August is a month in Japan when special remembrance is given to relatives who have passed away. In honor of that tradition, this video shows the singer Arai Man performing a song he wrote called Sen No Kaze ni Natte, or I am a Thousand Winds. It was inspired by an English poem written by Mary Elizabeth Frye.
Song lyrics and translation are as follows.
私のお墓の前で 泣かないでください
Watashi no ohaka no mae de nakanai de kudasai
Please don't cry at my grave
そこに私はいません 眠ってなんかいません
Soko ni watashi wa imasen, nemutte nanka imasen
I am not there, no way I'm sleeping there
千の風に 千の風になって
Sen no kaze ni, sen no kaze ni natte
A thousand winds, I am a thousand winds
あの大きな空を吹きわたっています
Ano ookina sora wo fukiwatatte imasu
That big sky, there I'm blowing
秋には光になって 畑にふりそそぐ
Aki niwa hikari ni natte hatake ni furisosogu
I am the light showering over the field
冬はダイヤのように きらめく雪になる
Fuyu wa daiya no yooni kirameku yuki ni nari
In the winter, I'm snow that shines like diamonds
朝は鳥になって あなたを目覚めさせる
Asa wa tori ni natte anata wo mezame saseru
In the morning, I'm a bird to wake you up
夜は星になって あなたを見守る
Yoru wa hoshi ni natte anata wo mimamoru
In the night, I'm the star that looks after you
私のお墓の前で 泣かないでください
Watashi no ohaka no mae de nakanai de kudasai
Please don't cry at my grave
そこに私はいません 死んでなんかいません
Soko ni watashi wa imasen, nemutte nanka imasen
I am not there, no way I've died
千の風に 千の風になって
Sen no kaze ni, sen no kaze ni natte
A thousand winds, I am a thousand winds
あの大きな空を吹きわたっています
Ano ookina sora wo fukiwatatte imasu
That big sky, there I'm blowing
千の風に 千の風になってSen no kaze ni, sen no kaze ni natte
A thousand winds, I am a thousand winds
あの大きな空を吹きわたっています
Ano ookina sora wo fukiwatatte imasu
That big sky, there I'm blowing
あの大きな空を吹きわたっています
Ano ookina sora wo fukiwatatte imasu
That big sky, there I'm blowing
Here is poem follows that is referenced above.
Do not stand at my grave
by Mary Elizabeth Frye
- Do not stand at my grave and weep,
- I am not there; I do not sleep.
- I am a thousand winds that blow,
- I am the diamond glints on snow,
- I am the sun on ripened grain,
- I am the gentle autumn rain.
- When you awaken in the morning’s hush
- I am the swift uplifting rush
- Of quiet birds in circling flight.
- I am the soft star-shine at night.
- Do not stand at my grave and cry,
- I am not there; I did not die.
