If
all the ships I have at sea
Should
come a-sailing home to me,
From
sunny lands, and lands of cold,
Ah,
well! the harbor could not hold
So
many sails as there would be
If
all my ships came in from sea.
If
half my ships came home from sea,
And
brought their precious freight to me,
Ah,
well! I should have wealth as great
As
any king who sits in state,
So
rich the treasures that would be
In
half my ships now out at sea.
If
just one ship I have at sea
Should
come a-sailing home to me,
Ah,
well! the storm clouds then might frown,
for
if the others all went down
Still
rich and proud and glad I'd be,
If
that one ship came back to me.
If
that one ship were down at sea,
And
all the others came to me,
Weighed
down with gems and wealth untold,
With
glory, honor, riches, gold,
The
poorest soul on earth I'd be.
If
that one ship came not to me.
O
skies be calm! O winds blow free----
Blow
all my ships safe home to me.
But
if thou sendest some awrack
To
never more come sailing back,
Send
any - all that skim the sea -
But
bring my love-ship home to me