螺鈿の骨
raden no hone
Mother of Pearl
Vocals: Hatsune Miku (初音ミク)
Lyrics: ばぶちゃん (Babuchan)
Composed by: ばぶちゃん (Babuchan)
Release Date: 5 September 2012
Requested by: luci
Watch the official video on YouTube!
This translation presents a slightly different view than what we’ve seen before. In this, we see a speaker who has grown submissive through love, and who longs deeply to be loved.
Interesting note about the complex last line in the second-last stanza: 小指 (koyubi) can also be used to refer to one’s wife or concubine.
The English title is the title that appears in the official upload. As it’s not the result of community subtitles or translation, I take it to be Babuchan’s official English title. The original Japanese title means either “Mother of Pearl Bones” or “Raden Bones.” Read more about the art of raden here!
一つあなたがくれた くちづけを
思い出して倖せだった
慕っております背中に指で
なぞれば目蓋（まぶた）も熱くなる
hitotsu anata ga kureta kuchizuke o
omoidashite shiawase datta
shitatte orimasu senaka ni yubi de
nazoreba mabuta mo atsuku naru
I remembered the kiss you gave me
and I was so happy.
I yearn for you. When you trace along my back
with your fingertips, my eyelids get hot too.
焦がれる想い火ぢりぢりと
誘われ花蝶も焼き尽くす
kogareru omoibi jirijiri to
sasoware kachou mo yakitsukusu
The flames of my yearning scorch
and burn the floral butterflies they attract to nothing.
螺鈿（らでん）の骨まで愛してほしいの
白磁の首筋噛み付いて
raden no hone made aishite hoshii no
hakuji no kubisuji kamitsuite
I want you to love me to my mother of pearl bones.
Bite at the nape of my neck, white porcelain in colour.
雨の色も散りゆく花も
みんな貴方が語ってくれた
愛の唄も揺れゆく鼓動（おと）も
みんな貴方が騙ってくれた
ame no iro mo chiri yuku hana mo
minna anata ga katatte kureta
ai no uta mo yure yuku oto mo
minna anata ga katatte kureta
The colour of the rain and the scattering flowers…
you told me about them all.
A song of love and my wavering heartbeat…
you lied about them all for me.
此の侭（このまま）月よ沈まぬやうに
願えど貴方は居なくなる
kono mama tsuki yo shizumanu yau ni
negaedo anata wa inaku naru
I hope that, like this, the moon will not descend.
Though I wish, you will leave me.
螺鈿（らでん）の骨まで愛してほしいの
白磁の首筋噛み付いて
濡羽の黒髪解（ほど）けるままに
送った桜花（おうか）の小指さえ
raden no hone made aishite hoshii no
hakuji no kubisuji kamitsuite
nureba no kurokami hodokeru mama ni
okutta ouka no koyubi sae
I want you to love me to my mother of pearl bones.
Bite at the nape of my neck, white porcelain in colour.
With crow-black hair that’s come undone,
reach even the little pinkies of the cherry blossom I sent you…
灰となったわたくしのおめめに
咲く花をまた愛（め）でて欲しい
hai to natta watakushi no omeme ni
saku hana wo mata medete hoshii
I have burned to ash, and in my eyes
I want you to admire blooming flowers once more.
