Who doesn’t remember the song from Shingeki no Kyojin where it sings ♪sasageyo! sasageyo!♪? It is the opening theme of the second season called Shinzou wo sasageyo which literally means devote your heart. In this article, we will delve into these words and understand the true meaning of sasageyo!
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What Does Sasageyo Mean in Japanese?
Sasageyo is actually a godan verb sasagu [捧ぐ] which means to lift, hold, hold high (above eye level). Its other meanings involve giving, offering, consecrating, devoting, sacrificing, and dedicating.
The verb in the word sasageyo is in its sasageru [捧げる] form, which is a transitive verb in the imperative form. The fact that the word has the yo [よ] ending indicates emphasis, warning, and exclamation from the speaker.
These verbs have implications of worship, likely originating from actual sacrifices or offerings to the gods. In fact, one of the kanji present is hou [奉] which is often used in religious words like houshi [奉仕] which means church and houshisha [奉仕者] which means religious minister.
The act of lifting up or above eye level may remind us of the scene where the monkey Rafiki lifts Simba on Pride Rock in the Lion King movie and the subsequent films. The verb also has a simple past form sasaida [捧いだ] which means elevated.
Generally, the verb sasageyo is always used in Shinto ceremonies when offering sacrifices, offering to the gods or rituals like tamagushi. Such a verb can even refer to a literal or figurative sacrifice to something or a god.
What Does Shinzou wo Sasageyo Mean?
Shinzou [心臓] literally means heart in Japanese in the literal sense, the physical or anatomical body. I can’t understand why they chose such a literal word for the Titans’ song. The more common word to refer to the symbolic heart and even the physical one is Kokoro.
Read also: Kokoro – Understanding the heart, mind, and spirit in Japanese
I believe the choice of Shinzou is due to the fact that it combines better with the word sasageyo and also conveys a literal idea of sacrifice, since in the story of the Titans they are literally sacrificing themselves. A controversial choice but it makes total sense with the anime.
Now that we have examined the meaning of both words, we can try to fit them together. They can be translated in various ways, but their meaning is practically the same. Besides devote your heart we can understand it as give me your heart.
Other ways to translate are:
- Sacrifice your heart!
- Offer your heart!
- Dedicate your heart!
- Hand over your heart!
Lyrics of the Song Shinzou wo Sasageyo
Below we have the song with the lyrics in Japanese, then romanized and finally the translation in Portuguese stanza by stanza. Perfect for throwing words into the dictionary and understanding their essence.
これ以上の地獄はないだろうと信じたかった
Kore ijou no jigoku wa nai darou to shinjitakatta
I wanted to believe that there would be no more hell
されど人類最悪の日はいつも唐突に
Saredo jinrui saiaku no hi wa itsumo tōtotsu ni
But the worst days of humanity are always sudden
扉を叩く音は絶えず酷く無作法で
Tobira wo tataku oto wa taezu hidoku busahou de
The sound of knocking on the door is constantly terrible and rude
招かれざる災厄の日は悪夢のように
Manekarezaru saiyaku no hi wa akumu no you ni
An unwanted day of disaster is like a nightmare
過ぎし日を恨むもの
Sugishi hi wo uragiru mono
Those who harbor resentment against the passing of days
奴らは駆逐すべき敵だ
yatsura wa kuchiku subeki teki da
They are enemies to be eliminated
あの日どんな顔で瞳で
Ano hi donna kao de hitomi de
What kind of face and eyes on that day
俺達を見つめていた
oretachi wo mitsumeteita
Looking at us
何を捨てれば悪魔をも凌げる?
Nani wo sutereba akuma wo mo shinogeru?
What must I throw away to overcome the devil?
命さえ 魂さえ 決して惜しくなどはない
Inochi sae tamashii sae kesshite oshiku nado wa nai
Even life and soul are never regrettable
捧げよ! 捧げよ! 心臓を捧げよ!
Sasageyo! Sasageyo! Shinzo wo Sasageyo!
Dedicate! Dedicate! Dedicate your heart!
全ての犠牲は 今 この時のために
Subete no gisei wa ima, kono toki no tame ni
All sacrifices are now for this time
捧げよ! 捧げよ! 心臓を捧げよ!
Sasageyo! Sasageyo! Shinzo wo Sasageyo!
Dedicate! Dedicate! Dedicate your heart!
進むべき未来を その手で切り拓け!
Susumubeki mirai o sono-te de kiri hirake!
Open the future with your own hands!
Complete Version of the Song
From here, removing the last previous stanza, we have the continuation of the complete song in addition to the 1:30 minute opening of Attack on Titan sung by Linked Horizon.
過ぎし日を偽る者 奴等は憎悪すべき敵だ sugishi hi wo itsuwaru mono yatsura wa zouo subeki teki da
Those who lie about the passing days are hateful enemies
あの日どんな声で… 言葉で… 俺たちを騙っていた… ano hi donna koe de kotoba de oretachi wo katatteita
How their words and voices sounded while they spoke ill of us.
何を学べば悪魔をも屠れる？ nani wo manabeba akuma wo mo hofureru?
What must I learn to be able to defeat the demons?
技術でも… 戦術でも… 全て無駄になどしない… gijutsu demo senjutsu demo subete muda ni nado shinai
We will not waste any tools, whether they are skills or tactics!
捧げよ! 捧げよ! 心臓を捧げよ! Sasageyo! Sasageyo! Shinzo wo Sasageyo!
Dedicate! Dedicate! Dedicate your heart!
全ての努力は 今この瞬間の為に subete no doryoku wa ima, kono toki no tame ni!
All our effort was for this moment!
捧げよ! 捧げよ! 心臓を捧げよ! Sasageyo! Sasageyo! Shinzo wo Sasageyo!
Dedicate! Dedicate! Dedicate your heart!
謳うべき勝利を その手で掴み取れ Utau beki shouri wo sono te de tsukamitore!
With your own hands, grab our deserved victory!
得体の知れない化け物が 人間と似た顔(つら)をしてやがる etai no shirenai bakemono ga hito to nita tsura wo shite yagaru
These mysterious monsters take on the face of humans.
この世から一匹残らず 奴らを駆逐してやる kono yo kara ippiki nokorazu yatsura wo kuchiku shite yaru
We will obliterate each one of them from the face of this Earth!
最初に言い出したのは誰か？ そんな事憶えちゃいないが saisho ni iidashita no wa dare ka? sonna koto oboechainai ga
Who was the first person to suggest this? I can’t remember.
忘れられない怒りがある 必ず駆逐してやる wasurerarenai ikari ga aru kanarazu kuchiku shite yaru
I have an unforgettable anger, I will definitely get rid of it
嗚呼… 選び悔いた道の先は どんな景色(ばしょ)に繋がっている？ aa… erabikuita michi no saki wa donna basho ni tsunagatteiru?
Ahh… what kind of place will this lamentable path lead us to?
唯… 捧れられた人生(いのち)を糧に咲く 尊き彼岸(悲願)の勝利(Sieg) tada… sasagererareta inochi wo kate ni saku toutoki higan no Sieg
Surely… the lives we offer will give birth to a flower: our noble, most beloved victory!
約束の地は楽園のはて yakusoku no chi wa rakuen no hate
Our promised land is at the ends of paradise!
あの日 人類は思い出した ano hi jinrui wa omoidashita
On that day, humanity remembered—
ヤツラに支配されていた恐怖を・・・ yatsura ni shihai sareteita kyoufu wo
The fear of being controlled by them…
鳥籠の中に囚われていた屈辱を・・・・・・ torikago no naka ni torawareteita kutsujoku wo
The disgrace of being trapped in a cage…
黄昏を弓矢は翔る 翼を背負い tasogare wo yumiya wa kakeru tsubasa wo seoi
An arrow will soar through the twilight, carrying our wings.
その軌跡が自由への 道となる sono kiseki ga jiyuu e no michi to naru
The trail it forms will become our path to freedom!
Dedique! Dedique! Dedique seu coração! 捧げよ! 捧げよ! 心臓を捧げよ! Sasageyo! Sasageyo! Shinzo wo Sasageyo!
全ての苦難は 今この瞬間(とき)の為に・・・・・・ subete no kunan wa ima kono toki no tame ni
All difficulties were for this moment!
捧げよ! 捧げよ! 心臓を捧げよ! Sasageyo! Sasageyo! Shinzo wo Sasageyo!
Dedicate! Dedicate! Dedicate your heart!
儚き命を 燃える弓矢に変えて hakanaki inochi wo moeru yumiya ni kaete
Transform your ephemeral lives into blazing arrows!
捧げよ! 捧げよ! 心臓を捧げよ! Sasageyo! Sasageyo! Shinzo wo Sasageyo!
Dedicate! Dedicate! Dedicate your heart!
誇るべき軌跡を その身で描き出せ・・・・・・
hokoru beki kiseki wo sono mi de egakidase
With your own bodies, form a trail that deserves our pride!
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