this? Why am I so on guard?
So much is held by the word "freedom" that it isn't free at all.
Now, I open my arms and grab hold of the swirling waves of common sense.

 

疲れ果てた顔を ため息の中へと沈めて
目を閉じ 自分を許す もう眠っていいよね
Tsukarehateta kao wo Tameiki no naka he to shizumete
Me wo toji Jibun wo yurusu Mou nette ii yo ne
My tired face sinks into sighs.
I close my eyes, and just let myself... I wish I could sleep.

 

何をやってきたわけじゃない
何を成し遂げたわけでもない
ただ毎日が通り過ぎて いくのを必死に追いかけてた
Nani wo yattekita wake ja nai
Nani wo nashitogeta wake de mo nai
Tada mainichi ga toorisugite Iku no wo hisshi ni oikaketa
There is no reason to do anything.
There's no reason to finish anything.
I just go through every day, going on to inevitable death.

 

僕は 生きて 生きて 今を 見てる
都合のいいこと なんて全然起こらない
朝がきたら 服を着て 靴履いて ドア開けるだけ
何もない毎日が 何もない毎日が
ただ過ぎて ただ過ぎて ただ過ぎて ただ過ぎて ただ過ぎて
Boku ha Ikite Ikite Ima wo Miteru
Tsugou no ii koto Nante zenzen okoranai
Asa ga kitara Fuku wo kite Kutsu haite Door akeru dake
Nani mo nai mainichi ga Nani mo nai mainichi ga
Tada sugite Tada sugite Tada sugite Tada sugite Tada sugite
I'm alive, alive, and now I see
That anything good that could have happened didn't.
When the morning comes, I'll put on my clothes and shoes and open the door,
And just go on through these empty, empty days,
Just going, just going, just going, just going, just going...

 

欲しいものはそれなりに 手に入れてはきたけれど
それがなんだっていうんだろう
僕は理由が欲しい
Hoshii mono ha sore nari ni Te ni irete ha kita keredo
Sore ga nandatte iu n darou
Boku ha riyuu ga hoshii
I had things I wanted, but
I wonder what they were.
I just want a reason to keep going.

 

誰かの為にって 誰かを愛し生きるのが
答えに代わるのかもしれない
まだ僕にはわからないよ わからないよ わからないよ
誰が僕を覚えてるの 誰が僕を覚えてるの
忘れないで 忘れないで 忘れないで 忘れないで 忘れないで
Dare ka no tame ni tte Dare ka wo aishiikiru no ga
Kotae ni kawaru no kamoshirenai
Mada boku ni ha wakaranai yo Wakaranai yo Wakaranai yo
Dare ga boku wo oboteru no Dare ga boku wo oboeteru no
Wasurenai de Wasurenai de Wasurenai de Wasurenai de Wasurenai de
I wonder, who was it for, for love of who did I go on living?
The answer has probably changed.
I still don't understand. I don't understand. I don't understand.
Who remembers me? Who remembers me?
Don't forget me, don't forget me, don't forget me, don't forget me, don't
forget me...

 

考えるっていうことができるのは なんて残酷で
素晴らしいことなんだろう
2つとない 僕のこと 愛せるのは僕でいいじゃない
Kangaeru tte iu koto ga dekiru no ha Nante zankoku de
Subarashii koto nan darou
Futatsu to nai Boku no koto Aiseru no ha boku de ii ja nai
The fact that I can think is cruelty,
Even though it is such a wonderful thing.
Even if I've no one else, isn't it all right if I just love myself?

 

今僕が消えたとしても 少しも世界は変わらない
小さな小さなこの命で 楽しんだって世界は変わらない
Ima boku ga kieta to shite mo Sukoshi mo sekai ha kawaranai
Chiisa na chiisa na kono inochi de Tanoshinda tte sekai ha kawaranai
If I were to disappear now, the world won't change even a bit.
The world I loved while living this small, insignificant life won't change.

 

僕は 生きて 生きて 今を 見てる
都合のいいこと なんて全然起こらない
朝がきたら 服を着て 靴履いて ドア開けるだけ
それでいい 僕は生きて 僕は生きて 僕は生きて
僕は生きて 僕は生きて 僕は生きて 僕は生きて 僕は生きて
Boku ha Ikite Ikite Ima wo Miteru
Tsugou no ii koto Nante zenzen okoranai
Asa ga kitara Fuku wo kite Kutsu haite Door akeru dake
Sore de ii Boku ha ikite Boku ha Ikite Boku ha ikite
Boku ha ikite Boku ha ikite Boku ha ikite Boku ha ikite Boku ha ikite
I'm alive, alive, and now I see
That anything good that could have happened didn't.
When the morning comes, I'll put on my clothes and shoes and open the door.
That's enough. I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive.
I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive.

 

[let me fly]
なんでこんなに気を張ってんだろう? 見張ってんだろ?
自由って言葉に囚われすぎて 全然自由じゃない
さあ 手を開いて 常識の渦 グルグルまわして
今存在してんのは 何億分の一じゃない 僕はひとつ 1人なんだ
[let me fly]
Nande konna ni ki wo hattendarou? Mihatten daro?
Jiyuu tte kotoba ni torawaresugit Zenzen jiyuu ja nai
Saa Te wo hiraite Joushiki no uzu Guruguru mawashite
Ima sonzai shiten no ha Nanokubun no hitori ja nai Boku ha hitotsu Hitori
nanda
[let me fly]
Why am I holding myself back like this? Why am I so on guard?
So much is held by the word "freedom" that it isn't free at all.
Now, I open my arms, and in the swirling waves of common sense,
What exists right now is just one person all alone, not even a moment in
eternity…