二番目物 「祟神」 // Nibanmemono: Tatarigami
It’s been a while since I’ve touched anything RD.
I absolutely love the piano in this song.
Also the snark. There is so much snark.
Notes:
Act 2 in a five part Edo-Style Noh Performance is traditionally about a characters descent into war, destruction or mayhem, and features as its protagonist either the victor or the loser. In this case it is the loser.
The second reading of sky is the I Ching equivalent (䷀ = 乾).
Normally the symbol means dryness and drought in Japanese.
The second reading of earth is the I Ching equivalent (䷁ = 坤).
うらましき should probably be うらめしき, but considering adjective construction patterns it doesn’t feel all that off.
“捨つる神あり拾う神あり”
Is a form of “捨てる神あり拾う神あり” which is a proverb taken to mean “While there are gods who may abandon you, there are also gods who will save you.” == “When one door closes another one opens.” However, as this song is sung from the perspective of a god, the context changes, and (with help from the fact that the subject/object relationship is ambiguous in this form) the phrase can just as easily mean: “While there are some gods abandoned, there are also gods who are acquired.”
The “in the end” adverb uses 倒, which is uncommon and leads me to the image of questioning and killing tons of people for the answer until no one is left. But that may be just me.
There are three types of the “So I’ll pray…”
The first one is “in/by one hands” as in “you’re in good hands” like someone’s taking care of you.
The second one is “in ones hands” as literally in one’s hands, and is more controlling.
The third one is you -belong- like items to another and I wish life upon you.
This variation is enacted by the way もの is written (もの、者、モノ) and then the particle (で、に) then the change of hand (手) to body (身).
A line was bothering me so I made a small fix (2017/01/22 01:40)
—
二番目物 「祟神」
Nibanmemono: Tatarigami
Act 2: Curse God
明日ハレの日、ケの昨日｜東方風神録
Vocals: めらみぽっぷ
Arrange+Lyrics: RD-Sounds
Circle: 凋叶棕
Album: 伝 -tsutae-
Event: C91
そら乾のどこまでも
紅柄色の雨が降る
sora sora no dokomademo
benigarairo no ame ga furu
From all about the sky, the sky above
The rain falls a rusty red
ちも坤もどこまでも
鉄錆た色の土を踏む
chi mo chi mo dokomademo
tetsusabitairo no tsuchi wo fumu
All over the earth, the earth as well
Upon a rust red soil I tread
勝った負けたは世の倣いならば
従う他に路もなく
katta maketa wa yo no narai naraba
shitagau hoka ni michi mo naku
It is a way of the world to separate the victorious from the defeated.
As such, there is no other path for me to follow.
しかしその数多のうらましきごと
このままで済まされようか？
shikashi sono amata no uramashikigoto
kono mama de sumasareyou ka?
Be that as it may, must I stand by and allow
The injustices done upon me go unsettled?
茜さす空の色は高く
稲穂は重く頭垂れ
しかるに敬うもののかげなく
主なき大地の果に
akane sasu sora no iro wa takaku
inaho wa omoku koube tare
shikaru ni uyamau mono no kage naku
aruji naki daichi no hate ni
The glow of the sunset sky reaches high
As the ears of harvest rice droop low
Yet there is nary a shadow of reverence
To the ends of this masterless land
負け路を歩くよ
makemichi wo aruku yo
So I shall walk the path of the defeated
屍の山を歩くものには
一踏み二踏みなお足りぬ
行く道来た道辿らせはせぬ
けして戻れぬ修羅の道
shikabane no yama wo aruku mono ni wa
hitofumi futafumi nao tarinu
yukumichi kitamichi tadorase wa senu
keshite modorenu shura no michi
To those who walk among mountains of corpses
Not a step nor two will ever be enough
For neither the path you seek nor the path home will you find
This road of carnage does not allow for one to return
覇ち道を歩けよ
……果てどなく。どこまで？
kachimichi wo aruke yo
……hatedo naku. dokomade?
But go on and walk the path of the victor!
……a road without end. But how far will you go?
われが束ねた無上の大地 そのまま全部持っていけ
ware ga tabaneta mujou no daichi sono mama zen’bu motteike
Go on and take the best lands which I gathered up, take them all!
世はかくも うつろい
捨つる神あり拾う神あり
yo wa kaku mo utsuroi
sutsuru kami ari hirou kami ari
Thus the world moves on
With some gods abandoned and others enshrined
外様のものの手で命あらんことを
tozama no mono no te de inochi aran’ koto wo
So I’ll pray, may your lives be guaranteed in the hands of an outsider.
されど これは
誰に働く狼藉なるか
saredo kore wa
dare ni hataraku rouzeki naru ka
But with that aside
As to who is on the receiving end of this outrage…
そを忘れることけして許しなどせぬ
so wo wasureru koto keshite yurushi nado senu
That I will never allow to be forgotten.
その簒奪者の名
永代永代永代恨んでやろう
sono kami no na
eidai eidai eidai uran’deyarou
Oh the name of that thieving god
Forever and ever and ever, I will resent
同じ口にて異なる名を呼ぶ
寿ぐ絆も空しく
昨日が如何にハレていようとも
明日の行方はつゆ知らず
onaji kuchi nite kotonaru na wo yobu
kotohogu kizuna mo munashiku
kinou ga ika ni hareteiyou tomo
asu no yukue wa tsuyu shirazu
For those same mouths to call out another’s name
The celebrated bonds we shared feel empty
No matter how fulfilling and festive yesterday may have been
One cannot possibly know what tomorrow will bring
負け犬の末路よ
makeinu no matsuro yo
This the fate of a loser.
護られるものの弱さ故に
常に寄らば大樹の陰
その祈りは誰が為のものか
倒々誰も知らぬまま
mamorareru mono no yowasa yue ni
tsune ni yoraba taiju no kage
sono inori wa dare ga tame no mono ka
toutou dare mo shiranu mama
Due to the weakness of ones who need protection
Always they flock to the side of the most powerful
For whom do they truly pray?
In the end no one knows.
勝利者に届くか
……そのものも いつまで？
shourisha ni todoku ka
……sono mono mo itsumade?
Will their prayers reach the victor?
……Perhaps, but for how long?
われが束ねた数多の信仰 そのまま全部投げ遣って
ware ga tabaneta amata no shin’kou sono mama zen’bu nageyatte
Go on and take all of the faith which I gathered, and throw it away
世はかくも うつろう
捨つる民あり拾う民あり
yo wa kakumo utsurou
sutsuru tami ari hirou tami ari
Thus the world moves on
With some people abandoned and others taken under wing
外様の者の手に命あらんことを
tozama no mono no te ni inochi aran’ koto wo
So I’ll pray, may your lives be guaranteed in the hands of an outsider.
されど それは
誰に働く忘恩なるか
saredo sore wa
dare ni hataraku boon’ naru ka
But with that aside
As to who is on the receiving end of this ungratefulness…
そを忘れることけして許しなどせぬ
so wo wasureru koto keshite yurushi nado senu
That I will never allow to be forgotten.
その背信者の名
永代永代永代呪ってやろう
sono uragirimono no na
eidai eidai eidai norotteyarou
Oh the names of those traitors
Forever and ever and ever, I will curse
病ませ 流行らせ 凶事の限り
草の根一つ生やさずなって
われが束ねた穢れを満たす
覚悟はいかなるものか？
yamase hayarase kyouji no kagiri
kusa no ne hitotsu hayasazu natte
ware ga tabaneta kegare wo mitasu
kakugo wa ikanaru mono ka?
Spreading sickness and disease, the utmost calamities
Not a single blade of grass will still grow
The impurities I’ve gathered up will fill the land
How prepared are you the quench them?
世はかくも うつろい
捨つる地もなし拾う天もなし
yo wa kaku mo utsuroi
sutsuru chi mo nashi hirou ten’ mo nashi
Thus the world moves on
But you cannot abandon the earth and flock to the sky for salvation
外様のモノの身に命あらんことを
tozama no mono no mi ni inochi aran’ koto wo
So I’ll pray, may your lives be guaranteed as those of an outsider.
生きて 贖え
けして滅びること叶わぬよう
ikite aganae
keshite horobiru koto kanawanuyou
Yes, live and repent
But may you not find peace in death
この名と供にして忘れられぬよう
kono na to tomo ni shite wasurerarenuyou
So that along with my name you shall never be forgotten
この天地の全て
永代永代永代永代永代永代永代永代永代祟ってやろう
kono ten’chi no subete
eidai eidai eidai eidai eidai eidai eidai eidai eidai tatatteyarou
Oh all heaven and earth
Forever and ever and ever
and ever and ever and ever
and ever and ever and ever
I will haunt.
—
kafka-fuura 
Hello.
Thank you for your translation.
Here I wrote what I thought about the interpretation, though I can’t understand all lyrics.
So commenting back about what you think would help me to understand better.
—-
>“捨つる神あり拾う神あり”
> Is a form of “捨てる神あり拾う神あり” which is a proverb taken to mean
> “While there are gods who may abandon you, there are also gods who will save you.”
> == “When one door closes another one opens.”
> However, as this song is sung from the perspective of a god, the context changes,
> and (with help from the fact that the subject/object relationship is ambiguous in this form)
> the phrase can just as easily mean:
> “While there are some gods abandoned, there are also gods who are acquired.”
> There are three types of the “So I’ll pray…”
>
> The first one is “in/by one hands” as in “you’re in good hands” like someone’s taking care of you.
> The second one is “in ones hands” as literally in one’s hands, and is more controlling.
> The third one is you -belong- like items to another and I wish life upon you.
I interprets differently;
I suppose that “捨つる神あり拾う神あり”(and other types of 民/民, 地もなし/天もなし) would mean the same as the proverbs
and that the second and third type of the “So I’ll pray…” would be for the outsider, not for the people.
I think the first part, which have “捨つる神あり拾う神あり” and “外様のものの手で命あらんことを”,
would be about the people “I” once governed.
“捨つる神” would imply that “I” abandoned the people,
“拾う神” would imply that “外様” saved them.
I think the second part, which have “捨つる民あり拾う民あり”, “外様の者の手に命あらんことを”,
would be about the “外様” (and possibly “I”).
“捨つる民あり拾う民あり” would imply that “外様” will not continue to be a victor.
Then “I” would feel pity for the “外様” and pray for her/him.
“捨つる民あり拾う民あり” might also imply that “I” was abandoned and was saved as “祟神”.
I think the third part, which have “捨つる地もなし拾う天もなし”, “外様のモノの身に命あらんことを”,
would be mainly about the “外様”.
“捨つる地もなし拾う天もなし” would imply that “I” destroyed the land
and there is no hope for people or for gods.
“外様のモノの身に命あらんことを” would imply that “I” pray for the outsider to live and repent
under this harsh circumstances, as the succeeding part goes.
First of all, I feel that the narrator has nothing but spite for everyone and everything, so all of the “あらんことを” lines should have some aspect of irony or sarcasm in them, which is most apparent in the end where she declares that the reason she wants them to be alive is to repent, and their suffering to be recorded so that she herself is not forgotten. Also, I would suggest that 外様 is Kanako, and as a god, she doesn’t really have a life, so while there are a bit of gymnastics in some of those lines, they should all be about humans, not gods.
I realize that some of this interpretation is a bit of a stretch, but here’s how I took each line:
外様のものの手で命あらんことを
Here, もの refers to 外様 and by (で) their hands, may (you) have life.
外様の者の手に命あらんことを
Here 者… could really be either 外様 or the people, but I lean towards 外様. In the 外様 case, it would be the people having life in the hands/under the control of 外様. But you could also have 者 be “people of the 外様”, in which, in those people’s hands may there be/may they have life.
外様のモノの身に命あらんことを
Here モノ seems to be making a point. Now it’s still the same word, but it’s emphasized by the katakana and I really think it refers to ownership, in the “You belong to me” sort of way. If the モノ was もの or even 者 it would seem that “I wish life upon the 外様” but that seems at odds with the other two lines which refer to the people. However, if you consider the モノ referring to the 外様’s ‘things’, then the subject jumps back to the people, and I think things make more sense that way. Again, there are a couple of cognitive leaps being taken here, so you’re not wrong to criticize me for it but I’m going to stand by it.
捨つる神あり拾う神あり
Now what I’ve done here may be even more of a stretch. I originally wrote it as the proverb goes, but then it didn’t feel as if it made sense in context. It’s placement is very ironic, because as a phrase meant to sort of play on the wishy-washy-ness of gods, It’s not the gods that abandoned a human in this context, but the humans which abandoned a god. Of course, this is followed up by 捨つる民あり拾う民あり which is the inverted meaning, just as it would make sense to be, but also in this part of the song – it’s right after she tells the one who stole her faith to just go ahead and throw it away. So I went along with the same subject/object inversion of the first one and I thought it made more sense that way.
捨つる地もなし拾う天もなし
I think your interpretation of this line is just as valid. The way I translated it was just a looser interpretation of the concept. もあり is inverted into もなし, so I take that as an expectation being betrayed. I kept the people as the subject so as to illustrate the people’s fate as being their fault, as I thought Suwako would feel. What I think this line conveys is that while you can keep abandoning what you think is the weaker party and flocking to the stronger party (寄らば大樹の陰) eventually you may reach a point where you have burned too many bridges, and then you may no longer flee.
That’s how I see it anyway.
Thanks for your comments!!
Thank you for your reply.
Now I see your point, and that is a very interesting interpretation, where you keep the people as the subject.
There maybe some stretch, but we seem not to be able to interpret this song without stretch in any way.
Thank you for your insight!