Mellow, the moonlight to shine is begining Close by the window young Eileen is spinning Bent o'er the fire, her blind grandmother sitting Crooning and moaning and drowsily knitting
Merrily, cheerily, noiselessly whirring Swings the wheel, spins the wheel, while the foot's stirring Sprightly and lightly and airily ringing Sounds the sweet voice of the young maiden singing
Eileen, a chara, I hear someone tapping 'Tis the ivy dear mother, against the glass flapping Eileen I surely hear someone is sighing 'Tis the sound mother dear of the autumn winds dying
Merrily, cheerily, noiselessly whirring Swings the wheel, spins the wheel, while the foot's stirring Sprightly and lightly and airily ringing Sounds the sweet voice of the young maiden singing
There's a form at the casement, the form of her true love And he whispers with face bent 'I'm waiting for you love' Get up from the stool, through the lattice step lightly And we'll rove in the grove while the moon's shining brightly
Merrily, cheerily, noiselessly whirring Swings the wheel, spins the wheel, while the foot's stirring Sprightly and lightly and airily ringing Sounds the sweet voice of the young maiden singing
The maid shakes her head, on her lip lays her fingers Steals up from the stool, longs to go and yet lingers A frightened glance turns to her drowsy grandmother Put's one foot on the stool, spins the wheel with the other
Merrily, cheerily, noiselessly whirring Swings the wheel, spins the wheel, while the foot's stirring Sprightly and lightly and airily ringing Sounds the sweet voice of the young maiden singing
Lazily, easily, swings now the wheel round Slowly and lowly is heard now the reel's sound Noiseless and light to the lattice above her The maid steps then leaps to the arms of her lover
Merrily, cheerily, noiselessly whirring Swings the wheel, spins the wheel, while the foot's stirring Sprightly and lightly and airily ringing Sounds the sweet voice of the young maiden singing
Slower and slower and slower the wheel swings Lower and lower and lower the reel rings Ere the reel and the wheel stop their ringing and moving Through the grove the young lovers by moonlight are roving
Merrily, cheerily, noiselessly whirring Swings the wheel, spins the wheel, while the foot's stirring Sprightly and lightly and airily ringing Sounds the sweet voice of the young maiden singing