Auld Lang Syne
Robert Burns 1780
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
and days of auld lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne,
We'll take a cup o' kindness yet
For auld lang syne
We twa hae run aboot the braes
And pou'd the gowans fine;
we've wander'd mony a weary foot
Sin' auld lang syne
We two hae paidled i' the burn,
Frae mornin' sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin' auld lang syne
And here's a hand, my trusty friend,
And gie's a hand o' thine;
We'll take a cup o' kindness yet
For auld lang syne
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
and days of auld lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll take a cup o' kindness yet
For auld lang syne
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll take a cup o' kindness yet
For auld lang syne
| Broad Scots | Modern English |
| aboon | above |
| a-gley | awry |
| airn | iron |
| aits | oats |
| auld | old |
| awnie | bearded |
| barley-brie | whisky |
| baugh | flat ground next to a stream |
| be your pint stowp | pay for your own drink |
| bear | barley |
| bear the gree | be first |
| bellys | bellows |
| belyve | by-and-by |
| bicker | wooden beaker |
| big | build |
| birkie | fellow |
| bonie | bony |
| braid | broad |
| brash | sudden illness, a fit |
| burdies | buttocks |
| burn | brew or stream |
| burnewin | the blacksmith (Burn-the-Wind) |
| but | without |
| ca'd | called |
| chap | stroke |
| chows | chews |
| clatter | gossip |
| cog | wooden bowl or cup |
| cood | cud |
| coof | fool |
| cranreuch | hoarforst |
| dight | wipe |
| dine | dinner time |
| doited | stupefied |
| e'e | eye |
| fair fa' | Blessings on |
| fause | false |
| feckless | feeble |
| fiere | companion |
| fitt | foot |
| flight | put to flight |
| foggage | moss |
| freath | froth |
| gae | go |
| gaping | dying for a drink |
| gie | give |
| gie's | give me |
| gossips | old friends, godparents |
| gowans | daisies |
| gowd | gold |
| graith | gear |
| gude-willie waught | a goodwill drink |
| gutsy | tasty |
| hald | holding |
| hamely | plain |
| hoddin grey | course grey wollen |
| horn | horn spoon |
| ilka | every |
| jaups | splashes |
| jink | dodge |
| kail | broth |
| kitchen | flavor |
| lane | alone |
| lang syne | kindness or times gone |
| lea'e | leave |
| lear | learning |
| leeze me on | Bless thee! |
| lug | ear |
| lugget coup | quaich (two-eared cup) |
| luggies | wooden bowls |
| maist | almost |
| mauna fa' | better not try |
| neebors | neighbors |
| neive | fist |
| nit | nut |
| paidl'd | waded |
| painch | paunch |
| pine | misery |
| pirratch | porridge |
| pou'd | pulled |
| pu'd | pulled |
| rants | merry making |
| rash | rush |
| rattlin | rollicking |
| ream | froth |
| reams | foams |
| reekin (reekan) | steaming, smoking |
| rive | burst |
| sae | so |
| saunts | saints |
| sconner | disgust |
| scrievin | rolling |
| sin | since |
| skinking | watery |
| skirlin | screaming |
| slight | skill |
| sned | lop |
| snell | biting |
| sonsie | jolly |
| souple | soft or limp |
| spier | ask |
| staw | stole |
| stibble | stubble |
| stow | surfeit |
| studdie | anvil |
| sucker | sugar |
| taps o thrissle | tops of thistle |
| thairm | small guts |
| thole | endure |
| tight | manly |
| wae worth | alas |
| w'ae worth them | back luck to them |
| wale | choice |
| walie nieve | ample fist |
| wame | belly |
| weanies | infants |
| weason | throat |
| weed | dress |
| weel-swall'd kytes | well-full stomach |
| weet | wet |
| werdy | worthy |
| wimplin' | winding |
| worm | a coiled distilling tube |
| wud | angry |
| wyte | blame |