日常英会話/日常英会話アーカイブ

英国で静かな感動 イラクからの最後の手紙(4ページ目)

英国で静かな感動を呼んでいる手紙があります。イラクに従軍する若き英兵士が「ぼくが死んだらこの手紙を読んで欲しい」と恋人に宛てた手紙です。その手紙が公開されました。

森 弘之

執筆者:森 弘之

日常英会話ガイド

ぼくが死んだら開封して欲しい

2年後に2人は結婚する予定だった
ソーントン兵士の手紙をじっくり読んでいきましょう。(全訳は次のページで)


I don't know why I am writing this because I really hope that this letter never gets to you, because if it does that means I am dead. It also means I never had time to show you just how much I really did love you.

get to~ は「~に届く」の意
because if it does that means は、doesのあとにカンマをつけるとわかりやすくなります
I really did love you の did は love を強調するために挿入しています。

どうしてこの手紙を書いているのかはわからない。だってこの手紙が君の元に届くことがないことを願っているから。そしてもし届いたとしたら、それはぼくが死んだことを意味するから。君の事をどれほど愛しているのか、君に見せてあげる時間がないことを意味するから。

You have shown me what love is and what it feels like to be loved. Every time you kissed me and our lips touched so softly I could feel it. I got the same magical feeling as our first kiss. I could feel it when our hearts get so close they are beating as one. You are the beat of my heart, the soul in my body; you are me because without you I am nothing. I love you Helen, you are my girlfriend, my fiancee and my best friend.

Every time ~は、「~するたびに」の意
so softly I could feel it は、softly のあとに カンマ を入れるとわかりやすくなります
so close they are beating as oneは、close のあとに that を入れてみてください
fianceeは文字通り「フィアンセ」の意

この段落の訳>>

You are the person I know I could turn to when I needed help, you are the person I looked at when I needed to smile and you are the person I went to when I needed a hug. When I am away it is like I have left my soul by your side. You have shown me so much while you have been in my life that if I lost you I could not live. You have shown me how to live and you have shown me how to be truly happy. I want you to know that every time I smile that you have put it there. You make me smile when others can't, you make me feel warm when I am cold.

最初の文章はへレンがどういう人(person)なのかを説明しています
turn to は、この場合「頼る」の意
I am awayは「離れている」「遠くにいる」の意
You have shown meは、while節のあとのthat if I lost you I could not liveを見せてくれたという意

この段落の訳>>

You have shown me so much love and so much more. I want you to know how much you mean to me. You are my whole world and I love you with all my heart, you are my happiness.

There is no sea or ocean that could stop my love for you. It is the biggest thing I have ever had.

この場合のmeanは「大切である」の意

この段落の訳>>

When I say I love you I am trying to say ..... That you make me feel warm and great about myself, you make me smile and laugh everyday; you make time to talk to me and listen to what I have to say. I know god put me and you on this earth to find each other, fall in love and show the rest of the world what true love really is.

say... で言いよどんだ後、that以下を言おうとしているんだ、と説明しています

この段落の訳>>

I know this is going to sound sad but every night I spent away I had a photo of you on my headboard. Each night I would go to bed, kiss my fingers then touch your face. I put the photo over my bed so you could look over me as I slept. Well now it is my turn to look over you as you sleep and keep you safe in your dreams.

headboardはベッドのヘッドボードのこと

この段落の訳>>

I will always be looking over you to make sure you're safe. Helen I want to say something and I mean this more than I ever did before. You were the love of my life, the girl of my dreams.

Just because I have passed away does not mean I am not with you. I'll always be there looking over you keeping you safe.

Just because ~ does not mean … は決まり文句で、「~だからといって…というわけではない」の意
最後の there は「君のそば」を指しています

この段落の訳>>

So whenever you feel lonely just close your eyes and I'll be there right by your side. I really did love you with all I had, you were everything to me.

Never forget that, and never forget I will always be looking over you. I love you, you are my soul mate.

whenever you feel lonelyのあとにカンマを入れるとわかりやすいでしょう

この段落の訳>>


手紙の全訳は次のページで>>

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