Scottish Burns Night lines

Real lines from Robert Burns and the Burns supper table, for 25 January. Copy one or send it as a free card.

A line of Burns works best with one sentence of your own, such as thanks to whoever is hosting.

Some hae meat an canna eat, And some wad eat that want it; But we hae meat, and we can eat, And sae the Lord be thankit.
The Selkirk Grace
Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face, Great chieftain o' the puddin-race!

Good luck to your honest, jolly face, great chieftain of the pudding-race!

Robert Burns, Address to a Haggis
The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men Gang aft agley.

The best-laid plans of mice and men often go wrong.

Robert Burns, To a Mouse
O wad some Power the giftie gie us To see oursels as ithers see us!
Robert Burns, To a Louse
O my Luve's like a red, red rose, That's newly sprung in June: O my Luve's like the melodie, That's sweetly play'd in tune.
Robert Burns, A Red, Red Rose
And fare-thee-weel, my only Luve! And fare-thee-weel, a while! And I will come again, my Luve, Tho' 'twere ten thousand mile!
Robert Burns, A Red, Red Rose
John Anderson, my jo, John, We clamb the hill thegither; And mony a cantie day, John, We've had wi' ane anither:

A jo is a sweetheart.

Robert Burns, John Anderson, My Jo
Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And auld lang syne! For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne, We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet, For auld lang syne.

Auld lang syne = old long since: for the sake of old times.

Robert Burns, Auld Lang Syne

Want them on paper? Here's the printable PDF pack, with each line linked to its source.

Get the next set before you need it

We'll email you a link to these lines and a short note ahead of dates worth a card.

Free. A link to these lines, plus a short note before dates worth a card. Unsubscribe in one click. Privacy

Know someone who's stuck for words?