Yuki No Shingun

Snow March

Yuki No Shingun

Marching through the snow, stepping on ice
雪の進軍 氷を踏んで
yuki no shingun koori wo funde
Not knowing which is the river or the road
どれが川やら 道さえ知れず
dore ga kawa yara michi sae shirezu
Horses fall, unable to rise
馬は倒れる 捨てても起けず
uma wa taoreru sutete mo okezu
Where are we? In the enemy's land
ここはいずくぞ 皆敵の国
koko wa izuku zo mina teki no kuni
Be bold, take a break
ままよ大胆 一服やれば
mama yo daitan ippuku yareba
With little hope, Japanese tobacco
頼み少くなや 煙草が日本
tanomi sukunaya tabako ga nihon

Half-cooked rice, dried fish unburned
焼かぬ干物に半にえ飯に
yakanu himono ni han-nie meshi ni
In that life, there is
生命のある その内は
namaji inochi no aru sono uchi wa
A fire against the unbearable cold
凌えきれない 寒さの焚火
korae kirenai samusa no takibi
It must be smoky, the reason to live
煙いはずだよ 生きがいがいぶる
kemui hazu da yo namaki ga iburu
Talking optimistically with a stern face
渋い顔して 光明話
shibui kao shite kōmyō banashi
Sourness is just a pickled plum
酸いというのは 梅干し一つ
sui to iu no wa umeboshi hitotsu

Casually enjoying the fruits of the trees
木の実木のまま気楽な節度
ki nomi ki no mama kiraku na fushido
Wearing armor as a pillow
背脳枕に 甲冑かぶりゃ
hainō makura ni gaitō kaburya
The warmth on the back starts melting the snow
背中のぬくみで雪解けかかる
sena no nukumi de yuki doke kakaru
Quivers soaked in the warmth
矢具の着皮 しっぽり濡れて
yagu no kibigara shippori nurete
Dreaming of a candle that can't be lit
結び兼ねたる 蝋燭の夢を
musubi kanetaru roei no yume wo
The moon coldly peeks in
月は冷たく 顔覗き込む
tsuki wa tsumetaku kao nozokikomu

Offering life, risking death
命捧げて 出てきた身故
inochi sasagete detekita mi yue
Ready to die, rushing forward
死ぬ覚悟で 突貫すれど
shinuru kakugo de tokkan suredo
Luck in battle won't come without effort
武運伝わく 打ち地にせねば
buun tsutanaku uchiji ni seneba
Bound by duty, circled eighteen times
義理に絡めた 十八回廻た
giri ni karameta jūppei mawata
Slowly, the noose tightens
そろりそろりと 首締めかかる
sorori sorori to kubi shime kakaru
Planning to keep alive, but won't return
どうせ生かして 返さぬつもり
dōse ikashite kaesanu tsumori