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138 Cantonese Love Songs You must really forgive me. Do not, without even speaking a word to me, veer your heart away from mine. Song 67 Why Are You So Thin? Why are you so thin? It makes others pity you. I believe you are grieved because of your passion. I see you are so thin you can scarcely carry the weight of your clothes; your features have changed. I advise you to see through the word 'dissipationlJ67 for what it is; do not be so spell-bound by it; Lovesickness will play havoc with your spirit. See how the madly infatuated butterfly dreams in the flower's boudoir [i.e. the house of entertainment]! Although your love be extremely deep, do not indulge too much. You must take thought. Do not say all you want is dissipation and that you are not afraid your life will be shortened. Let me ask you, 'In one life how many persons can you tie your destiny to?1J68 Song 68 My Darling My darling! Do not be so quarrelsome. Actually my anger brings on headaches. When you see a beautiful girl, why do you pay such special attention to her? I know that you have been callous for a long time; and that you have grown tired of me, because I watch you jealously; 167 See Songs 1 (Part 2), line 9; 7, line 11. 168 See Song 68, line 9. 138 Cantonese Love Songs You must really forgive me. Do not, without even speaking a word to me, veer your heart away from mine. Song 67 Why Are You So Thin? Why are you so thin? It makes others pity you. I believe you are grieved because of your passion. I see you are so thin you can scarcely carry the weight of your clothes; your features have changed. I advise you to see through the word 'dissipation'167 for what it is; do not be so spell-bound by it; Lovesickness will play havoc with your spirit. See how the madly infatuated butterfly dreams in the flower's boudoir [i.e. the house of entertainment]! Although your love be extremely deep, do not indulge too much. You must take thought. Do not say all you want is dissipation and that you are not afraid your life will be shortened. Let me ask you, 'In one life how many persons can you tie your destiny to?'168 Song 68 My Darling My darling! Do not be so quarrelsome. Actually my anger brings on headaches. When you see a beautiful girl, why do you pay such special attention to her? I know that you have been callous for a long time; and that you have grown tired of me, because I watch you jealously; 167 See Songs 1 (Part 2), line 9; 7, line 11. 168 See Song 68, line 9. The Songs 139 I have noticed that recently you have not even one-third of the feeling you once used to have for me. From the time we first met until now, because of you, all day I suffer distress and anxiety; The vows you made to me in the beginning were empty; today you have broken your pledge. I had hoped to have a lover I could rely on; But it seems to me no man is single-hearted.169 I say I will not bother about you; but die and seek are-birth ... But thinking over it, I will not do anything so foolish. For what would I gain by leaving the world of human pleasures and dying in vain? I remember - but you do not - the moment of our first meeting; Why did you deceive me for so long? You only wanted a new plaything . Now, mend your ways and become a 'new man', and we two will share our marriage destiny.170 Ah! How impatient I am! Do not allow men to call you a fickle lover; Change your heart and treat me with tenderness. I think I am subservient, my benefactor. Song 69 No Easy Task It is no easy task, my dearest! Can you understand my feelings of bitter distress? More cruel is the wound of lusting with you [Le. the courtesan] day and night than that of a sharp knife. Recently I see the number of your familiar 'guests' has declined and no new'guests' are coming; On neither side [i.e. with neither old nor new 'guests'] are you successful ; water and oil...

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