1. Ailein duinn a ni ‘s naire |
Dark-haired Alan, my dearest jewel |
2. ’S goirt ‘s gur daor a phaigh mi mal dhut |
Endless grief the rent it cost me |
3. Cha chrodh laoigh ‘s cha chaoraich bhana |
’Twas neither sheep nor even cattle |
4. Cha bu chlachan ‘s cha bi chais’ e |
Neither cheese nor even ballast |
5. Ach an luchd a thaom am bata |
But the load the ship took with her |
6. Bha m’athair oirre ‘s mo thriur bhraithrean |
Brothers three and my own father |
7. ‘S laoigh mo chium a rinn mi arach |
Gone my child grown to manhood |
8. Chan e sin gu leir a chraidh mi |
As if this wan’t all my burden |
9. Ach am fear a ghlac air laimh mi |
One to whom my heart was given |
10. Leathanach a’bhroillich bhainghil |
Skin like snow, McLean, my own one |
11. A thug o’n chlachan Di-mairt mi |
Took me from the church on Tuesday |
12. Fhaoileag bheag thu, fhaoileag mhar’ thu |
Seagull, seagull from the ocean |
13. Thig a nall is innis naidheachd |
Come to me and tell me plainly |
14. Cait an d’fhag thu na fir geala? |
Where you left my own, those fair ones? |
15. Dh’fhag mi iad ‘s an eilein mhara |
Left alone with sea surrounding |
16. Cul ri cul is iad gun anail |
Back-to-back, no longer breathing |
17. O gur mise th’air mo sgaradh? |
What is it that so torments me? |
18. Gu bheil do leabaidh anns an fheamainn |
That your bed should be the seaweed |
19. Gur iad na roin do luchd faire |
None but seals to be your mourners |
20. Do choinnlean ard na reultan geala |
Stars on high to be your candles |
21. ‘S do cheol fidhle gaoir na mara |
The murmuring sea your song of passing |