ruins
Unsilent Lyrics


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What is left to do when two thirds of our lives are nothing
One third is to accept that you’ll get old and die
On the ruins of what you have been building

Among millions of blank eyes
Sinking in the swamp
Of strange destinies
All we can make out is only emptiness

When the ruins cover us
We’ll draw our dreams on the fallen dust





We’ll go on ‘cause it's all
That has left for us

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Unsilent's song "Ruins" are a poignant reflection on the transience of human existence and the futility of our attempts to build something lasting in the face of inevitable destruction and decay. The opening lines convey a sense of despair at the brevity of our time on this earth, as the singer notes that two-thirds of their life is already gone. The next line is a grim reminder that death is the ultimate fate that awaits us all.


The second stanza paints a bleak picture of the world around us, with "millions of blank eyes" wandering aimlessly in a "swamp of strange destinies." The third line suggests that there is nothing to be found in this world but emptiness, a sentiment that echoes the existentialist philosophy of thinkers like Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus.


The final stanza offers a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness, as the singer suggests that even in the face of ruin and decay, we can still find purpose and meaning in our lives. When everything we've built has crumbled to dust, we can still "draw our dreams on the fallen dust" and continue onwards, driven by the desire to make the most of what little time we have left.


Line by Line Meaning

What is left to do when two thirds of our lives are nothing
We feel lost and powerless when we realize that most of our life has brought us nothing significant to hold onto.


One third is to accept that you’ll get old and die
A significant part of life is coming to terms with our mortality and embracing the fleeting nature of existence.


On the ruins of what you have been building
After dedicating our lives to building something, we may find that all that remains are ruins, and we must come to terms with this loss.


Among millions of blank eyes
In a world full of people, we can sometimes feel overlooked or insignificant in a sea of anonymous faces.


Sinking in the swamp
We may feel like we're drowning in the mud when confronted with challenging or difficult circumstances.


Of strange destinies
Our individual paths in life are sometimes unexpected and can lead us down strange or unfamiliar paths.


All we can make out is only emptiness
Sometimes life can feel void of substance, and we struggle to find meaning in the things around us.


When the ruins cover us
As we experience loss and heartache, it can feel like we're being buried under piles of rubble and debris.


We’ll draw our dreams on the fallen dust
Despite times of hardship, we can choose to dream and to create something beautiful out of the ashes of our pain.


We’ll go on ‘cause it's all that has left for us
Even when everything feels lost, we can still cling to hope and the determination to persevere through life's challenges.




Contributed by Kaelyn A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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