Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

A man's a man for a' that

Robert Burns

“A man's a man for a' that” as printed in The Scottish Minstrel (Second Series) (1851).

Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics Text 517 1851 · historical text
Public domainScottish songFolk
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Scottish Minstrel (Second Series), a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

Is there for honest poverty,

That hangs his head and 'a' that?

The coward-slave we pass him by,

And dare be puir, for a' that.

For a' that, and a' that;

Our toils obscure, and a' that;

The rank is but the guinea-stamp,

The man's the gowd, for a' that.

Verse 2

What though on hamely fare we dine,

Wear hodden-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 show and a' that;

The honest man, tho' e'er sae puir,

Is king o' men for a' that.

Verse 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 cuif for a' that.

For a' that, and a' that,

His ribbon, star, and a' that;

The man of independent mind,

Can look and laugh at a' that.

Verse 4

The king can mak a belted knight,

A marquis, duke, and a' that,

An honest man's aboon his might,

Gude faith, he mauna fa' that!

For a' that, and a' that,

Their dignities, and a' that;

The pith o sense, the pride o' worth,

Are higher ranks than a' that.

Verse 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,

When man to man, the warld o'er,

Shall brothers be, for a' that.

Credits

Written by Robert Burns

Words by Robert Burns. Historical text published in The Scottish Minstrel (Second Series) (1851); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Scottish Minstrel (Second Series) (1851), “A man's a man for a' that”

Every contribution in this 1851 anthology predates modern copyright terms; any contributor died more than 130 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-25. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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