Kaette Oide
帰っておいで (Kaette Oide) · 回来吧 · Come Home
In:
[Album] Yasashii Hana no Saku Basho – track 5
[Album] Oku Hanako BEST -My Letters- CD 2 – track 5
I like the calm melody in this song. It feels welcoming and warm, exactly the kind of feeling one would want upon returning to a place they belong. It also has a sense of simplicity, which is something that I think stands out in a life that is complicated by multiple commitments. This song has a translation credited to Aereldark.
English
Life’s not all happy things and things I want to do
Many things that have to be done fill my days
I feel like I’m going to be left behind by the rapid flow of people
In moments like this, there is someone who sings for me
When you’re hungry, come home; when you’ve finished work, come home
You’ve worked hard enough for today, and well done for doing it without grumbling
Come home, come home
If you’re about to cry, come home
Come home, come home
The place that never changes will be here to welcome you
On days seemingly between fantasy and reality, and something seems to be chasing you
The burden is too much for one person, it will be tiring at times
The same failures repeat and I hate myself
In moments like this, there is someone who sings for me
Don’t be depressed, come home; take a moment to rest, come home
You’ve worked hard enough for today, and well done for doing it without grumbling
Come home, come home
If you’re about to forget how to smile, come home
Come home, come home
A wonder unlike anything seen before will come tomorrow
Come home, come home
If you’re about to cry, come home
Come home, come home
The place that never changes will be here to welcome you
Translation notes
The Chinese translation of the title literally means “return here”. The song gives the context of “here” being a place that the listener can return to when feeling hungry, after finishing work, if feeling overwhelmed by the world, or for just having a rest. The place will also always be the same. In my opinion, this kind of place sounds like a home. Hence, I used “Come Home” for the title.
The title in Japanese appears to be a combination of 帰って (kaette), which has the base meaning of “to return” or “to come home” in the te-form (connective form), and おいで (oide), which can mean “coming” or “going”. This supports “Come Home” as the title’s meaning.
The Chinese translation and Aereldark’s translation are mostly similar. There is one difference that I’ll comment on, and the difference is in verse 3, line 1. Aereldark’s translation of verse 3, line 1 is:
If you are hungry, come back here, rest your back and work here
The Japanese lyrics for this line are:
お腹がすいたら帰っておいで 仕事をすませて帰っておいで
Onaka ga suitara kaette oide shigoto wo sumasete kaette oide
In Aereldark’s translation, the listener is invited to rest and then work “here”. In the Chinese translation, the listener is invited to return “here” after finishing work. In the Japanese lyrics, the word for work is仕事 (shigoto). The work is described with すませて (sumasete), which has the base meaning “to finish” in the te-form (connective form). I’m inclined to believe that the line is inviting the listener to return when work is finished.
Simplified Chinese
不是只有开心的事 也不都是想做的事
我的每天 有很多必须做的事
过于快速的人流 虽然好像快脱节了
这种时候 有人为了我而唱歌
肚子饿了就回来吧 做完工作就回来吧
今天的你够努力了 没有抱怨地做得很好
回来吧 回来吧
要是快哭出来 就快回来吧
回来吧 回来吧
不变的地方 会迎接你
在理想与现实之间 被什么追赶着的日子
一个人无法负荷 也有感到辛苦的时候
重复一样的失败 讨厌自己
这种时候 有人为了我而唱歌
别沮丧回来吧 偶尔也休息一下回来吧
今天的你够努力了 没有抱怨地做得很好
回来吧 回来吧
快要忘记笑容时 回来吧
回来吧 回来吧
明天会有任谁也不知道的美好事物
回来吧 回来吧
要是快哭出来 就回来吧
回来吧 回来吧
不变的地方 会迎接你
Oku Hanako - Chinese to English 
I’m glad someone else agrees with my decision to change Aereldark’s “here” to “home”. As the song for a commercial for railway station shops (“ekinaka”), it makes sense that it’s “home” because the trains bring you home.
The first line of the third verse makes so much more sense now. When I first posted this song, I didn’t know enough Japanese to verify the translation. Now it’s very clear. I can’t even explain how Aereldark came up with that translation. I suppose one could alternatively translate it as “finish work and come home” depending on the interpretation of the て-form.
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Wasn’t this used as the jingle for that Japanese commercial about frozen vegetables?
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