The Tale of Kiều
by Nguyễn Du
Ch. 62: Kiều Reunited with her Family
Translated by Vuong Thanh 

Chapter 62: Kiều Reunited with her Family   

With a glance, she saw her entire family was here.

Her father still looked strong, her mother still a beauty.

Both her sister and brother had grown up well.

And over there was Kim, her love of long ago.

Could this moment be a reality?

Clearly her eyes wide open, and yet it seemed like a dream. 

Her pearly tears wetted her dress. She felt unspeakable joy, 

and shame, and sorrow – a whole complex of feelings.

She threw herself upon her mother’s knees, and weeping,

she told her mother all her misfortunes:

“Since my wandering in a distant land, 

the duckweed’d drifted under the storms for fifteen years.

I thought I was forever lost among the muddy river waters,

and would not be able to see you again in this life!”

Her parents held her hands and gazed at her face, thinking:

Her face looked the same the day she left home.

But after living a life with so many adversities,

she had lost about three or four tenths of her freshness. 

What scale can be used to measure their happiness?

They talked and talked about their joys, their sorrows, and various other things. 

Her brother and sister also asked her this and that.

Watching them, Kim’s sorrow turned into joy.

They all knelt down  before Buddha’s altar

and gave thanks for Kieu’s resurrection.  

They sent for carriages decked with flowers.

Old Vương told Kiều to come home with them.

Kiều said: “I’m just a fallen flower.

Half of my life, I’d tasted shame and bitterness in all its flavors.

I’d thought I’d live out the life of a drifting water fern, 

or a wandering cloud.  

How could I still hope to be among you again?

That  I can see you again in this return to life, 

already satisfied the longings in my heart since long ago. 

I’d found a home within Buddha’s gate.

To live with grass and tree is fitting for my age.

For meals, I am used to salts and greens. 

For dress, I love the nun’s drab garb’s color. 

My heart’s fire is quenched for the things in life.

For what, would I want to crowd myself  in the world of pink dust!

Leaving things half-done is not good. 

I have been practicing Buddha’s teachings and should continue. 

I owe the nun a sea-deep debt for saving my life.

How can I have the heart to leave her?”

Old Vương said, “That was then, this is now.

Religious practices oftentimes have to yield to circumstances.

If you want to pray to the deities or to Buddha,

then filial duty, and love’s debts, those duties who would discharge? 

We owe the nun who save your life deep gratitude.

We will build a Buddha shrine and invite her to live there.”

At this exhortation, she had to comply to his wish.

She took leave of the nun and left with her parents.

The whole family came to Kim’s living quarters.

A banquet was immediately prepared to celebrate family reunion.