| AND are ye sure the news is true? | |
| And are ye sure he's weel? | |
| Is this the time to think o' wark? | |
| Ye jades, lay by your wheel; | |
| Is this the time to spin a thread, | 5 |
| When Colin's at the door? | |
| Reach down my cloak, I'll to the quay, | |
| And see him come ashore. | |
| For there's nae luck about the house, | |
| There's nae luck at a'; | 10 |
| There's little pleasure in the house | |
| When our gudeman's awa'. | |
| |
| And gie to me my bigonet, | |
| My bishop's satin gown; | |
| For I maun tell the baillie's wife | 15 |
| That Colin's in the town. | |
| My Turkey slippers maun gae on, | |
| My stockins pearly blue: | |
| It's a' to pleasure our gudeman, | |
| For he's baith leal and true. | 20 |
| |
| Rise, lass, and mak' a clean fireside, | |
| Put on the muckle pot; | |
| Gie little Kate her button gown | |
| And Jock his Sunday coat; | |
| And mak' their shoon as black as slaes, | 25 |
| Their hose as white as snaw: | |
| It's a' to please my ain gudeman, | |
| For he's been long awa'. | |
| |
| There's twa fat hens upo' the coop | |
| Been fed this month and mair; | 30 |
| Mak' haste and thraw their necks about, | |
| That Colin weel may fare; | |
| And spread the table neat and clean, | |
| Gar ilka thing look braw, | |
| For wha can tell how Colin fared | 35 |
| When he was far awa'? | |
| |
| Sae true his heart, sae smooth his speech, | |
| His breath like caller air; | |
| His very foot has music in't | |
| As he comes up the stair: | 40 |
| And will I see his face again? | |
| And will I hear him speak? | |
| I'm downright dizzy wi' the thought, | |
| In troth I'm like to greet! | |
| |
| If Colin's weel, and weel content, | 45 |
| I hae nae mair to crave; | |
| And gin I live to keep him sae, | |
| I'm blest aboon the lave: | |
| And will I see his face again, | |
| And will I hear him speak? | 50 |
| I'm downright dizzy wi' the thought, | |
| In troth I'm like to greet! | |
| For there's nae luck about the house, | |
| There's nae luck at a'; | |
| There's little pleasure in the house | 55 |
| When our gudeman's awa'. | |
| |
