I have an early Burns Supper this evening (it should be tomorrow) so have spent my lunch hour between reading some Burns and catching up on the news of Peter Hain's resignation. Burn's prescience about human nature is well known but given Peter's troubles not to mention Labour's over the last few months I thought this extract from 'Is There for Honest Poverty' particularly poignant.
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 cuif 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 aboon his might
Guid faith, he mauna 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.
...and although I'd dearly love to claim that I got this first time and my grasp of 18th century Scots is complete it isn't so - here's a rough translation:
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.
3 Comments:
Now that's just classic!
Leave poor Peter alone - he's being pilloried because of the pathetic performance of his Private Pension Fund.
The poetry of Burns is timeless. That's why he's celebrated still.
Try "Ae fond kiss" (and then we sever)
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