十六夜童歌 || The Children’s Song of Izayoi

歌詞

十六夜宵
昇る月に対の黒兎
金平糖散らした空
跳ね回り消えて逝った
格子戸陰絵模様
囁き響く古井戸から
誰かを呼ぶ声は
首が欲しいと嘆いている

奇奇怪怪
枝垂れ桜振舞く屍
絢爛な夢見せつけ
欲の花狂い咲き
集え今宵はそら
森へ里へと百鬼夜行
腹鼓抱えた古狸と狐の舞も
命無き物でも
魂を宿しいいずれ這い出る
繰り返す陰と陽
理教える童歌

Romanisation

izayoi yoi
noboru tsuki ni tsui no kuro usagi
konpeitou chirashita sora
hanemawari kiete itta
koushido kage emoyou
sasayaki hibiku furuido kara
dareka o yobu koe wa
kubi ga hoshii to nageite iru

kikikaikai
shidarezakura furumaku shikabane
kenran na yume misetsuke
yoku no hana kuruizaki
tsudoe koyoi wa sora
mori e sato e to hyakki yagyou
haratsudzumi kakaeta furudanuki to kitsune no mai mo
inochi naki mono demo
tama o yadoshii izure hai deru
kurikaesu in to you
kotowari oshieru warabeuta

Translation

During the night of Izayoi
The black rabbit was opposite the rising moon.
It jumped around in the sky full of konpeito
before vanishing and passing on.
A shadow design is upon the lattice door.
Whispering comes from the well.
That voice, calling for someone,
moans “I want your head.”

How bizarre.
The corpse entertains beneath the weeping cherry tree.
They flaunt a dazzling dream
and the flowers of lust bloom out of season.
Gather tonight in the sky!
The night parade of demons heads for the forest and the village.
The old tanuki with their belly drums, the dance of the kitsune,
and even those without life
house souls, and will creep out sooner or later.
Light and shade repeat
and this children’s song imparts logic.