Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Bonie Lesley

Robert Burns

“Bonie Lesley” as printed in The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887).

Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics Text 125 1887 · historical text
Public domainScottish songSong lyrics
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Poetical Works of Robert Burns, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

O saw ye bonie Lesley

As she gaed o'er the border?

She's gane, like Alexander,

To spread her conquests farther.

Verse 2

To see her is to love her,

And love but her for ever;

For Nature made her what she is,

And ne'er made sic anither!

Verse 3

Thou art a queen, Fair Lesley,

Thy subjects we, before thee:

Thou art divine, Fair Lesley,

The hearts o' men adore thee.

Verse 4

The Deil he could na scaith thee,

Or aught that wad belang thee;

He'd look into thy bonie face,

And say, 'I canna wrang thee.'

Verse 5

The Powers aboon will tent thee;

Misfortune sha'na steer thee;

Thou'rt like themselves sae lovely,

That ill they'll ne'er let near thee.

Verse 6

Return again, Fair Lesley,

Return to Caledonie!

That we may brag, we hae a lass

There's nane again sae bonie.

Credits

Written by Robert Burns

Words by Robert Burns. Historical text published in The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887), “Bonie Lesley”

Every text in this 1887 collected edition is by Robert Burns (1759-1796), who died more than 230 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide; the edition carries a Wikisource PD-old determination and a pre-1931 United States publication.

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.
Keep tracing

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