The water is deep, I can't swim o'er,
And neither have I wings to fly,
Build me a boat that will carry two,
And boat shall row my love and I.

There is a ship and she sails the sea,
She sails so deep, as deep can be,
But not so deep as the love I'm in,
And I know not how I'll sail or swim.

I leaned my back against an oak,
Thinking it was the strongest tree,
But first it bended and then it broke,
And that's the way love treated me.

For love is handsome and love is fine,
Gay as a jewel when first it's new,
But love grows old and waxes cold,
And fades away like morning jewels.

The water is deep, I can't swim o'er,
And neither have I wings to fly,
Build me a boat that will carry two,
And boat shall row my love and I.