落花流水
rakka ryuusui
Mutual Love

Vocals: IZNA
Lyrics: IZNA
Arranged by: NSY
Album: UROBOROS 4  【Official Site】
Circle: Sally
Event: C88
Original Theme: Eastern Mystical Dream ~ Ancient Temple [東方妖々夢　～ Ancient Temple]

Requested by: Eiki
Subtitled video courtesy of Eiki: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2S6XI7Jwwk

The lyrics this time are complicated. It seems like they revolve around the proverb that makes up the title, as well as a few corruptions of it. Basically, 落花流水 (rakka ryuusui) is a traditional Japanese saying that translated to ‘Mutual Love.’ But, to go a little bit deeper, it’s made up of two parts. 落花 (rakka) means ‘falling petals,’ and 流水 (ryuusui) means ‘running water.’ So, we get ‘mutual love,’ because apparently the falling petals want to flow gently along the water, and the flowing water wants to carry the petals along. The things they want intersect. If you want to avoid potential spoilers, please skip the next two paragraphs!

Now, this is significant when we look at the two corruptions of this phrase present in the song. I translated the first, 落花着床 (rakka chakushou), as ‘intercourse.’ In this case, the first part is the same, but the second part, 着床 (chakushou), means ‘implantation.’ So, in this case, we still have the falling flowers, but the second part implies pollination, or ‘intercourse.’ In the context of the whole line, it looks like the speaker wants to have a child.

I translated the final one, 落花着水 “rakka chakusui,” as unrequited love. Like the previous two, the falling flowers are still there. However, the second part, 着水 (chakusui), literally means ‘falling on the water.’ I feel like this means the waters have grown still. In other words, the one that the speaker loves has died, or no longer has feelings for them. There’s also the possibility that the speaker’s child passed away before it could be born.

So, apologies for the rambling, but that’s my interpretation of the two parts of the song I found the most difficult to translate. I could be totally wrong, so I’d love to hear any other interesting interpretations! 🙂

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

いいよ　さようなら
ここから逃れられる事を
心のどこかで望んでいた
寧ろ　さようなら　君から言い出した筈でしょ？
桜・ラプソディ　もう聴こえないよ

ii yo sayounara
koko kara nogerareru koto wo
kokoro no dokoka de nozonde ita
mushiro sayounara kimi kara iidashita hazu desho?
sakura rapusodi mou kikoenai yo

It’s okay – farewell.
Somewhere inside my heart, I wished
To be able to escape from here.
Instead, I say farewell. Those words were meant to be yours, weren’t they?
I can’t hear the cherry blossoms’ rhapsody anymore…

何時だって苛立ってる　間違いない元凶の把握
美しく佇んでる　淡紅の花は人知れず咲く
謝って泣いちゃっても　惰性癖すら全部正す
十年も二十年も　嗚呼枯れる迄そばにいてよ

itsu datte iradatteru machigai nai genkyou no ha’aku
utsukushiku tatazunderu tankou no hana wa hitoshitezu saku
ayamatte naichattemo dasei kuse sura zenbu tadasu
juunen mo nijuunen mo aa kareru made soba ni ite yo

I’m always irritated. There’s no mistake – I know the cause.
Unknown to all, the pale red flower blooms. It gracefully stands still.
Even if you say sorry and cry, I’ll correct your bad habits.
Whether it be ten or twenty years, aah… I will be by your side till you wither away.

いいよ　さようなら
いつかはこうなると分かっていながら
不思議ね何もしない
要は　私のさながら平凡な青春
赤裸裸・フィロソフィ　本音を知りたい

ii yo sayounara
itsuka wa kou naru to wakatte inagara
fushigi ne nani mo shinai
you wa watashi no sanagara heibon na seishun
sekirara firosofi hon’ne wo shiritai

It’s okay – farewell.
Though I knew things would end up like this,
I didn’t do anything. How strange…
In short, it’s like my ordinary adolescence, so much like me.
A frank philosophy – I want to know what you really feel!

先だって殺気立って　間違いなく一切の想像論
好き。だって気になってる　君だって実際の感情を

saki datte sakkidatte machigai naku issai no souzou ron
suki. datte ki ni natteru kimi datte jissai no kanjou wo

The other day, I was in a frenzy. There’s no mistake – it’s all imagination.
I like you. That’s why you’re on my mind. I want to know your real emotions…

寒さも和らいで春の足音近づく頃
だんだん　遠くなる二人の距離が痛い

samusa mo yawaraide haru no ashioto chikadzuku koro
dandan tooku naru futari no kyori ga itai

The cold softens, and the footsteps of spring have drawn close.
The growing distance between us hurts…

あのね君に見せたい景色があったんだ
通り過ぎたあの角の満開
ええい、儘よ　流るる純情を飛び越えて
今宵こそは成るようになれば好い

ano ne kimi ni misetai keshiki ga atta nda
toorisugita ano kado no mankai
eei, mamayo nagaruru junjou wo tobikoete
koyoi koso wa naru you ni nareba ii

You know, there was a landscape I wanted to show you:
It was that border we passed through, in full bloom.
Never mind, I don’t care. I walk over your flowing naivety.
Tonight, too, what will be will be.

「落花着床」だったらいいな

“rakka chakushou” dattara ii na

”Intercourse.” It would be good if that was it…

いろはにほへと
わかよたれそつねならむ

iro ha nihoheto
wa ka yo tare so tsune naramu

Even the blossoming flowers…
Who in our world is unchanging? (1)

謳歌咲き乱れて　やがて季節は終わりを告げる
どんどん離れてく　どんどん時は過ぎ往く

ouka sakimidarete yagate kisetsu wa owari wo tsugeru
dondon hanareteku dondon toki wa sugiyuku

They rejoice, they bloom. They announce that, at last, winter is over.
Gradually, we part. Gradually, time passes.

あのね君と果たせぬ誓いがあったんだ
思い出してあの宇宙の満天
一層の事、　私財の勘定は後にして
今度こそは正直に生きたい

ano ne kimi to hatasenu chikai ga atta nda
omoidashite ano sora no manten
issou no koto, shizai no kanjou wa ato ni shite
kondo koso wa shoujiki ni ikitai

You know, we had a vow together that we never carried out.
I remembered it in the vastness of the sky.
A resolution. I’ll pay my debts afterwards.
Next time, I want to live honestly, for sure.

「落花着水」だって。辛い

“rakka chakusui” datte. tsurai

It was “unrequited love.” How painful.

桜はらはら　さようなら振り返る背中を
心のどこかで期待していた
要は　私のさながら平凡な青春
赤裸裸・フィロソフィ　もう見えない

sakura hara hara sayounara furikaeru senaka wo
kokoro no dokoka de kitai shiteita
you wa watashi no sanagara heibon na seishun
sekirara firosofi mou mienai

The cherry blossoms fall. Farewell. I guess, somewhere in my heart,
I expected to see you look back.
In short, it’s like my ordinary adolescence, so much like me.
A frank philosophy – I want to know what you really feel!

落花流水　さらさら流れていく景色を
夢中で何度も追いかけていた
さらば！私のさながら平凡な毎日
ラララ・ラプソディ　　もう聴こえない

rakka ryuusui sarasara nagarete iku keshiki wo
muchuu de nando mo oikakete ita
saraba! watashi no sanagara heibon na mainichi
ra ra ra rapusodi mou kikoenai

Mutual love. In ecstasy, I chased after you time and time again
In the rustling, flowing landscape.
I bid farewell to my ordinary days, so much like me!
I can no longer hear that rhapsody…

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(1) This is an excerpt from the famous Japanese Iroha poem, in which all of the hiragana are used once. Significantly, this excerpt is missing the middle line, ちりぬるを (‘Chirinuru wo’ – Will eventually scatter.)