The Girl I Left Behind

There was a wealthy old farmer
以前有個富有的老農
That lived in a county nearby.
住離我不遠的小鎮
He had a lovin' daughter,
他有個可愛的女兒
On her my (sic) cast my eye.
啊！我對她一見傾心
She was pretty fair an' handsome
她很漂亮
And did so very fine.
她很善良
There wasn't a girl in the county
小鎮上沒有哪個女孩
With her that could compare.
能和她媲美

我問她是否願意
I asked her if she'd be willing
讓我先渡過自己的苦難
To let me cross over the plains.
她說好
She said it would be alright with her
我又回到了她身邊
Just so I'd return again.
她說她真心愛我
She said that she'd be true to me
至死不渝（但是這樣對她）有點殘忍
Till death would be unkind.
我們接吻、握手、然後分開
We kissed, shook hands, and parted.
我離開了我心愛的姑娘
I left my girl behind.
在西邊兒的一個城市，各位

有個你們都知道的小鎮
Out in a western city, boys,
那裡的人們都很友善
A town you all know well,
他們帶我在鎮上走走看看
Where everyone was friendly,
這里工作多、錢也好賺
They'd show me all around.
這裡的姑娘對我也很好
The work an' money was plentiful,
但我心裡想著的
And the girls to me were kind.
是那被我留下的女孩
But the only girl I thought about
有天我無所事事地閒逛
Was the girl I'd left behind.
在小廣場上

有個郵車向我駛來
One day when I was ramblin' 'round
車上下來個郵遞員
Down by the public square,
給了我封信，讓我慢慢看
The mail coach it came in,
那個被我留在德克薩斯的女孩
And I met the mail bearer (PRONOUNCED 'bar') there.
她已和別人結了婚
He handed me a letter, gave me to understand
我在原地轉來轉去
That the girl I left in old Texas
不知道該做些啥
She married another man.
跌跌撞撞往前走了幾步

還在懷疑這信的真假
I turned myself all around and around
我覺得天旋地轉
Not knowing what else todo.
手裡握著信
I rid down a little pace further,
我唯一愛過的
Just to see if these words were true.
就是那被我拋棄的女孩
It's drinkin' I throw over,
各位各位靠近點
Card playin' I'll resign,
你們聽我說
For the only girl I ever did love
朋友們，也許(我說的)這些對你沒啥好處
Was the girl I left behind.
但也沒啥壞處

如果你遇到那個心愛的姑娘
Come around, you ramblin' gamblin' men,
一定要和她在一起
And listen while I tell.
也許等你渡過苦難
If it does to you no good, kind friends,
她卻已嫁給了別人
I'm a-sure it will do you no harm.
If you ever find you a fair young maid,
Just marry her while you can.

For if you ever cross over the plain,
she'll marry another man.