We have included the original lyrics, and also a
version in more standard English that was published in the 1840’s.
Understanding the Words
The lyrics are written in “light Scottish dialect,” meaning
that, with a bit of attention, most of the words can be understood by English
speakers outside of Scotland. One of the
few words whose meaning cannot be guessed by context is “coof,” which means a
dunce or a fool (maybe a “goof?”). “Hodden grey” is a homespun cloth. A guinea
was a gold coin.
But what does “for a’ that” mean? It depends on the context. The closest current
phrase might be “in spite of everything”; but the phrase can also be used to
mean “et cetera,” for instance in the line “His ribband, star, an’ a’ that.”
The German translation uses the phrase “trotz alledem,” and in French it is
“après tout.”
The Lyrics
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 tho’ 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 aboon his
might,
Gude faith, he
mauna 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,
May bear the
gree, an’ a’ that.
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
It’s comin’ yet, for
a’ that,
That Man to Man, the warld o’er,
Shall brithers be
for a’ that.
Simplified Lyrics
Is there, for honest poverty,
That
hangs his head, and all that?
The coward slaves, we pass him by,
We
dare be poor for all that,
For all that and all that,
Our
toil’s obscure, and all that,
The rank is but the guinea’s stamp,
The
man’s the gold for all that.
What though on homely fare we dine,
Wear
hodden gray, and all that?
Give tools their silks, and knaves
their wine,
A
man’s a man, for all that;
For all that, and all that;
Their
tinsel show, and all that;
The honest man, though e’er so
poor,
Is
king of men, for all that.
You see yon fellow called a lord,
Who
struts and stares and all that?
Though hundreds worships at his
word,
He’s
but a dunce for all that;
For all that, and all that;
For
all that, and all that;
The man of independent mind,
He
looks and laughs at all that.
A prince can make a belted knight,
A
marquis, duke, and all that;
But an honest man’s above his
might,
Good
faith has he for all that;
Their dignities, and all that;
For
all that, and all that;
The pith and sense and pride of
worth
Are
higher ranks than all that.
Then let us pray that come it man,
As
come it will for all that,
That sense and worth; o’er all the
earth,
May
bear the palm; and all that;
For all that, and all that,
It’s
coming yet for all that,
That man to man, the world all
o’er,
Shall
brothers be for all that.
Video Links
Here is a 1975 recording by The McCalmans.
And here is 