「JEWEL」 lyrics + translation

Here are the lyrics as they appeared on the Music Station performance, and my English translation. It is a very beautiful song, remeniscent of a piano ballad rendition of what "Free & Easy" expressed from a more desperate and agressive angle a few years ago.

Keep in mind that there will presumably be more lyrics to the song, as most TV performances are abbreviated versions of the original recording.

JEWEL (Japanese lyrics)

灰色の四角い　空の下を今日も
あらゆる欲望が　埋め尽くす
その中で光を　見失わず前を
向いて歩けるのは　いつも　君が
この街の片隅にも　汚れのない
ものが残っている事　教えてくれるから

疲れ果てた体で　眠りについた君を
僕は息をひそめて　見ていた
世界中で　ただひとり　僕だけが知っている
無防備で　愛しい　横顔

当たり前のように　陽射しが降り注ぎ
優しい風　揺れた　ある日の事
僕の中で　何かが　そっと強く
確かに変わって行くのを　ひとり　感じていた

悲しくなんかないのに　涙がこぼれたのは
君の想いが痛いくらいに
僕の胸の奥の　キズ跡に染み込んで
優しさに　変えてくれたから

もしも　君が深い　悲しみに出会ったら
僕にも　わけてくれるといいな
その笑顔のためなら　何だって出来るだろう
僕の大切な宝物

僕の大切な宝物



JEWEL (Romaji transliteration)

Haiiro no shikakui Sora no shita wo kyou mo
Arayuru yokubou ga Ume tsukusu
Sono naka de hikari wo Mi ushinawazu mae wo
Muite arukeru no wa Itsumo Kimi ga
Kono machi no katasumi ni mo Kegare no nai
Mono ga nokotte iru koto Oshiete kureru kara

Tsukare hateta karada de Nemuri ni tsuita kimi wo
Boku wa iki wo hisomete Mite ita
Sekaijuu de Tada hitori Boku dake ga shitte iru
Muboubi de Itoshii Yokogao

Atarimae no you ni Hizashi ga furi sosogi
Yasashii kaze Yureta Aru hi no koto
Boku no naka de Nani ka ga Sotto tsuyoku
Tashika ni kawatte yuku no wo Hitori Kanjite ita

Kanashiku nanka nai no ni Namida ga koboreta no wa
Kimi no omoi ga itai kurai ni
Boku no mune no oku no Kizuato ni shimi konde
Yasashisa ni Kaete kureta kara

Moshi mo Kimi ga fukai Kanashimi ni deattara
Boku ni mo Wakete kureru to ii na
Sono egao no tame nara Nan datte dekiru darou
Boku no taisetsu na takaramono

Boku no taisetsu na takaramono



JEWEL (English translation)

Again today, all of my desires
Bury everything under the square, gray sky.
The reason I can face foward
And walk among them without losing sight of the light
Is that you always tell me *(1)
That in some corner of this city
There are still things left that aren't smudged. *(2)

I held my breath as I watched you
Fall asleep completely exhausted.
I am the only one in the whole world
Who knows this vulnerably precious profile.

One normal day, with sunlight pouring in
And the gentle wind swaying,
I felt on my own that something was certainly changing,
Softly, but strongly, inside of me.

I wasn't sad at all, but the reason I brimmed with tears
Was that you had seeped through the scar in my heart
And turned it in to such a tenderness *(3)
That it hurt to think of you.

If you should happen to come across a deep sadness,
I wish that you would share it with me.
I think I could do anything for your smile,
My precious treasure.

My precious treasure.


* NOTES:

1. 教えてくれるから literally means "because you taught me", but "to teach" has a very academic feel in English, whereas here it has the feel of "because you advised me [against thinking that everything was dirty]"

2. 汚れのないもの means "things that have no smudge/stain/dirt/grime/impurities". "Stain" is the most poetic of them all, but English "stain" means more of a discoloration (that can still be clean), whereas 汚れ is probably best related to a stain caused by dirt and grime. I chose to say "things that aren't smudged", because it was still somewhat poetic, without sounding as condescending and contemptuous as "dirty, filthy things".

3. This line tries to express that the scar prevented her from feeling tenderness before. Her heart was scarred and damaged, and he changed that damage in to the ability to care and feel tenderness for someone. I said "tenderness" because using the more suitable "caring" as a noun is awkward and hard to catch in English.