source: http://www3.clearlight.com/~acsa/introjs.htm?/~acsa/songfile/MANOFCON.HTM

The earliest known appearance of this song is under the title "Farewell Song" in a 
1913 songbook by Richard Burnett, a blind Kentucky-born musician. When he was asked 
in an interview whether he wrote, he said "No, I think I got the ballet [sic] from 
somebody -- I dunno. It may be my song... "

Burnett's lyrics are:

    I am a man of constant sorrow
    I've seen trouble all of my days
    I'll bid farewell to old Kentucky
    The place where I was born and raised

    Oh, six long year I've been blind, friends
    My pleasures here on earth are done
    In this world I have to ramble
    For I have no parents to help me now

    So fare you well my own true lover
    I fear I never see you again
    For I'm bound to ride the Northern railroad
    Perhaps I'll die upon the train

    Oh, you may bury me in some deep valley
    For many year there I may lay
    Oh, when you're dreaming while you're slumbering
    While I am sleeping in the clay

    Oh, fare you well to my native country
    The place where I have loved so well
    For I have all kinds of trouble
    In this vain world no tongue can tell

    Dear friends, although I may be a stranger
    My face you may never see no more
    But there's a promise that is given
    Where we can meet on that beautiful shore

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other lyrics found on the web:

I am a man of constant sorrow
I've seen trouble all my day.
I bid farewell to old Kentucky
The place where I was born and raised.
(The place where he was born and raised)

For six long years I've been in trouble
No pleasures here on earth I found
For in this world I'm bound to ramble
I have no friends to help me now.

[chorus] He has no friends to help him now

It's fare thee well my old lover
I never expect to see you again
For I'm bound to ride that northern railroad
Perhaps I'll die upon this train.

[chorus] Perhaps he'll die upon this train.

You can bury me in some deep valley
For many years where I may lay
Then you may learn to love another
While I am sleeping in my grave.

[chorus] While he is sleeping in his grave.

Maybe your friends think I'm just a stranger
My face you'll never see no more.
But there is one promise that is given
I'll meet you on God's golden shore.

[chorus] He'll meet you on God's golden shore.