O Poortith Cauld

Chorus
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?
1.
O Poortith cauld and restless Love,
Ye wrack my peace between ye!
Yet poortith a' I could forgive,
An 'twere na for my Jeanie.
2.
The warld's wealth when I think on,
Its pride and a' the lave o't -
My curse on silly coward man,
That he should be the slave o't!
3.
Her een sae bonie blue betray
How she repays my passion;
But prudence is her o'erword ay:
She talks o' rank and fashion.
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?
5.
How blest the wild-wood Indian's fate!
He woos his artless dearie -
The silly bogles, Wealth and State,
Can never make him eerie.

O Poverty Cold (O Cold Poverty)

Chorus
O, why should Fate such pleasure have
Life's dearest bands untwining?
Or why so sweet a flower as love
Depend on Fortune's shining

O Poverty cold and restless Love,
You wreck my peace between you!
Yet poverty all I could forgive,
If it were not for my Jeanie.

The world's wealth when I think on,
Its pride and all the rest of it -
My curse on silly coward man,
That he should be the slave of it!

Her eyes so lovely blue betray
How she repays my passion;
But prudence is her chorus always:
She talks of rank and fashion.

O, who can prudence think upon,
And such a girl beside him?
O, who can prudence think upon,
And so in love as I am?

How blessed the wild-wood Indian's fate!
He woos his artless dear -
The silly spectres, Wealth and State,
Can never make him fearful.