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A. Is there for honest poverty?

(Robert Burns 1795/1822)

Text: Robert Burns (1759–1796)
Musik: nach der Weise von "Lady McIntosh's Reel"

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	For a' that, and a' that.

1.	Is there for honest poverty
	That hangs his head and a' that?
	The coward slave we pass him by,
	We dare be poor for a' that!
	For a' that, and a' that,
	Our toils obscure, and a' that,
	The rank is but the guinea's stamp,
	The man's the gowd for a' that. For a' that, &c.

2.	What though on hamely fare we dine,
	Wear hoddin grey, and 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 shew, and a' that,
	The honest man, tho' e'er sae poor,
	Is king o' men, for a' that. For a' that, &c.

3.	Ye see yon birkie ca'd a Lord,
	Wha struts, and stares, and a' that;
	Though hundreds worship at his word,
	He's but a coof for a' that:
	For a' that, and a' that,
	His ribband, star, and a' that,
	The man of independent mind,
	He looks and laughs at a' that. For a' that, &c.

4.	A prince can make a belted knight,
	A marquis, duke, and a' that,
	But an honest man's aboon his might,
	Gude faith he maunna fa' that!
	For a' that, and a' that,
	Their dignities and a' that;
	The pith of sense and pride of worth,
	Are higher rank than a' that. For a' that, &c.

5.	Then let us pray that come it may,
	As come it will for a' that,
	That sense and worth, o'er a' the earth,
	May bear the gree, and a' that!
	For a' that, and a' that,
	It's coming yet for a' that,
	That man to man, the warld o'er,
	Shall brothers be for a' that. For a' that, &c.

Thomson's Collection of the Songs of Burns, Sir Walter Scott, bart. and other eminent lyric poets, ancient & modern, united to the select melodies of Scotland and of Ireland and Wales with symphonies & accompaniments for the pianoforte by Pleyel, Haydn, Beethoven & c. The whole composed for and collected by George Thomson, F. A. S. Edinburgh. In 6 volumes. London: Preston; Edinburgh: George Thomson [1822], Vol. 2, o. S., Nr. 31.
DVA: B 50288

Dort folgende Herkunftsangaben: zum Text: "Written for this work by Burns", zur Musik: "The words & music here first united".

Editorische Anmerkung:
Burns teilte sein Gedicht "Is there for honest poverty" erstmals im Januar 1795 in einem Brief an seinen Verleger George Thomson mit. Im August 1795 erschien der Text ohne die erste Strophe im Glasgow Magazine, in den folgenden Jahren wurden weitere leicht variierende Versionen des Gedichts veröffentlicht, bis schließlich die ursprünglich intendierte Version mit der Melodie von "Lady McIntosh's Reel" in der 1822er Ausgabe von George Thomsons "Select Collection" der Burns-Gedichte veröffentlicht wurde. Zu den verschiedenen Fassungen, Melodiezuweisungen und Publikationen der Frühgeschichte von "Is there for honest poverty?" siehe den ausführlichen Kommentar zu diesem Lied (Robb 2009).

last modified 04.09.2012 09:42

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A. Is there for honest poverty?