I like sound horizon, especially Chronicle 2nd. You can't call them pop music really, I think it's more along the lines of music drama, or opera.
I will try to translate one of them (it's not lyrics by the way, it's just a story). I know it will probably suck horribly since I learned my japanese from playing erogames, but I will try my best.
The second track in CD: Chronicle 2nd
Youtube Link (music only):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaR0LkJdOlk
This music tells a story of -------------
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詩人バラッドの悲劇
The Tragedy of Ballad the Poet
(第七巻 168ページ)
Black Chronicle, Volume seven, Page 168
========最期の詩========
========The last poem========
それはあまりにも素晴らしく
It was really wonderful
兵は街の恋人に詩って教えた
The soldiers in the town taught this poem to their lovers
やがてその詩は 人から人へと伝わり
So the poem was passed from one to another
誰が綴ったかもわからぬ その名もなき詩は 大陸中に広まった…
Nobody knew who wrote this poem
Nobody knew the name of this poem
But it spread across the whole continent
強く美しき時の女王
When the queen was beautiful and held strong power
絶対的な権力の前に 誰もがひざまづく
Before such great power, everyone kneeled
来たる女王の誕生祭
Then came the birthday of the queen
その美貌を称える詩を捧げよと 一人の詩人に命じた…
"Write a poem to praise the beauty of the queen"
One poet was given such an order
女王は問う…
The queen asked:
「この世で一番美しいのは誰じゃ?」
"Who is the most beautiful woman in this world?"
…しかし、彼は譲らない
However, the poet did not give in:
「私の世界では、陛下は二番目にお美しい…」
"In my world, you are the second most beautiful, your majesty."
「枯れてしまった花の美しさ…
"The died flowers are beautiful."
それは、追憶という名の幻影
"It is an illusion called memory"
朽ちることなく永遠に咲き続けられる庭園
"A never fading, forever blooming garden"
例え、気高く美しき薔薇でさえ
"Even it's the noble and beautiful rose"
花である以上、枯れてしまった花には及ばない…」
"As long as it's still lively, it will never reach the beauty of a died flower."
その詩に女王は激昂した
The poem made the queen angry:
「そなた、余に枯れてしまえと申すのか!?」
"Are you saying that you wished me to die?!"
宰相の合図一つで兵達は詩人を取り囲んだ…
Upon the signal of the Minister, the soldier threw the poet into prison.
天才と謳われし詩人 彼の名はバラッド
The genius poet, his name was Ballad
今は冷たい地下牢の隅 最期の詩を綴っている…
In the corner of the cold underground prison, he was making his very last poem.
処刑の刻が近づき 胸に薔薇の紋章を抱いた
The execution was near. Holding the rose emblem on the chest,
牢番の兵は聴いてしまった 彼の綴った最期の詩を…
soldiers of the prison listened, to the last poem he made.
最後の鐘が鳴り終わり
The sound of the last bell ended
処刑は厳かに執り行われる
The execution was carried out without mercy
最期の瞬間
At the very last moment
思い出すのは…
He remembered…
故郷の空
The sky of the hometown
風の匂い
The brezze of the wind
今は亡き彼女
The girl who had passed away
と過ごした日々…
And the days they once lived together…
冷たい秋風が冬を導くように
The cold autumn wind brought the start of winter
旅の娘が一人 想い人を尋ねて流離う
A girl embarked on a harsh journey to find her loved one
どこか懐かしい その詩を口ずさみながら…
A somewhat nostalgic poem, is what she singed