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A Man's A Man For A' That

Robert Burns, 1795


Is there for honest Poverty

That hings his head, an' a' that;

The coward slave-we pass him by,

We dare be poor for a' that!

For a' that, an' a' that.

Our toils obscure an' a' that,

The rank is but the guinea's stamp,

The Man's the gowd for a' that.

 

What though on hamely fare we dine,

Wear hoddin grey, an' a that;

Gie fools their silks, and knaves their wine;

A Man's a Man for a' that:

For a' that, and a' that,

Their tinsel show, an' a' that;

The honest man, tho' e'er sae poor,

Is king o' men for a' that.

 

Ye see yon birkie, ca'd a lord,

Wha struts, an' stares, an' a' that;

Tho' hundreds worship at his word,

He's but a coof for a' that:

For a' that, an' a' that,

His ribband, star, an' a' that:

The man o' independent mind

He looks an' laughs at a' that.

 

A prince can mak a belted knight,

A marquis, duke, an' a' that;

But an honest man's abon his might,

Gude faith, he maunna fa' that!

For a' that, an' a' that,

Their dignities an' a' that;

The pith o' sense, an' pride o' worth,

Are higher rank than a' that.

 

Then let us pray that come it may,

(As come it will for a' that,)

That Sense and Worth, o'er a' the earth,

Shall bear the gree, an' a' that.

For a' that, an' a' that,

It's coming yet for a' that,

That Man to Man, the world o'er,

Shall brothers be for a' that.


Standard English translation

 

Is there for honest poverty

That hangs his head, and all that?

The coward slave, we pass him by -

We dare be poor for all that!

For all that, and all that,

Our toils obscure, and all that,

The rank is but the guinea's stamp,

The man's the gold for all that.

 

What though on homely fare we dine,

Wear course grey woolen, and all that?

Give fools their silks, and knaves their wine -

A man is a man for all that.

For all that, and all that,

Their tinsel show, and all that,

The honest man, though ever so poor,

Is king of men for all that.

 

You see yonder fellow called 'a lord,'

Who struts, and stares, and all that?

Though hundreds worship at his word,

He is but a dolt for all that.

For all that, and all that,

His ribboned, star, and all that,

The man of independent mind,

He looks and laughs at all that.

 

A prince can make a belted knight,

A marquis, duke, and all that!

But an honest man is above his might -

Good faith, he must not fault that

For all that, and all that,

Their dignities, and all that,

The pith of sense and pride of worth

Are higher rank than all that.

 

Then let us pray that come it may

(As come it will for a' that)

That Sense and Worth over all the earth

Shall have the first place and all that!

For all that, and all that,

It is coming yet for all that,

That man to man the world over

Shall brothers be for all that.


Interpretation

This most famous song of liberty and independence gives us an enduring image of Robert Burns. It's the provocative and defiant Burns, who laughs in the face of the ruling classes and who openly claims that he, and his people, are as good, if not better, than any of them.

 

It's a sentiment that has characterised the verses of many of Scotland's best poets, from Blind Harry's tales of William Wallace to Hugh MacDiarmid's 20th Century rants. It's the same sentiment that packs the punch in the Declaration of Arbroath: that although the Scots are poor and harried by more powerful neighbours, what they should always strive for is freedom and independence.


 
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