Thad lenti í drætti, - It was quite a delay
ad módir mín mig ætti, - When my mother had me
thvi hún var svo gískid grey. - But then she's such a slender sort
En læknrinn var sóttur, - The doctor was fetched
og loksins ól hún dóttur, - And finally her daughter was born
og thád sést ekki sætari mey. - And none had ever seen a sweeter girl
En pabbi var sjaálfur, - My father spent usually
á sjónum alltaf hálfur, - His time at sea half-drunk
svo hann gat ekki lengur sagt nei. - But he could not deny me
Fyrst var hann mjög sleginn, - At first he was rather shocked
en seinna sagdi hann feginn. - But then he said, relieved
Ad thad sést ekki sætari mey. - None shall ever see a sweeter girl
Sætari mey, - Such a sweet girl
sætari mey, - Such a sweet girl
nei thad sést ekki sætari mey. - There is no sweeter girl
Og fyrr en mig vardi, - Before I knew it
hver strákur á mig stardi, - Every boy would gaze at me
eins og stelpur á gleym-mér-ei. - As girls gaze at Forget-Me-Nots
Their fóru ad skjálfa, - They'd shiver
og sögdu vid sig sjálfa, - And say to themselves
hún er sorglega stygg, - She's hard to get -
en mjóg trygg, ad ég hygg, - But very loyal, I think
og thad sést ekki sætari mey. - And there is no sweeter girl
Ég lærdi i bernsku, - I learned quite early
ad blikkaá finni ensku, - To speak proper English
og min söngrödd var sweet and gay. - And my song was sweet and gay
En vestur á landi, - But while out west
ég lenti í hjónabandi. - I stumbled into marriage
Thad er sorglegt fyrir sidprúda mey - It was sad for such a nice girl
Hann lagdi í sinn vana, - He was used to
ad elska* Ameríkana, - Loving American girls
svo ég kyssti hann og sagdi OK. - So I kissed him and said OK
En illt var í efni, - Then I discovered deceit
hann var ódamála í svefni, - When he spoke in his sleep
og thá reyndist hann, - And I found out
ramm islenskt grey. - He was very Icelandic after all
Islenskt grey, - Just a poor Icelander
islenskt grey, - Just a poor Icelander
sem ásædist islenska mey. - Who wanted an Icelandic girl
En nú er önnur öldin, - Everything has since changed
ég dansa kát á kvöldin, - Now I go dancing every night
og thiy kalla mig gleym-mér-ei. - And boys call me Forget-Me-Not
Og piltarnir their skjálfa, - And they shiver
their segja vid sig sjálfa, - They say to themselves
nei, thú setydir mér blossandi ást. - No, you send me currents of love
Thvílíkt hnoss! - Such luck!
Thvi thad sést ekki sætari mey. - Since there is no sweeter girl.