Kokuyōka: With Japanese VAs, this plays during the game ending. With all other VAs, this plays during the ending credits.
Moongazing [Kokuyōka]
Willows sway in the moonlight, I lie on roadside pebbles
Your image runs through my thoughts, like when I count sheep
If there is meaning in our parting, at least don’t be sad
The moon rises out of silence to the sky, filled with devoted love
No matter the nights, no matter when we kept losing
We were living together, weren’t we? Like the twinkling stars.
I was gazing at the moon, searching for something,
But I was frightened by the storm
I was glad you appeared before me then,
As if nothing had happened at all
This fire will never go out, I’m sure of it
When the wind strikes at your window, leave it slightly open
Just one thing, yes, just one thing, cry out in an unspeakable voice
No matter if we’re reborn, No matter if we can’t remember
I will find it, won’t I? Your form
I was gazing at the moon, burning everything
No matter if someone pitied me,
I was happy when you were there
No matter if it wasn’t exactly right,
I will never go out
Call my name, just once more
With your soft voice that gently enfolds me
I relied on the moon to grab a branch, and it was you
I was gazing at the moon, searching for something,
But I was frightened by the storm
I was glad you appeared before me then,
As if nothing had happened at all
This fire will never go out, I’m sure of it
月を見ていた
月明かり柳が揺れる わたしは路傍の礫
思い馳せるあなたの姿 羊を数えるように
別れゆく意味があるなら せめて悲しまないで
沈黙から離れた空へ 一筋の愛を込めて
どんな夜だって 失い続けたって
共に生きてきたろう 瞬くように
何かを求めて月を見ていた
嵐に怯えるわたしの前に
現れたのがあなたでよかった
まるで何もかもがなかったかのように
この火は消えたりしない きっと
その窓を風が叩けば 僅かに開け放して
ただひとつ そうただひとつ 語り得ぬ声で叫ぶ
生まれ変わったとして 思い出せなくたって
見つけてみせるだろう あなたの姿
全てを燃やして月を見ていた
誰かがそれを憐れむとしても
あなたがいれば幸せだったんだ
およそ正しくなどなかったとしても
消えたりしない
名前を呼んで もう一度だけ
優しく包むその柔い声で
月を頼りに掴んだ枝が あなただった
何かを求めて月を見ていた
嵐に怯えるわたしの前に
現れたのがあなたでよかった
まるで何もかもがなかったかのように
この火は消えたりしない きっと
Looking at the Moon [Direct Translation]
[In] the moonlight, willows sway, I [am?] a roadside pebble
Your form runs [though my] thoughts, like counting sheep
If there is a meaning to [our] parting, at least don’t be sad
From silence to the sky, filled with devoted love
Kokuyōka: “filled with devoted love” is literally “loaded/charged with one line of love”
Even on any kind of night, even [when we] kept losing
[We] were living together, weren’t [we]? Like the twinkling [stars].
Kokuyōka: “twinkling” can also mean “flickering/wavering” or “blinking”.
But given the song’s theme/title, Jill’s wishing on Metia and
what is being shown in the ending at this point in the song…
[I] was looking at the moon, searching for something,
[When/but] I was frighted by a storm
[I] was glad it was you who appeared before me
Like nothing had happened at all
This fire will never go out, surely
Kokuyōka: Have to change the line “before me” is on so it works in English word order…. pouts
When the wind strikes that window, [I/you] leave it slightly open
Just one thing, yes, just one thing, [I/you] shout in an unspeakable voice
Even if [we] were reborn, even if [we] couldn’t remember
[I] will make sure to find it, won’t [I]? Your form
[I] was looking at the moon, burning everything
Even if someone pitied [me]
[I] was happy when you were there
Even if [I/it] wasn’t exactly right
[I] will never go out
Call [my] name, just once more
With that soft voice that gently wraps [around me]
The branch [I] grabbed by relying on the moon was you
[I] was looking at the moon, searching for something,
With a frightening storm before [me]
[I] was glad it was you who appeared
Like nothing had happened at all
This fire will never go out, surely
Tsuki Wo Miteita
Tsukiakari yanagi ga yureru watashi wa robō no tsubute
Omoi haseru anata no sugata hitsuji o kazoeru yō ni
Wakareyuku imi ga aru nara semete kanashimanai de
Shizuma kara hanareta sora e hitosuji no ai o komete
Donna yoru datte ushinai tsuzuketatte
Tomo ni ikitekitarō matataku yō ni
Nanika o motomete tsuki o miteita
Arashi ni obieru watashi no mae ni
Arawareta no ga anata de yokatta
Marude nanimokamo ga nakatta ka no yō ni
Kono hi wa kietari shinai kitto
Sono mado o kaze ga tatakeba wazuka ni akehanashite
Tada hitotsu sō tada hitotsu katarienu koe de sakebu
Umarekawatta toshite omoidasenakutatte
Mitsukete miseru darō anata no sugata
Subete o moyashite tsuki o miteita
Dareka ga sore o awaremu toshitemo
Anata ga ireba shiawase dattanda
Oyoso tadashiku nado nakatta toshitemo
Kietari shinai
Namae o yonde mō ichido dake
Yasashiku tsutsumu sono yawai koe de
Tsuki o tayori ni tsukanda eda ga anata datta
Nanika o motomete tsuki o miteita
Arashi ni obieru watashi no mae ni
Arawareta no ga anata de yokatta
Marude nanimokamo ga nakatta ka no yō ni
Kono hi wa kietari shinai kitto
Kokuyōka: The two different translations here serve two very different purposes. The Direct Translation (Looking at the Moon) was the first translation I did just to get a feel for what the lines meant. How those lines sounded in English wasn’t at all the point.
The other translation (Moongazing) is based on that first one, but also takes into account that this song was specifically written to play over the ending of FFXVI and matches up to those scenes on purpose. In this translation, I also paid a lot more attention to keeping things grammatically parallel in English that were grammatically parallel in Japanese.