A Man's a Man for A' That

Wirds an muisic o the sang

The Scots sang 'Is There For Honest Poverty' by Robert Burns is better kent as 'A Man's A Man For A' That', an is weel kent foir its expressin o egalitarian norries o society, that can be seen as anteecipatin the ideas o leeberalism that cam about ben the 18t century. Thir poems haes mony freemasonic ideals an seembols an aa.

The sang wis liltit at the openin o the Scots Pairlament, an is whiles associate wi ideas o Scots unthirldom, thoch the sang is anent fhit maks a chiel "honest" raither nor wi Scotlaun an its sel-govrenment, naither o thir things kythin ben the sang. It is kent ben translates intil ithir leids, foir ensample the German "Trotz Alledem Und Alledem".

The wirds "Pride o' Worth" frae the poem kythe on the crest o the Scottish Qualifications Authority.

Leerics

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.

Fremmit airtins

• A recordin o the poem set tae muisic
• The leerics an tuin
• Anaither recordin frae Jackson Greenhorn oan the Yes Scotland album - 2013