‘S a Johnny Seoighe, tuig mo ghlórtha
[Sa Johnny Shoygya, tchig mo ghlor-ha]
Oh Johnny Joyce, heed my voice

‘S mé tiocht le dóchas fán do dhéin
[Smey tee-akht le doe-khas fawn do gheyn]
As I come to you full of hope

Mar is tú an Réalt Eolais is deise lóchrainn
[Mar iss tu unn Reyalt Oh-lish iss dyeshuh loe-khrann]
As it’s you are the Star of Knowledge, the brightest beacon

As mo chúile ag Teampall Dé.
[Ahs mo khoola egg champall jey.]
My eye has encountered in the Temple of God.

Is tú bláth na hóige, is binne glórtha
[Iss tu blaw nuh hoygya iss binna ghlor-ha]
You are the flower of youth, of the finest talk

Dar leag mo shúil ó rugadh mé
[Dar a lagg mo hool oh rug-oo mey]
That my eye has seen since I was born

Agus as ucht Chríost, is tabhair dom relief
[Aguss as ukht a khreest, iss tawer dom relief]
And for the love of Christ, grant me relief

Nó go gcaitear Oíche Nollag féin.
[No go gatchair ee-hya nollig heyn.]
Or at least until Christmas Eve is over.

Agus lá arna mhárach a fuair mé an páipéar
[Aguss law arna warakh a foo-er mey unn pawpair]
And on the next day I got the piece of paper

‘S nach mé a bhí sásta, ‘s mé a goil chun siúil
[snakh mey a vee sawsta, smey a gull khunn shyool]
And I wasn’t happy, me going on my way

Ach ‘s ní bhfuair mé freagra ar bith an lá sin
[akh snee voo-air mey fragra air bih unn law shin]
But I got no answer at all that day

Ach mo bhean ‘s mo pháistí, is iad amuigh faoin drúcht.
[Akh mo vann smo fawshtee, seead amee fween drukht.]
But my wife and my children left out under the dew.

Tá mé bruite, dóite, sciúrtha, feannta,
[Taw mey brutcha, do-itcha, shkyoorha, fannta]
I am tired, bitter, lashed, frozen

Liobraithe, gearrtha le neart an tsiúil
[,Lyabrihe, gyairha leh nyart unn a tyool]
Upset and lacerated with the force of the walking

Is a Mhisther Joyce tá an workhouse lán
[Iss a vister Joyce, taw unn workhouse lawn]
And Mister Joyce, the workhouse is full

Is ní ghlacfar ann aon fhear níos mó.
[Iss nee ghlacfar aun ane arr nees moe.]
And they won’t accept one more man.

‘S nach mór an chlúi do bhaile Chárna
[snakh a mor unn khlu do wallya Kharna]
It is a great source of fame to the village of Carna

An fhad ‘s tá an lánúin seo a goil thríd
[Unn ahd staw unn lawnoon a sho a gull hreed]
As long as this couple is passing through

‘S gur deise aille scéimh na mná
[Sgur dyesha allya shkeyv nuh mraw]
For the woman’s appearance is as fine

Ná an “Morning Star” nuair a shoilsionn sí
[Naw unn Morning Star noo-air a hy-illsheen she]
As the Morning Star when it rises

Tá an bhánríon tinn, is í, lag ina luí
[Taw unn wanreen tchinn, is ee, lag ina lah-ee]
The queen is ill and lying low

‘S deir dochtúirí go bhfaighidh sí bás
[sjair dokhtooree guh wee shee bawss]
The doctors say that she will die

‘S go bé fios an údair go réir mar deir siad liomsa
[sgo bey fiss unn udair guh rair mar jair shee-ad lumsa]
The reason for it all as they said it to me

Nuair nach bhfuil sí póstá le Mister Joyce.
[Noo-air nakh will shee posta leh Mister Joyce.]
That she is not married with Mister Joyce.