Traditional: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Fare thee weel

Traditional

“Fare thee weel” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 110 1843 · historical text
Public domainScottish songFolk
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Book of Scottish Song, edited by Alexander Whitelaw, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

Fare thee weel, my bonnie lass,

Fare thee weel, my ain lassie!

Monie a day maun come and pass,

Ere we shall meet again, Lassie!

Monie a chance and monie a change,

Ere that lang day we'll see, lassie!

But where'er my feet may range,

My heart shall be with thee, lassie!

Fair may bloom my future bower,

On some far Indian isle, lassie!

Rich and rare its fruit and flower,

My wearie hours may wile, lassie!

But the burn and hazel brae,

Where we sae aft ha'e met, lassie;

I for ever may foregae,

But never can forget, lassie!

Whate'er betide—where'er betake,

My lot 'mid strangers cast, lassie!

Joy may come, but never make

The present like the past, lassie!

Fare thee weel! the future will

Through peril, toil, and pain, lassie,

Bring me back, to find thee still

In faithful love my ain lassie!

Credits

Written by Traditional

Traditional words. Historical text published in The Book of Scottish Song (1843); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Book of Scottish Song (1843), edited by Alexander Whitelaw, “Fare thee weel”

Every contribution in this 1843 anthology predates modern copyright terms by more than a century; any contributor died at least 130 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide (life+70 terms expired no later than 2020).

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-12. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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