English Rendering
The crickets in grasses startle the parasol trees
into dropping leaves, and an ancient sorrow
fills Heaven and Earth, even the steps of clouds
are strewn with hurdles on the Moon grounds.
Although the boats go searching to and fro,
they rarely meet among the stars a single soul.
Only once in a year over the vast Starry River,
the magpies gather into a bridge for the lovers,
the herdsman with his weaver, a moment together.
The rest of the year they’re apart from each other,
as today, an endless struggle like the weather.
Nothing stays, rain or wind, sunshine or pleasure.
