Hotaru no Hikari
Hotaru no Hikari(Huỳnh の quang,meaning "Glow of a firefly" )is a Japanese song incorporating the tune of Scottish folk songAuld Lang Synewith completely different lyrics by Chikai Inagaki, first introduced in a collection of singing songs for elementary school students in 1881 (Meiji 14). The swapping of lyrics without substantial change to the music is known ascontrafactum.The words describe a series of images of hardships that the industrious student endures in his relentless quest for knowledge, starting with thefirefly’s light, which the student uses to keep studying when he has no other light sources (originating from the story of Che Yin from Volume 83 of theBook of Jin). It is commonly heard during graduation ceremonies and at the end of the school day. Many stores and restaurants play it to usher customers out at the end of a business day. On the very popular Japanese New Year's Eve TV show,NHK'sKōhaku Uta Gassen,it has become a tradition for all the performers to singHotaru no Hikarias the last song.Tokyo DisneylandandTokyo Disney Seahere isTokyo Disney Resortfor Countdown Party's from New Year's Eve Park show, "New Day, New Dream". Another song from the same period and used at graduation ceremonies thought to be based on a Scottish folk song is "Aogeba Tōtoshi".
Lyrics
[edit]| Verse | Japanese text | Romaji | English translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Huỳnh の quang, song の tuyết, Thư đọc む nguyệt nhật, trọng ねつゝ. Hà thời しか niên も, すぎの hộ を, Khai けてぞ kim triều は, biệt れ hành く. |
Hotaru no hikari, mado no yuki, Fumi yomu tsukihi, kasane tsutsu Itsushika toshi mo, sugi no to wo, Aketezo kesa wa, wakare yuku. |
Light of fireflies, (moonlight reflected off) snow by the window. Many days and months spent reading. Before one knows it, years have passed. The door we resolutely open; this morning, we part ways. |
| 2 | Chỉ まるも hành くも, hạn りとて, Hỗ に tư う, thiên vạn の. Tâm の đoan を, nhất ngôn に, Hạnh くと hứa り, ca うなり. |
Tomaru mo yuku mo, kagiri tote, Katami ni omou, chiyorodzu no, Kokoro no hashi wo, hitokoto ni, Sakiku to bakari, utau nari. |
Stay or leave, either an end Mutually, countless thoughts from the bottom of the heart, expressed in one word a wish for peace, we sing. |
| 3 | Trúc tử の cực み, lục の áo, Hải sơn viễn く, cách つとも. その chân tâm は, cách て vô く, Nhất つに tẫn くせ, quốc の vi. |
Tsukushi no kiwami, michi no oku, Umi yama tooku, hedatsu tomo, Sono magokoro wa, hedate naku, Hitotsu ni tsukuse, kuni no tame |
Far reaches of Kyushu and Tōhoku Though separated by seas and mountains Our sincere hearts are separated not Serving single-mindedly for country. |
| 4 | Thiên đảo の áo も, trùng thằng も, Bát châu の nội の, hộ りなり. Chí らん quốc に, huân しく, Nỗ めよ ngã が bối, dạng vô く. |
Chishima no oku mo, Okinawa mo Yashima no uchi no, mamori nari Itaran kuni ni, isaoshiku Tsutome yo waga se, tsutsuganaku |
From the ends ofChishimato Okinawa, We protect all part of Japan. Contributing to our great country, I'll faithfully devote my life. |
