Zekkei Saiya (絶景祭夜)

[nebulancer]

English translation:

The bells are tumbling around, so how about we cackle and laugh?

Fireworks of every color are bursting about, and we begin to dance

Walking as geta sandals clip and clop, let's duck underneath the crimson torii

The shopping street in front of the temple begins to clamor, gorgeously decorated

 

Skipping a single staircase, I grabbed your small hand as we ran out

Right here, shall we burst out a "today" that will never happen again?

 

Colors are vibrant, yet they scatter and fall: If no one knows not whether they can be permanent in this world of ours

Right now, I shall show you a scenery that none have ever seen before

 

The brilliant scenery of this world

 

Slipping through the crowds of people as if swimming through the night,

We held each others' hands as the pinwheels smiled gently

Rolling up our sleeves and playing in the water as the grand fireworks are reflected in the water's surface

Your eyes moisten, your cheeks tinted red like a candy apple

 

The mature-smelling aroma of camellias rises from your hair, a bewitching fragrance

Right here, shall I sing about an evening that will never happen again?

 

Colors are vibrant, yet they scatter and fall: If no one knows not whether they can be permanent in this world of ours

Right now, I shall show you a scenery that all will envy

 

The brilliant scenery, the zenith

 

Looking down upon a cityscape at night

Looking up at brilliant fireworks

The sounds of the taiko cause my heart to dance

If we don't dance tonight, we'll be losing out!

 

Colors are vibrant, yet they scatter and fall: If no one knows not whether they can be permanent in this world of ours

Right now, I shall show you a scenery that none have ever seen before

 

Colors are vibrant, yet they scatter and fall: If no one knows not whether they can be permanent in this world of ours

Right now, I shall show this brilliant scenery night to you and only you

 

The brilliant scenery of this world

Kakeru // Koi // Rui // Iku

Color-coded English translation:

The bells are tumbling around, so how about we cackle and laugh?

Fireworks of every color are bursting about, and we begin to dance

Walking as geta sandals clip and clop, let's duck underneath the crimson torii

The shopping street in front of the temple begins to clamor, gorgeously decorated

 

Skipping a single staircase, I grabbed your small hand as we ran out

Right here, shall we burst out a "today" that will never happen again?

 

Colors are vibrant, yet they scatter and fall: If no one knows not whether they can be permanent in this world of ours

Right now, I shall show you a scenery that none have ever seen before

 

The brilliant scenery of this world

 

Slipping through the crowds of people as if swimming through the night,

We held each others' hands as the pinwheels smiled gently

Rolling up our sleeves and playing in the water as the grand fireworks are reflected in the water's surface

Your eyes moisten, your cheeks tinted red like a candy apple

 

The mature-smelling aroma of camellias rises from your hair, a bewitching fragrance

Right here, shall I sing about an evening that will never happen again?

 

Colors are vibrant, yet they scatter and fall: If no one knows not whether they can be permanent in this world of ours

Right now, I shall show you a scenery that all will envy

 

The brilliant scenery, the zenith

 

Looking down upon a cityscape at night

Looking up at brilliant fireworks

The sounds of the taiko cause my heart to dance

If we don't dance tonight, we'll be losing out!

 

Colors are vibrant, yet they scatter and fall: If no one knows not whether they can be permanent in this world of ours

Right now, I shall show you a scenery that none have ever seen before

 

Colors are vibrant, yet they scatter and fall: If no one knows not whether they can be permanent in this world of ours

Right now, I shall show this brilliant scenery night to you and only you

 

The brilliant scenery of this world

Romaji:

 

suzu wo korogashite sa kera kera waraou ka

toridori hanabi ga hajikete odori dasu

karakoro geta wo narashi aruku makkana torii wo kugurou ka

zawameki hajimeta nakamise doori wa kirabiyaka

 

kaidan hitotsu tobashi chiisana te wo hiki kakedashita

nidoto nai kyou wo koko de sakasemasu

 

iro wa nioedo chiri chirinuru wo wagayo tarezo tsunenaramu nara

mita koto no nai keshiki wo kimi ni ima misete ageru

 

kono yo no zekkei wo

 

yoru wo oyogu you ni hitonami wo suri nuke

te to te toriai hohoenda kazaguruma

suso wo takushi age mizuasobi minamo ni utsutta oohanabi

ringo ame mitai ni akaku hoho somete me ga urumu

 

kami goshi kaorimasu wa otonabi tsubaki no adeyakasa

nidoto nai yoi wo koko de utaimasu

 

iro wa nioedo chiri chirinuru wo wagayo tarezo tsunenaramu nara

daremoga urayamu keshiki wo kimi ni ima misete ageru

 

shijou no zekkei wo

 

shita wo mi orosha yoru no machi

ue wo miagerya dairin

taiko no oto ni mune odori

koyoi odora nya son son son!

 

iro wa nioedo chiri chirinuru wo wagayo tarezo tsunenaramu nara

 

mita koto no nai keshiki wo kimi ni ima misete ageru

 

iro wa nioedo chiri chirinuru wo wagayo tarezo tsunenaramu nara

zekkei no yoru kimi dake no tame ni ima misete ageru

 

kono yo no zekkei wo

Kanji:

 

鈴を転がしてさ  けらけら笑おうか

とりどり花火がはじけて踊り出す

からころ下駄を鳴らし歩く 真っ赤な鳥居をくぐろうか

ざわめき始めた仲見世通りは煌(きら)びやか

 

階段一つ飛ばし 小さな手を引き駆け出した

二度と無い 今日を此処で咲かせます

 

色は匂えど散り散りぬるを我が世誰ぞ常ならむなら

見たことの無い景色を君に今見せてあげる

 

この世の絶景を

 

夜を泳ぐように人波を擦り抜け

手と手取り合い微笑んだ風車

裾をたくし上げ水遊び 水面に映った大花火

林檎飴みたいに赤く頬染めて目が潤む

 

髪越しかおりますは大人び椿の艶やかさ

二度と無い宵を此処で唄います

 

色は匂えど散り散りぬるを我が世誰ぞ常ならむなら

誰もが羨む景色を君に今見せてあげる

 

至上の絶景を

 

下を見おろしゃ夜の町

上を見上げりゃ大輪

太鼓の音に胸躍躍り

今宵踊らにゃ  損・々・損！

 

色は匂えど散り散りぬるを我が世誰ぞ常ならむなら

見たことの無い景色を君に今見せてあげる

 

色は匂えど散り散りぬるを我が世誰ぞ常ならむなら

絶景の夜 君だけの為に今見せてあげる

 

この世の絶景を

 

[T/N: 色は匂えど散りぬるを (Iro wa nioedo / chirinuru wo) is the beginning of a Heian-era poem. It speaks of colors (flowers) being fragrant (vibrant) but eventually scattering.

The second half, 我が世誰ぞ常ならむなら (Waga yo tarezo / tsune naramu) follows accordingly with the rough translation questioning who in the world will exist forever.

Thus, the meaning of the lines are:

"Flowers bloom but scatter [only being fragrant in the moment they bloom]

Who can exist forever in our world?"

The Iroha poem is known for using each Japanese hiragana (a pangram), much like English's statement 'The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.']