"A Man's A Man for A' That"
Song
Songwriter(s)Robert Burns

"A Man's a Man for A' That", also known as "Is There for Honest Poverty" or "For a' That and a' That", is a 1795[1] song by Robert Burns, written in Scots and English, famous for its expression of egalitarian ideas of society, which may be seen as expressing the ideas of republicanism that arose in the 18th century.

Scottish folksinger Sheena Wellington sang the song at the opening of the Scottish Parliament in May 1999.[2][3] Midge Ure did the same in July 2016.[4] The song was also sung at the funeral of Donald Dewar, the inaugural First Minister of Scotland. It is also known in translations into other European languages, for example the German "Trotz alledem" by Ferdinand Freiligrath, which was widely used during the German Revolutions of 1848.

The words "pride o' worth" appear on the crest of the Scottish Qualifications Authority.

Poem

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 hodden 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.

Recordings

See also

References

  1. ↑ A Man's A Man For A' That, Burns Country
  2. ↑ "Scottish Parliament Opening: In tune with the people". BBC News. 1 July 1999. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  3. ↑ A Man's A Man For A' That (Opening of Scottish Parliament) - Sheena Wellington. youtube.com. Archived from the original on 2021-12-12. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  4. ↑ Midge Ure performs the Robert Burns song "A Man’s a Man for A’ That". youtube.com. Archived from the original on 2021-12-12. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
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