The Seventh Night of the Seventh Moon
Qin Guan
(Herd Boy)
The soft clouds make decorations,
The shooting stars play harbinger, –
Far across the Silver River you secretly come to me.
Though only once a year we meet in the time of sharp wind and chill dew,
We are many times happier than the lovers on earth.
(Weaving Girl)
Our feelings are tender as water,
Our meeting is sweeter than a dream;
It is hard for me to look back on the homeward path from the Blackbirds Bridge.
But if our love for each other will long endure,
It makes no difference that we do not live together day and night.
（初大告 译）
Immortals at the Magpie Bridge
Qin Guan
Clouds float like works of art,
Stars shoot with grief at heart.
Across the Milky Way the Cowherd meets the Maid.
When Autumn’s Golden Wind embraces Dew of Jade,
All the love scenes on earth, however many, fade.
Their tender love flows like a stream;
Their happy date seems but a dream.
How can they bear a separate homeward way?
If love between both sides can last for aye,
Why need they stay together night and day?
（许渊冲 译）
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.
（朱曼华 译）