The Chinese myth of the forbidden lovers - Shannon Zhao

Translator: Arif Saelan Reviewer: Maria Nainggolan

In the celestial court of the Jade Emperor lived seven princesses.

Di istana surgawi Kaisar Giok, hidup tujuh orang putri.

Each had their chosen place in court,

Masing-masing memiliki perannya di istana,

but the youngest princess had a special skill.

tetapi sang putri bungsu memiliki keahlian istimewa.

She could pluck clouds from the sky and spin them into the softest robes.

Dia dapat memetik awan dari langit dan memintalnya menjadi jubah terlembut.

Her work was so precise,

Kerjanya sangat cermat,

not even the most expert eye could find a seam.

bahkan mata paling jeli pun tidak dapat menemukan satupun kelim.

But her craft was the same day after day, and she longed for new inspiration.

Namun, setiap hari kerajinannya tetap sama dan dia mendambakan inspirasi baru.

Finally, the Queen Mother granted the weaver permission to visit Earth.

Akhirnya, Ibu Suri memberi izin kepada sang penenun untuk mengunjungi Bumi.

The other princesses would accompany her

Para putri akan menemaninya

to protect their sister from earthly dangers.

untuk melindungi saudari mereka dari berbagai bahaya duniawi.

Dressed in special robes that allowed them to fly between Heaven and Earth,

Dibalut gaun istimewa yang membolehkan terbang antara Surga dan Bumi,

the sisters soared down from the sky.

mereka membubung turun dari langit.

The weaver was in awe of the rolling hills and rivers,

Sang penenun sangat terpesona melihat bukit dan sungai yang bergulung,

and the sisters decided to swim in one of the glittering streams.

dan mereka memutuskan untuk berenang di sebuah kali yang gemerlap.

As the weaver floated, she dreamt about staying forever.

Sambil mengapung, sang penenun bermimpi untuk tinggal di sana selamanya.

Meanwhile, a lone cowherd approached the riverbank.

Sementara itu, seorang gembala penyendiri mendekat ke pinggir kali.

He came here often to sweep his parent’s grave

Dia sering datang untuk menyapu kuburan orang tuanya

and speak with his only companion—

dan berbicara kepada teman satu-satunya—

a stoic bull who listened patiently to the cowherd’s sorrows.

seekor sapi tabah yang dengan sabar mendengar berbagai duka sang gembala.

But upon seeing the weaver’s beauty, the cowherd forgot his routine.

Namun, demi melihat eloknya sang penenun, sang gembala lupa terhadap rutinnya.

While he longed to introduce himself, his lonely lifestyle had made him timid.

Meski dia damba memperkenalkan dirinya, hidupnya yang sendiri membuatnya malu.

Thankfully, the bull saw his friend's plight and offered some advice.

Untungnya, sang sapi melihat kesusahan temannya dan menawarkan nasihat.

He told the cowherd of the swimmer’s celestial origins

Dia memberi tahu sang gembala tentang asal surgawi sang perenang

and of her dream to stay on Earth;

dan tentang impiannya tinggal di Bumi;

but also that she could only remain if she lost her ticket back to Heaven.

tetapi juga bahwa dia hanya bisa tinggal jika dia kehilangan tiket kembalinya.

As the cowherd approached, the princesses flew away in fear—

Saat sang gembala mendekat, para putri terbang ketakutan—

leaving their dreaming sister behind.

meninggalkan saudari mereka yang masih termenung.

While keeping her magic robes hidden,

Sambil menyembunyikan jubah ajaib sang putri,

the cowherd offered his own garment as a substitute.

sang gembala menawarkan pakaiannya sebagai pengganti.

And after gaining her trust, the pair began exploring the countryside.

Setelah mendapat kepercayaan sang putri, mereka berdua pergi menjelajah pedalaman.

She was struck by his caring nature,

Sang putri terkagum dengan kelembutan hatinya,

and he learned to see the world’s wonder through her eyes.

dan dia belajar melihat keindahan dunia melalui mata sang putri.

Before long, the two had fallen deeply in love.

Tidak lama, mereka saling jatuh cinta sangat mendalam.

The weaver and the cowherd built a prosperous life.

Sang penenun dan sang gembala membangun kehidupan yang makmur.

Their farm flourished, and the weaver taught her skills to local villagers.

Kebun mereka subur, dan sang penenun mengajari penduduk setempat keahliannya.

As time marched on, the pair was blessed with two healthy children,

Seiring berjalannya waktu, pasangan itu dianugerahi dua anak yang sehat,

but their bull was growing old.

tetapi sapi mereka semakin menua.

Before he died, the bull implored the family to keep his hide

Sebelum mati, sang sapi meminta kepada keluarga itu untuk menyimpan kulitnya

and use its magic at their time of need.

dan menggunakan sihirnya jika dibutuhkan.

While the husband grieved for his friend,

Sementara sang suami berkabung untuk temannya,

the weaver’s mind turned to her other family.

benak sang penenun berpaling ke keluarganya yang lain.

Dusting off her magical robe, she decided to pay a visit to the heavens.

Setelah membersihkan jubah ajaibnya, dia memutuskan untuk berkunjung ke surga.

But when the weaver swept into her old home,

Namun, ketika sang penenun bergegas ke rumah lamanya,

no one seemed surprised to see her.

tidak ada yang terkejut melihatnya.

With a start, she realized that barely any time had passed—

Tersentak, dia sadar bahwa waktu hampir tidak berlalu di sini—

for a year on Earth was merely a day in Heaven.

karena satu tahun di Bumi hanyalah satu hari di Surga.

When her family learned of her new life, they were enraged.

Saat keluarganya mengetahui kehidupan barunya, mereka murka.

How dare she waste her love on a human?

Beraninya cintanya disia-siakan untuk seorang manusia!

The weaver tried to escape back to Earth,

Sang penenun berusaha kabur kembali ke Bumi,

but the Queen Mother plucked a golden hairpin from her head

tetapi Ibu Suri mencabut cocok sanggul emas dari kepalanya

and tore through the sky.

dan merobek-robek langit.

A great gulf opened, forming a river of stars between Heaven and Earth.

Sebuah jurang besar terbuka, membentuk sungai bintang di antara Surga dan Bumi.

Below, the cowherd trembled, but he also remembered the bull’s final words.

Di bawah, sang gembala gemetar, tetapi dia juga ingat pesan terakhir sang sapi.

Hastily placing each child in a basket,

Dengan cepat dia menaruh anak-anaknya ke dalam keranjang,

he draped the bull’s pelt over his back and hurtled upwards.

lalu mengenakan kulit sang sapi di punggungnya dan meluncur ke atas.

Above the clouds, each lover attempted to wade through the surging stars.

Di atas awan, keduanya berusaha mengarungi bintang-bintang yang menggelombang.

But no matter how hard they struggled,

Namun, tidak peduli betapa keras usaha mereka,

the gulf between them only grew wider.

jurang di antara mereka semakin melebar.

Day after day, the Queen Mother watched without pity.

Hari demi hari, Ibu Suri melihat tanpa belas kasih.

Years passed, and the weaver and the cowherd had no one,

Tahun berganti, dan sang penenun dan sang gembala tidak memiliki siapapun,

except the passing magpies to cheer them on.

kecuali burung murai yang lewat, untuk menghibur mereka.

Finally, their love moved the Queen Mother’s heart.

Akhirnya, cinta mereka menggerakan hati Ibu Suri.

While she couldn’t forgive her granddaughter entirely,

Meskipun dia tidak dapat mengampuni cucunya sepenuhnya,

the Queen Mother would allow the weaver to meet her earthly family once a year.

Ibu Suri membiarkan sang penenun bertemu keluarga duniawinya setahun sekali.

And so, in late summer, the magpies form a bridge across the Milky Way,

Jadi, di akhir musim panas, burung murai membentuk jembatan melintasi Bima Sakti,

reuniting the weaver and the cowherd.

menyatukan kembali sang penenun dan sang gembala.

At this time of year, millions of people in East and Southeast Asian countries

Setiap tahun di waktu ini, jutaan orang di negara Asia Timur dan Tenggara

tell similar tales of these star-crossed lovers,

menceritakan kisah yang mirip tentang kekasih lintas-bintang,

celebrating their annual reunion.

merayakan reuni tahunan mereka.