秦观·《鹊桥仙》英译

Immortals on the Magpie Bridge*

Qin Guan

Her love into th’ clouds the Maid subtly weaves,

And th’ shooting stars display how th’ Cowherd grieves.

When dew falls the Milky Way sees their meeting rare.

However, no secular love can e’er compare

With the holy sentiments they for a time share.

Their tender feeling is like a long stream;

Their rendezvous’s like a transient dream.

They may not bear to part at th’ Magpie Bridge! But nay,

So long as undying their affections will stay,

Whereat should they be bound up every night and day?

* This tune name derives from the myth of the sincere love between the Cowboy (Niulang) and the Weaver (Zhinu), who are separated by the Heavenly Queen with the Milky Way and allowed to meet only once in a year at the bridge built by the magpies which sympathize with them.

（卓振英 译）

Meeting across the Milky Way

(To the Tune of Queqiaoxian)

Qin Guan

Through the varying shapes of the delicate clouds

the sad message of the shooting stars,

a silent journey across the Milky Way,

one meeting of the Cowherd and Weaver*

amidst the golden autumn wind and jade-glistening dew,

eclipses the countless meetings

in the mundane world.

The feelings soft as water,

the ecstatic moment unreal as a dream,

how can one have the heart to go back

on the bridge made of magpies?

If the two hearts are united forever,

why do the two persons need to stay

together – day after day,

night after 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 the magpies once a year on the seventh day of the seventh month in the Chinese lunar calendar.

（裘小龙 译）

Immortal at the Magpie Bridge

Qin Guan

Fine clouds float and change,

Hundreds of clever shapes emerging.

The flying stars transmit regret,

Milky Way far away was secretly passed.

During the time of jade dew and golden wind,

Once they meet,

Far better than man’s world, theirs must.

Tender feelings as water,

Nuptial day as dream,

Who will be hardhearted enough,

To see her magpie bridge way home?

If two hearts are permanent,

How could they care about,

Being together from morning till night.

（林孔辉 译）

Tune: “Que Qiao Xian”

Cowherd and the Weaver

Qin Guan

Fine clouds show their artistic faces.

Blinking stars convey their grief in space.

So dim and far to go across the Milky Way.

Meeting once a year at a time of white

dew and autumn wind is far more touching

than reunion on earth numerous times.

Their feelings are water-like tender;

their special date once a year is like a dream.

On the magpie bridge, how can they bear

to turn homeward again?

If mutual love will be long and never die,

why need to be together day and night?

（张畅繁 译）

Queqiaoxian

Qin Guan

Colorful fully clouds her weaving skills show,

Shooting stars convey their eternal woe; *

Across the wide Milky Way to a tryst they go.

Their meeting on this golden autumn night is worth

All year’s love of a couple on earth.

Their love is as gentle as water of a stream,

Their happy reunion is like a sweet dream.

How could they leave the Bridge in moonbeam? **

But, if love is steadfast and true,

Absence makes the heart fonder grow.

* In Chinese mythology, the two stars of Altair and Vega stand for Niulang (the Cowherd) and Zhinü (the Weavergirl) respectively. The story about them was originated during the Han Dynasty. The two beloved were separated by the Heaven River (the Milky Way) and could meet only once a year on the Bridge of Magpie on the seventh day of the seventh month of Chinese lunar calendar.

** The Bridge in moonbeam is related with Chinse mythology. On the seventh day of the seventh month of Chinse lunar calendar, the Chinese legend goes that all the magpies in the world would take pity on the Cowherd and the Weavergirl and fly 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 night every year. Therefore, the connotation of the expression the Bridge of Magpie is anything that brings the beloved together, something like the Cupid’s Arrow.

（陈君朴、冯修文 译）