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Translation
Index

Ballads On Mr. Heron's Election, 1795

Ballad First

 

Burns Original

Standard English Translation

TUNE: For a' that
1.
Wham will we send to London town,
To Parliament and a' that?
Or wha in a' the country round
The best deserves to fa' that?
For a' that, and a' that,
Thro' Galloway and a' that,
Where is the Laird or belted Knight
That best deserves to fa' that?
2.
Wha sees Kerroughtree's open yett -
And wha is't never saw that? -
Wha ever wi' Kerroughtree met,
And had a doubt of a' that?
For a' that, and a' that,
Here's Heron yet for a' that,
The independent patriot,
The honest man, and a' that!
3.
Tho' wit and worth, in either sex,
Saint Mary's Isle can shaw that,
Wi' Lords and Dukes let Selkirk mix,
And weel does Selkirk fa' that.
For a' that, and a' that,
Here's Heron yet for a' that,
An independent commoner
Shall be the man for a' that.
4.
But why should we to Nobles jeuk,
And it against the law, that,
And even a Lord may be a gowk,
Wi' ribban, star, and a' that?
For a' that, and a' that,
Here's Heron yet for a' that,
A Lord may be a lousy loon,
Wi' ribban, star, and a' that?
5.
A beardless boy comes o'er the hills
Wi' uncle's purse and a' that;
But we'll hae ane frae 'mang oursels,
A man we ken, and a' that.
For a' that, and a' that,
Here's Heron yet for a' that,
We are na to be bought and sold,
Like nowte, and naigs, and a' that.
6.
Then let us drink:- ' The Stewartry,
Kerroughtree's laird, and a' that,
Our representative to be':
For weel he's worthy a' that!
For a' that, and a' that,
Here's Heron yet for a' that,
A House of Commons such as he,
They wad be blest that saw that.

TUNE: For all that

Whom will we send to London town,
To Parliament and all that?
Or who in all the country round
The best deserves to have that?
For all that, and all that,
Through Galloway and all that,
Where is the Laird or belted Knight
That best deserves to have that?

Who sees Kerroughtree's open gate -
And who is it never saw that? -
Who ever with Kerroughtree met,
And had a doubt of all that?
For all that, and all that,
Here is Heron yet fo all that,
The independent patriot,
The honest man, and all that!

Though wit and worth, in either sex,
Saint Mary's Isle can show that,
With Lords and Dukes let Selkirk mix,
And well does Selkirk suit that.
For all that, and all that,
Here is Heron yet for all that,
An independent commoner
Shall be the man for all that.

But why should we to Nobles bend,
And it against the law, that,
And even a Lord may be a fool,
With ribbon, star, and all that?
For all that, and all that,
Here is Heron yet for all that,
A Lord may be a lousy rascal,
With ribbon, star, and all that?

A beardless boy comes over the hills
With his uncle's purse and all that;
But we will have one from among ourselves,
A man we know, and all that.
For all that, and all that,
Here is Heron yet for all that,
We are not to be bought and sold,
Like cattle, and horses, and all that.

Then let us drink:- ' The Stewartry,
Kerroughtree's laird, and all that,
Our representative to be':
For well he is worthy all that!
For all that, and all that,
Here is Heron yet for all that,
A House of Commons such as he,
They would be blessed that saw that.

 

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