Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

My Wife's a Winsome Wee Thing

Robert Burns

“My Wife's a Winsome Wee Thing” as printed in The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887).

Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics Text 241 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

She is a winsome wee thing,

She is a handsome wee thing,

She is a bonie wee thing,

This sweet wee wife o' mine.

Verse 2

I never saw a fairer,

I never lo'ed a dearer,

And neist my heart I'll wear her,

For fear my jewel tine.

Verse 3

She is a winsome wee thing,

She is a handsome wee thing,

She is a bonie wee thing,

This sweet wee wife o' mine.

Verse 4

The warld's wrack, we share o't,

The warstle and the care o't;

Wi' her I'll blythely bear it,

And think my lot divine.

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), “My Wife's a Winsome Wee Thing”

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.
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