Passage from The Love Eterne (梁山伯与祝英台)

I was subtitling this short film based on The Love Eterne, a Huangmei opera film adapted from the legend The Butterfly Lovers. Being extra, I decided to render it in iambic pentameter, and here is the result. With thanks to Vorvayne for feedback and mongrelmind and x_los for helpful discussions.

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Simplified Chinese original with English translation:

梁山伯：英台不是女儿身
Liang Shanbo: If Yingtai’s no woman, then tell me this:

因何耳上有环痕
why do your ears bear piercings for earrings?

祝英台：耳环痕有原因
Zhu Yingtai: That mystery’s simple enough to explain;

梁兄何必起疑云
Liang Xiong’s suspicions I can set at ease.

村里酬神多庙会
At home we thanked the gods with yearly feasts,

年年由我扮观音
and ev’ry year they gave me Guanyin’s role.

梁兄做文章要专心
Liang Xiong, a scholar’s heart should lie with his essays.

你前程不想想钗裙
Yet you dream not of future accolades,
but jewelled pins and flowing skirts?

梁山伯：我从此不敢看观音
Liang Shanbo: From now I dare not look on Guanyin’s face.

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Traditional Chinese original with English translation:

梁山伯：英台不是女兒身
Liang Shanbo: If Yingtai’s no woman, then tell me this:

因何耳上有環痕
why do your ears bear piercings for earrings?

祝英台：耳環痕有原因
Zhu Yingtai: That mystery’s simple enough to explain;

梁兄何必起疑雲
Liang Xiong’s suspicions I can set at ease.

村裡酬神多廟會
At home we thanked the gods with yearly feasts,

年年由我扮觀音
and ev’ry year they gave me Guanyin’s role.

梁兄做文章要專心
Liang Xiong, a scholar’s heart should lie with his essays.

你前程不想想釵裙
Yet you dream not of future accolades,
but jewelled pins and flowing skirts?

梁山伯：我從此不敢看觀音
Liang Shanbo: From now I dare not look on Guanyin’s face.