Vocaloids (Hatsune Miku) - poetaster and singing dolls

[EJTranslations]

poetaster [1] and singing dolls

意味も無い言葉遊び　意味がある意識の夢
　褪せて行く無垢の調べ　鮮やかに影を落とす

imi mo nai kotobaasobi imi ga aru ishiki no yume
asete yuku muku no shirabe azayaka ni kage o otosu

Meaningless wordplay, a meaningful dream of consciousness
A tarnished yet pure melody casts a brilliant shadow

難しい事解らないけど、流れ込んだ記号のまま
追い始める　間違いをも　ありのままに
包み込んで

muzukashii koto wakaranai kedo, nagarekonda kigou no mama
oihajimeru machigai o mo ari no mama ni
tsutsumikonde

I don't understand difficult things, but as flowing symbols
I start to chase it, and it envelops even my mistakes
As they are [2*]

限り無き現れの詩　限りある言の行方
　明確な動機のもと　曖昧に揺らぎ終わる

kagirinaki araware no shi kagiriaru koto no yukue
meikaku na douki no moto aimai ni yuragi owaru

An infinite poem of revelation, the finite wanderings of words
At the root of the clear motive, it vaguely trembles, then stops

難しい事解らないけど、俯いてるあなたもまた
カワイイから　手をつないで　共に飛ぼう
気が済むまで

muzukashii koto wakaranai kedo, utsumuite'ru anata mo mata
KAWAII kara te o tsunaide tomo ni tobou
ki ga sumu made

I don't understand difficult things, but even though you're downcast
You're cute, so take my hand and let's fly together
Until we're satisfied

美しい螺旋の果てで　歪んだ魂愛でよう
優しい刹那の中で　歌おう、がさついた風に乗せて

utsukushii rasen no hate de yuganda tamashii medeyou
yasashii setsuna no naka de utaou, gasatsuita kaze ni nosete

At the end of the beautiful spiral, let's admire the warped soul
In a kind moment, let's sing, carried on the rough wind

思うがまま、望むがまま、姿を変え、されるがまま
何を思い、何を望み、何を語り、何を騙る？

omou ga mama, nozomu ga mama, sugata o kae, sareru ga mama
nani o omoi, nani o nozomi, nani o katari, nani o kataru?

As I think, as I wish, it changes shape, as it's done
What are you thinking, what are you wishing, what are you talking about, what deception are you practicing [3]?

麗しい言葉を纏い全てに愛されるモノへ
眩しい希望はいつも望まぬ姿へ移ろう　さあ

uruwashii kotoba o matoi subete ni aisareru MONO e
mabushii kibou wa itsumo nozomanu sugata e utsurou saa

I wrap things in lovely words and send them all to the one I love
Dazzling hope always transforms into a shape I didn't hope for

美しい螺旋の果てで歪んだ魂愛でよう
優しい刹那の中で歌おう、がさついた風に乗せて

utsukushii rasen no hate de yuganda tamashii medeyou
yasashii setsuna no naka de utaou, gasatsuita kaze ni nosete

At the end of the beautiful spiral, let's admire the warped soul
In a kind moment, let's sing, carried on the rough wind

思うがまま、望むがまま、姿を変え、されるがまま
何を思い、何を望み、何を騙り、何を語る？

omou ga mama, nozomu ga mama, sugata o kae, sareru ga mama
nani o omoi, nani o nozomi, nani o katari, nani o kataru?

As I think, as I wish, it changes shape, as it's done
What are you thinking, what are you wishing, what deception are you practicing, what are you talking about?

思うがまま、望むがまま、姿を変え、されるがまま。
歪むがまま、飾るがまま、晒すがまま、あなたがまま。

omou ga mama, nozomu ga mama, sugata o kae, sareru ga mama
yugamu ga mama, kazaru ga mama, sarasu ga mama, anata ga mama

As I think, as I wish, it changes shape, as it's done
As it's distorted, as it's decorated, as it's refined, as you are

[1] A poetaster is a bad poet.

[2*] I can't tell who the subject and object are in these last two lines. I mean, one or the other is obviously Miku, but...

[3] If anyone's got suggestions for a more concise way to translate this, I'd appreciate it.

[ArtemisA]

Maybe it's supposed to not make sense because it's trying to be bad poetry? =P

Anyways.

>>意味がある意識の夢
I always get killed with the relative clauses and の, but could this be "dreams of an awareness/consciousness/existence with meaning"?

>>褪せて行く
I think I would put this as something like "tarnished," since 'fade' gets overused I think; so, something like "A pure but tarnished melody casts vivid shadows."

>> [2]
Since a lot of Vocaloid songs are treated as image songs for the Vocaloids themselves, maybe she's talking about when she was just code ("flowing symbols")?

>>限りある言の行方
I think I would put this as "the limited wandering of words"; with also maybe infinite/finite in place of limitless/limited.

I have more to say, but it seems it's soap opera time and I can't think with the tv going.

Also, (and this is probably not the place/time for it), since you're also doing Vocaloid songs, could you give any thoughts on my Sandscraper translation?

[EJTranslations]

Thanks for the help!

> Maybe it's supposed to not make sense because it's trying to be bad poetry? =P

Haha, that would explain a lot.

> I always get killed with the relative clauses and の, but could this be "dreams of an awareness/consciousness/existence with meaning"?

As far as I can tell, it could go either way. I don't know which makes more sense.

> Since a lot of Vocaloid songs are treated as image songs for the Vocaloids themselves, maybe she's talking about when she was just code ("flowing symbols")?

Ooh, that could very well be. Thanks!

> Also, (and this is probably not the place/time for it), since you're also doing Vocaloid songs, could you give any thoughts on my Sandscraper translation?

It's pretty late at night right now so I don't think I'd be much help, but I'll try to remember to take a look at it tomorrow.