In a world that is becoming increasingly dominated by insecurity and uncertainty, are there still ways to remain hopeful? Is there still what we can do to change, or what love can do? The following Japanese song by Radwimps『愛にできることはまだあるかい』(Is There Still Anything That Love Can Do) chooses to have faith.  Sharing with you the English translations of the song lyrics, I recommend this song to you as a start of searching for an answer.

何も持たずに　生まれ堕ちた僕
Born into this world, I have nothing
永遠の隙間で　のたうち回ってる
In the crevice of eternity, I writhe in pain.

諦めた者と　賢い者だけが
Only those who give up and those who are smart
勝者の時代に　どこで息を吸う
Manage to breathe, in this age for winners.

支配者も神も　どこか他人顔
Gods and rulers, they all look indifferent
だけど本当は　分かっているはず
Yet in truth, they should know.

勇気や希望や　絆とかの魔法
Courage, faith, or the magic of human bonds,
使い道もなく　オトナは目を背ける
Have no use, as the adults look away.

それでもあの日の　君が今もまだ
In spite of that, you still stand
僕の全正義の　ど真ん中にいる
Firmly in the center of my sense of justice.

世界が背中を　向けてもまだなお
Even if the world turns its back on us,
立ち向かう君が　今もここにいる
You are still here, to stand up and fight.

愛にできることはまだあるかい
Is there still anything that love can do?
僕にできることはまだあるかい
Is there still anything that love can do?

君がくれた勇気だから
Because it’s the courage you gave me,
君のために使いたいんだ
I want to use it for your sake;
君と分け合った愛だから
because it’s the love you shared with me,
君とじゃなきゃ意味がないんだ
without you, it’s meaningless.

愛にできることはまだあるかい
Is there still anything that love can do?
僕にできることは　まだあるかい
Is there still anything that I can do?

運命とはつまり　サイコロの出た目
Is life merely however a dice falls,
はたまた神の　いつもの気まぐれ
Or is it just a whim of God.

選び選ばれた　脱げられぬ鎧
The armor made for us that we cannot remove,
もしくは遥かな　揺らぐことない意志
May one day become our unfaltering will.

果たさぬ願いと　叶わぬ再会と
The ungranted wishes, unfulfilled reunions,
ほどけぬ誤解と　降り積もる憎悪と
The unresolved misunderstanding, accumulated hatred,

許し合う声と　握りしめ合う手を
And the words that forgive, the hands that hold together,
この星は今日も　抱えて生きてる
Today the planet also, lives on.

愛にできることはまだあるかい
Is there still anything that love can do?
僕にできることはまだあるかい
Is there still anything that I can do?

君がくれた勇気だから
Because it’s the courage you gave me,
君のために使いたいんだ
I want to use it for your sake;
君と育てた愛だから
because it’s the love that we nurture together.
君とじゃなきゃ意味がないんだ
it’s meaningless without you.

愛にできることはまだあるかい
Is there still anything that love can do?
僕にできることは　まだあるかい
Is there still anything that I can do?

何もない僕たちに　なぜ夢を見させたか
Why am I allowed to dream even though I have nothing in my hands?
終わりある人生に　なぜ希望を持たせたか
Why am I allowed to hope when this life is bound to end?

なぜこの手をすり抜ける　ものばかり与えたか
Why is it that everything given to me easily slips through my fingers?
それでもなおしがみつく　僕らは醜いかい
Yet we still cling to it all the same,
それとも、きれいかい
Is it unsightly? Or is it in fact beautiful?

答えてよ
Please answer me!

愛の歌も歌われ尽くした 数多の映画で語られ尽くした
In songs and films, the stories of love have been told to death.
そんな荒野に　生まれ落ちた僕、君　それでも
You and I, were born into this wasteland that is called the world, yet even so…

愛にできることはまだあるよ
There’s still something that love can do.
僕にできることはまだあるよ
There’s still something that I can do.

 

— Xiaoting  Hu ’20