Meeting across the Milky Way
(Tothe Tune of Queqiaoxian)
QinGuan
Throughthe varying shapes of the delicate clouds
thesad message of the shooting stars,
asilent journey across the Milky Way,
onemeeting of the Cowherd and Weaver*
amidstthe golden autumn wind and jade-glistening dew,
eclipsesthe countless meetings
inthe mundane world.
Thefeelings soft as water,
theecstatic moment unreal as a dream,
howcan one have the heart to go back
onthe bridge made of magpies?
Ifthe two hearts are united forever,
whydo the two persons need to stay
together– day after day,
nightafter night?
*According to a Chinese legend, two constellations, the Cowherd and Weaver,separated by the Milky Way, are allowed to meet across a bridge formed by themagpies once a year on the seventh day of the seventh month in the Chineselunar calendar.
(裘小龙 译)
Immortal at the Magpie Bridge
QinGuan
Fineclouds float and change,
Hundredsof clever shapes emerging.
Theflying stars transmit regret,
MilkyWay far away was secretly passed.
Duringthe time of jade dew and golden wind,
Oncethey meet,
Farbetter than man’s world, theirs must.
Tenderfeelings as water,
Nuptialday as dream,
Whowill be hardhearted enough,
Tosee her magpie bridge way home?
Iftwo hearts are permanent,
Howcould they care about,
Beingtogether from morning till night.
(林孔辉 译)
Tune:“Que Qiao Xian”
Cowherd and the Weaver
QinGuan
Fineclouds show their artistic faces.
Blinkingstars convey their grief in space.
Sodim and far to go across the Milky Way.
Meetingonce a year at a time of white
dewand autumn wind is far more touching
thanreunion on earth numerous times.
Theirfeelings are water-like tender;
theirspecial date once a year is like a dream.
Onthe magpie bridge, how can they bear
toturn homeward again?
Ifmutual love will be long and never die,
whyneed to be together day and night?
(张畅繁 译)
Queqiaoxian
QinGuan
Colorfulfully clouds her weaving skills show,
Shootingstars convey their eternal woe; *
Acrossthe wide Milky Way to a tryst they go.
Theirmeeting on this golden autumn night is worth
Allyear’s love of a couple on earth.
Theirlove is as gentle as water of a stream,
Theirhappy reunion is like a sweet dream.
Howcould they leave the Bridge in moonbeam? **
But,if love is steadfast and true,
Absencemakes the heart fonder grow.
*In Chinese mythology, the two stars of Altair and Vega stand for Niulang (theCowherd) and Zhinü (the Weavergirl) respectively. The story about them wasoriginated during the Han Dynasty. The two beloved were separated by the HeavenRiver (the Milky Way) and could meet only once a year on the Bridge of Magpieon the seventh day of the seventh month of Chinese lunar calendar.
**The Bridge in moonbeam is related with Chinse mythology. On the seventh day ofthe seventh month of Chinse lunar calendar, the Chinese legend goes that allthe magpies in the world would take pity on the Cowherd and the Weavergirl andfly up into heaven to make a bridge (the Bridge of Magpie) on the Heaven River(the Milky Way) so that the two beloved may be together for a single nightevery year. Therefore, the connotation of the expression the Bridge of Magpieis anything that brings the beloved together, something like the Cupid’s Arrow.
(陈君朴、冯修文 译)
lines forthe que qiao xian melody
QinGuan
thesetransparent clouds so delicate and beautiful
themilky way so luminous a star vanishes in it
thatfalling star which carries regret like a messenger
forthe cowherd and the woman at the loom
altairand vega
thoselovers who can meet only once in a year
butfor them this is more wonderful
thanthe countless times
lovesin this world meet
theyare joined for one long perfected moment
theymerge into each other like slow running waters
theirhappy loving is the kindliest of dreams
ohthey have to know the sadness of looking back
asthey depart on their separate ways
travelingover the bridge of birds
butbecause what they feel shines in them forever
itsurely does not distress them
eachday and each night they cannot be together
(王守义、约翰·诺弗尔 译)
Immortal Lovers on Magpie Bridge
(Que-qiao-xian)
QinGuan
Withsubtlety delicate clouds sway,
Flyingstars their fierce love-feelings convey:
Thelovers stealthily cross the lengthy Milky Way.
Oncethe golden breeze and jade dews have encountered,
Countlesspairs in the human world are bettered.
Tenderfeelings like a stream,
Joyfultryst seems a dream,
Howcan they bear to look at the bridge of magpies
Theirparting way?
Shouldthe feelings of both eternal stay,
Whyneed to be with each other night ’n’ day?
(贺淯滨 译)
P’u – Ch’ü Ch’iao Hsien
(Tothe tune-title ‘Immortals of the Magpie Bridge’)
The Weaver-Girl and the Herd-Boy
Ch’inKuan
Aslovely clouds contrive new patterns
Theseflying stars fulfil their yearnings,
Indarkness crossing the distant gulf of the Milky Way.
Whatthough they only meet in the Golden Wind and the Pearly Dew?
Theyare happier far than the countless people living on earth.
Hergentle heart is soft as water,
Theblissful hours flow like a dream.
Ofthe journey back by the Magpie Bridge can they bear a thought?
Whenfeelings stir in the hearts of lovers deeper than time’s abyss
Doesit matter how seldom they meet?
(Alan Ayling & Duncan Mackintosh译)
Tune: Queqiaoxian
QinGuan
Cloudsfloat like works of art,
Stars bring the grief of love.
Acrossthe Milky Way, the Cowherd meets the Maid.
Whenthe golden autumn’s wind encounters with dew of jade,
Theirmeeting is better than many times on earth.
Theirtender love flows like a stream,
Theirhappy date seems as sweet dreams.
Howshe bears the sight of Magpie Bridge without a tear!
Ifthe affection on both sides can endure,
Whyneed they stay together night and day?
