WINO | 太陽は夜も輝く taiyou wa yoru mo kagayaku | “the sun also shines at night”

japanese

そうして道の上　ただの言葉だけが
ひとつ溶けだして　君に染みてゆく
この太陽は夜も輝いて　導く
幻が踊る街に　さよならの鐘が鳴る
鳥は地を歩き　海は空を流れ
沈んだ魂の　そばでうなずいた
この太陽は夜も輝いて　夢を見る
そして急ぐ君の目に　焼き付いてはなれない
終わりなくつづく歌　想いさえ越えてゆく
君の目に映るように　胸の奥開けたまま
急ぐわけもなく　過去は消え去り
讃えるものなら　ここにあるのさ
終わりなくつづく歌　想いさえ越えてゆく
君の目に映るように　胸の奥開けたまま
限りなく青い夜　心はもう空のまま
限りなく光あふれ　心はもう空のままなのさ

english

and so on this road, just a single word
begins to dissolve, staining you
this sun also shines at night, leading the way
in a town where phantoms dance, the bell of farewell tolls
birds walk the earth, the sea flows into the sky
by the side of a somber soul, i nodded
this sun also shines at night, dreaming
and sears itself into your hasty eyes^[1]
an endlessly continuing song, surpasses all feeling
so to be reflected in your eyes, keep the depths of your heart open
there’s no reason to hurry, the past has faded away
if there’s something to give praise to, it’s right here^[2]
an endlessly continuing song, surpasses all feeling
so to be reflected in your eyes, keep the depths of your heart open
a limitless blue night, my heart is already empty
overflowing with limitless light… but my heart is already empty

romaji

soushite michi no ue tada no kotoba dake ga
hitotsu tokedashite kimi ni somiteyuku
kono taiyou wa yoru mo kagayaite michibiku
maboroshi ga odoru machi ni sayonara no kane ga naru
tori wa chi wo aruki umi wa sora wo nagare
shizunda tamashii no soba de unazuita
kono taiyou wa yoru mo kagayaite yume wo miru
soshite isogu kimi no me ni yakitsuite hanarenai
owarinaku tzudzuku uta omoi sae koeteyuku
kimi no me ni utsuru you ni mune no oku aketa mama
isogu wake mo naku kako wa kiesari
tataeru mono nara koko ni aru no sa
owarinaku tsudzuku uta omoi sae koeteyuku
kimi no me ni utsuru you ni mune no oku aketa mama
kagirinaku aoi yoru kokoro wa mou kara no mama
kagirinaku hikaru afure kokoro wa mou kara no mama nano sa

translation notes

recently, a few friends of mine and i have been watching (and re-watching) hunter x hunter. although the 2011 version shines in many ways and has musical gems all its’ own, there is just something about this opening from the 1999 version. ever since my friend showed me this song, i've been obsessed, so although i've not translated in a long time, i thought i'd try my hand at it again.

the style of song alone is enough to get one into the heavier tone that the yorkshin city arc (and subsequent arcs that focus around kurapika and the phantom troupe) takes. yoshimura jun’s whining vocal work is apt here, crying out and perfectly conveying the hopeless trajectories the arc’s central characters take on their parallel paths.