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.