Beginners
Experts
Burns Supper
Top Features
Discussion Forum
Newsletter
Poems & Songs
The Letters
Federation
E- Membership
Schools
Contributions
Links
Search the Site
Scottish History
The Burns Shop

Translation
Index


Yestreen I Had A Pint O' Wine

 

Burns Original

Standard English Translation

 

Yestreen I Had A Pint O' Wine
1.
Yestreen I had a pint o' wine,
A place where body saw na;
Yestreen lay on this breast o' mine
The gowden locks of Anna.
2.
The hungry Jew in wilderness
Rejoicing o'er his manna
Was naething to my hiney bliss
Upon the lips of Anna.
3.
Ye monarchs take the East and West
Frae Indus to Savannah:
Gie me within my straining grasp
The melting form of Anna!
4.
There I'll despise Imperial charms,
An Empress or Sultana,
While dying raptures in her arms
I give and take wi' Anna!
5.
Awa, thou flaunting God of Day!
Awa, thou pale Diana!
Ilk Star, gae hide thy twinkling ray,
When I'm to meet my Anna!
6.
Come, in thy raven plumage, Night
(Sun, Moon, and Stars, withdrawn a')
And bring an Angel-pen to write
My transports with my Anna!

Postscript

1.
The Kirk an' State may join, and tell
To do sic things I maunna:
The Kirk an' State may gae to Hell,
And I'll gae to my Anna.
2.
She is the sunshine o' my e'e,
To live but her I canna:
Had I on earth but wishes three,
The first should be my Anna.

 

Last Night I Had A Pint Of Wine

Last night I had a pint of wine,
A place where body saw not;
Last night lay on this breast of mine
The golden locks of Anna.

The hungry Jew in wilderness
Rejoicing over his manna
Was nothing to my honey bliss
Upon the lips of Anna.

You monarchs take the East and West
From Indus to Savannah:
Give me within my straining grasp
The melting form of Anna!

There I will despise Imperial charms,
An Empress or Sultana,
While dying raptures in her arms
I give and take with Anna!

Away, you flaunting God of Day!
Away, you pale Diana!
Each Star, go hide your twinkling ray,
When I am to meet my Anna!

Come, in your raven plumage, Night
(Sun, Moon, and Stars, withdrawn all)
And bring an Angel-pen to write
My transports with my Anna!




The Church and State may join, and tell
To do such things I must not:
The Church and State may go to Hell,
And I will go to my Anna.

She is the sunshine of my eye,
To live without her I can not:
Had I on earth but wishes three,
The first should be my Anna.

 

© 2004 WBC. Under no circumstances can any  of the contents of this site be copied, reproduced,  or represented without prior written consent.