I also didn’t know that while she’s viewed as a feminist icon in many parts of the world, she was taken up as a symbol for fascists in France. I found this interesting article on JSTOR Daily which begins with the absolutely wicked line “A minor irony of 1920 was that the Roman Catholic church canonized a teenage peasant girl it had burned back in 1431.” It’s a very informative read.

Anyway, back to the song. Lyrics in Japanese can be found here on Rock Lyric.

☆

Orurean no Shoujo

hata wo furikazashite senjin wo kiru wa kono watashi
asu ga kuru yakusoku sae nai koko ni nigeba nado naku

uketa ya ni namida shi senjin wo kiru wa kono watashi
kyoufu to fuan ni michi tsuburesou na mune ooikakushite

akui no honoo ga ima anata wo osou nara
watashi wa ikiru tate to narou

ten no koe wa watashi wo karitate hai ni natta ima mo anata wo mamoru
ten no koe wo watashi ga motarashi
kokoronai hito ga sukoshizutsu mezameru you ni

hata wo furikazashite senjin wo kiru wa kano senku
yowasa shiri tsuyosa eta hito wa kou yobu “orurean no shoujo”

kakei no honoo ga ima watashi wo ubau nara
kotoba no hai yo kaze ni nore

ten no koe wa watashi wo karitate hai ni natta ima mo anato wo mamoru
ten no koe wo watashi ga motarashi kareta machi mo ima sukoshizutsu iki fuku

ten no koe wa mada hibiiteita
hai ni natta ima mo

The Maid of Orléans

‘Tis I who cuts through the vanguard wielding my banner
Here where there’s not even guarantee of the morrow,
there’s no place to run and hide

‘Tis I who cuts through the vanguard, crying from the piercing arrows
I cover up my fearful, anxious heart as it threatens to burst

Should the flames of malice assail you now
I will become your living shield

The voice of Heaven drives me to protect you even now that I’ve turned to ash
I will bring God’s Word to the heartless that they may awaken one by one¹

‘Tis that pioneer who cuts through the vanguard wielding her banner²
She who gained strength by knowing weakness is known as “The Maid of Orléans”

Should the flames of the stake steal me now
Ride the wind, O ashes of the Word!

The voice of Heaven drives me to protect you even now that I’ve turned to ash
I will bring God’s Word to scorched villages that they too may breathe little by little³

The voice of Heaven was still resounding
Even now, as ash…

¹ “God’s Word” is a slight liberty of my part; the lyrics say “the voice of Heaven” here as in the previous line. The use of the verb もたらす (motarasu “to bring”) however made me think that saying “God’s Word” was more appropriate, as “bringing the Word of God” to people is already an established phrase in English. It also meshes well with a line further down that does use the word 言葉 (kotoba meaning “word”) in it. ⤴

² The written lyrics say かの先駆 (kano senku), which would mean “that pioneer.” This verse appears to be written from the point of view of an unknown contemporary observer (“contemporary” because the verbs are in nonpast tense), whereas the rest of the song is from Joan’s point of view. That said, to me it doesn’t sound like Jyou says “senku,” it sounds like she says “sankyou,” but I can’t make that make sense. 先駆 can also be pronounced “sakigake,” but that’s not what it sounds like she’s saying either. ⤴

³ The lyrics say “withered town(s)” not “scorched villages,” but since “scorched earth” tactics were common during the Hundred Years’ War (according to Wikipedia) I thought it was a fitting translation. ⤴