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Index

Green Grow The Rashes, O

 

Burns Original

Standard English Translation



Green Grow The Rashes, O

Chorus
Green grow the rashes, O;
Green grow the rashes, O;
The sweetest hours that e'er I spend,
Are spent among the lasses, O.
1.
There's nought but care on ev'ry han',
In every hour that passes, O:
What signifies the life o' man,
An' 'twere na for the lasses, O.
2.
The war'ly race may riches chase,
An' riches still may fly them, O;
An' tho' at last they catch them fast,
Their hearts can ne'er enjoy them, O.
3.
But gie me a cannie hour at e'en,
My arms about my dearie, O,
An' war'ly cares an' war'ly men
May a' gae tapsalteerie, O!
4.
For you sae douce, ye sneer at this;
Ye're nought but senseless asses, O;
The wisest man the warl' e'er saw,
He dearly lov'd the lasses, O.
5.
Auld Nature swears, the lovely dears
Her noblest work she classes, O:
Her prentice han' she try'd on man,
An' then she made the lasses, O.



Green Grow The Rushes, O


Green grow the rushes, O;
Green grow the rushes, O;
The sweetest hours that ever I spend,
Are spent among the girls, O.

There is nothing but care on every hand,
In every hour that passes, O:
What signifies the life of man,
And it were not for the girls, O.

The worldly race may riches chase,
And riches still may fly them, O;
And though at last they catch them fast,
Their hearts can never enjoy them, O.

But give me a quiet hour at evening,
My arms about my dearie, O,
And worldly cares and worldly men
May all go topsy-turvy, O!

For you so grave, you sneer at this;
You are nothing but senseless asses, O;
The wisest man the world ever saw,
He dearly loved the girls, O.

Old Nature swears, the lovely dears
Her noblest work she classes, O:
Her apprentice hand she tried on man,
And then she made the girls, O.

 

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