Sèist: Chorus (after each verse):
Ged a sheòl mi air m' aineol
Although I sailed to foreign countries
Cha laigh smalan air mi' inntinn
Sadness did not linger in my mind
Ged a sheòl mi air m' aineol
Although I sailed to foreign countries
'S ann à Boston a sheòl sinn
We sailed from Boston
Dol air bhoidse chun na h-Ìnnsinn
On a voyage to the Indies
Rinn sinn còrdadh ri captain W
e came to an agreement with a skipper
Air a' bhàrc a bha rìomhach
Of a handsome ship
Trì latha roimh na Nollaig
Three days before Christmas
Thàinig oirnn an droch shìde
Bad weather descended upon us
Shèid i cruaidh oirnn le frasan
The wind blew strongly with rain
'S clachan mheallain a bha millteach
And stinging hailstones
Cha robh ròpa 's cha robh òirleach
When the inch-thick ropes froze
Nuair a reoth ann nach robh trì ann
They became three inches in girth
Chaill sinn craiceann ar làmhan
We lost the skin of our hands
Bha ar gàirdeanan sgìth dheth
And our arms were tired of the struggle
Cha còignear nan seasamh
Five of the crewmembers were standing
'S bha seachdnar nan sìneadh
And seven were p***e
Trì latha is trì oidhche
I spent three days and three nights
'S mi ri chuibhle ri droch shìde
At the wheel during the storm
Nuair a labhair an captain
That is when the skipper said
"Illean tapaidh na dìobraibh
"Do not yield, stout-hearted lads
Nuair a ruigeas sibh cala
When you reach port
Bidh ur drama dhuibh cinnteach
"Your dram will be certain"
Tha lionn-diubh aig mo mhàthair
My mother is dejected
Is dùil aic' nach till mi
Because she does not expect me to return
Ged a sheòl mi air m' aineol
Although I sailed to foreign countries
Cha laigh smalan air mi' inntinn
Sadness did not linger in my mind
Ged a sheòl mi air m' aineol
Although I sailed to foreign countries
'S ann à Boston a sheòl sinn
We sailed from Boston
Dol air bhoidse chun na h-Ìnnsinn
On a voyage to the Indies
Rinn sinn còrdadh ri captain W
e came to an agreement with a skipper
Air a' bhàrc a bha rìomhach
Of a handsome ship
Trì latha roimh na Nollaig
Three days before Christmas
Thàinig oirnn an droch shìde
Bad weather descended upon us
Shèid i cruaidh oirnn le frasan
The wind blew strongly with rain
'S clachan mheallain a bha millteach
And stinging hailstones
Cha robh ròpa 's cha robh òirleach
When the inch-thick ropes froze
Nuair a reoth ann nach robh trì ann
They became three inches in girth
Chaill sinn craiceann ar làmhan
We lost the skin of our hands
Bha ar gàirdeanan sgìth dheth
And our arms were tired of the struggle
Cha còignear nan seasamh
Five of the crewmembers were standing
'S bha seachdnar nan sìneadh
And seven were p***e
Trì latha is trì oidhche
I spent three days and three nights
'S mi ri chuibhle ri droch shìde
At the wheel during the storm
Nuair a labhair an captain
That is when the skipper said
"Illean tapaidh na dìobraibh
"Do not yield, stout-hearted lads
Nuair a ruigeas sibh cala
When you reach port
Bidh ur drama dhuibh cinnteach
"Your dram will be certain"
Tha lionn-diubh aig mo mhàthair
My mother is dejected
Is dùil aic' nach till mi
Because she does not expect me to return