Bump of Chicken: Karma

04.14.06
Artist: Bump of Chicken
Title: Karma
Words: Fujiwara Moto
Music: Fujiwara Moto

one marble fell, immediately followed by another
in a patch of sunshine made for one, only one remains

when a person's heart starts pumping,
they assume a place, even if they dont want to.
and they stay to protect that place, so no one takes it away

even hands that you've kept clean will appear dirty
before you have a chance to doubt your memory
your memory will doubt you

I'm certain we'll meet one another
our hearts which beat the same, will lead us
cause I'm right here, always calling out to you
when all the old reasons start to lose their ground
I'll know why I'm alive

as long as you exist, you have no choice but to assume a place
two can't really fit into a patch of sunshine made for one.

one glass marble fell, and when it fell something was expelled
in the place i took over, I basked in the sun

I counted the footprints I left,
and found they were nothing more than numbers
what I really needed to know may be between 1 and 0.

we'll meet for the first time
our same sad cries to lead us
don't forget, cause i never stop calling out to you
when we bury the reasons together
it makes a promise between us

it's a mirror, to show us each our individual karma
feeling each other with dirtied hands, we'll figure out the shape

I'm right here. You can feel me.
You know we're together
in a patch of sunshine made for one.

don't forget, cause I never stop calling out to you
from within a marble, identical to yours
that's right, I'm certain we'll meet each other
when we raise crosses at the reasons we buried.
it will fulfill our promise
we will be one.

Translated By: Brian Stewart & Takako Sakuma (Special Thanks: Nobuko Yoshino)

Translator's Notes: I can't tell you what this song means. It's a trip you'll have to take yourself. I will tell you that the word "karma" is the key. I want to thank Nobuko for offering me her interpretation and helping with these very complicated, beautiful lyrics. It took me a while to find my own interpretation but I think I'm there. Good luck to all of you Bump fans.

Romaji

garasudama hitotsu otosareta oikakete mou hitotsu okkochita
hitotsu bun no hidamari ni hitotsu dake nokotteru

shinzou ga hajimatta toki iya demo hito ha basho wo toru
ubawarenai you ni mamoritsuzuketeru

yogosazu ni tamottekita te demo yogorete mieta
kioku wo utagau mae ni kioku ni utagawareteru

kanarazu bokura ha deau darou
onaji kodou no oto wo mejirushi ni shite
koko ni iru yo itsu datte yonderu kara
kutabireta riyuu ga kasanatte yureru toki
umareta imi wo shiru

sonzai ga tsuzuku kagiri shikata nai kara basho wo toru
hitotsu bun no hidamari ni futatsu ha chotto hairenai

garasudama hitotsu otosareta ochita toki nanika hajikidashita
ubaitotta basho de hikari wo abita

kazoeta ashiato nado kizukeba suuji de shika nai
shiranakya ikenai koto ha dou yara ichi to zero no aida

hajimete bokura ha deau darou
onaji himei no hata wo mejirushi ni shite
wasurenai de itsudatte yonderu kara
kasaneta riyuu wo futari de umeru toki
yakusoku ga kawasareru

kagami nanda bokura tagai ni
sorezore no karuma wo utsusu tame no
yogoreta te to te de sawariatte
katachi ga wakaru

koko ni iru yo tashika ni sawreru yo
hitori bun no hidamari ni bokura ha iru

wasurenai de itsudatte yonderu kara
onaji garasudama no uchigawa no hou kara
sou sa kanarazu bokura ha deau darou
shizumeta riyuu ni jyuujika wo tateru toki
yakusoku ha hatasareru
bokura ha hitotsu ni naru

Romaji By: Brian Stewart