02Verse 1
小时候黑板写着小時候黑板寫著
xiǎo shí hòu hēi bǎn xiě zhe
When I was young, the blackboard said
知识改变命运知識改變命運
zhī shí gǎi biàn mìng yùn
Knowledge changes your destiny
老师说拿到文凭老師說拿到文憑
lǎo shī shuō ná dào wén píng
The teacher said once you earn a diploma
未来自然会开门未來自然會開門
wèi lái zì rán huì kāi mén
The future will open its doors
于是我们借来明天於是我們借來明天
yú shì wǒ men jiè lái míng tiān
So we borrowed from tomorrow
交给今天的学费交給今天的學費
jiāo gěi jīn tiān de xué fèi
To pay today's tuition
几年青春换张纸幾年青春換張紙
jǐ nián qīng chūn huàn zhāng zhǐ
We traded years of youth for a piece of paper
再用几十年还债再用幾十年還債
zài yòng jǐ shí nián huán zhài
Then spent decades paying back the debt
学士不够，再读硕士學士不夠，再讀碩士
xué shì bù gòu， zài dú shuò shì
A bachelor's was not enough, so we studied for a master's
履历写得像座高楼履歷寫得像座高樓
lǚ lì xiě de xiàng zuò gāo lóu
Our résumés rose like towers
毕业那天全家举杯畢業那天全家舉杯
bì yè nà tiān quán jiā jǔ bēi
The whole family raised a glass on graduation day
第二天开始送外卖走第二天開始送外賣走
dì èr tiān kāi shǐ sòng wài mài zǒu
The next day I started delivering food
头盔压着毕业帽頭盔壓著畢業帽
tóu kuī yā zhe bì yè mào
A helmet pressed down on my graduation cap
雨水打湿推荐信雨水打溼推薦信
yǔ shuǐ dǎ shī tuī jiàn xìn
Rain soaked my letters of recommendation
名校名字印在胸口名校名字印在胸口
míng xiào míng zì yìn zài xiōng kǒu
A famous school's name was printed across my chest
晚餐还是泡面一斤晚餐還是泡麵一斤
wǎn cān hái shì pào miàn yī jīn
Dinner was still a pound of instant noodles
不是工作不体面不是工作不體面
bú shì gōng zuò bù tǐ miàn
It is not that the work lacks dignity
是承诺变得太廉价是承諾變得太廉價
shì chéng nuò biàn de tài lián jià
It is that promises have become too cheap
他们卖给我们一条天梯他們賣給我們一條天梯
tā men mài gěi wǒ men yī tiáo tiān tī
They sold us a ladder to the sky
爬到顶才发现没有家爬到頂才發現沒有家
pá dào dǐng cái fā xiàn méi yǒu jiā
Only at the top did we discover there was no home
03Pre-Chorus
以前一份工资以前一份工資
yǐ qián yī fèn gōng zī
One salary used to
还能养一个明天還能養一個明天
hái néng yǎng yí gè míng tiān
Be enough to support a future
现在两份工作現在兩份工作
xiàn zài liǎng fèn gōng zuò
Now two jobs
只够撑到下个月前只夠撐到下個月前
zhǐ gòu chēng dào xià gè yuè qián
Barely keep us going until next month
他们叫我再努力他們叫我再努力
tā men jiào wǒ zài nǔ lì
They tell me to work harder
再忍耐，再等几年再忍耐，再等幾年
zài rěn nài， zài děng jǐ nián
Endure more and wait a few more years
可每次未来靠近可每次未來靠近
kě měi cì wèi lái kào jìn
But whenever the future draws near
价格又涨了一圈價格又漲了一圈
jià gé yòu zhǎng le yī quān
The price rises all over again
04Chorus
我为谁活？我为谁活？我為誰活？我為誰活？
wǒ wèi shuí huó？ wǒ wèi shuí huó？
Who am I living for? Who am I living for?
每天低头替谁转动齿轮？每天低頭替誰轉動齒輪？
měi tiān dī tóu tì shuí zhuǎn dòng chǐ lún？
Whose gears do I keep turning with my head bowed each day?
我为谁活？我为谁活？我為誰活？我為誰活？
wǒ wèi shuí huó？ wǒ wèi shuí huó？
Who am I living for? Who am I living for?
为什么我的明天要先抵押给别人？為什麼我的明天要先抵押給別人？
wèi shén me wǒ de míng tiān yào xiān dǐ yā gěi bié rén？
Why must my tomorrow be mortgaged to someone else first?
你说这是自由你說這是自由
nǐ shuō zhè shì zì yóu
You call this freedom
却替我决定该怎么走卻替我決定該怎麼走
què tì wǒ jué dìng gāi zěn me zǒu
Yet decide for me which way I should go
当所有承诺都碎了以后——當所有承諾都碎了以後——
dāng suǒ yǒu chéng nuò dōu suì le yǐ hòu — —
After every promise has shattered—
我为谁活？我為誰活？
wǒ wèi shuí huó？
Who am I living for?
这一次，我选择我。這一次，我選擇我。
zhè yī cì， wǒ xuǎn zé wǒ。
This time, I choose myself.
05Verse 2
他们说东西太贵他們說東西太貴
tā men shuō dōng xī tài guì
They say everything costs too much
所以发补贴来减轻所以發補貼來減輕
suǒ yǐ fā bǔ tiē lái jiǎn qīng
So they hand out subsidies to ease the burden
再从同一只口袋再從同一只口袋
zài cóng tóng yī zhǐ kǒu dài
Then reach into the same pocket
把更多税收回去填平把更多稅收回去填平
bǎ gèng duō shuì shōu huí qù tián píng
And take back more taxes to balance it
左手递来一点安慰左手遞來一點安慰
zuǒ shǒu dì lái yì diǎn ān wèi
The left hand offers a little comfort
右手拿走整个月薪右手拿走整個月薪
yòu shǒu ná zǒu zhěng gè yuè xīn
The right hand takes the entire month's pay
数字看起来很漂亮數字看起來很漂亮
shù zì kàn qǐ lái hěn piào liàng
The numbers look beautiful
钱包却越来越安静錢包卻越來越安靜
qián bāo què yuè lái yuè ān jìng
But the wallet grows quieter and quieter
不是谁不配被帮助不是誰不配被幫助
bú shì shuí bù pèi bèi bāng zhù
It is not that anyone is unworthy of help
也不是弱者该被丢下也不是弱者該被丟下
yě bú shì ruò zhě gāi bèi diū xià
Nor that the vulnerable should be abandoned
可为什么诚实劳动的人可為什麼誠實勞動的人
kě wèi shén me chéng shí láo dòng de rén
But why are people who work honestly
总被当成不会倒的架？總被當成不會倒的架？
zǒng bèi dàng chéng bú huì dào de jià？
Always treated like supports that can never collapse?
付账的人没有掌声付賬的人沒有掌聲
fù zhàng de rén méi yǒu zhǎng shēng
The people paying the bills receive no applause
排队的人没有姓名排隊的人沒有姓名
pái duì de rén méi yǒu xìng míng
The people waiting in line have no names
政策在镜头前很温柔政策在鏡頭前很溫柔
zhèng cè zài jìng tóu qián hěn wēn róu
Policy looks gentle in front of the cameras
生活在门外继续结冰生活在門外繼續結冰
shēng huó zài mén wài jì xù jié bīng
While life keeps freezing outside the door
房租涨，电费涨房租漲，電費漲
fáng zū zhǎng， diàn fèi zhǎng
Rent rises and electricity rises
车票涨，饭也变轻車票漲，飯也變輕
chē piào zhǎng， fàn yě biàn qīng
Fares rise and meals grow lighter
工资站在原地罚站工資站在原地罰站
gōng zī zhàn zài yuán dì fá zhàn
Wages stand still as if being punished
成本却一路狂奔不停成本卻一路狂奔不停
chéng běn què yī lù kuáng bēn bù tíng
While costs keep sprinting ahead
我们不是不肯贡献我們不是不肯貢獻
wǒ men bú shì bù kěn gòng xiàn
It is not that we refuse to contribute
只是贡献到忘了自己只是貢獻到忘了自己
zhǐ shì gòng xiàn dào wàng le zì jǐ
We have simply contributed until we forgot ourselves
当责任只往下分當責任只往下分
dāng zé rèn zhǐ wǎng xià fēn
When responsibility is only passed downward
权力却从不解释问题權力卻從不解釋問題
quán lì què cóng bù jiě shì wèn tí
While power never explains the problem
06Pre-Chorus
以前努力像条路以前努力像條路
yǐ qián nǔ lì xiàng tiáo lù
Effort used to feel like a road
现在努力像循环現在努力像循環
xiàn zài nǔ lì xiàng xún huán
Now effort feels like a loop
跑得越快越怕停跑得越快越怕停
pǎo de yuè kuài yuè pà tíng
The faster I run, the more I fear stopping
停下来就掉出名单停下來就掉出名單
tíng xià lái jiù diào chū míng dān
Because stopping means falling off the list
他们叫我保持信心他們叫我保持信心
tā men jiào wǒ bǎo chí xìn xīn
They tell me to keep the faith
别问系统哪里坏別問系統哪裡壞
bié wèn xì tǒng nǎ lǐ huài
And not ask where the system is broken
可连修理机器的人可連修理機器的人
kě lián xiū lǐ jī qì de rén
But even the people repairing the machine
都不知道螺丝掉在哪都不知道螺絲掉在哪
dōu bù zhī dào luó sī diào zài nǎ
Do not know where the missing screw fell
07Chorus
我为谁活？我为谁活？我為誰活？我為誰活？
wǒ wèi shuí huó？ wǒ wèi shuí huó？
Who am I living for? Who am I living for?
每天低头替谁转动齿轮？每天低頭替誰轉動齒輪？
měi tiān dī tóu tì shuí zhuǎn dòng chǐ lún？
Whose gears do I keep turning with my head bowed each day?
我为谁活？我为谁活？我為誰活？我為誰活？
wǒ wèi shuí huó？ wǒ wèi shuí huó？
Who am I living for? Who am I living for?
为什么我的明天要先抵押给别人？為什麼我的明天要先抵押給別人？
wèi shén me wǒ de míng tiān yào xiān dǐ yā gěi bié rén？
Why must my tomorrow be mortgaged to someone else first?
你说这是自由你說這是自由
nǐ shuō zhè shì zì yóu
You call this freedom
却替我决定该怎么走卻替我決定該怎麼走
què tì wǒ jué dìng gāi zěn me zǒu
Yet decide for me which way I should go
当所有承诺都碎了以后——當所有承諾都碎了以後——
dāng suǒ yǒu chéng nuò dōu suì le yǐ hòu — —
After every promise has shattered—
我为谁活？我為誰活？
wǒ wèi shuí huó？
Who am I living for?
这一次，我选择我。這一次，我選擇我。
zhè yī cì， wǒ xuǎn zé wǒ。
This time, I choose myself.
08Verse 2
曾经有人站在高处曾經有人站在高處
céng jīng yǒu rén zhàn zài gāo chù
People once stood in high places
说要守住自由的门說要守住自由的門
shuō yào shǒu zhù zì yóu de mén
And promised to guard the door to freedom
说每个人都能开口說每個人都能開口
shuō měi gè rén dōu néng kāi kǒu
They said everyone could speak
不必向恐惧低声不必向恐懼低聲
bù bì xiàng kǒng jù dī shēng
Without lowering their voice to fear
后来他们建更多围墙後來他們建更多圍牆
hòu lái tā men jiàn gèng duō wéi qiáng
Later they built even more walls
把问题锁进标签把問題鎖進標籤
bǎ wèn tí suǒ jìn biāo qiān
And locked every question inside a label
只允许正确的愤怒只允許正確的憤怒
zhǐ yǔn xǔ zhèng què de fèn nù
Only the correct anger was permitted
只接受批准的意见只接受批准的意見
zhǐ jiē shòu pī zhǔn de yì jiàn
Only approved opinions were accepted
他们口中的自由他們口中的自由
tā men kǒu zhōng de zì yóu
The freedom they speak of
越来越像一种口令越來越像一種口令
yuè lái yuè xiàng yī zhǒng kǒu lìng
Sounds more and more like a command
只要你问谁在控制只要你問誰在控制
zhǐ yào nǐ wèn shuí zài kòng zhì
The moment you ask who is in control
他们就说你不够清醒他們就說你不夠清醒
tā men jiù shuō nǐ bù gòu qīng xǐng
They say you are not awake enough
可我没有要点燃城市可我沒有要點燃城市
kě wǒ méi yǒu yào diǎn rán chéng shì
But I do not want to set the city on fire
也不想看谁倒下也不想看誰倒下
yě bù xiǎng kàn shuí dǎo xià
And I do not want to see anyone fall
我只想保留我的声音我只想保留我的聲音
wǒ zhǐ xiǎng bǎo liú wǒ de shēng yīn
I only want to keep my voice
不再把沉默当回答不再把沉默當回答
bù zài bǎ chén mò dāng huí dá
And stop treating silence as an answer
不砸窗，不举火不砸窗，不舉火
bù zá chuāng， bù jǔ huǒ
No broken windows and no raised flames
不让愤怒替我选择不讓憤怒替我選擇
bù ràng fèn nù tì wǒ xuǎn zé
I will not let anger choose for me
我只是站到灯光下面我只是站到燈光下面
wǒ zhǐ shì zhàn dào dēng guāng xià miàn
I simply step into the light
说一句——我也在这說一句——我也在這
shuō yī jù — — wǒ yě zài zhè
And say—I am here too
09Bridge
谁拿走了课堂里的希望？誰拿走了課堂裡的希望？
shuí ná zǒu le kè táng lǐ de xī wàng？
Who took the hope out of the classroom?
谁把未来写成分期账？誰把未來寫成分期賬？
shuí bǎ wèi lái xiě chéng fēn qī zhàng？
Who turned the future into an installment bill?
谁说忍耐就是成熟？誰說忍耐就是成熟？
shuí shuō rěn nài jiù shì chéng shú？
Who said endurance is the same as maturity?
谁说沉默才算善良？誰說沉默才算善良？
shuí shuō chén mò cái suàn shàn liáng？
Who said only silence counts as goodness?
也许没人知道怎么修也許沒人知道怎麼修
yě xǔ méi rén zhī dào zěn me xiū
Maybe nobody knows how to repair
这台已经失速的机器這臺已經失速的機器
zhè tái yǐ jīng shī sù de jī qì
This machine that has already lost control
但至少我能先问自己——但至少我能先問自己——
dàn zhì shǎo wǒ néng xiān wèn zì jǐ — —
But at least I can first ask myself—
我的时间，我的時間，
wǒ de shí jiān，
My time,
我的名字，我的名字，
wǒ de míng zì，
My name,
我的人生，我的人生，
wǒ de rén shēng，
My life,
到底应该属于谁？到底應該屬於誰？
dào dǐ yīng gāi shǔ yú shuí？
Who should they truly belong to?
11Final Chorus
我为谁活？我为谁活？我為誰活？我為誰活？
wǒ wèi shuí huó？ wǒ wèi shuí huó？
Who am I living for? Who am I living for?
我不再低头替谁转动齿轮！我不再低頭替誰轉動齒輪！
wǒ bù zài dī tóu tì shuí zhuǎn dòng chǐ lún！
I will no longer bow my head and turn somebody else's gears!
我为谁活？我为谁活？我為誰活？我為誰活？
wǒ wèi shuí huó？ wǒ wèi shuí huó？
Who am I living for? Who am I living for?
我的明天不该先抵押给别人！我的明天不該先抵押給別人！
wǒ de míng tiān bù gāi xiān dǐ yā gěi bié rén！
My tomorrow should not be mortgaged to someone else first!
你说这是自由你說這是自由
nǐ shuō zhè shì zì yóu
You call this freedom
那就让我自己决定怎么走那就讓我自己決定怎麼走
nà jiù ràng wǒ zì jǐ jué dìng zěn me zǒu
Then let me decide for myself which way to go
当所有幻觉都碎了以后——當所有幻覺都碎了以後——
dāng suǒ yǒu huàn jué dōu suì le yǐ hòu — —
After every illusion has shattered—
我为谁活？我為誰活？
wǒ wèi shuí huó？
Who am I living for?
这一次，我选择我。這一次，我選擇我。
zhè yī cì， wǒ xuǎn zé wǒ。
This time, I choose myself.
我为谁活？我为谁活？我為誰活？我為誰活？
wǒ wèi shuí huó？ wǒ wèi shuí huó？
Who am I living for? Who am I living for?
就算前面没有标准答案就算前面沒有標準答案
jiù suàn qián miàn méi yǒu biāo zhǔn dá àn
Even if there is no standard answer ahead
我为谁活？我为谁活？我為誰活？我為誰活？
wǒ wèi shuí huó？ wǒ wèi shuí huó？
Who am I living for? Who am I living for?
至少不再把灵魂交给账单至少不再把靈魂交給賬單
zhì shǎo bù zài bǎ líng hún jiāo gěi zhàng dān
At least I will no longer hand my soul over to the bills
我不制造战争我不製造戰爭
wǒ bù zhì zào zhàn zhēng
I will not start a war
也不需要世界失控也不需要世界失控
yě bù xū yào shì jiè shī kòng
And I do not need the world to lose control
我只要你看见我、听见我——我只要你看見我、聽見我——
wǒ zhǐ yào nǐ kàn jiàn wǒ、 tīng jiàn wǒ — —
I only need you to see me and hear me—
我为谁活？我為誰活？
wǒ wèi shuí huó？
Who am I living for?
从今天起，從今天起，
cóng jīn tiān qǐ，
From this day forward,
我为自己活。我為自己活。
wǒ wèi zì jǐ huó。
I live for myself.
12Outro
不是逃离世界。不是逃離世界。
bú shì táo lí shì jiè。
This is not escaping the world.
不是摧毁规则。不是摧毀規則。
bú shì cuī huǐ guī zé。
This is not destroying the rules.
只是终于明白——只是終於明白——
zhǐ shì zhōng yú míng bái — —
It is finally understanding—
规则如果忘了人，規則如果忘了人，
guī zé rú guǒ wàng le rén，
If the rules forget the people,
人就该站出来，人就該站出來，
rén jiù gāi zhàn chū lái，
Then people should stand up,
重新问它为什么存在。重新問它為什麼存在。
chóng xīn wèn tā wèi shén me cún zài。
And ask again why those rules exist.
By Koveny (柯奕辰)