Mellow the moonlight to shine is Close by the window Eileen is spinning Bent o'er the fire her grandmother sitting is crooning and moaning and knitting.
cho: cheerily noisily whirring the wheel spins the wheel while the foot's stirring Sprightly and lightly and merrily the sweet voice of the young maiden singing.
Eileen, a chara, I hear someone 'Tis the ivy dear against the glass flapping Eileen, I surely hear sighing 'Tis the sound mother dear of the autumn dying.
There's a form at the casement, the form of her true And he whispers with face bent, I'm for you love Get up on the stool, through the lattice lightly And we'll in the grove while the moon's shining brightly.
cho: Merrily cheerily whirring the wheel spins the wheel while the foot's stirring Sprightly and lightly and merrily Sounds the sweet of the young maiden singing.
The maid shakes her head, on her lips lays her up from the seat, longs to go and yet lingers A frightened glance to her drowsy grandmother Puts one foot on the spins the wheel with the other
Lazily, easily, swings now the round Slowly and is heard now the reel's sound Noiseless and light to the lattice her The maid steps, then to the arms of her lover.
Slower and slower, and the wheel swings Lower and lower, and the reel rings there the reel and the wheel their spinning and moving The grove the young lovers by are roving.