Roei No Uta

War Song

Roei No Uta

Gonna come out victorious and brave
勝ってくるぞと勇ましく
katte kuru zo to isamashiku
Left my hometown underground
地下って故郷を出たからは
chika tte furusato o detakara wa
Will I die without any achievements?
手柄立てずに死なりょうか
tegara tatezu ni shina ryō ka
Every time I hear the marching bugle
進軍喇叭聞くたびに
shingun rappa kiku tabi ni
I see the flag waving in my mind
まぶたに浮かぶ旗の波
mabuta ni ukabu hata no nami

The earth, the plants, all burning in flames
土も草木も火と燃える
tsuchi mo kusaki mo hi to moeru
Trampling through endless wastelands
果てなき荒野踏み分けて
hatenaki kōya fumi wakete
Advancing with the rising sun flag and iron helmet
進む日の丸鉄兜
susumu hinomaru tetsukabuto
Stroking the horse's mane
馬の鬣撫でながら
uma no tategami nadenagara
Who knows whose life tomorrow will be
明日の命を誰が知る
ashita no inochi o dare ga shiru

Bullets, ammo, bayonets
弾丸も弾薬も銃剣も
dangan mo tanku mo jūken mo
Briefly resting on grass pillows
しばし露営の草枕
shibashi roei no kusa makura
Encouraged by my father who appeared in my dreams
夢に出てきた父上に
yume ni detekita chichiue ni
To die and return
死んで帰れと励まされ
shinde kaere to hagemasa re
Waking up to glare at the enemy's sky
覚めて睨むは敵の空
samete niramu wa teki no sora

Thinking back on today's battle
思えば今日の戦闘に
omoeba kyō no sentō ni
Smiling, stained with alcohol
酒に染まってにっこりと
shu ni somatte nikkori to
My fallen comrades who died with a smile
笑みって死んだ戦友が
emi tte shinda sen'yū ga
Left behind a voice shouting 'Long live the Emperor!'
天皇陛下万歳と
ten'nōheika banzai to
Will I forget that voice?
残した声が忘れるよか
nokoshita koe ga wasureru yoka

Those of us in battle have long been prepared
戦する身は兼てから
sen suru mi wa kanetekara
To discard what we hold dear
捨てる覚悟でいるものを
suteru kakugo de iru mono o
Don't cry for us, little grasshopper
泣いてくれるな草の虫
naite kureru na kusa no mushi
If it's for the sake of Eastern peace
東洋平和のためならば
tōyō heiwa no tamenaraba
Whose life is too precious?
何の命が惜しいのか
nan no inochi ga oshikaro ka