陳三 五娘 • Dang-Sañ Ngou-Nie • Gaginang Peng’im

The story of 《陳三 五娘》dang-sañ ngou-nie (“dang Three and Fifth Lady”) is one of the best known love stories in the Minnan region, and has been adapted into operas in both the Teochew and Hokkien languages. The earliest known printed version of this play is known as 《荔鏡記》 li-giañ gi (“Tale of the Lychee and Mirror”), and dates to the Ming era.

This Teochew version is from a popular 1961 movie, produced by the 珠江電影製片廠 (Pearl River Film Company) of Canton, starring 姚璇秋 ie-sueng-chiu as ngou-nie, 蕭南英 siao-lam-eng as iah-chung, and 黃清城 ng-cheng-siañ as dang-sañ. The film was distributed via Hong Kong, and found an enthusiastic reception among Teochew communities in Southeast Asia and elsewhere. For more information on the film company that produced this film, refer to this thesis by Yap Soo Ei.

The script has been transcribed with phonetic spelling (Dieghv system). The transcript generally follows the recording, although pronunciations may have been “regularized” with reference to the screenplay. The printed screenplay sometimes diverges from what is actually spoken in the movie; in that case, the character transcription here follows the movie, but the printed version is also given in a comment below. Vernacular characters are used for the most part, except for very common words 人（original character 儂）、你（汝）、看（睇）、夜（暝）, where the borrowed character is almost always pronounced in the Teochew vernacular reading.

Time stamps for each scene are based on this copy of the movie. Digitized versions of the screenplay have been put online by the National University of Singapore. This phonetic transcription and English translation by Learn Teochew.

劇中人物 • Dramatis Personae

(in order of appearance)

• 五娘 • ngou-nie • The treasured fifth daughter of a landlord. Her beauty is well known in Teochew prefecture, and she is also talented in literature and poetry. Until this Lantern Festival she has not been allowed to venture out of the house by her father. Full name 黃碧琚 ng pek-geu.
• 益春 • iah-chung • The servant girl of ngou-nie who accompanies her everywhere, a clever person with a close relationship to her mistress.
• 李姐 • li-je • An older woman in the town who serves as their guide during the Lantern Festival, but who has a weakness for money.
• 陳三 • dang-sañ • A young scholar from 泉州 juañ-jiu visiting Teochew prefecture while accompanying his brother and sister-in-law to the latter’s new post in 廣南 geung-lam. Full name 陳伯卿 dang beh-keng.
• 林大 • lim-dua • Son of a rich family, known to be a bully and lecher who likes throwing his weight around.
• 卓二 • doh-yi • Manservant of lim-dua.
• 員外 • ueng-ghua • The father of ngou-nie, a landlord. Full name 黃九郎 ng gao-lang.
• 安人 • ang-ying • The mother of ngou-nie.
• 小安 • siou-ang • Servant of dang-sañ who accompanied him on the journey to geung-lam. Distant relative to Old Master Li 李公, the master mirror grinder whom dang-sañ apprentices himself to (not seen on stage).
• 小七 • siou-chik • Servant in the Ng household.
• 僕婦 • bok-hu • Maidservant in the Ng household.

第一章 • doiñ-ik-jiang • Act 1

第一場 • doiñ-ik-dieñ • Scene 1

2:00

幕外合唱 • mo-ghua hah-chiang • Chorus

jek-lung meng-ghueh kua gao-kong
一輪 明月 掛 高空
The round wheel of a Moon hangs high in the sky

bhuang-juañ hue-deng jie mak-hong
萬盞 花燈 照 目紅
Thousands of flowery lanterns light up the eyes

printed: 眼紅 (ngang-ang) for 目紅

goi-jieñ iu-ying yu dieñ-iong
街上 遊人 如 潮湧
People throng the streets like a tidal wave

heu-deng dui-dui; dui-dui heu-deng sai iu-long
魚燈 隊隊；隊隊 魚燈 賽游龍
The fish lanterns line up, they line up and compete to be the best

[…]

第二場 • doiñ-yi-dieñ • Scene 2

3:00

五娘 • ngou-nie

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

chuk guiñ-mung, hi buk-jing
出閨門 喜不盡
Stepping out of the inner courtyard’s confines is joy beyond compare

mak-joiñ geng-mueh ying cheng-sing
目前 景物 盡 清新
The scene before my eyes is so refreshing and new.

printed: 眼前 (ngang-joiñ) for 目前

deng yu cheñ, ghueh yu giañ
燈 如 星、月 如 鏡
Lanterns like stars, the moon like a mirror.

hue-chiu-ngeung-hue buk-meñ siañ
火樹銀花 不夜 城
The fireworks’ brilliant sparkle make this a city without night.

火樹銀花 - idiom, lit. “fire trees and silver flowers”, i.e. “fireworks display”

益春 • iah-chung

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

nang ju-bi ueng-yu chuk-lang jiou
俺 主婢 宛如 出籠鳥
Our household’s young mistress is just like an uncaged bird

jeu-iu-jeu-jai jek-sing king
自由自在 一身輕
Free and easy and light of body

自由自在 - idiom, lit. “self-willed and self-present”

二人 合唱 • yi-nang hah-chiang • in unison

dua-goi jieñ, ang-nam-lek-neung do huañ-lak
大街 上， 紅男綠女 多 歡樂
On the great avenue, young people in their colorful finery are having a great time

紅男綠女 - idiom, lit. “men in red and women in green”.

siang-hong gai-gai chie hie-hie
相逢 個個 笑 呤呤
Laughing meekly as they pass each other

李姐 • li-je

〔唸 • liem • reciting〕

ho-deng ho-ghueh nang-nang aiñ
好燈 好月 人人 愛
Everybody loves good lanterns and a good moon

jieñ-goi iu-sieñ sim-hue kai
上街 遊賞 心花 開
To tour the streets makes the heart glad

o! ngueng-lai ng-ge ngou-nie!
啊！ 原來 黃家 五娘！
O! If it isn’t the Fifth Lady of the Ng household!

a-nie bhueng-hok!
阿娘 萬福
A thousand greetings, Lady!

五娘 • ngou-nie

ngueng-lai si li-je
原來 是 李姐
If it isn’t Sister Li…

李姐 • li-je

iah-chung! leu-ge ueng-ghua, (?)-keng yiang a-nie chuk-meng?
益春！ 你家 員外，怎肯 讓 阿娘 出門？
Iah-cung! How is it that your master let Young Lady leave the house?

益春 • iah-chung

do-kui ang-ying sueh-cheng
多虧 安人 說情
It was thanks to my mistress, who pleaded on her behalf, saying

ngueng-siou hue-deng
元宵 花燈
“The flowery lanterns of the Lantern Festival

jek-ni jek-cheu
一年 一次
are only hung up once a year”

chai-keng yiang ung chuk-lai
才肯 讓 阮 出來
that he was willing to let us come out.

printed: 我們 (ua-mung) for 阮

李姐 • li-je

o… nie-oi! leu jek-hiang jie chuk-gui-mung
啊！ 娘～！ 你 一向 少 出閨門
O! Young Lady! You have rarely ever left the house

printed: 阿娘 (a-nie) for 娘-oi

dao-lou señ-so
道路 生疏
So the road is all new and unfamiliar

dua-goi jieñ, nang-do hung-jap
大街 上，人多 混雜
On the great avenue, it is crowded and confusing

hueng si iu-ua chua leu ke sieñ-deng!
還 是 由我 ～ 你 去 賞燈！
Let me be your guide and bring you lantern-gazing!

printed: 陪 (bue) for cua

nie-oi! dañ leu tiañ no!
娘～！ 呾 你 聽 𰇇！
Young Lady-O! Let me tell you!

printed: 阿娘！ 講 你 聽呀！ (a-nie! giang leu tiañ ia!)

〔叩板 • kao-bang • tapping clappers〕

nang jueng-yip chak-iñ ghe,
俺 轉入 察院衙
We’ll head to the public order bureau

dik-loh e dang-doi
直落 下 東堤
down the Eastern dike

giañ-hiang kai-ngueng joiñ
行向 開元 前
walk towards the opening of the Lantern Festival

jueng-gue sai-goi
轉過 西街
past the Western Avenue

toiñ-toiñ chik-jang seng
看看 七叢松
look at the seven pine tres

jai-gao cheng-jui-geng
再到 清水宮
then go to Clearwater Palace

iu-lang hong-lai-geng
遊覽 蓬萊宮
tour the Celestial Palace

蓬萊 hong-lai - mythical place where celestial beings live

chuk-liou dua-goi
出了 大街
come out at the Great Avenue

ua-jo ing-lou-seu
我 做 引路師
I’ll be your guide

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

bao-gueng [gak-sia] hue-deng dou leng toiñ
保管 各社 花燈 都 能 看

益春 • iah-chung

a-nie, li-je lou-sek, u ta siang-puañ ia-ho
阿娘，李姐 路熟，有 她 相伴 也好
Miss, Sister Li knows the road, why not have her come along?

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

五娘 • ngou-nie

ia-ho! u-lao liou!
也好！有勞了！
Why not indeed! We’ll trouble you to guide us, then

李姐 • li-je

nie-oi! sui ua lai!
娘～！隨我 來！
Miss! Follow me!

printed: 阿娘 (a-nie) for 娘-oi

第三場 • doiñ-sañ-dieñ • Scene 3

6:12

陳三 • dang-sañ

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

die-jiu boih-geng ho liu-lieng
潮州 八景 好 流連
The Eight Views of Teochew are a delight to wander

i-di huang-guang biek u tiang
異地 風光 別 有 天
the scenery in a foreign land is another world of its own

kuang si ngueng-siou deng-ghueh meñ
況 是 元宵 燈月 夜
no less on the the night of the Lantern Festival

iu-tiam sing-ung yip si-pieng
又添 新韻 入 詩篇
it adds new verses to this song I sing

〔白 • beh • speaking〕

ngueng-siou ho hue-deng
元宵 好 花燈
the fine flowery lanterns of the Lantern Festival

deng-e ho nang-mueh
燈下 好 人物
and fine folk beneath the lanterns

第四場 • doiñ-si-dieñ • Scene 4

8:37

幕外音 • mo-ghua im • voices offstage

toiñ, toiñ [ngao-suañ] a! [ngao-suañ] lai-liou ia!
看，看 鰲山 啊！鰲山 來了 呀!
Look! Look! It’s the Ngau-suan! The Ngau-suan is here!

鰲山 ngao-suañ - a special lantern for the Lantern Festival, made of cloth, stacked in the shape of a mythical sea tortoise and peaked like a mountain.

李姐 • li-je

a-nie! je si si-mih gu-seu?
阿娘！這 是 是乜 故事？
Miss! What story is this?

printed: 什麼 (sim-moh) for 是乜

五娘 • ngou-nie

je-si dieñ-señ eu eng-eng
這是 張生 與 鶯鶯
This is the story of Dien-sen and Cui-eng-eng

ta-no-nang jek-giñ jeng-cheng
他 二人 一見 鍾情
They fell in love at first sight

geh-chieñ chiang-ho
隔牆 唱和
Singing their love through a common wall

jong-yieng lao-hu-ying ge-gui ngiem-ging
縱然 老夫人 家規 嚴緊
Even though her old mother was strict

jong-i bai-ghueh sai-sieñ
終於 排月 西廂
eventually they trysted in the Western chamber

鶯鶯傳 (eng-eng-tueng, “Tale of Eng-eng”), a story from the Tang period that was the basis for the opera 西廂記 (sai-hieñ-gi) “Romance of the West Chamber”).

李姐 • li-je

a-nie! je iu si si-mih gu-seu?
阿娘！這 又是 是乜 故事？
Miss! What is this story, then?

printed: 什麼 (sim-moh) for 是乜

五娘 • ngou-nie

je si lao chui-ping chai-lao pao chai-giu
這是 劉翠屏 彩褸 拋 彩球
This is the story of Lau Cui-ping tossing a variegated ball from the festooned tower

A love story about a young lady from a landlord household who fell in love with a poor scholar. See 劉翠屏 (Baidu)

李姐 • li-je

o…
哦
oh.

五娘 • ngou-nie

ta-mng cheng-chiang ngi-chim
他們 情長義深
They had deep and intense feelings for each other

bho-mo iong-hua
無慕 榮華
and did not hanker for glory or riches

printed: 不慕 (buk-mo) 無慕

sang-sang hang-ie kou-siu
雙雙 寒窯 苦守
both suffered in the cold without heat

ho-bi soh-li bhue-hue
好比 雪裏 梅花
like plum blossoms that come out amid winter frost

jong-seng mui-mua ing-ueng
終成 美滿 姻緣
Finally they could fulfill their love and come together in marriage

jueng-ui nang-goiñ gia-ue
轉爲 人間 佳話
becoming a popular tale among the people

益春 • iah-chung

a-nie! je jek-ping iu si si-mih?
阿娘！這 一屏 又是 是乜？
Miss! What about this one?

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘, and 什麼 (sim-moh) for 是乜

五娘 • ngou-nie

je si nie suañ-beh eu jok eng-tai
這是 梁山伯 與 祝英臺
This is the story of Nie Suan-beh and Zok Eng-tai

梁山伯 與 祝英臺 - The “Butterfly Lovers”, also commonly referred to as 梁祝, one of the most well-known Chinese love stories, which has been adapted into numerous plays, operas, and movies.

ta-mng señ-joiñ bhue-leng gak-ui hu-chi
他們 生前 未能 結爲 夫妻
In life they were unable to become husband and wife

si-ao hue-joh sang bue-hu-diap
死後 化作 雙 飛蝴蝶
After death, they were transformed into a pair of butterflies

ji-cheng ji-señ
至情 至性
with such intense feelings and emotion

choiñ-gou liu-tueng
千古流傳
truly a story for the ages!

千古流傳 - idiom, “transmitted through a thousand ages”.

李姐 • li-je

o! si jieñ-señ a!
哦！是 照生 呀！
Oh, so that’s how it is…

printed: 這樣 (je-ieñ) for 照生

陳三 • dang-sañ

je-ui sie-nie-giañ buk-dang jeng-tong jeu-seu
這位 小娘囝 不但 精通 書史
This young miss has not only mastered the books

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 小娘囝

geng-giem chai-diou bho-sang
更兼 才調 無雙
but has literary skill without par

lang-dik! lang-dik!
難得！難得！
How rare! How rare!

李姐 • li-je

m! je-ui hao-señ-go,
嘸！這位 後生哥
Hm! Who is this young guy,

ui-ho jeu-ngang jeu-gheu jeu-dik-i?
爲何 自言自語 自得意？
and why is he muttering to himself with glee?

m? do-e ?? u gi siñ a?
噯！地下 怎麼 有 機 扇 呢？
Hm! What’s this fan that is lying on the floor?

地 do3 - vernacular pronunciation (literary di7)

printed: 把 (ba) for 機

ai-ia! si jek-ba gim-jieng siñ
噯呀！是 一把 金牋 扇
Ah! It is a golden fan decorated with calligraphy!

je si lao-sing gai hok-ki
這是 老身 個 福氣
It’s this old woman’s lucky day.

a-nie, leu lai, leu lai
阿娘，你來，你來
Miss, come here, come here.

a-nie leu toiñ, leu toiñ no!
阿娘 你看，你看 𰇇！
Miss, have a look, have a look!

printed: 呀 (ia) for 𰇇

五娘 • ngou-nie

siñ-jieñ (?) doi u si!
扇上 還 題 有 詩！
There is a poem on this fan!

益春 • iah-chung

a! u si, chiañ a-nie liem
啊！有 詩，請 阿娘 唸
Ah! There’s a poem, please Miss read it for us.

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

五娘 • ngou-nie

〔唸 • liem • reciting〕

“hai-tieng moh-moh jui-hung hueñ
『海天 漠漠 水雲 橫
Fog lies over the waters and the mists are flat

dao-jiu piang si bhueng-li-ching
斗酒 篇 詩 萬里情
Drinking wine, I write this poem of distant longings

ding-si hung-jeng mia eu li
塵世 紛爭 名 與 利
In this dusty realm, fame and profit are fought over

塵世 - the mortal world, a Buddhist expression.

ho-yu jieng gieng-keh dang heng”
何如 戰 劍客 中 行』
How can one walk among the fighting swordsmen?

– ung-leng dang beh-keng doi
溫陵 陳伯卿 題
– composed by Dang Beh-keng of Ung-leng

益春 • iah-chung

ung-leng do ho-chu?
溫陵 在 何處？
Where is Ung-leng?

五娘 • ngou-nie

jiu-si juañ-jiu
就是 泉州
It is in Zuan-ziu

泉州 juañ-jiu - a prosperous city and region in 福建 Hokkien province.

李姐 • li-je

nie-oi, na-baiñ u nang lai liou
娘～，那爿有 人 來了
Miss! There’s someone coming from over there.

printed: 阿娘 (a-nie) for 娘-oi and 邊 (biñ) for 爿

五娘 • ngou-nie

li-je, siñ na-keu
李姐，扇 拿去
Li-ze, take the fan away

李姐 • li-je

si! a-nie, nang uang biek-chu tik-to
是！阿娘，俺 往 別處 𨑨迌
Yes! Miss, let’s go somewhere else to have fun

printed: 我們 (ua-mung) for 俺 and 往別處去 (uang biak-chu keu) for 往別處𨑨迌

“tik-to” is a word that does not have standard Chinese characters.

陳三 • dang-sañ

liek-ui, chiañ-mng jek-siañ
列位，請問 一聲
Pardon me ladies, may I interrupt with a question?

李姐 • li-je

aiñ-mng mih-gai?
愛 問 乜個？
Whaddya want?

printed: 要問 什麼？(iou mung sim-moh?)

li-je speaks in a more vernacular register compared to dang-sañ

陳三 • dang-sañ

gang-chai sie-seng do-cheu gueng-deng
剛才 小生 在此 觀燈
A moment ago, this humble person was admiring the lanterns

sik-loh jek-ba siñ
失落 一把 扇
and lost a fan

ko-u giñ-gao?
可有 見到？
Might you have seen it?

李姐 • li-je

leu sik-loh si-mih siñ?
你 失落 是乜 扇？
What kind of fan did you lose?

printed: 什麼 (sim-moh) for 是乜

a-nie! nang hañ-bho toiñ-dieh ho?
阿娘！ 俺 還無 看着 呵？
Miss! We haven’t seen anything like that, have we?

printed: 阿娘！ 我們 沒有 看見 呀？(a-nie! ua-mung mok-u toiñ-giñ ia?)

五娘 • ngou-nie

li-je, siñ si nang-ge sik-loh di
李姐，扇 是 人家 失落 的
Li-ze, that fan is lost property,

sang-huañ ta ba!
送還 他 吧！
just return it to him!

tai-hue ge keu, leng chu jek-ba keh leu
待回 家去，另 取 一把 乞 你
When we are back home, I will give you another one

printed: 給 (gip) for 乞

李姐 • li-je

ia-ba… lai! ua lai mng leu
也罷！ 來！ 我 來 問 你
Alright, come! Let me ask you:

leu siñ-jieñ u si hueng-si bho-yi?
你 扇上 有 詩 還是 無字？
Did you have a poem on your fan, or no words?

u-yi a, hueng-si bho si, leu dañ!
有字 呀，還是 無 詩？ 你 呾！
If there were words, was there no poem? Tell me!

printed: 講 (giang) for 呾

陳三 • dang-sañ

siñ-jioñ u ua ching-bik doi-si
扇上 有 我 親筆 題詩
On the fan was a poem that I composed myself

ua-di mia-yi jiu-si dang beh-keng
我的 名字 就是 陳伯卿
My name is Dang Beh-keng

李姐 • li-je

di-nang (?)-keu leu-gai ho-miañ-yi a?
底人 XX 你個 好名字 啊？
Who asked you for your good name?

printed: 誰人 問 你的 好名字 ？(sui-nang mung leu-di ho miañ-yi?)

sik-ue gang leu dañ,
實話 共 你 呾
Let me be frank with you

printed: 實話 對 你 說 (sik-ue dui leu sueh)

yiak-hui ng-ge ngou-nie sueh-cheng
若非 黃家 五娘 說情
if not for the Fifth Lady of the house of Ng interceding for you

jiu iu-leu hek-meñ chue-gao tiñ-meng
就 由 你 黑夜 找 到 天明
you’d have been searching through the night to dawn with no success

找 chue - vernacular borrowed reading for 揣, usually pronounced dao or jao

ying cheng-cho a!
認 清楚 呀！
Don’t forget that!

陳三 • dang-sañ

si, je jiañ-si sie-seng di siñ
是，這 正是 小生 的 扇
Yes, that is indeed this humble one’s fan

do-seng do-gam
多承多感！
Much obliged, many thanks!

李姐 • li-je

[a-seng a-gam],
阿承阿感

kuai-kuai (?) liou keu, mai ho dañ oiñ-ue
快快 X 了去，勿好呾 閒話
Take it quickly and stop wasting your breath on idle talk

printed: 快快 拿去, 少講 閒話 (kuai-kuai na-keu, siou-giang oiñ-ue)

陳三 • dang-sañ

yi-ui sie-nie-giañ, do-seng do-gam
二位 小娘囝，多承多感
Ladies, much obliged and many thanks

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 小娘囝

yiak-hui yi-ui ui-ua sueh-cheng
若非 二位 爲 我 說情
If not for you interceding on my behalf

ieng-dik to-hue cheu siñ
焉得 討回 此 扇
I would not have gotten my fan back

yi-ui sie-nie-giañ, chiañ! chiañ-liou….
二位 小娘囝，請！請了！
Ladies, I take my leave, I take my leave

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 小娘囝

請 - a way of saying goodbye

〔獨白 • dok-beh • speaking to himself〕

je-ui ng-ge ngou-nie, jing-si ko-aiñ a!
這位 黃家 五娘，真是 可愛 啊！
This Fifth Lady of Ng is certainly lovable!

五娘 • ngou-nie

juañ-jiu suañ-chueng leng-siu
泉州 山川 靈秀
The mountains and valleys of Zuan-ziu must be fertile grounds

chuk-u je-deng hong-ngia nang-mueh
出有 這等 風雅 人物
to breed such an elegant and refined person

李姐 • li-je

a-nie! nang uang biek-chu tik-to
阿娘！俺 往 別處 𨑨迌
Miss! Let’s go somewhere else to have fun!

printed: 往 別處 走看 (uang biak-chu jao-toiñ)

第五場 • doiñ-ngou-dieñ • Scene 5

15:39

林大 • lim-dua

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

guañ-ge, guañ-ge jeu-di lak-a lak siou-iou
官家，官家 子弟 樂呀 樂 逍遙
The scions of an official’s household love to stroll about

卓二 • doh-yi

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

lak-a lak siou-iou
樂呀 樂逍遙
Love, o love to stroll about

林大 • lim-dua

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

ji-mo gim-ok chang-a-chang giou-giou
指望 金屋 藏呀 藏嬌嬌
Hoping to find some hidden beauty in a golden house

金屋藏嬌 - idiom, lit. “to hide a lovely in a golden house”, meaning “to keep a concubine”.

卓二 • doh-yi

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

chang-a-chang a-giou
藏呀 藏阿嬌
Golden, o golden house

林大 • lim-dua

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

chim-hue-mng-leng(liu?) huang-liu seu
尋花問柳 風流 事
Searching for flowers, seeking a willow, affairs of the heart

尋花問柳 - idiom, lit. “searching for flowers, seeking a willow”, meaning “to visit prostitutes”

卓二 • doh-yi

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

huang-a-huang-liu seu
風呀 風流 事
Affairs, o affairs of the heart

林大 • lim-dua

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

chueng-chah hue-jang nao ngueng-siou
穿插 花叢 鬧 元宵
Jump into a bed of flowers and enjoy the Lantern Festival

花叢 - lit. “a bunch of flowers”, figuratively referring to a group of prostitutes.

卓二 • doh-yi

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

nao-a-nao ngueng-siou
鬧呀 鬧 元宵
Enjoy, o enjoy the lantern festival

二人 • ri-nang • together

ha ha ha ha ha!
哈 哈 哈 哈 哈！
hahahahaha!

Laughing as obnoxiously as possible

卓二 • doh-yi

lim-dua-ia! gim-me ngueng-siou
林大爺！今暝 元宵
Master Lim! Tonight at this Lantern Festival

printed: 晚 (mung) for 暝

ik-lai toiñ deng, yi-lai toiñ nang
一來 看 燈，二來 看 人
we’ll keep one eye on the lanterns, and another on the crowd

yu-u mui-neung, buk-ko cho-gue!
如 有 美女，不可 錯過！
If there is a beautiful woman, we can’t miss the chance!

林大 • lim-dua

lao-doh jeu ngang u-li, jek-dang lai, jao!
老卓 之 言 有理，一同 來，走！
Old Doh what you say makes sense. Two birds with one stone, let’s go!

卓二 • doh-yi

ho! lai-jao!
好！來走！
Good! Let’s go!

二人合唱 • ri-nang hah-ciang • singing together

nang dua-goi jieñ, gueng-deng, toiñ gia-li
俺大街 上，觀燈 看 佳麗
We go down the great a venue, gazing at lanterns and eyeing the beauties

siang-sui siang-puañ chie-hi-hi
相隨相伴 笑嘻嘻
having a good time in good company

林大 • lim-dua

a-ia!
啊呀！
Ah!

**益春 • iah-chung **

li-je! li-je!
李姐！李姐！
Li-ze! Li-ze!

李姐 • li-je

lai-liou! o! ngueng-lai si lim-dua-ia!
來了！啊！原來 是 林大爺！
I’m coming! Ah, so it is Master Lim!

gim-me u heng chuk-lai gueng-deng heñ?
今暝 有興 出來 觀燈 呀？
Feeling in a good mood to come see the lanterns?

printed: 晚 (mung) for 暝

林大 • lim-dua

li-je, na-ui sie-nie-giañ si sui?
李姐，那位 小娘囝 是誰？
Sister Li, who is that young maiden?

printed: 小娘子 (sie-nie-jeu) for 小娘囝

李姐 • li-je

o, dua-ia oi, na-ui si siañ-sai ng-gao-lang di choiñ-gim ngou-nie
啊，大爺（～），那位 是 城西 黃九郎 的 千金 五娘
Ah, sir, that is the fair fifth daughter of Ng Gau-lang of the Western district

nang die-jiu doiñ-ik mui-ying ne!
俺 潮州 第一 美人 呀（呢）！
The fairest beauty of our Teochew prefecture!

林大 • lim-dua

li-je, ngou-nie kah-jeng heu nang?
李姐，五娘 豈 曾 許 人？
Sister Li, is she betrothed to anybody?

printed: 可 (ko) for 豈

**益春 • iah-chung **

li-je, nang (uang) biek-(chu) keu!
李姐，俺 往 別處 去！
Sister Li, let’s go somewhere else!

李姐 • li-je

jiu-lai!
就來！
Coming!

卓二 • doh-yi

lim-dua-ia, lim-dua-ia! cheu-deng mui-ying leu dong-i ma?
林大爺，林大爺！此等 美人 你 中意 嗎？
Master Lim, Master Lim! Do you fancy that pretty lass?

林大 • lim-dua

jeu-yieng si dong-i, leu ka-u miou-goi?
自然 是 中意，你 豈有 妙計？
Naturally I fancy her, do you have a plan?

printed: 可 (ko) for 豈

卓二 • doh-yi

li-je ui-nang jap-hung tang-chai, ko-eng jiñ-ngeung siu-bhoi
李姐 爲人 十分 貪財，可用 錢銀 收買
Sister Li is greedy for money, she can easily be bought with silver.

gie-ta keu ng-ge kiu-ching, i dua-ia chai-si
叫她 去 黃家 求親，以 大爺 財勢
Ask her to go to the Ng household to propose a match. Given your wealth and power, sir,

ing-gueng guak-bho buk-seng jeu li!
婚姻 自（XXX）無 不成 之 理！
they can’t possibly refuse!

林大 • lim-dua

a-ia dui a! lao-doh gao-gieng, jiañ-hah ua i
啊呀 ［對啊］！老卓 高見，正 合 我 意
Ah! Old-Doh you are clever, I like this plan

nang ko hue-ge im-jiu, soi-soi sieng-(lieng)
俺 可 回家 飲酒，細細 商議
Let’s go home to drink wine and discuss this in detail

卓二 • doh-yi

ho!
好！
Good!

林大 • lim-dua

〔唸 • liem • reciting〕

ngueng-siou deng-e ngo gia-ying
元宵 燈下 遇 佳人
Meeting a beauty under the lights of the Lantern Festival

yi-boih giou-nie lueng ua-sing
二八 嬌娘 亂 我 神
A girl of sweet sixteen stirring my soul

二八 - “twice eight”, i.e. sixteen years old

卓二 • doh-yi

〔唸 • liem • reciting〕

jing-cheng tiang im siou-me jiu
盡情 暢 飲 宵夜 酒
Drink the wine of the Lantern Festival night to your heart’s content

二人同唸 • ri-nang tong liem • both recite together

eu-jok hue-jek dang bang chung!
預祝 花燭 洞房春！
Here’s to the candlelit bridal bed on the wedding night!

洞房花燭夜 - idiom, lit. “night of the bridal chamber and flowery candles”, i.e. the wedding night

第二章 • doiñ-yi-jiang • Act 2

第六場 • doiñ-lak-dieñ • Scene 6

19:26

五娘 • ngou-nie

[…]

〔唸 • liem • reciting〕

lang-gui hue-mang pek-ing hueñ
蘭閨 廻夢 碧煙翻橫
Dreams churn in the orchid chamber as blue smoke spreads.

choiñ-li ghueh-meng choiñ-li cheng
千里 明月 千里 情
A distant full moon and distant longings.

cheu-di li-dang leng jui-keh
此地 荔丹 能 醉客
The red lychee of this place can captivate any guest.

ho-su huang-hong hai-tieng heng
何須 風雨 海天 行
Who needs the wind and rain to cross heaven and ocean?

**益春 • iah-chung **

eu! nie-oi! leu ngim cheu si, sie-bi seu-hu bak tiañ-gue
～！娘～！你 吟 此 詩，小婢 似乎 捌 聽過
Miss! This poem you recite - your humble maid has heard it before somewhere.

printed: 哎呀！小姐！你唸 此詩，小婢 似乎 聽過 (ai-ia! siou-jia! leu liem cheu-si, sie-bi seu-hu tiañ-gue)

五娘 • ngou-nie

cheu-si ua huang-chai ngim-jiu
此 詩 我 方才 吟就
I just composed this poem,

leu chong ho-chu tiañ gue?
你 從 何處 聽過？
where could you have heard it before?

**益春 • iah-chung **

a-nie leu m-sing, tai ua lai liem:
阿娘 你 唔信，待 我 來 唸
If you don’t believe me, Miss, let me recite to you:

printed: 小姐 不信 (siou-jia buk-sing)

“hai-tieng moh-moh jui-hung-hueñ
『海天 漠漠 水雲橫
“Fog lies over the waters and the mists are flat

dao-jiu pieng-si bhueng-li cheng”
斗酒 篇詩 萬里 情』
Drinking wine, I write this poem of distant longings”

a-nie, kah dui?
阿娘，豈 對？
Is that right, Miss?

printed: 小姐，可 對？(siou-jia, ko-dui?)

五娘 • ngou-nie

hu-sueh, je eu ua nim-di buk-dang
胡說，這 與 我 吟 的 不同
Nonsense, that is nothing like what I wrote.

printed: 唸 (liem) for 吟

**益春 • iah-chung **

nie-oi, di-go m-dang?
娘～，底塊 唔同？
Miss, how is it different?

printed: 有何不同？(u ho buk-dang?)

五娘 • ngou-nie

leu liem-di si biek-nang siñ-di jioñ-doi di si
你 唸的 是 別人 扇上 題 的 詩
What you recited is the poem from that fan.

**益春 • iah-chung **

heñ, ua jai, ua jai,
我 知， 我 知
I know, I know

a-nie si do (?) siñ-jioñ gai si no!
阿娘 是 在 人家 扇上 個 詩 𰇇！
Miss’s mind is still on the one who wrote it!

printed: 小姐 是 在 人家 扇上 的 詩 呀！ (siou-jia si do nang-ge siñ-jieñ di si ia!)

五娘 • ngou-nie

(?)-bi-neung, ia buk-pa geh-chieñ u hiñ?
X-婢女，亦 不怕 隔牆 有 耳？
Silly maid, don’t you fear that the walls have ears?

**益春 • iah-chung **

“do-seng do-gam, chiañ, chiañ-liou”
『多承 多感，請，請了』
“Much obliged, and many thanks, I take my leave”

李姐 • li-je

〔唸 • liem • reciting〕

bu-gui iong-hua gai-iu-mia
富貴 榮華 皆 由 命
Riches and glory are matters of fate;

gim-ngeung ju-bo gik-liang ueng
金銀 珠寶 結良 緣
Gold, silver, and precious jewels seal the bonds of destiny.

a-nie, giong-hi a ho-hi!
阿娘，恭喜呀 賀喜
Miss, congratulations, congratulations!

**益春 • iah-chung **

li-je, hi chong ho-lai?
李姐，喜 從 何來？
Li-ze, what’s the congratulations for?

李姐 • li-je

a-nie oi!
阿娘 呀（～）！
Miss!

jao jioñ-joiñ si jek-li
走 上前 施 一禮
I come up to deliver a message,

ua eu a-nie lai dao-hi
我 與 阿娘 來 道喜
and to offer my congratulations to Miss

ji ing-ui,
只 因爲
That’s because

lim ui-yik dua-ia, ngueng-siou deng-e giñ ghek-mao
林XX 大爺，元宵 燈下 見 玉貌
Big Master Lim, he saw your beautiful jade face under the lights of the Lantern Festival

jek-sim guah-mo gik lieng-li
一心 渴望 結 連理
and his whole heart was set on making a connection.

gim-yik sueh-mue ueng-ghua i eng-yung
今日 說媒 員外 已 應允
Today your Father has already consented to a matchmaking.

lai jiou gi-yik hia piañ-ngi
來朝 吉日 下 聘儀
When an auspicious date comes, to make the betrothal ceremony.

五娘 • ngou-nie

leu sueh-di jiu-si na lim-dua?
你 說的 就是 那 林大？
Are you speaking of that Lim-dua?

李姐 • li-je

jiañ si, ueng-ghua ang-ying dou bhueng-hung huañ-hi a!
正是，員外 安人 都 萬分 歡喜 呀！
That is he! Your father and mother are both extremely glad!

**益春 • iah-chung **

a-nie! a-nie uañ-diañ!
阿娘！阿娘 安定！
Miss! Miss be calm!

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

李姐 • li-je

je si lim-ge di gim-toi, tai ua eu leu chah do tao-jieñ
這是 林家 的 金釵，待 我 與 你 插 在 頭上
This golden hairpiece is from the Lim family, let me help you put it in your hair.

五娘 • ngou-nie

leu lang-dao buk-jai lim-dua si ho-deng-ieñ nang?
你 難道 不知 林大 是 何等樣 人？
Don’t you know what kind of a person that Lim-dua is?

yueng aiñ joiñ-lai sueh-mue, si ho dao-li?
還（～）愛 前來 說媒，是 何 道理？
And to come here matchmaking on his behalf, what is the meaning of this?

printed: 要 (iou) for 愛

李姐 • li-je

eu! nie-oi!
～！娘～！
O Miss!

printed: 阿娘 呀 (a-nie ia!)

〔叩板 • kao-bang • tapping clappers〕

ti-ki lim-dua-ia, sing-ui bhu-geu ho mia-siañ
提起 林大爺，身爲 武舉 好 名聲
Speaking of Master Lim, he is a military man and of good name.

武舉 - military version of the 舉人 (geu-ying, “graduate”) degree in the examination system. These were looked down upon as less worthy than the civil degrees.

die-jiu hao-bu cheng doiñ-ik
潮州 豪富 稱 第一
Of the big dealers in Die-ziu he is number one.

liang-bik a-nie leu ia jai
諒必 阿娘 你 也知
Forgive me Miss but even you must know this!

gim-yik eu ta lai gik-ching
今日 與 他 來 結親
Today I come here to convey his proposal.

jiañ-si mng-deung-hou-dui
正是 門當戶對
Your two households are a good and suitable match.

門當戶對 - idiom, lit. “the doors are appropriate and the houses correct”, i.e. a good match between two families of prospective bride and groom.

neung-mao lang-chai
女貌 郎才
A beautiful maiden and a talented groom.

gue-mng jeu-ao, hu-iong chi-gui
過門 之後，夫榮 妻貴
After crossing the threshold, the husband will be proud and the wife fertile.

a-nie leu ing-ho buk-aiñ?
阿娘 你 因何 不愛？
What’s there not to love about this, Miss?

**益春 • iah-chung **

hi!
呸（哼）！
Hmph!

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

me jek-siañ lao-hu-li!
駡 一聲 老狐狸！
You wretched old fox!

chuk-ngang bho juang yia nang ki
出言 無 狀 惹 人 氣
Angering people with your senseless words.

leu ui tam siou-li
你 爲 貪 小利
You were greedy for a small profit,

buk-gueng nang-ge señ huañ si
不管 人家 生 還 死
and don’t care if people’s lives are ruined in the process.

hueng-gañ do a-nie meng-joiñ lueng-buañ kao-jih
還敢 在 阿娘 面前 亂搬 口舌
You dare to come before our Miss and wag your lying tongue.

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

leu lueng-buañ kao-jih
你 亂搬 口舌
You wag your lying tongue!

五娘 • ngou-nie

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

gim-yik lai ti-ching
今日 來 提親
This match proposed today

kuk-hai ua jek-señ jek-si
屈害 我 一生 一世
will ruin my life, and all that I know.

ueng dia-dia, king-sing leu hue-ngang ka-gheu kiem si-chung
怨 爹爹，輕信 你 花言 巧語 欠 思忖
I resent my father for so easily believing your flowery words and cheap promises,

chueng buk ngueng-liem ching-señ neung-yi
全 不 願念 親生 女兒
but not believing the words of his own dear daughter.

李姐 • li-je

eu! nie-oi! gim-yik je-mng ching-seu
～！娘～！今日 這門 親事
O Miss! This proposal today

printed: 阿娘 (a-nie) for 娘-oi

si ning liang-ge cheng-ngueng
是 恁 兩家 情願
is a matter between your two households.

printed: 你 (leu) for 恁

eu ua li-je bho-gang
與 我 李姐 無干
It is not my doing!

**益春 • iah-chung **

bhue-nang jiañ
媒人 精
The business of a matchmaker

mua-kao hue-ngang ka-gheu
滿口 花言 巧語
is to have a mouthful of flowery language at the ready.

Traditional matchmakers had a reputation for misrepresenting prospective marriage partners in order to collect their fees when the proposals were accepted.

hueng sueh eu-leu bho gang?
還 說 與 你 無干？
How can you say it is none of your doing?

李姐 • li-je

si-mih hue-ngang-ka-gheu? hng!
是乜 花言巧語？哼！
What flowery language? Hmph!

printed: 什麼 (sim-moh) for 是乜

sok-ue sueh: “be-bho u meng, yi-neung aiñ tiañ”
俗話 說：『父母 有 命，兒女 愛 聽』
The proverb says: “If the parents have a comand, the children must obey.”

命 meng - meaning “command”, this character also pronounced mia “life”.

printed: 俗語 (sok-gheu) for 俗話, 要 (iou) for 愛

a-nie yiak buk sung-chong cheu-ching
阿娘 若 不 順從 此親
If Miss doesn’t follow her parents’ instruction

jiu-si heu-ngek buk-hao
就是 許逆不孝
then she is simply not filial.

五娘 • ngou-nie

iah-chung! ba ta guañ chuk-keu!
益春！把 她 趕 出去！
Iah-cung! Chase her out!

**益春 • iah-chung **

tiañ-giñ bho? meñ-ge chuk, chuk-keu!
聽見 無？猛加 出，出去！
Don’t you hear? Get out quickly, out!

printed: 聽見 嗎？快些 出，出去！ (tiañ-giñ ma? kuai-se chuk, chuk keu!)

李姐 • li-je

ai-ia, pah-nang, pah-nang a!
哎呀，拍人，拍人 呀！
Ah! They’re hitting me! They’re hitting me!

printed: 打 (da) for 拍

員外 • ueng-ghua

iah-chung, buk-dik bho-li, kuai-se hia-keu
益春，不得 無禮，快些 下去
Iah-cung, watch your behavior. Go downstairs.

bhue-i, siou-bi bho-li, do u dik-jue
媒姨，小婢 無理，多有 得罪
Matchmaker, this maid was out of line, and has grievously offended you.

toiñ do lao-hu ming-jieñ mai eu goi-ga
看在 老夫 面上 勿 與 計較
On my account, I hope that you will not pursue this complaint

李姐 • li-je

je-gai m-gañ
這個 唔敢
No I wouldn’t dare.

printed: 不 (buk) for 唔

安人 • ang-ying

bhue-i, chiañ gao tiañ-jieñ eng jiu-bng
媒姨，請 到 廳上 用 酒飯
Matchmaker, please come to the hall for a meal.

李姐 • li-je

mieng-eng keh-ki, yik-uañ, ua gao-si liou
免用 客氣，時候 日X，我 告辭 了
No need to be polite, it is late and I should be on my way.

printed: 不用 (buk-eng) for 免用, 不早 (buk-ja) for 日X

員外 • ueng-ghua

yu-cheu buk-gañ kiang-lao, cheng-ung(?) ming-joiñ ho-ue do sueh
如此 不敢 強留，親家（？）面前，好話 多說
If that is the case, we shan’t detain you. When you see the Lims, do put in a good word for us.

李姐 • li-je

je-gai jeu-yieng
這個 自然
Naturally.

五娘 • ngou-nie

dia-nie bhueng-hok
爹娘 萬福
Your daughter wishes Father and Mother a thousand blessings.

安人 • ang-ying

ua-yi mieng-li
我兒 免禮
Don’t stand on ceremony, my child.

員外 • ueng-ghua

leu si mia-mng choiñ-gim, jiu-gai siou-dik loi-ngi
你是 名門 千金，就該 曉得 禮儀
You are the precious child of an honorable household, you should know something about proper behavior.

geu-yieng guañ-dok bhue-i
居然 趕逐 媒姨
To think that you would chase the matchmaker away!

jing-jing seng-ho ti-tong?
真真 成 何 體統？
What is the meaning of this?

安人 • ang-ying

yi a, gim-yik ti-ching, si leu dai-hi jeu yik
兒呀，今日 提親，是 你 大喜 之 日
Child, this proposal today should be a big joyous day for you.

ui-ho chou-bhai-buk-dieng?
爲何 愁眉不展？
Why is your brow furrowed in despair?

愁眉不展 - idiom, lit. “permanently furrowed brow”

五娘 • ngou-nie

bho-ching, ko-hng li-je bho-li
母親，可恨 李姐 無理
Mother, I resent how Sister Li was out of line.

hu-ngang-lueng-gheu, yia neung-yi señ-ki!
胡言亂語， 惹 女兒 生氣！
She spouted much nonsense, and made your daughter angry!

安人 • ang-ying

li-je ui-ho yia ua-yi señ-ki?
李姐 爲何 惹 我兒 生氣？
How did Sister Li make my child angry?

printed: 吾 (u) for 我

五娘 • ngou-nie

bho-ching, neung-yi buk-hi-huañ ta lai ti-ching
母親，女兒 不喜歡 她 來 提親
Mother, your daughter doesn’t like the proposal she brought.

員外 • ueng-ghua

hoñ? je si ho-gu?
啊？這是 何故？
Huh? What’s the reason?

五娘 • ngou-nie

dia-nie iong-bing!
爹娘 容稟！
Father, Mother, please hear my plea!

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

liem dia-nie bho lam-yi
念 爹娘 無 男兒
Father and Mother have no sons,

pek-geu bho hiañ-di
碧琚 無 兄弟
your daughter Pek-gv has no brothers.

sang-ching ni-mai
雙親 年邁
When my dear parents advance in age

gou sui hong-si
靠 誰 奉侍
who would care for them?

ing-cheu siang yi buk-ying lai hung-li
因此 上 兒 不忍 來 分離
Because of this, your child does not want to be separated from you,

nguang sui chek-e hong gam-ji
願 隨 膝下 奉 甘旨
but continue to wait upon you on bended knee.

員外 • ueng-ghua

nga-giañ, jeu-gou lam dua deung-hung
㦙囝，自古 男 大 當婚
Silly child, from ancient times men have brought brides home

printed: 痴女 (chi-neung) for 㦙囝

neung jiang deung-ge
女 長 當嫁
and women have been sent off to marry.

na-u neung-yi jong-sing si-hong be-bho jeu-li?
那有 女兒 終身 侍奉 父母 之理？
Who has heard of a daughter who has stayed home to serve her parents?

chiañ-hi gim-yik pang-jieñ je-mng ho ing-ching
且喜 今日 攀上 這門 好 姻親
Be happy that we have made an advantageous match today

sueng-dik je-ieñ ho neung-sai
選得 這樣 好 女婿
and have chosen such a good son-in-law;

be-bho ming-jieñ ia diem guang-chai ia!
父母 面上 也 沾 光彩 呀！
the glory will be reflected on your parents!

五娘 • ngou-nie

dia-dia yiak- si tong-aiñ neung-yi
爹爹 若是 痛愛 女兒
If Father truly loves his daughter dearly,

jiu choiñ-bhuang mai yung je-mng ching-seu
就 千萬 勿 允 這門 親事
please do not consent to this proposal

員外 • ueng-ghua

hañ?!
啊！？
What?!

安人 • ang-ying

yi a, jo be-bho jia, dou si ui-leu da-seung a
兒呀，做 父母 者，都 是 爲你 打算 呀
Child, as parents, all we do is for your benefit.

五娘 • ngou-nie

bho-ching!
母親！
Mother!

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

bai-siang dia-nie tiañ yi sueh-ki
拜 上 爹娘 聽 兒 說起
I plead with Father and Mother to listen to their child.

neung-yi ni-king, sieñ neung-yi ni-king
女兒 年輕，想 女兒 年輕
Their daughter is still young,

printed: 念 (liem) for 想

deng-hung jeu seu, hueng si jiem-mang gi-si
訂婚 之 事，還是 暫緩 幾時
this matter of marriage, why not put it off for now?

員外 • ueng-ghua

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

gie neung-yi mo jip-i
叫 女兒 莫 執意
Daughter, do not be stubborn.

tai-ui be sueh eu leu di
待爲 父 說 與 你 知
Let Father tell you about this:

lim-dua sing-ui bhu-geu
林大 身爲 武舉
Lim-dua is a military graduate

kuang iu-si siang-mng ao-i
況 又是 相門 後裔
and comes from an official family.

ho mng-hong
好 門風
They have a mighty reputation,

geng jeng ge-chai geu-hok u kueng-si
更 曾 家財 巨福 有 權勢
his family fortune is rich and substantial.

na iong cho-gue yu-cheu liang-gi?
那 容 錯過 如此 良機？
How could we forgo this great opportunity?

安人 • ang-ying

neung-yi, leu hueng-si…
女兒，你 還是
Daughter, you should…

五娘 • ngou-nie

bho-ching, lim-ge jeu-di, ui-nang chou-pi
母親，林家 子弟，爲人 粗鄙
Mother, the scions of the Lim family are scoundrels!

員外 • ueng-ghua

hañ?! hu-sueh, ua peng-si ja-ieñ ga-dao i leu?
～？！ 胡說，我 平時 怎樣 教導 於 你？
What?! Nonsense, how have I taught you to behave?

printed: 平日 (peng-yik) for 平時

aiñ leu sam-chung-si-dek geung-gi do sim
愛 你 三從四德 謹記 在 心
Remember the “three obediences and four virtues”?

三 sam - literary pronunciation, vs. vernacular “sañ”

printed: 要 (iou) for 愛

gim-yik si ua jah-ju jiang leu heu-pue lim-ge
今日 是 我 作主 將 你 許配 林家
Today I, as the head of this household, have decided to accept this proposal from the Lim family.

leu ngueng ia-ba, buk-ngueng ia-ba
你 願 也罷，不願 也罷
It doesn’t matter whether you like it or not.

je-mng ching-seu i-geng diañ-hia liou!
這門 親事 已經 定下 了！
It has already been decided!

五娘 • ngou-nie

kou….!
苦！
Woe!

員外 • ueng-ghua

ai-ia! jing-jing ka-u-cheu-li?
哎呀！真真 豈有此理？
Gah! Never in my life…

安人 • ang-ying

ueng-ghua, nang hia-lao keu ba
員外，俺 下樓 去 吧
Sire, let us go downstairs.

員外 • ueng-ghua

hng! dou-si leu peng-yik ge-ga buk-ngiem
哼！都是 你 平日 家教 不嚴
Hmph! You have been too lax in teaching her.

chai iang-ik je-ieñ di ho neung-yi
才 養X 這樣 的 好 女兒
That’s how we have ended up with such a daughter.

buk-iou li ta! hia lao! jao ba!
不要 理她！下樓！走吧！
Don’t pay her any heed. Go downstairs. Come!

五娘 • ngou-nie

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

cheñ-tieng pik-liek, sai-nang sim bui!
青天 霹靂，使人 心悲
A thunderclap on a clear day, leading one to heartbreak.

dia-dia leu ui-ho cho ju-i?
爹爹 你 爲何 錯 注意？
Father, why have you made this mistake?

buk-ngueng neung-yi jek-señ siu-kui
不願 女兒 一生 受虧
Don’t wish upon your daughter a life of suffering.

na lim-dua… na lim-dua ta si king-kuang-jeu
那 林大，那 林大 他 是 輕狂子
That Lim-dua, that Lim-dua is a dastardly creature;

ua leng-si ia buk eu ta pik-pue
我 寧死 也 不 與 他 匹配
I’d rather die than to be his woman.

bhueng-buañ sim-seu, bhueng-buañ sim-seu hu liu-jui
萬般 心事，萬般 心事 付 流水
My heart is in turmoil, turning like flowing water.

jek-señ ngueng-mo, jek-señ ngueng-mo jing seng hue…
一生 願望，一生 願望 盡 成 灰
A whole life’s hopes, all turned into ash.

**益春 • iah-chung **

ngou-nie!
五娘！
Ngou-nie!

五娘 • ngou-nie

iah-chung!
益春！
Iah-cung!

第三章 • doiñ-sañ-jiang • Act 3

第七場 • doiñ-chik-dieñ • Scene 7

32:36

陳三 • dang-sañ

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

gie siou-ang dai-lou uang siañ-si
叫 小安 帶路 往 城西
Siou-ang, bring us to the Western city.

小安 • siou-ang

jung-meng!
尊命！
Yes sir!

陳三 • dang-sañ

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

ngueng-siou deng-joiñ, li-iañ kou iong-hi
元宵 燈前，麗影 苦 縈系
A beautiful silhouette under the lights of the Lantern Festival, so hard to forget.

guang-lam hueng-hua, bho-sim gi-chi
廣南 繁華，無心 棲遲
My restless heart is far from bustling Guang-lam.

廣南 guang-lam - A county in 雲南 (hung-lam, Yunnan) province.

biek-liou go-so, gip-gip jai-lai die-jiu di
別了 哥嫂，急急 再來 潮州 地
After saying goodbye to my brother and his wife, I hurriedly came back to Die-ziu,

dang ngueng tieng chong nang-i
但 願 天 從 人意
in the hope that Heaven will fulfill a mere mortal’s wish

deng-giñ gu gia-li
重見 舊 佳麗
and that I can see that beautiful woman again.

〔白 • beh • speaking〕

deng-lai die-jiu, iñ u do-yik
重來 潮州，已 有 多日
It has been several days since we have come back to Die-ziu.

dua-goi siou-hang, gu-iñ chim-bing
大街 小巷，俱已 尋遍
Broad streets and narrow alleys – I’ve walked all of them in vain.

buk-giñ i-nang, jing leng nang sim-jiou ia
不見 伊人，真 令人 心焦 也
Never once catching sight of her, it makes one despair.

published version: 好不心焦也 (ho buk-bik jiou ia)

小安 • siou-ang

bing sañ-ia, joiñ-ming buk-ieng, jiu-si sai-ou
稟 三爺，前面 不遠，就是 西湖
Sir, not far ahead is the Western Lake.

陳三 • dang-sañ

o! tieng-seng li-jieh bik do suañ-meng-jui-siu jeu di
哦！天生 麗質 必 在 山明水秀 之 地
O! A natural beauty like her must surely be found in such a picturesque landscape.

siou-ang, dai-lou joiñ uang!
小安，帶路 前 往！
Siou-ang, bring us there!

小安 • siou-ang

si!
是！
Yes sir!

第八場 • doiñ-boih-dieñ • Scene 8

34:05

益春 • iah-chung

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

keung a-nie, mo bui-seu
勤 阿娘，莫 悲思
My lady, do not pine,

printed: 小姐 (siou jia) for 阿娘

hueng su dieng-dong choiñ-gim ti
還 須 珍重 千金 體
you must preserve your precious health.

leu toiñ na, lak-ghueh sai-ou ho geng-di
你 看 那，六月 西湖 景緻
Look yonder, the scenery of the Western Lake in the sixth month.

sieñ-sim giañ-lak, mo hu siou-ni-si
賞心 行樂，莫 負 少年 時
Smile and rejoice, do not waste your youth on worry.

五娘 • ngou-nie

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

ua na-u sim-cheng sieñ geng-di?
我 那有 心情 賞 更遞？
Where is there reason for me to smile?

ueng dia-nie, ueng dia-nie cho ju-i
怨 爹娘，怨爹娘 錯 主意
I resent Father and Mother, resent their wrong decision.

ga ua lui-tiem sai-ou-jui, chou chiang seu liu-si
教 我 淚添 西湖 水，愁 長 似 柳絲
My tears fill up the Western Lake, my worries trail like willow branches.

益春 • iah-chung

a-nie, seu iñ yu-cheu, su-deung mang-mang siek-huap
阿娘，事 已 如此，須當 慢慢 設法
Miss, things are as they are, you have to slowly make plans,

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

hueng-chiañ kueng-huai ui si
還 請 寬懷 爲 是
and keep your inner calm.

a-nie, leu toiñ na (biñ) li-gi señ-dik do-moh ko-aiñ!
阿娘，你 看 那 邊 荔枝 生得 多麼 可愛！
Miss, see how prettily that lychee branch grows!

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

dang li ang aiñ dih, tai ua sing-chiu diah jek-gi
丹 荔 紅 欲 滴，待 我 伸手 摘 一枝
The lychees are red with ripeness, let me stretch out my hand to pluck a branch

欲 - vernacular substitute character for 愛

sang eu a-nie goi chou-seu
送 與 阿娘 解 愁思
and present it to Miss to ease her worries.

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

〔白 • beh • speaking〕

a-nie, leu toiñ je-bao li-gi no!
阿娘，你 看 這苞 荔枝 𰇇！
Miss, look at this lychee branch!

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

五娘 • ngou-nie

a! beng dih li-gi
啊！並 蒂 荔枝
Ah! This lychee branch…

益春 • iah-chung

a-nie! leu dañ mai jie-señ no
阿娘！你 旦 勿 照生 𰇇
Miss! Don’t be like this.

printed: 小姐！你 不要 傷心 (siou-jia! leu buk-iou sie-sim)

leu jek sieñ-sim, ua sim-lai jiu jing gang-kou
你 一 傷心，我 心內 就 真艱苦
It is difficult for me to see you so heartbroken.

printed: 我 心裏 就 很 難過 (ua sim-li jiu hng lang-gue)

五娘 • ngou-nie

iah-chung, ba ju-liem bang-hia
益春，把 珠簾 放下！
Iah-cung, put down the bead curtains!

益春 • iah-chung

si!
是！
Yes miss!

陳三 • dang-sañ

siou-ang, ua aiñ iu-lang jek-hueng
小安，我 愛 遊覽 一番
Siou-ang, I want to tour about this place.

printed: 要 (iou) for 愛

leu ko do-cheu seng-liang
你 可 在此 乘涼
You can rest here in the shade.

小安 • siou-ang

si!
是！
Yes sir!

益春 • iah-chung

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

toiñ i-nang ho-señ ming-sieng
睇 伊人 好生 面善
He looks well bred and has the face of a decent man,

printed: 觀 gueng for 睇

seu jeng siang-hong do ho-di
似 曾 相逢 在 何地
like someone familiar, but from where?

ing-ho jek-si gi-buk-ki?
因何 一時 記 不起？
Why can’t I remember?

五娘 • ngou-nie

gueng ta si-sui, ba ju-liem bang-hia
管 他 是誰，把 珠簾 放下
Who cares who he is, put down the bead curtains.

益春 • iah-chung

si
是
Yes miss.

陳三 • dang-sañ

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

gao-lao u neung, beng-lang siang-i
高樓 有 女，憑欄 相 倚
A lady is in the tower, leaning at the balcony.

ju-liem huang-dong, ghek-iañ i hi
珠簾 風動，玉影 依 稀
The bead curtains are stirred by the wind, and a silhouette like rare jade is seen.

益春 • iah-chung

a-nie, lao-e jeu nang, ho-sieñ jiu-si deng-e jeu-seng?
阿娘，樓下 之 人，好像 就是 燈下 書生？
Miss, that man down below, could he be the scholar we met under the lanterns?

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

a-nie, […] leu jeu-soi ying-cheng no!
阿娘，［……］你 仔細 認清 𰇇！
Miss, look carefully!

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

陳三 • dang-sañ

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

lao-jieñ nie-giañ, jiañ-si deng-e gia-li
樓上 娘囝，正是 燈下 佳麗
The young lady in the tower, was the beauty under the lanterns.

printed: 娘子 (nie-jeu) for 娘囝

jiou-seu mo-sieñ buk-dik giñ
朝思 暮想 不得 見
The one I thought of day and night, but never met.

iu sui-liou kiak do je sia-si
又 誰料 卻 在 這 城西
Until now, but who would guess, here in the Western city.

hng-buk-dik, sing-tiem chai-hong sang bue
恨 不得，身添 彩鳳 雙 飛
How I wish that I could turn into a phoenix and fly.

bue-jieñ lao-tao su siang-seu
飛上 褸頭 訴 相思
Fly up that tower and tell her how I feel.

益春 • iah-chung

a-nie, leu choiñ-pang bhueng-pang
阿娘，你 千盼 萬盼
Miss, you have hoped a thousand times,

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

gim-yik dik-giñ, u ho ju-i?
今日 得見，有何 主意？
and now he is here, what shall we do?

五娘 • ngou-nie

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

ji-dao si cheu-seng iñ-iñ
只道 是 此生 已矣
This path is the road my life takes.

iu sui liou, gim-jiou lao-tao deng siang-giñ
又 誰 料，今朝 褸頭 重 相見
Who could foresee that we would see each other again today at the tower,

mo buk-si, tieng-gong u i lieng ua chi
莫 不是，天公 有 意 憐 我 癡
unless it is that Heaven has taken pity on me.

益春 • iah-chung

a-nie!
阿娘！
Miss!

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

五娘 • ngou-nie

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

ua tai ba mua-huai sim-seu hiang ta su
我 待 把 滿懷 心事 向 他 訴
I want to tell him everything that weighs in my heart,

ja nai si neung-yi-ge yu-ho ba ue ti, yu-ho ba ue ti?
怎 奈 是 女兒家 如何 把 話 提，如何 把 話 提？
but as a woman, how can I be the first to speak? How can I speak to him?

益春 • iah-chung

a-ia! ta sieñ-si iou jao-liou
啊呀，他 像是 要 走了
Alas, he looks to be leaving.

五娘 • ngou-nie

jek-dang cho-gue liang-gi, ji kiong ao hue iong lang-ki
一旦 錯過 良機，只 恐 後 會 永 難期
To lose this brief window of opportunity, and see only suffering in my future.

choiñ-ngang bhueng-gheu, dang beng je li-gi di sim-i
千言 萬語，但 憑 這 荔枝 致 心意
Tens of thousands of words, but only this lychee branch to say how I feel.

陳三 • dang-sañ

lao-jieñ dao-hia ho-mueh?
褸上 投下 何物？
What is this that has fallen from above?

kiak-si beng-dih li-gi
卻是 並蒂 荔枝
It is a lychee branch with two fruit on a stalk,

並蒂 - a stalk with two flowers, symbolizing a married couple.

o! ua meng-beh liou!
啊，我 明白 了！
Ah, I understand!

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

nie-giañ lao-tao jang biou-gi
娘囝 褸頭 贈 表記
The young miss in the tower has sent me a sign,

printed: 娘子 (nie-jeu) for 娘囝

jing ga beh-keng hi aiñ-kuang
真 教 伯卿 喜 欲 狂
that makes me Beh-keng wild with joy.

beng-dih li-gi cheng-i dong
並蒂 荔枝 情意 重
This lychee branch is weighted with meaning,

meng-sim kek-guk iong lang-bhuang
銘心 刻骨 永 難忘
carved in my heart and bones, which I will not forget.

五娘 • ngou-nie

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

cheng meh-meh bho-hang siu-i
情 脈脈 無限 羞意
My pulse is quick with limitless trepidation,

sim huiñ-huiñ yu do mang-li
心 懸懸 如 在 夢裏
My heart hangs as if in a dream.

益春 • iah-chung

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

u-ueng na-pañ geh choiñ-li?
有緣 那怕 隔 千里？
If it is willed by Fate, what is a thousand miles’ separation?

do-cheng tieng ia chong nang-i
多情 天 亦 從 人意
If love is true, Heaven will even fulfill the wishes of mortals.

五娘 • ngou-nie

iah-chung!
益春！
Iah-cung!

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

leu su soi-sim mok lu-mang
你 須 細心 莫 魯莽
You must be careful, do not be reckless.

nang-ngang ko-ui aiñ geung-gi
人言 可畏 愛 謹記
Loose talk is a fearsome thing, you must be careful.

printed: 要 (iou) for 愛

tang-yiak iang-siañ tueng ling-li
倘若 揚聲 傳 鄰里
If rumor spreads about

lao-joiñ dao li jao mueh-ngi
樓前 投 荔 遭 物議
and this lychee branch before the tower becomes a theme of speculation,

heu si-joih
許 時節
at such a time,

printed: 那 (na) for 許

dia-dia dong-nao nie lang-hu
爹爹 動腦 娘 難護
even Mother will not be able to protect us from Father’s fury.

leu-ua si bho jeung-sing-di
你我 死 無 葬身地
You and I will both die and our corpses exposed without burial.

益春 • iah-chung

si! a-nie bang-sim!
是！阿娘 放心！
Yes, you can trust me, Miss.

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

陳三 • dang-sañ

nie-giañ jing-lao keu liou, siou-ang!
娘囝 進 褸 去 了，小安！
The young miss is returning back inside. Siou-ang!

printed: 娘子 (nie-jeu) for 娘囝

小安 • siou-ang

sañ-ia ho-seu?
三爺 何事？
Yes sir?

陳三 • dang-sañ

leu u-bho hieñ-ching do-cheu die-jiu geu-ju?
你 有無 鄉親 在此 潮州 居住？
Do you have kin who live here in Die-ziu?

小安 • siou-ang

bing sañ-ia, u jek-ui li-gong, ju do sieng-goi-tao
稟 三爺，有 一位 李公，住 在 仙街頭
Yes sir, there is Old Master Li, who lives at the head of Fairy Lane

bhua-giañ ui-seng
磨鏡 爲生
polishing mirrors for a living

陳三 • dang-sañ

leu ko ing ua joiñ-keu tam-huang?
你 可 引 我 前去 探訪？
Could you bring me there for a visit?

小安 • siou-ang

si!
是！
Aye!

第四章 • doiñ-si-jiang • Act 4

第九場 • doiñ-gao-dieñ • Scene 9

44:25

益春 • iah-chung

a-nie, [chiañ lai] siu-juang
阿娘，請來 梳粧
Miss, please come to your toilet.

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

五娘 • ngou-nie

jiu-lai!
就來！
Soon!

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

gu-hng bhue-giem
舊恨 未減
Old resentment has not subsided

sing-chou iu tiem
新愁 又 添
but new worries have come on top.

yik-yik lao-tao kong leng-mo
日日 褸頭 空 儜望
Every day I sit wearily gazing from this tower.

si-hua si-hok [no] mang-yieng
是禍 是福 兩 茫然
Disaster or fortune? I am at a loss.

〔白 • beh • speaking〕

je giañ ui-ho yu-cheu hung-am?
這 鏡 爲何 如此 昏暗？
Why is this mirror so dim?

益春 • iah-chung

a-nie gu buk siu-juang
阿娘 久 不 梳粧
Miss has not performed her toilet for such a while,

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

bo-giañ lang-mieng ding-hong!
寶鏡 難免 塵封！
it is hard to avoid dust settling on the precious mirror.

五娘 • ngou-nie

bo-giañ a! bo-giañ, buk jai leu ho-yik huang-leng deng-giñ guang-hui!
寶鏡 呀！寶鏡，不知 你 何日 方能 重見 光輝！
O precious mirror, mirror, who knows when you will again see glory?

第十場 • doiñ-jap-dieñ • Scene 10

47:34

陳三 • dang-sañ

bhua-giañ a! bhua-giañ a!
磨鏡 呀！磨鏡 呀！
Mirrors to polish! Mirrors to polish!

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

lao-tao dik-giñ i-dang nang
褸頭 得見 意中 人
To see the person of my dreams at the top of the tower

dao ua noi-gi gia chim-cheng
投 我 荔枝 寄 深情
drop me a lychee branch to convey her deep feelings;

noi - vernacular pronunciation

ji ui ta, teh-iñ chim seu hai
只爲 她，宅院 深 似 海
only for her, amid this sea of houses and courtyards,

aiñ hue buk-leng
欲 會 不能
unable to meet despite longing to.

欲 - vernacular substitute character for 愛

ua ji-dik sieng-goi-tao, oh bhua-giañ
我 只得 仙街頭，學 磨鏡
I went to Fairy Lane, learned how to polish mirrors,

kiou-juang gi-mo deng-hue giou-eng
喬裝 企望 重會 嬌英
and disguised myself in the hope of seeing that fine flower of womanhood again.

第十一場 • doiñ-jap-ik-dieñ • Scene 11

48:45

陳三 • dang-sañ

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

sañ-bou biañ-joh no-bou heng
三步 併作 兩步 行
Bounding three steps in just two,

heng - literary pronunciation

buk-gak lai-gao ng-ge mng-teng
不覺 來到 黃家 門庭
soon I come to the Ng household’s threshold.

〔白 • beh • speaking〕

li-gong sueh-dao: ta mue-lai bhua-giañ
李公 說道：他 每 來 磨鏡
Old Master Li said, every time that he comes to polish mirrors,

dou do ao-iñ, ui-mieng tong-tueng
都 在 後院，爲免 通傳
he would always go to the rear courtyard,

iñ tih-buañ ui ho, soiñ no-siañ, ao boih-siañ
以 鐵盤 爲 號，先 兩聲，後 八聲
and clap an iron plate as his sign: first two claps, then eight.

yi-boih gia-ying jiu chuk-tiañ, tai ua lai!
二八 佳人 就 出廳，待 我 來！
A pretty maid would then come out. Now let me try!

二八 – twice-eight, i.e. aged sixteen.

益春 • iah-chung

lai-liou!
來了！
Coming!

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

huk tiañ-giñ ghua-ming tih-buañ siañ-hiang
忽 聽見 外面 鐵盤 聲響
Hearing unexpectedly the iron clapper outside,

i-bou jieñ-joiñ toiñ dueng-siang
移步 上前 看 端詳
walking up to see who it is,

ji-giñ jek-ui siou-ni bhua-giañ-chieñ
只見 一位 少年 磨鏡匠
only to find a young mirror-grinder

seu na deng-e jeu-seng jek-buañ iang?
似 那 燈下 書生 一般 樣？
who looks just like that scholar under the lanterns.

陳三 • dang-sañ

sie-nie-giañ, sie-nang u-li
小娘囝，小人 有禮
Young miss, this humble one offers his salutations.

printed: 小娘子 (sie-nie-jeu) for 小娘囝

益春 • iah-chung

mieng jeu-soi!
免 仔細！
There’s no need for fuss!

陳三 • dang-sañ

sie-nie-giañ, tiañ-sueh leu hu-jieñ u giañ aiñ bhua
小娘囝，聽說 你 府上 有 鏡 愛 磨
Young miss, one hears that your manse has a mirror that needs polishing,

printed: 子 (jeu) for 囝, 要 (iou) for 愛

ua dek-di joiñ-lai
我 特地 前來
so I have come here specially.

益春 • iah-chung

siou-sek do leng-tong a!
消息 倒 靈通 呀！
News does travel fast!

ung ju-si u gai giañ aiñ bhua
阮 就是 有個 鏡 愛 磨
We do have a mirror that needs polishing,

printed: 鏡 倒 是 有 (giañ dao si u)

ji-si aiñ lao-keh jek-ui lao seu-hu
只是 愛 留 乞 一位 老 師傅
it’s just that we are leaving it for an old master craftsman.

printed: 要 (iou) for 愛, 給 (gip) for 乞

陳三 • dang-sañ

si na-jek-ui lao-seu-hu?
是 那一位 老師傅？
Which old master craftsman is it?

益春 • iah-chung

jiu-si ju-do sieng-goi-tao di na-ui li-gong
就是 住在 仙街頭 的 那位 李公
It is that Old Master Li of Fairy Lane.

陳三 • dang-sañ

a! na li-gong jiu-si ua gai seu-hu
啊！那 李公 就是 我 個 師傅
Ah! I am apprenticed to that Master Li.

printed: 的 (di) for 個

How convenient.

益春 • iah-chung

ua! heu-li toiñ-m-chuk
哇，許 哩 睇 唔出
Wow, one sure can’t tell that by looking.

printed: 看不出呀 (toiñ buk-chuk ia)

li-gong di-si siu jek-gai je-señ-ieñ gai tu-di ia?
李公 底時 收 一個 這生樣 個 徒弟 呀？
When did Old Master Li take on an apprentice like you?

printed: 李公 何時 受了 一個 這樣 的 徒弟 (li-gong ho-si siu-liou jek-gai jeñ-ieñ di tu-di)

陳三 • dang-sañ

sie-nie-giañ, chia mai chu-chie
小娘囝，請 勿 取笑
Young miss, please don’t make fun of me.

printed: 子 (jeu) for 囝

gi si u giañ aiñ bhua li, jiu chiañ chu-chuk-lai
既是 有 鏡 愛 磨 哩，就 請 取出來
Since you have a mirror to be polished, please bring it out.

printed: 要 (iou) for 愛, utterance particle 哩 omitted

益春 • iah-chung

heu-li dieh huañ ua keu mung a-nie!
許哩 着 還 我 去 問 阿娘！
In that case I’ll have to go ask my mistress!

printed: 等我 去 問問 我家 小姐 (dang ua keu mung-mung ua-ge siou-jia)

陳三 • dang-sañ

u-lao liou! u-lao liou!
有勞 了！有勞 了！
Much obliged!

益春 • iah-chung

a-nie, giañ-lai ia!
阿娘，行來 呀！
Miss, come here!

五娘 • ngou-nie

chi-bi-neung, ui-ho je-ieñ huang-huang dieng-dieng?
癡婢女，爲何 這樣 瘋瘋 癲癲？
Silly maid, what’s all this commotion about?

益春 • iah-chung

a-nie u-so-m-jai! ghua-ming lai jek-gai bhua-giañ seu-hu
阿娘 有所 唔知！外面 來 一個 磨鏡 師傅
You don’t know half of it, Miss! There is a mirror-grinder outside

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘, 不知 (buk-jai) for 唔知

i dañ si li-gong tu-di, señ-dik siou-ni cheng-siu ia!
伊 呾 是 李公 徒弟，生得 少年 清秀 呀！
who says that he is apprenticed to Old Master Li; he is youthful and handsome!

printed: 自稱 (jeu-cheng) for 伊呾

五娘 • ngou-nie

gueng nang-ge siou-ni cheng-siu jo-mih?
管 人家 少年 清秀 做乜？
Who cares if he is youthful and handsome?

printed: 什麼 (sim-moh) for 乜

益春 • iah-chung

a-nie! leu do m-jai no, i señ-lai jing siang jek-gai nang
阿娘，你 在 唔知 𰇇，伊 生來 真 象 一個人
Miss, you don’t know half of it, he looks just like a certain someone.

printed: 你 不知道 (leu buk jai-dao) for 你在唔知𰇇, 他 (ta) for 伊

kuai (?) chuk-lai keu toiñ ia!
快 X 出來 去 看 呀！
Come out quickly to see!

五娘 • ngou-nie

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

joiñ-yik i-nang gue lao-sai
前日 伊人 過 褸西
The other day he passed the Western Tower,

ki-u-hng-ngang, jing si jung-siu eng-chai
氣宇軒昂，真是 雋秀 英才
fine and magnificent, with the bearing of a talent,

氣宇軒昂 - idiom

gao gim-jiou, gao gim-jiou ui-sim-moh bieng-joh liou bhua-giañ-chieñ
到 今朝，到 今朝 爲甚麼 變作 了 磨鏡匠
but today, but today, how has he become a mirror grinder?

cheu-seu ga-nang hui i-chai
此事 教人 費意 猜
This really makes one puzzled.

益春 • iah-chung

tai ua lai keu mung-i
待 我 來 去 問伊
Wait, let me go ask him.

printed: 他 (ta) for 伊

五娘 • ngou-nie

iah-chung! buk-ko
益春！不可
Iah-cung, no!

益春 • iah-chung

mung jek-e, u-ho buk-ko?
問 一下，有何 不可？
What’s wrong with asking?

五娘 • ngou-nie

nang u siang-seu, buk-ko jao-cheu
人有相似，不可 造次
People do look alike, don’t be rash.

益春 • iah-chung

(yu-cheu) aiñ jo-ni ju-i?
（如此）愛 做呢 主意？
What do you propose?

printed: 怎生主意 (jai-señ ju-i) for 做呢主意

五娘 • ngou-nie

ta gi-si li-gong tu-di, chiu-ghoi liang-bik buk-cha
他 既是 李公 徒弟，手藝 諒必 不差
Since he is an apprentice of Old Master Li, his handiwork must be not bad.

giañ jiu kieh bung i bhua
鏡 就 挈 分 伊 磨
Give him the mirror to polish.

printed: 鏡就拿給他磨 (giañ jiu na gip ta bhua)

益春 • iah-chung

hiou-dik!
曉得！
Understood!

ng-hng!
嗯哼！
Yup!

五娘 • ngou-nie

iah-chung! ghua-ming yik-tao iem-yuah
益春！外面 日頭 炎熱
Iah-cung! It is hot outside under the sun.

leu ko dua na bhua-giañ seu-hu jip-lai iñ-lai jo gong-hu?
你 可 帶 那 磨鏡 師傅 入來 院內 做 工夫？
Could you bring that mirror-grinder inside to do his work in the courtyard?

printed: 進來 (jing-lai) for 入來

益春 • iah-chung

hiou-dik!
曉得！
Understood!

seu-hu, leu do jo mih-seu a?
師傅，你 在 做 乜事 啊？
Master craftsman, what are you doing?

printed: 你在做什麼？ (leu do jo sim-moh?)

陳三 • dang-sañ

ua aiñ jung-bi bhua-giañ gai ge-si
我 愛 準備 磨鏡 個 傢俬
I am preparing my tools to polish the mirror.

益春 • iah-chung

m-jai nang gai giañ aiñ bung leu bhua a-m
唔知 俺個 鏡 愛 分你 磨 啊唔
I don’t know if we want to give you our mirror to polish,

printed: 還不知鏡可要你磨 (huañ-buk-jai giañ ko iou leu bhua)

jiu do jo jung-bi
就 在 做 準備
if you are only just making preparations.

陳三 • dang-sañ

je… chueng-jiang sie-nie-giañ seng-chueng
這……全仗 小娘囝 成全
This… it is all in your hands, young miss.

printed: 子 (jeu) for 囝

益春 • iah-chung

eu… ho oi dañ-ue a, siang-yiang(?), gai giañ leu bhua
啊……好會 呾話 呀，XX，個 鏡 你磨
Ah, you do have a way with words. Fine, I’ll let you polish the mirror.

printed: 真會說話 (jing oi sueh-ue) for 好會呾話

陳三 • dang-sañ

ho jek-ming bo-giañ
好 一面 寶鏡
What a fine mirror this is.

益春 • iah-chung

seu-hu! ua ge a-nie chiañ leu yip iñ-lai jo gong-hu
師傅！我家 阿娘 請 你 入 院內 做 工夫
Master! My mistress invites you to do your work in the courtyard.

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘, 進 (jing) for 入

陳三 • dang-sañ

jung-meng!
尊命！
And I obey the command!

益春 • iah-chung

cheu-chu im-liang, jiu do je-li hiah-dañ ba
此處 陰涼，就在 這裏 歇 擔 吧！
It is cool here in the shade, rest for a while here!

seu-hu, li-gong mue lai bhua-giañ jiu chiang-gua, leu ka oi?
師傅，李公 每 來 磨鏡 就 唱歌，你 豈 會？
Master craftsman, Old Master Li would always sing while polishing, can you do so too?

printed: 可 (ko) for 豈

陳三 • dang-sañ

oi si oi, ji pa bho jai-im
會 是 會，只 怕 無 知音
Sure I can sing, but I fear that I won’t hold a tune.

益春 • iah-chung

leu yiak chiang-lai ho, na-pa bho jai-im
你 若 唱來 好，那 怕 無 知音
Sing anyhow you please, who cares if you go off key?

陳三 • dang-sañ

hia li tai ua lai chiang
遐哩 待 我 來 唱
In that case let me sing:

printed: 如此 (yu-cheu) for 遐哩

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

chik-chieh jiang-hu mo bhueng-chai
七尺 丈夫 莫 漫猜
Who would guess, a fully grown man

七尺 - average adult’s height in traditional Chinese feet.

cheñ-bhue u-ieh gu-ying lai!
青梅 有約 故人 來！
A familiar figure coming to an appointment under the green plums!

hng-keung ui sia chim cheng-i
殷勤 爲 謝 深情意
Giving polite thanks for the sincere feelings,

ngueng hia ung-giou ghek-giañ-tai
願 下 溫嶠 玉鏡臺
TODO

益春 • iah-chung

seu-hu, chiañ jiah de!
師傅，請 食 茶！
Master craftsman, come drink some tea!

printed: 飲 (im) for 食

陳三 • dang-sañ

u de! hia-li geng-ho, u lao liou
有茶！遐哩 更好，有勞了
There’s tea! This is even better. Much obliged.

printed: 那就 (na jiu) for 遐哩

sie-nie-giañ, ji-bue de, si nang gie-leu kieh lai?
小娘囝，只杯 茶，是 人 叫 你 挈 來？
Young miss, who instructed you to bring me this cup of tea?

printed: 小娘子，這杯 茶 是 誰 叫你 端 來 的？ (sie-nie-jeu, je-bue de si sui gie-leu dueng lai di?)

益春 • iah-chung

leu ji-gai nang a, gue-dou jiu gue-dou
你 只個 人 呀，過渡 就 過渡
You are really too much.

printed: 這 (je) for 只

ho-ui dieh mung-gao jung-doiñ u gui-go bang?
何爲 着 問到 船底 有 幾塊 板？
Who asks how many planks there are in a boat?

printed: 何必 (ho-bik) for 何爲着

陳三 • dang-sañ

ka buk-mung? im-jui seu-nguang!
豈 不問？飲水思源
Why not ask? One must think of the spring when drinking water!

ho-kuang u cheu ho-de, geng-deung dao-sia
何況 有 此 好茶，更當 道謝
Let alone with such good tea, one must be grateful.

益春 • iah-chung

si ua a-nie gie ua kieh-lai di
是 我 阿娘 叫 我 挈來 的
It was my mistress who told me to bring it to you.

printed: 是 小姐 命 我 端來 的 (si siou-jia meng ua dueng-lai di)

陳三 • dang-sañ

heu li toih ua hiang ning a-nie dao-sia
許 哩 代 我 向 恁 阿娘 道謝
In that case, please convey to your mistress my deep thanks.

printed: 請你 代 我 向 小姐 道謝 (chia-leu toih ua hiang siou-jia dao-sia)

toih - pronunciation for 代

益春 • iah-chung

do-seng do-gam!
多承多感！
Much obliged, many thanks!

Sarcastically quoting the overly polite phrase that he used when they returned him his fan at the Lantern festival.

陳三 • dang-sañ

do-seng do-gam! chiañ!
多承多感！請！
Much obliged, many thanks! Please!

益春 • iah-chung

seu-hu, bue de ngang liou, dañ jiah no
師傅，杯茶 凝了，旦 食 𰇇
Master craftsman, the tea has gone cold. Just drink it.

printed: 師傅，茶涼了，快喝吧 (seu-hu, de liang liou, kuai hak ba)

“dañ jiah no” - interesting grammatical construction.

陳三 • dang-sañ

gu-lao sie-nie-giañ liou
劬勞 小娘囝 了
Much obliged, young miss.

not in printed

益春 • iah-chung

seu-hu, gang-hu dieh jo i ho se a
師傅，工夫 着 做 伊 好 些 啊
Master craftsman, you’d better do a good job.

printed: 你 工夫 要 做得 好些 (leu gong-hu iou jo-dik ho-se)

陳三 • dang-sañ

na jeu-yieng no! bo-giañ a, bo-giañ!
那 自然 𰇇！寶鏡 呀，寶鏡！
But of course! O precious mirror!

printed: 那 是 自然 (na si jeu-yieng) for 那 自然 𰇇

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

ua ieng leu iam-hok bho-bi
我 羨 你 艷福 無比
I envy how you are splendid beyond compare,

eu gia-ying heng-iañ buk-li
與 佳人 形影 不離
not far from the perfection of a beautiful lady.

hng buk-dik, jiang sing-hue bo-giañ
恨不得，將 身化 寶鏡
Alas, your fate is to be a mirror,

do gui-dang jiou-sek jiang siang-i
在 閨中 朝夕 長 相依
spending your time hidden in the depths of the women’s chambers.

〔白 • beh • speaking〕

huai-liou, huai-liou!
壞了！壞了！
It is broken! Broken!

益春 • iah-chung

seu-hu, huang-chai sim-moh siañ-hiang?
師傅，方才 甚麼 聲響？
Master craftsman, what was that sound?

bo-giañ ne? eu! keh leu da-pua liou!
寶鏡 呢？～，乞你 打破 了！
Where is the mirror? Oh no, you have broken it!

printed: 給 (gip) for 乞

huai-liou, huai-liou!
壞了，壞了！
It is broken, broken!

a-nie (?)-lai a!
阿娘 X 來 呀！
Miss, come here!

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

五娘 • ngou-nie

bo-giañ pah-pua liou?
寶鏡 拍破 了？
The mirror is broken?

printed: 打 (da) for 拍

gi si pah-pua, chiak-mok siañ-jiang, siek-huak iem-chang ho
既是 打破，切莫 聲張，設法 掩藏 好
Even if it’s broken, don’t make a scene, let’s find a way to hide this.

益春 • iah-chung

si!
是！
Yes!

員外 • ueng-ghua

sui-nang do-cheu chao-nao?
誰人 在此 吵鬧？
What is all this shouting here?

printed: 何人 (ho-nang) for 誰人

ui-ho bang-jing ghua-nang lai-gao cheu-di?
爲何 放進 外人 來到 此地？
Who let a stranger into this place?

益春 • iah-chung

si bhua-giañ di
是 磨鏡 的
It is the mirror polisher.

員外 • ueng-ghua

bhua-giañ di ia buk-gai jing-lai, kuai gie-ta chuk-keu!
磨鏡 的 也 不該 進來，快 叫 他 出去！
The mirror polisher should also not be in here. Tell him to go outside!

益春 • iah-chung

si, leu chuk-keu ba
是，你 出去 吧
Yes. You had better leave.

陳三 • dang-sañ

bing ueng-ghua, leu ge bo-giañ bi ua jek-si sik-chiu pah-pua-keu liou
稟 員外，你家 寶鏡 被 我 一時 失手 打破去 了
Sir, I was careless and with a slip of the hand I broke your precious mirror.

員外 • ueng-ghua

hañ? pah-pua na jek-jo?
～？打破 那 一座？
What? Which one did you break?

pah - 拍

ai-ia, ko-nao, ko-nao a!
哎呀，可惱，可惱 呀！
Aiyah, how vexing, how vexing!

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

giñ pua-giañ, nao-chong sim-dang ki
見 破鏡，惱 從 心中 起
Seeing this broken mirror is raising my hackles.

siou tiok-señ, bho dao-li, bho dao-li!
小 畜生，無 道理，無 道理
You little brute, you unreasoning brute!

cheu giañ nai-si tueng-ge-bo
此 鏡 乃是 傳家寶
This mirror was an heirloom treasure.

toiñ leu yu-ho bue-dik-ki?
看 你 如何 賠得起？
Do you fancy that you can compensate me?

〔白 • beh • speaking〕

lai! cheu-seu u ua jo-ju
來！此事 有 我 做主。
I’ll make the decisions.

jo-ning yip-keu!
做 恁 入去！
The rest of you, go inside!

printed: 你等 進去 (leu-deng jing-keu)

tiok-seng, leu gim u ho-ue sueh?
畜生，你 今 有 何話 說？
Do you have anything to say for yourself, brute?

陳三 • dang-sañ

bhoi-jai ueng-ghua aiñ bue do-siou
𠁞知 員外 愛 賠 多少？
Sir, how much compensation do you seek?

printed: 不知 員外 要我 賠償 多少 (buk-jai ueng-ghua iou ua bue-sieñ do-siou)

員外 • ueng-ghua

ba leu jek-gai nang bhoi lai bue
把 你 一個 人 賣 來 賠
Even if you sell yourself,

ia di buk-gue ia
也 抵 不過 呀！
it would not be enough!

陳三 • dang-sañ

chia-ju! ueng-ghua jek-ngang, ba ua ti-cheñ
且住！員外 一言，把 我 提醒
Wait a moment! What he said gave me an idea.

printed: 將 (jiang) for 把

ua ho-buk jieng cheu gi-uang, yu-cheu yu-cheu
我 何不 趁 此 機緣，如此 如此
Why don’t I use this opportunity? So be it.

ueng-ghua, liem ua jo gang-nang
員外，念 我 做 工人
Sir, take me on as a worker

printed: 想 我 做工 之 人 (sieñ ua jo-gang jeu nang)

na u jiñ-ngeung bue-dik cheu giañ
那 有 錢銀 賠得 此 鏡
and let me pay off my debt with my labor.

printed: 賠償 寶鏡 (bue-sieñ bo-giañ)

員外 • ueng-ghua

hng! gi bho-jiñ pue giañ
哼！既 無錢 賠 鏡
Hmph! Since you have no money to compensate me,

ji-u jiang leu sang guañ giu-poiñ!
只有 將 你 送 官 究辦
the only thing left to do is to send you off to the magistrate.

siou-chik gue lai!
小七 過來！
Siou-cik, come here!

小七 • siou-chik

ueng-ghua ho seu?
員外 何事？
What is it, Sir?

員外 • ueng-ghua

ba ta kung-liou!
把他 捆了！
Cuff him!

小七 • siou-chik

si
是
Yes.

益春 • iah-chung

ueng-ghua chia-mang!
員外 且慢！
Please wait, Sir!

員外 • ueng-ghua

ho-seu?
何事？
What is it?

益春 • iah-chung

bi hong a-nie jeu meng, u ngang siang-bing
婢 奉 阿娘 之 命，有 言 上稟
Miss has instructed me to plead on her behalf.

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

gim-yik bo-giañ pah-pua
今日 寶鏡 打破
That this mirror was broken,

nai si seu-hu buk-sim sik-chiu, beng hui u-i
乃是 師傅 不慎 失手，並 非 有意
was because of a slip of the hand, and not by intention.

bhuang ueng-ghua sek-nao, chong-kueng chu-li
望 員外 息惱，從寬 處理
May you retreat from anger, Sir, and deal with him generously.

員外 • ueng-ghua

hu-sueh! siou-chik, kung!
胡說！小七 捆！
Nonsense! Siou-cik, cuff him!

小七 • siou-chik

si
是
Yup.

陳三 • dang-sañ

chiañ-mang!
且慢！
Please delay!

ueng-ghua, liem ua jek-ping yu-soi
員外，念 我 一貧如洗
Sir, I have not a cent to my name.

一貧如洗 - idiom

jong ba ua sang guañ ia i seu bho-bou
縱 把 我 送 官 也 於 事 無補
Sending me to the magistrate will not help anybody.

ua gim cheng-ngueng yip hu ui-iong
我 今 情願 入府 爲 傭
I’m willing to enter your household as a servant

jo-gang sieñ-giañ jiu si
做工 償鏡 就是
and work off my debt to you.

員外 • ueng-ghua

toiñ leu go-heng
看你 XX
Look at you,

printed: 看你 這個 人 (toiñ leu je-gai nang)

bhung-buk-bhung, bhu-buk-bhu
文不文，武不武
neither a scholar nor a warrior.

u sim eng-chu?
有 甚 用處？
What use are you to me?

陳三 • dang-sañ

ua oi jo-gang, ia u bak su-yi
我 會 做工，也 有捌 數字
I can work hard, and I can count and write.

printed: 我 會 做 粗工，也 認得 幾個 字 (ua oi jo chou-gang, ia ying-dik gui-gai yi)

sao-piañ, ak-hue, li-siou, sia-sing dou leng seng-yim
掃～，沃花，理數，寫信 都能 勝任
Sweeping the floor, watering plants, doing accounts, writing letters, are all things I can do.

printed: 掃地，澆花，理賬 (sao-di, giou-hue, li-dieñ)

員外 • ueng-ghua

lai, leu gie ho mia-yi?
來，你 叫 何 名字？
What is your name?

陳三 • dang-sañ

sie-nang señ dang, mia… sañ
小人 姓 陳，名…… 三
My humble surname is Dang, and my name is… San (three).

員外 • ueng-ghua

dang-sañ, lung je bo-giañ, ge-dak beh nie
陳三，論 此 寶鏡，價值 百両
Dang-san, this mirror here was bought for a hundred taels.

yu-gim ji seung-jo sañ-jap nie
如今 只 算做 三十 両
Let’s amortize that to say thirty taels.

leu do ua-hu jo-gang, mue-ni gang-jeu jap-nie
你 在 我府 做工，每年 工資 十 両
If you work in my household, you would get wages of ten taels a year.

In the Ming period, one tael of silver could buy about 0.94 piculs (about 60 kg) of rice (source), so a year’s wages was about 600 kg of rice. In Swatow, 1 kg of rice costs about 7 RMB retail today (source), hence his annual income was the equivalent of about 4200 RMB, or about 660 USD, in purchasing power terms.

sañ-ni gang-mua, huang-jung hue-ge
三年 工 滿，方 准 回家
So, in three years, you’d work it off and can go home.

陳三 • dang-sañ

sie-nang cheng-ngueng
小人 情願
Your humble servant is willing.

員外 • ueng-ghua

ua-ge nai-si mia-mung, jieñ-e u hung, lai-ghua u biek
我家 乃是 名門，上下 有分，內外 有別
Bear in mind that mine is a house of good repute. The upstairs staff don’t mix with the downstairs staff. The inner and outer courts are separate.

Inner courtyard - the women’s part of the house where outsider men were not allowed.

leu do hu-lai su-iou sung-gui dao-geu
你 在 府內 須要 循規 蹈矩
In here you had better adhere to the household rules,

buk-ko huam ua ge-huap
不可 犯 我 家法
and not flout the law of my family.

陳三 • dang-sañ

jai-dao!
知道！
Understood!

員外 • ueng-ghua

siou-chik, dua ta hia-keu!
小七，帶 他 下去！
Siou-cik, bring him downstairs!

小七 • siou-chik

si, sui ua lai
是，隨 我 來
Yup, follow me.

員外 • ueng-ghua

ha ha ha ha ha!
哈哈哈哈哈！
Hahahahaha!

第五章 • doiñ-ngou-jiang • Act 5

第十二場 • doiñ-jap-yi-dieñ • Scene 12

1:03:45

五娘 • ngou-nie

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

bo-dueng hiang-siou, ngeung-tai jek-sia
寶篆 香銷，銀臺 燭灺
By a precious seal, the incense burns out. On a silver platform, the candle is snuffed.

buañ-gui chang-ghueh jie so leng
半規 殘月 照 疏櫺
A waning half-moon casts light through the latticework.

aiñ ming ming-buk-dik, aiñ jo jo-buk-leng
愛 眠 眠不得，愛 坐 坐不寧
Weary but sleepless, tired but restless.

printed: 欲 for 愛, vernacular substitute character

sim-dang seu, choiñ-deng bhueng-tah hiang sui-su?
心中事，千重 萬疊 向 誰 訴？
A thousand weights heavy in my heart, with no one to tell them to.

kong niou sung liang-bhai cheñ
空 皺 損 兩眉 青
My brow turned pale from furrowing,

sieñ ja-yik siang-seu, siang-seu hung liang di
想 昔日 相思，相思 分 兩 地
I think about the past and pine between two places.

昔 - vernacular substitute character for ja, original pronunciation sik

hi gim-jiou tong-chu jek-mng teng
喜 今朝 同處 一門 庭
Today we are indeed under one roof.

ta kuk-sing ui ua, yu-cheu do-cheng gou-lai jie
他 屈身 爲 我，如此 多情 古來 少
To debase himself for me, such love is seldom seen.

ua jek-i lieng ta, buk-jai ho-yik gak ueng-meng
我 一意 憐 他，不知 何日 結 鴛盟
I pity him with all my heart, not knowing when we shall be together.

pañ ji pañ, jek-jiou siep-lao chung siou-sek
怕 只怕，一朝 洩漏 春 消息
Fearing that our secret shall spill out,

loi-huap ge-gui buk iong-cheng
禮法 家規 不 容情
flouting of the family law is not easily forgiven.

jong-siou dieng-jueng kou bho-cheh
終宵 輾轉 苦 無策
All night I toss about in agony without aim,

lui sui chang-lah siang dih-gao tieng-meng
淚 隨 殘蠟 相 滴到 天明
my tears dripping like the wax from a dying candle until daylight comes.

益春 • iah-chung

a-nie, tieng jiang liang-liou, ui-ho hueng bhue uañ-sui?
阿娘，天 將 亮了，爲何 還 未 安睡
Miss, it is almost dawn. Why have you not yet gone to sleep?

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

a-nie, kuai sui ba
阿娘，快 睡 吧
Miss, do sleep.

第十三場 • doiñ-jap-sañ-dieñ • Scene 13

1:09:38

陳三 • dang-sañ

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

ui bo li-gi chim cheng-i, sing-chao kou-hiah buk chui-si
爲 報 荔枝 深 情意，身操 苦役 不 推辭
To fulfill the wish cast down with that lychee branch, I could not refuse this life of hard labor.

ngueng-ki jiou-sek leng siang-giñ
原期 朝夕 能 相見
On which day shall we meet again?

sui jai ji-chieh nang choiñ-li
誰知 咫尺 人 千里
Who can truly reckon with a thousand-mile journey?

咫尺千里 - idiom

teng gai ng-hieh sao goi jing
庭 階 黃葉 掃 易 盡
These yellow leaves can be easily swept clean,

je-dieñ siang-seu bho jing-ki
這場 相思 無 盡 期
unlike these thoughts in my head.

〔白 • beh • speaking〕

iah-chung!
益春！
Iah-cung!

hieng-mue, ua jing-hu iñ-u su-yik, hueng bhue eu leu tam-su
賢妹，我 進府 已有 數日，還未 與 你 談敘
Sister, I have been in this household for several days, but have not yet been able to speak with you.

益春 • iah-chung

hai! ueng-ghua ge-gui ngiem-ging, mo sañ-hiañ mai guai
唉！員外 家規 嚴緊，望 三兄 勿 怪！
The master’s house rules are strict, please don’t take it personally.

陳三 • dang-sañ

a-nie ging-lai ka ho?
阿娘 今來 豈 好？
How has your mistress been?

printed: 小姐 可好 (siou-jia ko-ho)

益春 • iah-chung

jeu leu yip-hu iñ-lai, a-nie sieñ-si jong-siou bhue-ming
自 你 入府 以來，阿娘 時常 終宵 未眠
Since you have entered the house, Miss has often been unable to sleep the whole night long.

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

陳三 • dang-sañ

kiak-si ui-ho?
卻是 爲何？
Why is that so?

益春 • iah-chung

a-nie ta sim-seu deng-deng o
阿娘 她 心事 重重 啊
My mistress is weighed down with matters of the heart.

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

陳三 • dang-sañ

u ho sim-seu, mo hieng-mue meng-gao
有 何 心事，望 賢妹 明告
What matters of the heart? Please explain, Sister.

益春 • iah-chung

a-nie ta…
阿娘 她……
Miss, well she…

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

陳三 • dang-sañ

ta ja-ieñ?
她 怎樣？
She what?

益春 • iah-chung

ia ba!
也罷！
So be it!

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

a-nie ta, a-nie ta yiak-neung lang-ui be-bho meng
阿娘 她，阿娘 她 弱女 難 違 父母 命
Miss, she, Miss is but a lady who cannot disobey her parents’ orders.

printed has typo 安 for 女

heu pue lim-ge, ja iñ ji-liou piañ-ngi
許 配 林家，早 已 接了 聘議
She has been promised to the Lim family, and has already received a proposal.

陳三 • dang-sañ

ja-sueh! ta iñ-siu liou lim-ge jeu-piañ?
怎說！她 已 受 了 林家 之 聘？
What did you say? She is already betrothed to the Lims?

益春 • iah-chung

jiañ si!
正是！
That is so!

陳三 • dang-sañ

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

sik ji-mo, siang-ieh beh-ni dung iong haoñ
實 指望，相約 百年 敦 永好
One would hope, that a promise made is a promise kept.

u sui jai, mia-hue-u-ju i lai chi
有 誰知，名花有主 已 來 遲
Who could tell, that she is already spoken for, and I am too late?

名花有主 - idiom

ta gi ji-liou lim-ge piañ
她 既 接了 林家 聘
Since she is already betrothed to the Lims,

ing-ho lao-tao iu gak li-gi?
因何 褸頭 又 捔 荔枝？
why did she throw the lychee branch from the tower?

printed: 擲 (dañ) for 捔, semantic replacement

益春 • iah-chung

sañ-hiañ! leu u-so buk-jai!
三兄！你 有所 不知！
Brother! You don’t know the full story!

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

na lim-dua, ui-nang do chou-pi
那 林大，爲人 多 粗鄙
That Lim-dua, is a crude and uncouth person.

si-kiang-leng-yiak ba nang ki
恃強凌弱 把 人 欺
He uses his strength to bully the weak.

恃強凌弱 - idiom

je-deng nang, a-nie ka keng-lai pik-pue
這等 人，阿娘 豈 肯來 匹配
How could Miss consent to be matched with such a person?

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

豈 is indeed in the printed

ing-cheu siang, lao-tao ga li-gia siang-seu
因此 上，褸頭 捔 荔寄 相思
Therefore, she let loose the lychee branch from the tower.

printed: 投 (dao) for 捔; 捔 is probably a phonetic character

陳三 • dang-sañ

gi-yieng yu-cheu, jiu hueng-hue-bing a-nie
既然 如此，就 煩回稟 阿娘
If that is the case, then please report back to your mistress,

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

ja diañ ju-i, ming siang liang-cheh,
早 定 主意，面商 良策
to come up with a plan, that we discuss a strategy

huang-mieng u-liou dai-seu
方免 誤了 大事
to avoid this great tragedy.

益春 • iah-chung

leu chiañ mok-gip, siang-giñ jeu-seu, tai ua siek-huap jiu-si
你 且 莫急，相見 之事，待 我 設法 就是
Do not be hasty. Let me find a way to arrange a meeting.

陳三 • dang-sañ

u-lao hieng-mue liou!
有勞 賢妹 了！
Much obliged, Sister!

員外 • ueng-ghua

eñ? hng! jam-ju!
嗯？哼！站住！
Huh? Hmph! Stand still!

ning no-nang gui-gui jui-jui, do-cheu ho-seu?
恁 二人 鬼鬼祟祟，在此 何事？
You two stalking about, up to good?

printed: 你們 (leu-mung) for 恁

hng! ka buk-jai lai-ghua u-hung, lam-neung u-biek
哼！豈 不知 內外 有分，男女 有別
Hmph! Don’t you know that the inner and outer courts are separate? Men and women have their own places.

ning deng do-cheu gao-tao jih-yeu, seng ho ti-tong?
恁 等 在此 交頭 接耳，成 何 體統？
What schemes are you hatching, whispering into each others’ ears?

交頭 接耳 - idiom

耳 yeu2 - literary pronunciation

kuai jieñ-lao keu!
快 上褸 去！
You go upstairs!

益春 • iah-chung

si!
是！
Yes sir!

員外 • ueng-ghua

cheu nai lai-iñ, ka iong leu sui-bieng jao-dong
此 乃 內院，豈 容 你 隨便 走動
This is the inner court, not a place for you to saunter about.

iñ-ao buk-hong u-hueng, buk-heu jing-lai!
以後 不奉 呼喚，不許 進來！
In the future, unless you are summoned here, you may not enter!

yiak jai ui-huam, da-dueng leu di gao-tui, hia keu!
若 再 違犯，打斷 你的 狗腿，下去！
If you break this rule again, your ass will be whipped. Go downstairs!

第十四場 • doiñ-jap-si-dieñ • Scene 14

1:16:49

幕外合唱 • mo-ghua-hak-ciang • singing offstage

liang-siñ mung, hung lai-ghua
兩扇 門，分 內外
Between the inner and outer worlds stands but a doorway.

jek-dao chieñ, geh dong-si
一道 牆，隔 東西
A wall between East and West.

liang sim kong siang-ing
兩心 空 相印
Two hearts strain for each other in vain,

siang-giñ jong lang-ki
相見 總 難期
a meeting proves difficult to arrange,

guang-im yim-yiem
光陰 荏苒
while time slips away.

jek-ni iong-goi chung iu ji!
一年 容易 春 又至
A year has passed, Spring is here again.

jek-gai si siu-tak (?)-mieng beñ iem-iem
一個 是 綉榻 纏綿 病 懨懨
One wastes away in the embroidery room, weak with sickness.

jek-gai si gou-deng siang-dui leng-leng chi-chi
一個 是 孤燈 相對 冷冷 淒淒
The other faces a lone lamp in the cold.

geu-tao mo meng-ghueh, sim-seu beng sui gia
舉頭 望 明月，心事 憑 誰 寄
Raising their heads to gaze upon the moon. Who can pass on their thoughts?

ji-loh-dik chiang-u do-tang! chiang-u do-tang
只落得 長吁 短嘆
These fall away in long and short sighs.

liang di kou siang-seu, liang di kou siang-seu
兩地 苦 相思，兩地 苦 相思
Two places filled with anguished pining.

第十五場 • doiñ-jap-ngou-dieñ • Scene 15

1:20:12

五娘 • ngou-nie

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

ueng-siañ jiem-lao, chung-sek jiang lang
鴛聲 漸老，春色 將 闌
The song of the mandarin ducks grows old, the colors of spring will soon fade.

beñ-eu chui-siu kiak king-hang
病余 翠袖 怯 輕寒
In illness these green sleeves fear the slightest cold.

lui-ngang mung-hue hue buk-gheu, sui goi huang-sim jek-chung seung
淚眼 問花 花 不語，誰 解 芳心 一寸 酸
In tears I ask the flowers, but flowers don’t speak. Who understands even an iota of my anguish?

益春 • iah-chung

a-nie leu toiñ na-jang sui-liu, dang-i sai-sia, si ho ueng-gu?
阿娘 你 看 那叢 垂柳，東倚 西斜，是 何 緣故？
Miss, look at that willow there. It leans to the East and bends to the West, what is the reason for this?

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

五娘 • ngou-nie

ji ui liu-gi bho-lak, ing-cheu sui-huang iou-hi
只爲 柳枝 無力，因此 隨風 搖曳
It is because the willow’s branches are weak, and so bend along whichever way the wind blows.

益春 • iah-chung

ai! liu-gi bho-lak, ing-cheu sui-huang iou-hi
噯！柳枝 無力，因此 隨風 搖曳
Ah! The willow’s branches are weak, and so bend with the wind.

ying yu-yiak bho ju-i, ia jiu jiang(?) sui-nang bai-yim
人 如若 無 主意，也就 將 誰人 擺任？
If people are just as directionless, who will then decide their fates?

printed: 人 若是 無 主意，就 只好任人擺佈

a-nie! leu toiñ na sang-bue hu-diep
阿娘！你 看 那雙 飛蝴蝶
Miss! Look at that pair of butterflies,

jeu-iu jeu-jai, (?)-dieh ho no!
自由自在，X 着 好 𰇇！
so free and easy, is it not good to behold?

printed: 多末好啊 (do-mueh ho a)

五娘 • ngou-nie

iah-chung, leu ja-leng jiang nang eu hu-diep siang-bi?
益春，你 怎能 將 人 與 蝴蝶 相比？
Iah-cung, how can you compare people to butterflies?

printed: 把 (ba) for 將

ba ta guañ-diou!
把它 趕掉！
Chase them out!

益春 • iah-chung

a-nie, toiñ je hu-diep seng-sang seng-dui
阿娘，看 這 蝴蝶 成雙 成對
Miss, see how these butterflies have paired up.

ja jiang ta guañ-diou ne?
怎 將 它 趕掉 呢？
How can I chase them out?

printed: 怎忍把它趕掉呢 (ja-yim ba-ta guañ-diou ne)

五娘 • ngou-nie

gie leu guañ, leu jiu guañ, hueng do ngang-dang-sueh-sai
叫你 趕，你 就 趕，還在 言東語西
I’ve told you to do it, so just do it. Don’t stand there muttering.

益春 • iah-chung

ho, a-nie gie ua guañ, ua jiu-lai guañ!
好，阿娘 叫 我 趕，我 就來 趕！
Fine, if Miss commands me to, then I shall!

hu-diep ia! leu keu biek-chu, mai lai ji-go biang a-nie señ-ki
蝴蝶 呀！你 去 別處，勿 來 只塊 變 阿娘 生氣
Butterflies, begone! Go somewhere else, and don’t come here to annoy my mistress.

printed: 休來惹我家小姐生氣 (hiuñ-lai yia ua-ge siou-jia señ-ki)

keu! keu! keu-a!
去！去！去呀！
Shoo! Shoo! Begone!

toiñ-gao (??) hu-diep chuang-gai m-(?) nang-i
看到 XX 蝴蝶 全個 唔曉人意
You butterflies have no understanding of human feelings.

printed: 全然 (chueng-yieng) for 全個

yiak-(?) (?) ua iah-chung señ-ki, tai ua lai-pah!
惹 XX 我 益春 生氣，待 我 來打！
If you make me Iah-cung angry, I’ll give you a beating!

五娘 • ngou-nie

iah-chung!
益春！
Iah-cung!

益春 • iah-chung

a-nie iou si chui ga sim (??)
阿娘 又是 嘴 合 心 XX
Miss, your words once again do not align with your thoughts.

printed: 小姐原是口心不一 (siou-jia ngueng-si kao-sim-buk-ik)

chui dañ yiou, sim iu dañ ai lao!
嘴 呾 擾，心 又 呾 愛留！
You say “begone” but think “stay”!

printed: 口說趕，心卻要留 (kao sueh guañ, sim kiak-aiñ lao)

五娘 • ngou-nie

iah-chung!
益春！
Iah-cung!

益春 • iah-chung

a-nie hueng-si je-buañ na-buk-diañ ju-i, leu jiu kui-liou
阿娘 還是 這般 拿不定 主意，你 就 虧 了！
Miss is still so indecisive, it is to your loss!

五娘 • ngou-nie

kui si-mih?
虧 是乜？
What loss is this?

printed: 什麼 (sim-moh) for 是乜

益春 • iah-chung

kui na sañ…
虧 那 三……
To lose that San….

五娘 • ngou-nie

leu iu-si lai do suañ-dañ
你 又是 來在 散呾
Again with your loose talk.

printed: 你又亂說 (leu iu lueng-sueh)

益春 • iah-chung

ue mo suañ-dañ, deung-cho gai li-gi jiu buk-gai lueng-ga
話 孬 散呾，當初 個 荔枝 就 不該 亂捔
If one should not speak loosely, then one should not throw lychee branches from balconies either.

printed: 不可 (buk-ko) for 孬, 投 (dao) for 捔

五娘 • ngou-nie

iah-chung!
益春！
Iah-cung!

益春 • iah-chung

a-nie!
阿娘！
Miss!

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia)

五娘 • ngou-nie

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

ai-ia iah-chung, leu ngang-dang u-i ua gai hiou
哎呀 益春，你 言中 有意 我 皆 曉
O Iah-cung, I understand everything that you are trying to tell me.

ua sim-dang tong-kou u sui-di?
我 心中 痛苦 有 誰知？
But who can know my inner pain?

知 di - literary pronunciation

dang-sañ ui ua siu jing-kou, ua ia ui-ta hui-jing sim-gi
陳三 爲 我 受 盡苦，我 也 爲他 費盡 心機
Dang-san is suffering on my account, and for him I am pining away.

jong lang-dik ho ju-i
終 難得 好 主意
And still we have no way out.

益春 • iah-chung

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

seu leu je-buañ chi-ghi, ji-pañ je siang-seu bho-liou si
似 你 這般 遲疑，只怕 這 相思 無了 時
With hesitation like yours, one fears that there will be no end to the pining.

jong-gek si hai-liou dang-sañ, ia dam-ghou a-nie leu jeu-gi
終局 是 害了 陳三，也 耽誤 阿娘 你 自己
The fact is that Dang-san is hurt, and you Miss are wasting your own time.

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

kuang gim-jiou, beñ ho-deung
況 今朝，病 好轉
If today your health should return,

na lim-dua, jai jui-ching
那 林大，再 摧親
that Lim-dua will come again to press for your hand.

na-si u ho ngang-gheu jai tui-si?
那時 有 何 言語 再 推辭？
At that point, what other excuses could you possibly give?

keung a-nie hueng su gip ja-diañ ju-i
勤 阿娘，還須 及 早 定 主意
Please, Miss, come quickly to a decision,

mok-sieñ na liu-gi bho-lak
莫像 那 柳枝 無力
don’t be weak like the willow branches,

sui-hong iou-hi
隨風 搖曳
waving in the breeze.

五娘 • ngou-nie

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

kou-mia pek-geu, ka bho je-buañ sim-i
苦命 碧琚，豈 無 這般 心意
Woe is Pek-gv, who does not lack such intention,

ji ing-ui, dia-nie huang-huam yik-yik ging
只 因爲，爹娘 防範 日日 緊
but who is caught between Father and Mother have been daily tightening their forbiddances,

kuang iu na lim-dua si-dai yu-tiñ
況 又 那 林大 勢大如天
and that Lim-dua who is so rich and powerful.

ua jong jek si-buk-jok-sieh
我 縱 一 死不足惜
I am not afraid to die,

死不足惜 - idiom

pañ ji-pañ, lui gip dang-sañ siu jue-lui
怕 只怕，累 及 陳三 受 罪淚
but only fear that my death would burden Dang-san with guilt.

益春 • iah-chung

nie leu gi bho ho ju-i, jiu gai eu sañ-hiañ soi siang-ngi
娘 你 既 無 主意，就 該 與 三兄 細 商議
Miss, since you have no plan, then you should discuss this with Brother San.

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

ho-buk jiu jiang gi-gu di-sim-ue
何不 就 將 幾句 知心話
Why don’t you gather some words of encouragement,

printed: 把 (ba) for 將

知 di - literary pronunciation

gao-tai iah-chung keu dui sañ-hiañ ti
交待 益春 去 對 三兄 提
and entrust them to Iah-cung to deliver to Brother San?

五娘 • ngou-nie

iah-chung! na dang-sañ hing do ho-chu?
益春！那 陳三 現 在 何處？
Iah-cung! Where is Dang-san now?

益春 • iah-chung

jiu-do ao-iñ!
就在 後院！
He is in the rear courtyard!

五娘 • ngou-nie

ua dia chuk-mung hue-keh, ka jeng deung-lai?
我 爹 出門 會客，豈 曾 轉來？
My father is out paying visits; has he returned yet?

printed: 可曾回來 (ko jeng hue-lai)

益春 • iah-chung

siang-bhue deung-lai!
尚未 轉來！
No, not yet!

printed: 回來 (hue-lai) for 轉來

五娘 • ngou-nie

yu-cheu, leu jiu chiou-chiou gie ta dang-sañ jie lai siang-liang
如此，你 就 悄悄 叫 他 陳三 照 來 商量
In that case, go quietly and ask Dang-san here to talk.

printed: 前 (joiñ) for 照

益春 • iah-chung

jie jiu geng-ho liou, tai siou-bi joiñ keu!
照 就 更好 了，待 小婢 前去！
That is even better. Your servant will go forth!

printed: 那 (na) for 照

五娘 • ngou-nie

iah-chung!
益春！
Iah-cung!

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

iah-chung! je-juang seu aiñ sie-sim do-i,
益春！這樁 事 愛 小心 在意
Iah-cung! This matter must be dealt with carefully,

printed: 要 (iou) for 愛

su-huang geh-chieñ nang u-hiñ, siep huang-siañ
須防 隔牆人 有耳，洩 風聲
for you know that the walls have ears, and should any word travel

dia-nie yiak bhung-jai, heu si-joih,
爹娘 若 聞知，許 時節
so far as my parents, at that time,

printed: 那 (na) for 許

jek-dañ huang-bo peng-di ki
一旦 風波 平地 起
a massive storm will overturn the earth.

第十六場 • doiñ-jap-lak-dieñ • Scene 16

音樂 • im-ghauh • Musical interlude

第十七場 • doiñ-jap-chik-dieñ • Scene 17

1:33:25

陳三 • dang-sañ

sie-seng jing-hu iñ-lai, gim-yik chai dik-giñ a-nie li!
小生 進府 以來，今日 才 得 見 阿娘 哩！
Since this humble person has entered this household, it is only today that I meet you, Miss!

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

五娘 • ngou-nie

leu si ho-ying?
你是 何人？
Who are you?

陳三 • dang-sañ

a-nie ja-moh buk ying-sek sie-seng liou?
阿娘 怎麼 不 認識 小生 了？
Miss, how do you not recognize this humble person?

五娘 • ngou-nie

leu ka buk-jai jieñ-e u-hung, lai-ghua u-biek
你 豈 不知 上下 有分，內外 有別
Don’t you know, upstairs and downstairs have their place, the inner and outer courts are to remain separate.

cheu-chu buk-si leu eng-lai jeu di, leu kuai seng chuk-keu!
此處 不是 你 應來 之 地，你 快 成 出去！
This is not a place where you should be, you had better leave now!

第十八場 • doiñ-jap-boih-dieñ • Scene 18

1:34:33

益春 • iah-chung

sañ-hiañ, leu…
三兄，你……
Brother San, you…

a-nie, leu…
阿娘，你……
Miss, you…

printed: 小姐

第十九場 • doiñ-jap-gao-dieñ • Scene 19

1:35:12

陳三 • dang-sañ

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

cho-ying noi-gi u cheng-i, uang-hui ua beh-keng jek-pieng chi
錯認 荔枝 有 情意，枉費 我 伯卿 一片 癡
I misunderstood the meaning of the lychee branch, and have sent myself on a fool’s errand.

荔 noi - vernacular pronunciation

toiñ-lai ing-ueng lang seng-jiu, buk-yu sok-juang gui gu-li
看來 姻緣 難 成就，不如 束裝 歸 故里
It looks as if this was not meant to be, and I should pack up to head home.

益春 • iah-chung

sañ-hiañ mang-jao!
三兄 慢走！
Brother San, wait!

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

toiñ leu sim-jiang nge seu tih
看 你 心腸 硬 似 鐵
Your heart seems stiff as iron,

ing-ho aiñ jao m-gao-si?
因何 愛 走 唔告辭？
why do you leave without saying goodbye?

printed: 因何要走不告辭 (ing-ho iou-jao buk-gao-si)

giu-geng aiñ uang ho-chu keu? ia gai meng-beh gao ua di
究竟 愛 往 何處 去？也 該 明白 告 我 知
Where are you going? You should at least tell me.

printed: 要 (iou) for 愛

陳三 • dang-sañ

ua aiñ hue-deung ge-hieñ!
我 愛 回轉 家鄉！
I’m going back to my home village.

printed: 返 (hueng) for 轉

益春 • iah-chung

ui-liou ho-seu?
爲了 何事？
For what reason?

陳三 • dang-sañ

buk-bik mung-liou
不必 問 了
You don’t have to ask any further.

益春 • iah-chung

leu buk-ba cheng-iu sueh-meng, ua si buk-bang leu jao
你 不把 情由 說明，我 是 不放 你 走
If you don’t explain what you mean, I’m not letting you go.

陳三 • dang-sañ

hieng-mue, chiañ tiañ!
賢妹，請 聽！
Sister, please listen!

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

mong ji-diem, sim am-hi,
蒙 指點，心 暗喜
Having received a sign, my heart was silently gladdened,

keu hue-hng, su siang-si,
去 花園，訴 相思
to go to the garden, and reveal my feelings,

sik ji-mo, tieng-tai lou ko-tong
實 指望，天臺 路 可通
a true signal, that Heaven had opened a way.

iu sui jai, sieng-huam ieng-geh pueng hung-ni
又 誰知，仙凡 遠隔 判 雲泥
But who knew, that saints and mortals are to remain separate, like clouds and mud,

判若雲泥 - idiom, “different as clouds in heaven and mud on earth”

chim-chim jek i, eu mue siang-si
深深 一 揖，與 妹 相辭
I bid you deeply, Sister, farewell.

益春 • iah-chung

sañ-hiañ!
三兄！
Brother San!

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

a-nie ta, dueng-yiang bho cheu i
阿娘 她，斷然 無 此意
My mistress, she did not mean that.

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

leu mok aiñ cho-guai ta, leu mok aiñ yu-cheu do ghi
你 莫 愛 錯怪 她，你 莫 愛 如此 多 疑
Don’t wrongly accuse her, don’t misunderstand.

printed: 要 (iou) for 愛

陳三 • dang-sañ:

ho-iñ giñ-dik?
何以 見 得？
How is that so?

益春 • iah-chung

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

leu ko-jai, huang-chai u nang do hng-li
你 可知，方才 有人 在 園裏
You must know that there were other people in the garden.

a-nie ta, ja-leng-gou mao-mao-sik-sik ba ue ti?
阿娘 她，怎能夠 冒冒 失失 把 話 提？
How could my mistress speak freely then?

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

陳三 • dang-sañ

huang-chai hng-li u nang a?
方才 園裏 有人 啊？
There was someone in the garden?

益春 • iah-chung

buk-sing? leu keu toiñ-lai!
不信？你 去 看來！
You don’t believe me? Look for yourself!

陳三 • dang-sañ

ngueng-lai yu-cheu!
原來如此！
So it is!

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

ji guai ua jek-si señ-cheng, hiem ba ho-sim dang ak-i
只怪 我 一時 性情，險 把 好心 當 惡意
I can only blame myself for having taken good intentions for evil.

益春 • iah-chung

toiñ leu jing si chong-meng jek-si, mong-dong jek-si
看你 真是 聰明 一世，懵懂 一時
It looks like you were indeed a wise man for life, but a fool for a second.

tak-jeu-nang ja oi je-ieñ sing-señ a?
讀書人 怎 會 這樣 神性 啊？
How could a scholar be so rash?

printed: 急性 (gip-señ) for 神性

陳三 • dang-sañ

hueng-mo hieng-mue do-do ngueng-liang!
還望 賢妹 多多 原諒！
I pray that Sister will forgive me!

益春 • iah-chung

sañ-hiañ buk-bik do-li, huañ sieñ miou-cheh ui-si
三兄 不必 多禮，還 想 妙策 爲是！
Brother San, don’t stand on ceremony. Spend your energy on thinking of a plan!

printed: 如今不必多禮，還是早想妙策爲是

陳三 • dang-sañ

ji-aiñ a-nie lai hung-hu, ua beh-keng hu-tng dao-hue buk tui-si
只 愛 阿娘 來 吩咐，我 伯卿 赴湯 蹈火 不 推辭
If your mistress were to command it, I would go through hell and high water.

printed: 要 (iou) for 愛, 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

益春 • iah-chung

ia-ba! tai ua leng-sieñ biek-huap, yiang leu eu a-nie deung-ming siang-ngi
也罷！待我 另想 別法，讓 你 與 阿娘 當面 商議
So be it! Let me think of another way for you and my mistress to confer,

jai jak diañ-doh
再 作 定奪
and to make a decision.

陳三 • dang-sañ

chueng-jiang hieng-mue liou
全杖 賢妹 了
It is in your hands, Sister.

益春 • iah-chung

iu-lai liou, na keu ba!
又來了，拿去 吧！
Here you start again. Go!

第二十場 • doiñ-yi-jap-dieñ • Scene 20

音樂過門 • im-ghauh gue-mung • musical interlude

第六章 • Doin-lak-ziang • Act 6

第二十一場 • doiñ-yi-jap-ik-dieñ • Scene 21

1:41:10

陳三 • dang-sañ

chiañ a-nie soi-ming!
請 阿娘 洗面
Miss, please come wash your face!

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

五娘 • ngou-nie

leu! leu buk-bieng do-cheu, kuai hia-keu!
你！你 不便 在此，快 下去！
You! You can’t be here! Quick, go downstairs!

mang! pung-jui si sui gie-leu dueng-lai?
慢！盆水 是 誰 叫你 端來？
Wait, who told you to bring this basin?

陳三 • dang-sañ

si iah-chung gie ua dueng-lai di
是 益春 叫我 端來 的
Iah-cung told me to bring it here.

五娘 • ngou-nie

ta do na-li?
她 在 那裏？
Where is she?

陳三 • dang-sañ

jiu do lao-e
就 在 樓下
She’s just downstairs.

五娘 • ngou-nie

pung-jui gi-yieng dueng-lai, leu jiu bang-hia
盆水 既然 端來，你 就 放下
Since you’ve brought this basin here, just set it down.

ui-ho buk bang-do gao-chu, kiak bang-do di-e?
爲何 不 放在 高處，卻 放在 地下？
Why do you put it on the floor, and not somewhere higher?

陳三 • dang-sañ

gao jek buk-ko pang, mo a-nie hu jiu
高 則 不可 攀，望 阿娘 俯就
One in a high place is unreachable. I pray that Miss will deign to accept.

高不可攀 - idiom, “high and mighty” (of a person), meaning someone who is haughty and unapproachable.

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

do-sia a-nie sui-aiñ
多謝 阿娘 垂愛
Many thanks, Miss, for your care.

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

sie-seng gam-mao huang-hiem, yip-hu ui-iong
小生 甘冒 風險，入府 爲傭
This humble person took a risk, to enter this house disguised as a servant.

cheu-cheng cheu-i, a-nie sieñ bik-jing jai
此情 此意，阿娘 想 必盡 知
Miss may not be aware of his thoughts and feelings.

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

ji-si a-nie u ho ju-i, hueng mo meng-beh siang-gao
只是 阿娘 有何 主意，還 望 明白 相告
But if Miss has an intention, I pray that you state it clearly,

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

ia ho ja jak jung-bi
也 好 早 作 準備
that we may make preparations.

五娘 • ngou-nie

sañ-hiañ chiañ jo
三兄 請 坐
Brother San, please sit.

陳三 • dang-sañ

sie-seng jeu yip-hu iñ-lai, hueng bhue eu a-nie jek-tong kueng-kek
小生 自 入府 以來，還 未 與 阿娘 一通 款曲
Since this humble person entered this house, he has not yet had an opportunity to speak his true feelings with Miss.

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

五娘 • ngou-nie

sañ-hiañ, leu ge ju do juañ-jiu siañ-lai hueng-si siañ-ghua?
三兄，你 家 住在 泉州 城內 還是 城外？
Brother San, do you live in the city of Zuan-ziu, or outside the city walls?

陳三 • dang-sañ

do juañ-jiu siañ-ghua peng-suañ-nia ao
在 泉州 城外 朋山嶺 後
Outside, behind the Peng mountain ridge

五娘 • ngou-nie

ji-ching u gui nang?
至親 有 幾人？
How many are there in your family?

printed: 家中 (ge-dang) for 至親

陳三 • dang-sañ

u chik nang
有 七人
There are seven.

五娘 • ngou-nie

si na chik-ui?
是那 七位？
Which seven are these?

陳三 • dang-sañ

ge-be!
家父！
My father!

五娘 • ngou-nie

leng-jung!
令尊！
Your honorable sire!

陳三 • dang-sañ

ge-bho!
家母！
My mother!

五娘 • ngou-nie

leng-deung
令堂！
Your honorable mater!

陳三 • dang-sañ

ge-hiañ!
家兄！
My older brother!

五娘 • ngou-nie

leng-hiañ!
令兄！
Your honorable brother!

陳三 • dang-sañ

ge-so!
家嫂！
My brother’s wife!

五娘 • ngou-nie

leng-so!
令嫂！
Your honorable sister-in-law!

陳三 • dang-sañ

a-gou!
阿姑！
A-Gou!

五娘 • ngou-nie

a-gou si mih nang?
阿姑 是 乜人？
Who is A-Gou?

printed: 何人 (ho-nang) for 乜人

陳三 • dang-sañ

jiu-si sia-mue
就是 舍妹
That is my younger sister

舍 - prefix to refer to one’s junior relations to a third party

五娘 • ngou-nie

hueng-u di-nang?
還有 底人？
Who else is there?

printed: 還有呢 (hueng-u ne)

陳三 • dang-sañ

hueng-u ua!
還有 我！
Well, myself!

五娘 • ngou-nie

moh jiañ lak-nang, na-u chik nang?
麼 正 六人，哪有 七人？
Why is that only six people, but you said seven?

printed: 只有 (ji-u) for 麼正

陳三 • dang-sañ

lieng-dang nie-giañ leu, jiu-si chik-nang
連同 娘囝 你，就是 七人
Counting you, young miss, that makes seven.

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 娘囝

五娘 • ngou-nie

jo-ni lieng ua ia seung do lai?
做呢 連 我 也 算 在內？
Why do you count me too?

printed: 怎麼 (ja-moh) for 做呢

陳三 • dang-sañ

chong dao noi-gi na-yik, ua jiu ba leu dou seung do-lai liou
從 投 荔枝 那日，我 就 把 你 算 在內 了
Since the day you dropped that lychee branch, I’ve counted you too.

益春 • iah-chung

a-nie, a-nie! ueng-ghua ang-ying lai-liou!
阿娘，阿娘！員外 安人 來了！
Miss! Miss! Master and Mistress are here!

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

五娘 • ngou-nie

dia-nie bhueng-hok!
爹娘 萬福！
Father, Mother, long life!

安人 • ang-ying

ua-yi miang li!
我囝 免 禮
Don’t stand on ceremony, my child.

printed: 兒 (yi) for 囝

員外 • ueng-ghua

yi a, leu di beñ ko-ho liou moh?
兒 呀，你 的 病 可好了 麼？
Child, is your illness better?

五娘 • ngou-nie

dia-dia, neung-yi di beñ pañ si bhoi ho liou!
爹爹，女兒 的 病 怕 是 𠁞好 了！
Father, your daughter fears that her health will not improve.

員外 • ueng-ghua

leu yu-gim buk-si ho-dueng-dueng di
你 如今 不是 好端端 的
You were just fine before.

ui be dui-leu gang, lim-ge iu-lai chui-chu liou
爲 父 對你 講，林家 又來 催娶 了
Let Father tell you, the Lim family are again pressing about the betrothal.

五娘 • ngou-nie

lim-ge iu-lai chui-chu?
林家 又來 催娶？
The Lims are again pushing for the wedding?

安人 • ang-ying

si a! lim-ge gim-yik gie li-je joiñ-lai
是啊！林家 今日 叫 李姐 前來
Yes! The Lim household sent Li-ze here today,

jek-diañ aiñ to gai yik-ji
一定 愛 討 該 日子
they must have an auspicious date.

printed: 要 (iou) for 愛

五娘 • ngou-nie

bho-ching! leu toiñ neung-yi beñ seng je-ieñ!
母親！你 看 女兒 病 成 這樣！
Mother, see how your daughter is wasting from illness,

leu ia m ko-lieng?
你 也 唔 可憐？
how could you not pity her?

printed: 不 (buk) for 唔

安人 • ang-ying

ui-bho na-u buk-dong neung-yi jeu-li, ji si…
爲母 哪有 不疼 女兒 之理，只是……
What mother’s heart would not feel for her daughter? But…

員外 • ueng-ghua

lim-ge sueh-dao, u beñ ia aiñ ngeng-chu
林家 說道，有病 亦 愛 迎娶
The Lim house said that they would still proceed with the marriage even if you are ill.

printed: 迎親 (ngieng-ching) for 迎娶

gue-mng jeu-ao, jai giañ ieng-ui jieng-di
過門 之後，再 行 延醫 診治
After you enter their house, they will arrange for a physician to always be in attendance.

五娘 • ngou-nie

jng-sueh? lim-ge geng-yieng buk-iong beñ-yu
X說？林家 竟然 不容 病癒
What does that mean? The Lim household does not care about illness,

bieng aiñ bek-chu moh?
便 愛 迫娶 麼？
and want to force a marriage?

printed: 要 (iou) for 愛

員外 • ueng-ghua

yiak jai tua-ieng, ta-ge bieng aiñ dong-ki guañ-si
若 再 拖延，他家 便 愛 動起 官司
If this keeps being delayed, they will bring this to the magistrate.

安人 • ang-ying

je jing sai dia-nie ui-lang liou
這 真使 爹娘 爲難 了
That would put your parents in a difficult position.

五娘 • ngou-nie

dia-nie a!
爹娘 呀！
Father, Mother!

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

tiañ-ngang lai, hng iu ai
聽言 來，恨 又 哀
Hearing what you say, makes me upset and mournful.

je-buañ ki-nang-li ho jai
這般 欺人理 何在
What is the logic behind this bullying?

nang beñ hueng-aiñ lai ngieng-chu
人 病 還愛 來 迎娶
To force a marriage in the face of illness,

printed: 要 (iou) for 愛

sik (?) bek ua sang juañ-tai
實 X 迫 我 喪 泉臺
would be forcing me to the grave.

mo dia-nie, lai joh-ju
望 爹娘，來 作主
Please Father, Mother, make the right decision,

mieng neung-yi, jao hua-jai
免 女兒，遭 禍災
and spare your daughter from a calamnitous fate!

益春 • iah-chung

ueng-ghua, ang-ying,
員外，安人
Master, Mistress,

leu toiñ a-nie beñ yu-cheu bho-yu,
你看 阿娘 病 如此 無癒
you see how Miss’s illness has resisted a cure.

printed: 小姐病體未癒 (siou-jia beñ-ti bhue-yu)

hung-ki hueng-si chong-mang ui-si
婚期 還是 從緩 爲是
It is better not to rush into the marriage.

員外 • ueng-ghua

hng!
嗯！
Hmph!

安人 • ang-ying

neung-yi, m-si dia-nie sim-hng
女兒，唔是 爹娘 心狠
Daughter, it is not that your parents are heartless,

printed: 不 (buk) for 唔

ji-ing lim-ge guañ-gao si-dai,
只因 林家 官高 勢大
but the Lim household is powerful and has a high official position.

yiak-si dik-jue ta-ge, leu dia kiong u buk-bieng o!
若是 得罪 他家，你 爹 恐 有 不便 啊
If we offend them, life could very difficult for your father.

printed: 如果 (yu-gue) for 若是

五娘 • ngou-nie

yu-cheu dia-nie jiu-si aiñ ba neung-yi di-i si-di, di-i si-di liou
如此 爹娘 就是 把 女兒 置於死地，置於死地 了
If that is the case, then Father, Mother, you are sending your daugther to the grave.

員外 • ueng-ghua

hañ?! be-bho ui-leu jong-sing dieh-sieñ
～！父母 爲你 終身 着想
What? Your parents have been doing everything with your future in mind.

ja-moh hueng-guai ki be-bho lai-liou?
怎麼 反怪 起 父母 來了？
How can you come and accuse us like this?

安人 • ang-ying

si-a! neung-yi, leu jiu sung-chong dia-dia di ue ba
是啊！女兒，你 就 順從 爹爹 的話 吧
That’s right! Daughter, you had better listen to your father.

五娘 • ngou-nie

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

na lim-dua buk-gou nang señ-si, sam-huang-si-cheu bek hung-ki
那 林大 不顧 人 生死，三番四次 迫 婚期
That Lim-dua doesn’t care if people live or die, but presses without cease for a marriage.

ji kiong ta-ge ngieng-chu yik, jiañ si neung-yi bik-mia-si
只 恐 他家 迎娶 日，正是 女兒 畢命時
Only that on the day that their house prepares to receive a bride, what they get is instead the corpse of your daughter.

printed: 只怕 (ji-pañ) for 只恐

安人 • ang-ying

ueng-ghua, leu toiñ yu-ho si ho?
員外，你 看 如何 是好？
Master, what do you think we should do?

員外 • ueng-ghua

hng! leu ho jai-dao? leu iñ siu-liou lim-ge jeu piañ
哼！你 何 知道，你 已 受了 林家 之聘
Hmph! You know that you have already accepted the Lims’ proposal.

señ-ui lim-ge jeu nang si-ui lim-ge jeu gui
生爲 林家 之人 死爲 林家 之鬼
You will live as a member of their household, and as a ghost you will haunt their house.

leu si-liou ua ia ba-leu ge gao lim-ge keu!
你 死了 我 也 把你 嫁 到 林家 去！
Even if you are dead I shall marry you off to them!

五娘 • ngou-nie

bho-ching! buk-yu yiang neung-yi hing-jai si-liou, dao ia gang-jeng
母親！不如 讓 女兒 現在 死了，倒 也 乾淨
Mother! Just let your daughter die now, and spare us all this!

安人 • ang-ying

ho neung-yi, ho neung-yi, choiñ-bhueng buk-iou je-ieñ
好 女兒，好 女兒，千萬 不要 這樣
Daughter, daughter be good, don’t be like this.

員外 • ueng-ghua

hng! ngek-neung, hung-ing dai-seu, be-bho jak-ju
哼！逆女，婚姻 大事，父母 作主
Hmph! Rebellious woman, the matter of betrothal is decided by the parents.

leu chui-sañ-iang-si, buk tiañ ga-hung, si ho dao-li?
你 催三延四，不聽 教訓，是 何 道理？
You push for this and delay in that, refusing to heed instructions, what is the meaning of it all?

mok-hui leu… mok-hui leu biak u ng-cheng?
莫非 你……莫非 你 別 有 隱情？
Unless you… unless you have a secret lover?

juañ-bi, ua tiañ siou-chik sueh leu je-gi-yik gao-chu lueng-chuang
賤婢，我 聽 小七 說 你 這幾日 高處 亂闖
You cheap maid, I heard from Siou-cik that you have been running about these past few days,

huang-li huang-jiang, giu-geng si ui-liou sim-moh?
慌裏 慌張，究竟 是 爲了 什麼？
flustered and bothered, and for what reason?

printed: 何事 (ho-seu) for 什麼

kuai-kuai giang-lai! giang! giang! kuai-kuai giang-lai!
快快 講來！講！講！快快 講來！
Out with it! Quickly, out with it!

五娘 • ngou-nie

dia-dia! dia-dia giñ-ghi, neung-yi ji-ho iñ-si meng-ji
爹爹！爹爹 見疑，女兒 只好 以死 明志
Father! If even my own father has such suspicions, then your daughter can only prove herself through death.

安人 • ang-ying

ai-ia! neung-yi buk-ko! neung-yi buk-koi ia!
哎呀！女兒 不可，女兒 不可！
Aiyah! Daughter, you mustn’t, you mustn’t!

員外 • ueng-ghua

juañ-bi, leu buk-tiañ be meng, jiu-si buk-hao
賤婢，你 不聽 父命，就是 不孝
Cheap maid, you don’t obey your father, that means you are unfilial.

buk-hao jeu neung, si u eu-gu
不孝 之 女，死有餘辜
Unfilial daughters cannot be redeemed even by death.

安人 • ang-ying

neung-yi, neung-yi!
女兒，女兒！
Daughter! Daughter!

僕婦 • bok-hu

ki-bing ueng-ghua, lim-dua-ia ching-jeu joiñ-lai
啓稟 員外，林大爺 親自 前來
Sir, Master Lim-dua has come personally,

iou-giñ ueng-ghua ang-ying
要見 員外 安人
and wishes to meet with Sir and Madam.

員外 • ueng-ghua

ho, jiu lai, lai, hia-lao ba!
好，就來，來，下樓 吧！
Fine, we’ll come. Come, let us go down!

安人 • ang-ying

iah-chung, ho-ho hok-si a-nie!
益春，好好 服侍 阿娘
Iah-cung, take good care of your miss.

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

陳三 • dang-sañ

hieng-mue!
賢妹
Sister!

五娘 • ngou-nie

sañ-hiañ!
三兄！
Brother San!

陳三 • dang-sañ

huang-chai jeu seu, leng-nang ko-geng ko-gam
方才 之事，令人 可敬可感
What happened just now, stirs one to respect and emotion.

yu-u so-meng, beh-keng bhueng-si buk-si
如有 所命，伯卿 萬死不辭
If there were such a command, Beh-keng would not leave even in the face of death.

五娘 • ngou-nie

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

yu-gim gip-hue i yieng-bhai, bho-hang sieñ-sim lui muañ-i
如今 急火 已 燃眉，無限 傷心 淚滿衣
Now the fire has already begun to singe the eyebrows, and in limitless anguish my tears have soaked all my clothes.

lim-ge tang-yiak jai siang-bek, biañ-jiang jek-si chiu di-iñ
林家 倘若 再 相迫，拚 將 一死 酬 知已
Should the Lims want to force it, then we shall pay them in death.

陳三 • dang-sañ

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

señ jek dang-señ si dang-si, mue si ua ia ngueng siang-sui
生 則 同生 死 同死，妹 死 我 亦 願 相隨
If you jump, I jump.

seu-gao yieng-bhai su jeu-guek, joh-chu bhue-bik bho señ-gi
事 到 燃眉 須 自決，絕處 未必 無 生機
At this urgent juncture, we don’t necessarily lack a reprieve.

五娘 • ngou-nie

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

gam-sia sañ-hiañ chim-cheng-ngi, buk-uang pek-geu jek-pieng chi
感謝 三兄 深情義，不枉 碧琚 一片 癡
Heartfelt thanks, Brother San, for your deep affection. Pek-gv’s foolishness was not in vain.

hang-siu ngueng ba jong-sing toh, señ-señ si-si buk hung-li
含羞 願 把 終身 托，生生 世世 不分離
bashfully I am willing to be by your side, a whole life spent unseparated.

陳三 • dang-sañ

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

jek-pieng jing-seng lai meng-si
一片 真誠 來 盟誓
With true intentions let us make an oath.

五娘 • ngou-nie

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

cheu-sim guang-guang tieng ko-di
此心 耿耿 天 可知
This heart is devoted, as Heaven knows.

二人 • ri-nang • together

〔合唱 • hah-chiang • in unison〕

do-tiñ ngueng-jak bi-ek-jiou
在天 願作 比翼鳥
Like a pair of lovebirds in the sky,

do-di ngueng-ui lieng-li-gi
在地 願爲 連理枝
Like intertwined branches on the ground,

hai-gou-jieh-lang cheng bho-jing
海枯石爛 情 無盡
Love without end, lasting until the ocean runs dry and rocks go soft.

海枯石爛 - idiom, “forever”

di-lao-tiñ-huang ji buk-i
地老天荒 志 不移
Our intention never wavering, as the earth grows old and the sky goes desolate.

地老天荒 - idiom, also 天荒地老, “until the end of time”.

益春 • iah-chung

a-nie, a-nie! seu-cheng buk-ho liou!
阿娘，阿娘！事情 不好 了！
Miss! Miss! Bad news!

printed: 小姐 (siou-jia) for 阿娘

五娘 • ngou-nie

ho-seu huang-jiang?
何事 慌張？
What makes you so flustered?

益春 • iah-chung

huang-chai lim-dua joiñ-lai chui-ching
方才 林大 前來 催親
Lim-dua came by just now to seek a marriage date.

ueng-ghua iñ heu ta bung-ghueh jap-boih-yik joiñ-lai ngieng-chu liou
員外 已 許 他 本月 十八日 前來 迎娶 了
Your father told him to come on the eighteenth of this month to perform the ceremony.

五娘 • ngou-nie

jap-boih jiu aiñ ngieng-chu?
十八 就 愛 迎娶？
To be married off on the eighteenth?

printed: 要 (iou) for 愛

益春 • iah-chung

heñ! hung-ki seung-lai ji-u si-tiñ, dañ yu-ho si ho?
嗯！婚期 算來 只有 四天，旦 如何 是 好？
Yes! That is only four days away. What can we do now?

printed: 小姐你看如何是好 (siou-jia leu toiñ yu-ho si ho)

五娘 • ngou-nie

dia dia! leu tai hng-sim liou
爹爹！你 太 狠心 了
Father! You are too cruel.

陳三 • dang-sañ

nie-giañ, seu iñ ging-gip, ji-u ieng-jao gao-bue
娘囝，事 已 緊急，只有 遠走 高飛
Young miss, matters are now become urgent, the only path is to flee.

hueng-si sui ua dang-hueng juañ-jiu
還是 隨 我 同返 泉州
Come back with me to Zuan-ziu.

益春 • iah-chung

a-nie, cheu-si buk-jao, lang-dao do-cheu sok-chiu-tai-bi?
阿娘，此時 不走，難道 在此 束手待斃？
Miss, if we do not leave now, you will be delivering up yourself bound to the execution ground.

束手待斃 - idiom, “resign oneself to death”

五娘 • ngou-nie

ia-ba! gi-si dia-dia yu-cheu joh-cheng, hiuñ-guai neung-yi bho ngi
也罷！既是 爹爹 如此 絕情，休怪 女兒 無義
So be it! Since Father is so heartless, he cannot blame his daughter for being unprincipled.

ua i-sing gi heu-gung, señ-si siang-sui
我 既 以身 許君，生死 相隨
I have dedicated myself to this gentleman, to follow him in life and in death.

陳三 • dang-sañ

(??) gim-me sañ-geñ si-hao…
XX 今夜 三更 時候……
Tonight, at the third watch…

nang sañ-nang…
俺 三人……
We three…

三人同 • san-nang-dang • three in unison

jek-dang ki-sing!
一同 起身！
Shall set forth together!

第七章 • Doin-cik-ziang • Act 7

第二十二場 • doiñ-yi-jap-yi-dieñ • Scene 22

1:54:33

五娘 • ngou-nie

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

jiou-lao gou iñ sañ-geñ jueng
樵褸鼓 已 三更 轉
The watchtower drum has struck the third watch.

gie iah-chung, sok jiañ heng-juang ho dong-sing
叫 益春，速 整 行裝 好 動身
Iah-cung, gather our bags, let us move out.

益春 • iah-chung

heng-juang ja-iñ siu-sip ho liou
行裝 早已 收拾 好了
The bags have long since been packed.

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

hiem se bhuang-liou je-ui dua beng-ying
險 些 忘了 這位 大冰人
Ah, we almost forgot our great matchmakers.

Matchmaker - referring to the lychee branch and handkerchief

陳三 • dang-sañ

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

do-sia li-gi ho siu-pe, chueng-jiang leu seng-jiu ho hung-ing
多謝 荔枝 和 綉帞，全仗 你 成就 好 婚姻
Many thanks to this lychee branch and embroidered handkerchief, it is because of you that we could accomplish this marriage.

五娘 • ngou-nie

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

lim-biek i-i hue-siu mo, chong-gim iong-biek lao-sang-ching
臨別 依依 回首 望，從今 永別 老雙親
In departure I keep reluctantly looking back; from today I say farewell to my parents forever.

益春 • iah-chung

〔唱 • chiang • singing〕

a-nie leu mo giañ-sim, tih-jiang-gung lang-dang u-sim-ying
阿娘 你 莫 驚心，鐵將軍 難擋 有心人
Miss, do not be afraid. Even the Iron General cannot stop people of destiny.

鐵將軍 - padlock on a door (idiomatic expression).

第二十三場 • doiñ-yi-jap-sañ-dieñ • Scene 23

1:57:04

幕外合唱 • mo-ghua-hah-ciang • singing offstage

chong-chuk huam-lang sing jeu-jai
沖出 樊籠 身 自在
Dashing out of the gilded cage, we are free.

buk-pañ gueng-suañ deng jo-ghai
不怕 關山 重 阻礙
Unafraid of the mountains in our way.

u-cheng gim iñ seng gueng-sok
有情 今 已 成 眷屬
Love has made us a family.

nang sañ-nang beng-goiñ hiñ chiu chie ngang kai
俺 三人 併肩 攜手 笑 顏開
We three hand-in-hand, smiles breaking out.

ngiang-mo tieng-kong jiou-hung suañ
仰望 天空 鳥雲 散
Looking up at the sky, the dark clouds are clearing.

ngou-sek jiou-hia bang guang-chai
五色 朝 霞 放 光彩
A multi-colored dawn unleashing its brilliance.

jek-lung ang-yik jieñ-tieng lai
一輪 紅日 上天 來
A bright red sun coming up into the sky.