Traditional: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

My bonnie Wife

Traditional

“My bonnie Wife” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 279 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

Oh, weel I mind the happy days,

The days o' youthfu' love and pride,

When 'mang the glens and heath'ry braes

I woo'd and won my bonnie bride;

And weel I mind the blessed time,

When Hymen wove the nuptial spell,

And waken'd joys whilk few but they

Far, far an' owre in heav'n can tell.

My bonnie wife—the charm o' life,

She's than than India's gowd to me,

Oh! blessings on my bonnie wife,

I'll like her till the day I dee.

She's aye sae blythe when I come hame,

Sae glad o' e'e, sae sweet o' mou',

The saft voice o' my couthie dame

Is kinder than the turtle's coo.

And then she's aye sae gude and meek

That angel's e'en her heart might see,

I think its maistly for her sake

Contentment likes to dwell wi' me.

When gay young frien's come down the gate

Or aiblins been auid birkie's ca',

Our wee bit cot she mak's sae neat,

It's no that unco-like ava:

For though we brag nae routh o' braws,

Nor count wi' daintier folks to shine,

Her form mak's up for pictured wa's,

Her face gars ilka thing look fine.

And when around the fire at night

Our wee love-doos come todling ben,

There's something gars my heart beat light—

A-maist owre rich for mortal ken!

The skies without may smile or frown,

But still our cheerie hearth's the same;

Like birds that aye gang wi' the sun,

We've simmer a' the year at hame.

Lang may the rose bloom on her cheek,

The star o' joy light up her e'e;

Lang may the smile play on her lip,

And a' that's gude her portion be.

And when the sun o' life gaes down,

May gowden glories light her rest,

And endless joys, the earth aboon,

Mak' her the liappiest o' the blest.

My bonnie wife—the charm o' life,

She's mair than India's gowd to me,

Oh! blessings on my bonnie wife,

I'll like her till the day I dee.

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, “My bonnie Wife”

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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