Immortal at Magpie Bridge

　　Qin Guan

　　Fine clouds float easy and free,

　　Shooting stars shine with sorrow.

　　They enjoy a secret date once a year over the far-off Milky Way.

　　As fall wind hugs the chill dew,

　　They outshine all worldly dates.

　　Their tender love flows like a stream,

　　Their nice date is but a fancy dream.

　　How can they bear to go each one’s way homeward?

　　If the love for each other goes on as ever,

　　Why need they stay together day and night?

　　(黄新渠译)

　　Que Qiao Xian

　　Qin Guan

　　The fleecy clouds affect patterns delicate;

　　The flying stars communicate their grief e’er so deep,

　　Crossing the expansive Milky Way they meet.

　　Alas! That single meet amid celestial winds and dews

　　Surpasses countless meets on earth.

　　Sweet tenderness overflows their hearts,

　　Short rendezvous passes like a dream:

　　Mournfully she contemplates her homeward way

　　Across the magpie-bridge!

　　Yet if two hearts are ever steadfast,

　　Though parted, they are together

　　Night and day!

　　(黄宏荃译)

　　To the Melody

　　Chin Guan

　　The Weaving-Girl with skillful fingers is clever,

　　As if gentle clouds were flying faster and faster.

　　Silently the Cowboy-Star crossed the Milky Way,

　　For releasing her grief on the Double-Seventh-Day*,

　　Like Golden Wind and Jade Dew merged once again.

　　No meeting was happier than the couple’s reunion.

　　Their water-like tenderness was pretty warm,

　　Their reunion date’s like a wonderful dream.

　　Weaving-Girl and Cowboy were reluctant to be apart,

　　The two heavenly stars knew true love would ever last,

　　Regardless of their mutual separation day and night.

　　* Chinese Double-Seventh-Day is similar to the Valentine’s Day in the West.