The Book of Scottish Song/For a' that 1

For a’ that.

[Written by Burns in 1794, and in January, 1795, sent to Thomson with the following observation. "A great critic (Aikin) on songs, says that love and wine are the exclusive themes for song-writing. The following is on neither subject, and consequently is no song; but will be allowed, I think, to be two or three pretty good prose thoughts inverted into rhyme."]

Is there, for honest poverty,
That hangs his head, and a' that?
The coward-slave, we pass bim by;
We dare be puir, for a' that,
For a' that, and a' that,
Our toils obscure, and a' that,
The rank is but the guinea-stamp—
The man's the gowd, for a' that.

What though on hamely Sire we dine,
Wear hoddin-grey, and a' that?
Gi'e fools their silks, and knaves their wine;
A man's a man, for a' that;
For a' that, and a' that,
Their tinsel show, and a' that,
The honest man, though e'er sae puir,
Is king o' men, for a' that.

Ye see yon birkie, ca'd a lord,
Wha struts, and stares, and a' that;
Though hundreds worship at his word,
He's but a cuif, for a' that.
For a' that, and a' that,
His ribbon, star, and a' that,
The man of independent mind,
He looks and laughs at a' that.

A king can make a belted knight,
A marquis, duke, and a' that;
But an honest man's aboon his might,
Gude faith, he maunna fa' that!
For a' that, and a' that,
Their dignities, and a' that,
The pith o' sense, the pride o' worth,
Are higher ranks 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,
May bear the gree, and a' that,
For a' that, and a' that,
It's comin' yet, for a' that,
That man to man, the warld o'er,
Shall brothers be, for a' that.

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