Altan – An Cailín Gaelach lyrics

B'áite liom féin 'bheith ar thaobh mhalaí shléibhe
'Gus cailín gaelach a bheith 'mo chomhair
Bheinn a bréagadh 's a teannadh léithe
'Gus dar liom féin, 'riú, gur dheas ar ndóigh

Ag éirí domh féin ar maidin an lae ghil
'S mé gabhail fá'n choill chraobhaigh 's mé seoladh bó
Tharlaigh domh an spéirbhean 'na suí ar an léana
'S a fallaing léithe 's í lán de ghnó

D'fhiafraigh mé díthe go ciúin is go ceillí
An nglacfaidh tú póg uaim, a stór mo chroí?
D'oscail sí a béilín 'gus labhair sí Bearla
'S é dúirt sí, "Pray sir, and let me be"

Is maith an airí ar na buaibh a shantú
'Gus bheinnse 'a seoladh amuigh sa lá
Im agus bainne iad, ar theacht a' tsamhraidh
'S mar gheall ar bhólacht a phóstar mná

TRANSLATION
I'd love to be on a sloping hillside
With an Irish girl by my side
I'd coax and tease her and draw her nearer
No happier state can I visualize

As I rode out when day was dawning
To herd the kine by the leafy glade
I espied a damsel on the pasture seated
With hazel nuts in her mantle tied

I gently spoke to this pretty maiden
And would like to kiss her if she'd agree
She answered softly and spoke in English
And uttered, "Pray sir, and let me be"

The herds deserve to be craved and cared for
And I would herd them the live long day
They give fresh milk and churning through the summer
And for stocks of kine sure, young maidens wed