Today is the New Year’s Eve in Taiwan, and for countries whose governments still follow the lunar calendar. We have super longer weekends this time, though few people still work, most Taiwanese go back to hometowns to see their family and have a nice and big dinner. Taiwanese are hard working people, some people move out to other countries for better opportunities and some for overseas studies. In Taiwan, Lunar New Year is an important season, in addition to elections. These events bring us together each time. I hope one day the government could officially move these lunar new year celebrations to other months and memorize local heroic stories.

Every time I commute to other cities, it reminds me of the following song, the Southbound Night Bus. I hope this song could sing the feeling of every traveler.

The song of Southbound Night Bus

The song writer finished these lyrics in Tokyo, where the late night reminds him of Kaohsiung, Taiwan. For young people who are working in Taipei now, this song fits well from my point of view. Lyrics are below for people to sing.

時間是三點半
sî-kan sī sann tiám puànn.
時刻は３時半 The clock turns to 3:30

南下的長途暝車
lâm-hā ê tn̂g-tôo mê-tshia
南下する夜行バス The southbound night bus starts

路燈的光線
lōo-ting ê kng-suànn
街灯の明かり Street lamps are shimmering

伴心事那想那行
phuānn sim-sū ná sióng ná kiânn
心配事と共に進んでいく I am worrying along with the route

講袂出喙的思念
kóng buē tshut-tshuì ê su-liām
言い表せない思い Words that could not express my thoughts and concerns

寫袂入未完的歌
siá buē ji̍p bē uân ê kua
書き終わらない歌 This song is never finished writing

人生是高速公路
lîn-sing sī ko-sok-kong-lōo
人生は高速道路のようなもので Life is like a highway

我是趕路的車
guá sī kuánn lōo ê tshia
私は道を急ぐ車さ I am like the speedy car

想袂起來彼時陣怎樣離開
sióng buē khí-lâi hit-sî-tsūn tsuánn-iūnn lī-khui
あの時なんで離れたのか思い出せない I don’t remember how I left

漂浪的生活漸漸慣勢
phiau-lâng ê sing-ua̍h tsiām-tsiām kuàn-sì
放浪生活もだんだんと慣れてきた But get used to the drifting life

芡天經過遮濟年
khiàn-thinn king-kuè tsiah-tsē-nî
ぼんやりして何年も過ぎ去って Year by year with absent mindedness

認捌著真濟道理
līn-bat tio̍h tsin tsē tō-lí
たくさんの道理を知ったけど I have learned many life lessons

煞揣無 一條路 轉去
sannh tshuē-bô tsi̍t tiâu lōo tńg-khì
それでも帰り道を見つけられない But couldn’t find any way out

看袂著出口佇佗位
khàn buē tio̍h tshut-kháu tī tó-uī
出口はどこにあるのかわからない Cannot find the exit way

我漸漸失去自己
guá tsiām-tsiām sit-khì tsū-kí
段々と自分を見失いそうだ I lost myself little by little

佇競爭的花花世界
tī kīng-tsing ê hua-hua-sè-kài
競争のある華やかな世界で In this competitive world

轉彎踅角是姑不而將
tńg-uan-se̍h-kak sī koo-put-lî-tsiong
紆余曲折あることは仕方ないことさ Making turns at life crossroads is out of my will

看袂著出口佇佗位
khàn buē tio̍h tshut-kháu tī tó-uī
出口がどこにあるのか見つからない Cannot find the exit way

也毋知該對佗位去
iā m̄ tsai kai tuì tó-uī khì
どこに行けばいいのかもわからない Nor find the direction

我只是暫時失去方向
guá tsí-sī tsiām-sî sit-khì hong-hiòng
一時方向を見失ってしまっただけ I just lost my way temporarily

我一定會揣著
guá it-tīng ē tshuē-tio̍h
きっと探し出せるさ I must find out the way

轉去的路
tńg-khì ê lōo
帰り道を Back to home

港邊的路 陣陣海風
káng-kînn ê lōo tsūn tsūn hái-hong
港付近の道の海風は Roads and the wind from the port of Kaohsiung.

吹入 我的夢中
tshue ji̍p guá ê bāng-tiong
私の夢の中にまで吹き込む Flow into my dream

是當初 離開彼个下晡
sī tong-shoo lī-khui hit ê ē-poo
離れた時のあの午後のことだ It was the evening that I left

行你的路 行你的路
kiânn lí ê lōo kiânn lí ê lōo
「あなたの道を進め　「あなたの道を進め」”Just follow your path, follow your path”

你對我講
lí tuì guá kóng
あなたは私にそう言った You told me

但是你愛將轉來的路 囥佇心中
nā sī lí ài tsiong tńg-lâi ê lōo khǹg tī sim-tiong
「でも帰り道は心の中で考えておけよ」That you have to keep in mind the way back

我等你成功
guá tán lí sîng-kong
「あなたの成功を待っている」と “I am waiting for your success”

時間是六點半
sî-kan sī sann tiám puànn
時刻は午前6時半 The clock turns to 6:30

到站的長途暝車
kàu-tsām ê tn̂g-tôo mê-tshia
駅に着く夜行バス The long-distance night bus is arrived

落車的這馬
lo̍h-tshia ê tsit-má
下車した今 Now I get off

我是轉來的人
guá sī tńg-lâi ê lâng
私は帰ってきた人さ I am back!

Here is the link for all explanation in Japanese, please visit this site anytime. Thanks to them, we could read the Japanese version here. https://music.gogo-taiwanguide.com/lyrics/southbound-night-bus/

Have a nice weekend.