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CLASSICS — BEYOND THE HYAKUNIN ISSHU

Mochizuki

“The Full Moon”Source: Fujiwara no Michinaga's 'Full Moon Poem' (Shōyūki diary, 1018)Poet: Fujiwara no Michinaga
この世をば 我が世とぞ思ふ 望月の
欠けたることも なしと思へば
Kono yo oba waga yo to zo omou mochizuki no
kaketaru koto mo nashi to omoeba
This world, I do believe, is mine alone —
like the full moon, with nothing lacking at all.
Diary literature (Shōyūki)WinterRadiantAdmirationTsuchimikado Mansion (Kyoto)
Mochizuki jacket art

Music Video

ミュージックビデオ

The Story

歌のものがたり

Historical Background

The mid-Heian period, at the height of regency politics. Fujiwara no Michinaga made three of his daughters consorts of emperors one after another and, as maternal grandfather of emperors, stood at the pinnacle of power. This poem was composed in 1018 (Kannin 2) at a banquet celebrating the investiture of his third daughter Ishi (Takeko) as empress, and was recorded in the Shōyūki, the diary of Fujiwara no Sanesuke, who was present.

The Poet's Heart

"This world, I think, is mine; like the full moon, nothing is lacking"—a poem that turned the pride of the summit directly into verse, the most famous song of self-praise in Japanese history. But a full moon begins to wane from the very moment it is full. How far he himself was aware of that has been debated for a thousand years.

What We Put into the Lyrics

The lyrics layer Michinaga onto someone today living "the one peak of a lifetime." Everything is in your hands and the world exists for you—yet somewhere in your heart you know that "a moon, once full, must wane." A song portraying the dazzle of glory and the ache of knowing it will not last forever.

Lyrics

歌詞
Japanese

見上げた夜空に 完璧な月

欠けるところなど どこにもなくて

手を伸ばせば全て 届く気がした

この世界は 僕のためにある

誰もが振り返り 誰もが頷く

望んだものは 全部この手の中

今夜だけは 信じてもいいだろう

この世をば 我が世とぞ思ふ

満ちた月のように 欠けるものなど何もない

笑え 今夜は笑え

明日のことなど 誰も知らないから

望月のように ただ輝いていたい

気づいてる 月は満ちれば欠けてゆく

それでも今は 目を逸らさずに

この絶頂の風景を 焼き付けておく

いつか思い出す 夜のために

誰もが讃える その声の奥に

かすかに聞こえる 時の足音

それでも今夜は 胸を張っていたい

この世をば 我が世とぞ思ふ

満ちた月のように 欠けるものなど何もない

笑え 今夜は笑え

明日のことなど 誰も知らないから

望月のように ただ輝いていたい

この世をば我が世とぞ思ふ望月の

欠けたることもなしと思へば

この世をば 我が世とぞ思ふ

満ちた月のように 欠けるものなど何もない

誇れ 今夜は誇れ

この瞬間は 二度と戻らないから

望月のように 今 輝いていたい

欠けてゆくその前に この光を

English

In the night sky I looked up to, a perfect moon

nowhere does it wane, not in a single place

I felt I could reach anything if I stretched my hand

this whole world exists for me

Everyone turns to look, everyone nods in assent

all that I longed for is here within my hands

tonight, at least, I may let myself believe it

This world, I think of it as my own

like the full moon, nothing here is wanting

Laugh — tonight, just laugh

for no one knows what tomorrow holds

like the full moon, I only want to shine

I know it — once full, the moon begins to wane

and yet, for now, I will not look away

I'll burn this view from the summit into my eyes

for a night, someday, when I'll look back on it

Deep beneath the voices that all sing my praise

I faintly hear the footsteps of passing time

still, tonight, I want to stand here proud

This world, I think of it as my own

like the full moon, nothing here is wanting

Laugh — tonight, just laugh

for no one knows what tomorrow holds

like the full moon, I only want to shine

This world I think of as my own, like the full moon

that I believe has nothing wanting at all

This world, I think of it as my own

like the full moon, nothing here is wanting

Be proud — tonight, be proud

for this moment will never come again

like the full moon, now, I want to shine

before it starts to wane — this light, right now

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