Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

O Poortith

Robert Burns

“O Poortith” as printed in The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887).

Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics Text 260 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 poortith cauld, and restless love,

Ye wreck my peace between ye;

Yet poortith a' I could forgive,

An' 't werena for my Jeanie.

O why should fate sic pleasure have,

Life's dearest bands untwining?

Or why sae sweet a flower as love

Depend on Fortune's shining?

Verse 2

This warld's wealth when I think on,

Its pride, and a' the lave o't;

Fie, fie on silly coward man,

That he should be the slave o't.

O why, &c.

Verse 3

Her een sae bonie blue betray

How she repays my passion;

But prudence is her o'erword aye,

She talks of rank and fashion.

O why, &c.

Verse 4

O wha can prudence think upon,

And sic a lassie by him?

O wha can prudence think upon,

And sae in love as I am?

O why, &c.

Verse 5

How blest the humble cotter's fate!

He woos his simple dearie;

The silly bogles, wealth and state,

Can never make them eerie.

O why should fate sic pleasure have,

Life's dearest bands untwining?

Or why sae sweet a flower as love

Depend on Fortune's shining?

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 Poortith”

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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