Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

O ay my Wife she dang me

Robert Burns

“O ay my Wife she dang me” as printed in The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887).

Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics Text 261 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

CHORUS.

O ay my wife she dang me,

An' aft my wife did bang me;

If ye gie a woman a' her will,

Guid faith she'll soon o'ergang ye.

Verse 2

On peace and rest my mind was bent,

And fool I was I marry'd;

But never honest man's intent

As cursedly miscarry'd.

Verse 3

Some sa'r o' comfort still at last,

When a' thir days are done, man,

My pains o' hell on earth are past,

I'm sure o' bliss aboon, man.

O ay my wife, &c.

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), “O ay my Wife she dang me”

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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