Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

On Chloris being ill

Robert Burns

“On Chloris being ill” as printed in The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887).

Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics Text 275 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

Long, long the night,

Heavy comes the morrow,

While my soul's delight

Is on her bed of sorrow.

Verse 2

Can I cease to care,

Can I cease to languish,

While my darling fair

Is on the couch of anguish?

Long, &c.

Verse 3

Every hope is fled,

Every fear is terror;

Slumber e'en I dread,

Every dream is horror.

Long, &c.

Verse 4

Hear me, Pow'rs divine!

Oh, in pity hear me!

Take aught else of mine,

But my Chloris spare me!

Long, &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), “On Chloris being ill”

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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