Quotes from Robert Burns

The best plans of men and mice often go awry.

All my fears and cares are of this world; if there is another, an honest man has nothing to fear from it.

The rank is but the guinea's stamp, The man's the gowd for a' that.

A prince can mak a belted knight, A marquis, duke, and a' that; But an honest man's aboon his might: Guid faith, he maunna fa' that.

John Barleycorn was a hero bold, Of noble enterprise, For if you do but taste his blood, 'Twill make your courage rise, Twill make a man forget his wo; 'Twill heighten all his joy.

Now a' is done that men can do, And a' is done in vain.

Yon rosebuds in the morning-dew, how pure amang the leaves sae green!

The voice of Nature loudly cries,And many a message from the skies,That something in us never dies.

Beauty's of a fading nature. Has a season and is gone!

I'm truly sorry man's dominion has broken Nature's social union.

To see her is to love her, And love but her forever; For nature made her what she is, And never made anither!

What's a' your jargon o' your schools, Your Latin names for horns and stools; If honest nature made you fools.

Again rejoicing Nature sees Her robe assume its vernal hues Her leafy locks wave in the breeze, All freshly steep'd in the morning dews.

Gie me a spark o' nature's fire that's a' the learning I desire.

Be Briton still to Britain true, Among oursel's united; For never but by British hands Maun British wrangs be righted.

My dear, my native soil! For whom my warmest wish to Heav'n is sent, Long may thy hardy sons of rustic toil Be blest with health, and peace, and sweet content!

Some hae meat and canna eat, And some wad eat that want it, But we hae meat and we can eat, And sae the Lord be thankit.

Some rhyme a neebor's name to lash; Some rhyme (vain thought!) for needfu' cash; Some rhyme to court the countra clash, An' raise a din; For me, an aim I never fash; I rhyme for fun.

Just now I've taen the fit o' rhyme / My barmie noddle's working prime.

Now's the day and now's the hour.

Oh would some power the gift give us, to see ourselves as others see us!

O, wad some Power the giftie gie us To see oursels as others see us! It wad frae monie a blunder free us, An' foolish notion.

The heart that is generous and kind most resembles God.

God knows, I'm not the thing I should be, Nor am I even the thing I could be, But twenty times I rather would be An atheist clean, Than under gospel colours hid be Just for a screen.