Mad World (lyrics)
 

edit: Updated with the official lyrics.

[edit (2017/06) : Thanks to some Japanese fans, I finally figured out what ツケの神 is supposed to mean :laugh The "ツケ" is likely a reference to "ツケが回ってくる" (if you do something bad, retribution will come for you in the end). That's why I changed the translation to "god of retribution".]

Mad World

If trees could speak
what would they plead for?
Chopped down without mercy,
they lie at death’s door

The god of retribution laughs
at our endless foolishness

*
Please, tell me, if it's you,
what would you think at a time like this?
Please, tell me, if it’s me,
to whom should I confess
what I’m thinking at a time like this, in tears?

If the wind could speak
what would it plead for?
Its colours and scent
polluted beyond recognition

The god of retribution laughs
at our immense arrogance

**
Please, tell me, if it's you,
how would you live in this era?
Please, tell me, this era honestly makes me sick to my stomach
— where should I voice this opinion?

"It means nothing if I, just one person,
stands up" — thinking like that,
will you simply wait for a stranger
to stand up before you?

* repeat
** repeat


Japanese lyrics:

yes, thanks! please keep them coming!

Ooo, another social commentary song. I love it!

Damn, Ayu made meaningful music this time. LOVE IT.

What is the "if it were you/me"? If what were you/me? I don't get these parts...maybe they make sense in the JP but I don't understand. :S

^ It's just an English expression. It means the same as: "in your case, what would you..."

Oh yeah, I know the expression, but I don't understand it in this context lol.

A time like "this"? in "this" case"? What's going on? :tipsy

And it uses WOULD, so it's a hypothetical.

It's not "in this modern day, what are you thinking in your case? in this modern day, to whom can I confess what I'm thinking in tears?".
That would make sense to me.
But the would and the time like "this" kinda make it vague for me. It's written as if it's about a different fictional situation.
It sounds like she's talking about something that's not actually happening but something that could happen? Is she talking about the metaphor of the trees being cut down? Like "what would you do if you were like that tree"? Ummm.

Again, the "would" confuses me here. If the *you* person is not living in the era already, where are they? Time traveled to the past? Lol

Edit: btw I'm not criticizing the translation or anything ^^ just don't understand the lyrics lol

Wow, those lyrics are really something else. I don't think she has ever written something like this. Amazing.

I think I get what you mean.

You think that this is more logical, don't you? I think I agree.

Yeah, that makes more sense to me.

Then it would be 思っている, not 思う.

Anyway, I did change the "if it were you" to "if it's you" for clarity.

"a time like this" can be translate as "this days" in this context, i think.

"Tell me, if it were you,
what would you think at a time like this?"

It might be about despite everyone we live in the same time, but not to everyone happens the same things.
My interpretation of this part could be something like this "If you were the person who occurs that thing, would you still think this days are such great?"

The same with the part with 生きる(ikiru, to live) "how would you live these days if it were you that person"

Maybe she's talking to someone who passed away ?
Thanks for the translation ! Love these

But if I remember correctly 思っている = "thinking right now", busy with the action

思う = "thinking" generally

I don't see where the "would" comes from. To me it seems like the literal translation is "if you, at this time think what?". Of course, that's improper English, but it's most true to the original meaning, isn't it?

That's good. :yes
But it becomes a problem in the chorus about "era". Everyone is living in the current era, so it doesn't make sense.
"if you, how live in this era" works.
"if you, how would you live in this era" doesn't work. The person is living in the era.

I think most accurately in terms of meaning not grammar, the sentence would be like:

"In your case, how are you living in this era?"

Edit: From time to time there are these lyrics from Ayu that I think work really well in Japanese but just don't translate well to English.

I'm not going to give a grammar lesson. If you wanna interpret differently, go ahead, but word-for-word translations don't work for a language like Japanese.

No need to get defensive lol. You added the "would" because of "if.." I am sure. Which is fine, like I said. This is just one of those songs that lose impact when translated focused on grammar and not meaning.

I wonder just what someone said that ticked Ayu off like this.

Yeah I saw you post this in another topic. I'm also curious to know what triggered Ayu's sudden lyrical inspiration about the world and life.

But then again, knowing about Ayu's personal life post-Party Queen has done nothing but tarnish my feelings for her, so I'd really rather not know lol

I can't watch Hotel Love Songs anymore without thinking about the Maro porn and boning Ayu tbh

thing is when translating something like japanese, and especially a song you cannot really get the actual meaning, unless an artist themselves write the english translation. Only they know exactly what they meant saying what.

I really love the things she's discussing in her lyrics on this album, It's gotten even better since i know what they talk about. Thanks a lot for the translations!!

Yeah, I am aware of how difficult it is. I studied Japanese for a year at Leiden university. It's 5 years ago but I remember the difficulty about translation. It can be very ambiguous with multiple interpretations (which is also what's great about Japanese music). :yes

However, in this case I really think the "grammatically accurate" English translation has a slightly different meaning than the Japanese. If you look at it word-by-word, yes, you get a wrong translation, but you do understand the meaning better along the way.

I feel a bit bad for hijacking tenshi's translation thread though LOL

well i am all for different views. I do enjoy reading a few translations. It helps to understand better. But artistic stuff is very tricky for people who don't write novels or poems and don't have enough of the vocabulary to fill in the gaps.

Closest we got was the "OFFICIAL" Tell All lyrics which was a bit slangy probably due to Timmy, also the phrases translated for TeamAyu Tour.

Ooooh, where's that? :luv2

They're in the Tell All book but we documented it here. Let me get them.

Thank youuu. ^^

No, that's not why. And I'm getting defensive because I'm tired of people thinking they know things better when they've only taken a few classes. If you still need to ask for romaji (in the flower thread), you obviously don't know enough to understand finer Japanese grammar.

From the Tell All lyrics thread.

Compare with translation by Larien:

@truehappiness: Thank you for posting! This is a great example of how a perfect translation is much less effective than a meaningful one, haha. I kinda wish Ayu would do some translations for all her songs. XD

Doe even normaal, joh. Diep ademen. :)

"nara" doesn't, strictly speaking, mean "if" when it replaces "wa" as a topic marker. It's more like just adding emphasis to the "you." It's something that doesn't have a word that denotes it in english, just a forceful accent. It sorta means "Nevermind me, what about YOU?"

I feel like you guys are a bit hung up on the "if" aspect, when "if" is just one possible way to translate this construct.

But regardless, holy crap the lyrics on this album are good.

Thank you for the insight. That makes more sense with how I view the lyrics' meaning.

[告げ?柘植?] = I'm hearing Tsuge, so it could be either one of those i think.

"tsuge no kami ga waratteru" = this is what i hear.

These lyrics gave me the chills. Ayu really brought it.

Romaji

Moshi kigi ga hanasetara
Nani wo uttaeru darou
Muzan ni kiritaosare
Yokotawaru shi no fuchi de

Owari naki orokasa ni
Tsuge no kami ga waratteru

Oshiete yo nee, anata nara
Konna toki nani wo omou?
Oshiete yo nee, watashi nara
konna toki nani wo omoi
namida shite iru no ka nante
hontou dare ni hakeba ii?

Moshi kaze ga hanasetara
Nani wo uttaeru darou
Iroda toka nioi toka
Genkei naku osensare

Idai suru goumansa
Tsuge no kami ga waratteru

Oshiete yo nee, anata nara
Kono jidai wo dou ikiru?
Oshiete yo nee, watashi wa mou
Kono jidai ni kokoro kara
Hakike ga shiteru dato katte
Honne wa doko ni yareba ii?

「Tatta jibun hitori dake ga
Tachiagatta toko de imi wanai」
Sou yatte shiranu dareka ga
Saki ni tatsu no wo matsu no

Oshiete yo nee, anata nara
Konna toki nani wo omou?
Oshiete yo nee, watashi nara
konna toki nani wo omoi
namida shite iru no ka nante
hontou dare ni hakeba ii?

Oshiete yo nee, anata nara
Kono jidai wo dou ikiru?
Oshiete yo nee, watashi wa mou
Kono jidai ni kokoro kara
Hakike ga shiteru dato katte
Honne wa doko ni yareba ii?

Thank you so much!

I really like those lyrics, they are great!

I love the focus she puts on nature in this song. She mentions nature a lot in her lyrics, but I don't think she's ever talked about environmental issues (I could be wrong, not sure), so it's nice to see her bring them up.

I just posted an introductory video on the facebook group for one of my sustainability studies classes online...and then I come read this lol

It makes me sooo happy to read lyrics like this from her. I am definitely forever for this side of ayu. And it makes me love Mad World even more tbh

This line:

"It means nothing if I, just one person,
stands up" — thinking like that,
are you waiting for a stranger
to stand up before you?

absolute perfection. real af.

Very Earthsong/Heal the World of Ayu, lol.

Thanks so much for translating! The lyrics are just as amazing as the song

Lol I didn't read the environmental aspect of it. I think the nature reference is just metaphorical

I'm the only one who cried while reading and listening to the song?

Thanks for the translation! now this song is one of my favorites :')

XD I took these lyrics pretty literally so... I also think it's about environmental destruction. If it is, those types of songs don't really have much of an impact on me (sorry if that makes me sound horrible), but I do like how she expresses herself about this matter (if it is indeed the environment she's talking about lol)

It could be interpreted different ways, but since she talks about chopping down trees and air pollution that's why I made the connection.

Thank you for the translations!!

Those lyrics are also so real. I love them!

really deep...

The fact that these lyrics could easily be interpreted either literally or metaphorically is like... omg yes. I LOVE stuff like this. <3

Thanks Tenshi for the translation!

Is this the first time ayu wrote a song about environmental issue? Does Last Links count?

Thank you so much! This album is amazing! Thank you for your hard work!

I think "Last Links" is more about that there's anger and sadness in this world, but love also remains, than about the environment.

When I first started reading the lyrics I also thought about it as a metaphor liking people to trees. So, about war? Thinking about it, the part with the wind could be about how outside influences might turn you into a complete different person. About losing yourself.

If Ayu's really referring to the situation about nature and such... maybe it's related to the recent Earthquake? Somehow it's related to the 2011 incident as well.

But really, I ADORE the lyrics so much, this is the inspiring Ayu I always like :heart

Thank you, "Tenshi no Hane" I appreciate your work!

A letter discussion!

Thank you so much for your great work! Those lyrics made me like the song even more :luv2

I think Tenshi no Hane's translation is good. After 8 years total living in Japan for me I think I have a pretty good sense on it and the truth is, Ayu's phrasing in this song is very stilted, so you do have to fill in the gaps a little bit to make it make more sense in English. Everyone is going to do that a little bit differently. The song makes perfect sense as it is in Japanese, but needs some more embellishment to get the same meaning in English. What's important is that the meaning of the song comes through and this translation does that.

The only part that I would really think is worth changing is the "Tell me" part. I would put "Please, tell me." Because saying Oshiete yo ne~, the nuance is very pleading, especially because she prolongs the ne. So even though she doesn't specifically say please, that is the implication. "Tell me" would be simply just oshiete; the "yo ne" part I find to be one of the most important parts of the song.

You make a good point. I agree adding "please" would match the pleading tone of the original better. I'll edit it.

Thanks for all your hard work on these translations. :)

What about few Love again videos at YouTube? They have English translation. I don't know how good it is

This song and the lyrics are amazing, my favorites from her in a while. Thanks for posting these!

I don't know what Ayu's involvement is in those. I wonder if they had an SE Asian staff member do those since they also had Malay and Chinese among others.

you know after a few people noticed that it might be just a metaphor i started reading online on symbolism and...well.... it could be very much a song about herself and what the world surrounding her does with it. if you read on the symbolism it all can be linked to ones' dreams goals ambitions, personal growing, knowledge and everything else. It would kind of click especially since she's asking someone about what they would do in this kind of place. Should she speak her mind and say how she feels about it even in tears, like would anyone even care about how she actually feels. Or would that be criticised again.? And would they be able to speak for themselves or would they wait for someone to speak for them?
I doubt she would mask this so much. But you can never know with Ayu.

It doesn't have to be masking. It could be either poetry or double (or even triple or more) meaning.

She could call it A TRANSLATIONS The complete lyrical work of hamasaki ayumi :P maybe with even some side note from ayu about some songs :)

O my, this is really heavy. So beautiful! Thank you so much!

"The god of [???] laughs
at our endless foolishness"

The god maybe be "Tsuge God" > "Tree God"?

Suki na uta on tumblr translated it as "The gods that possess us" (憑けの神)

I hear "fuke no kami" or maybe "fukei no kami" (but I think it is the former, not the latter).

老けの神 = the ageing god(s)/spirit(s)

I personally hear "tsuke" :laugh But I guess we'll have to wait for the official lyrics to know for sure

I hear zuke no kami and Google translate as God of tame? ��

Thank you for the translations, as always :)

I see Ayu's finding her inner tll-era Olivia Lufkin again. I like it.

I think we'll have to wait for the official lyrics for this specific word :D:D:D

Official lyrics, where are you?! Come on, Uta-Net within the next month~

浮気の神 Fuke no kami = God of infidelity. That would be my translation.

i am listening to this song right now, so beautifu

ツグの神

^ ツケ actually :)

it make more sense %)

Updated with the official lyrics.

I just tried to translate into german, not easy. But deep and dark lyrics! Great Job!

I told you the translation was wrong.
The corrected version is good.

Do us all a favor and take a freaking seat. I don't see you putting forth the effort to translate these for everyone so you have zero right to criticize.

does the PV miss one line. Making subs for the video and I cant place one line. Bold is what I'm up to but I dont know if it skips that part

If trees could speak
what would they plead for?
Chopped down without mercy,
they lie at death’s door

The god of fortune laughs
at our endless foolishness

*
Please, tell me, if it's you,
what would you think at a time like this?
Please, tell me, if it’s me,
to whom should I confess
what I’m thinking at a time like this, in tears?

If the wind could speak
what would it plead for?
Its colours and scent
polluted beyond recognition

The god of fortune laughs
at our immense arrogance

Is it that
"Its colours and scent
polluted beyond recognition"
Is meant to be
"Its colours and scent polluted beyond recognition" as one line?
Because that would free up for the last 2 bit that Im up to before she goes on to
"Please, tell me, if it's you,"

^ The PV leaves out the 2nd verse and chorus. It only uses:



You can use Tomoyo's romaji thread to check.

--

@4Seasons, I only changed "god of ???" to "god of fortune". I didn't change the 'would' part, so just shut up already.

thanks so much :)
that makes sence why I cant match up the Romaji :P

浜崎あゆみ - Mad World【Music Video】.srt (Short Version) with thanks to tenshi no hane for the help with what was used in the PV :)
https://mega.nz/#!KEsB1B7A!fUZ0gLmV8...ix0nFC0Tje8SqU

https://vid.me/PAct