All things Burns!

Happy Burns night! Well, almost! On the 25th of January, Scots and lovers of poetry around the world celebrate Robert Burns, our national poet.

Burns is best know as the writer of one of the top 3 most known songs in the English language (Auld Lang Syne), however his talents go much further! He was a man ahead of his time, writing poetry and songs about inequality, the value of money over people, and the environment. And of course, love. Rab (as he is often called in Scotland) liked the ladies, as his poetry reflects.

It's traditional to celebrate him with a Burns Supper, a night where we eat haggis, drink whiskey and read and sing his poetry and songs. We have collected some links for you to plan your perfect Burns night and learn all about him, at the same time as practising your English!

The lovely people at Visit Scotland have prepared some brilliant PDF resources explaining all about the history of Burns, and how to plan the perfect night, from selected poems to recipes.

Please click the appropriate link for your level

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Beginner - intermediate

Upper intermediate - Advanced

Listening practice No Burns supper is complete without haggis! Learn here how to hunt one down ;)

There are lots of ways to access information about Burns and his poetry. The always wonderful Scottish Poetry Library has a great summary of his life and selection of poetry which you can find HERE .

Burns wrote mianly in Scots, not in English, so it can be difficult to understand his poetry, even for Scottish people! However, you can find some translations of poems into English HERE and a useful Burns translator from The National Trust for Scotland HERE.

And to finish, the wonderful Scottish singer Sheena Wellington performing A Man's a Man for a'That at the opening of the Scottish Parliament in 1997. This a beautiful song and poem about how we should value the person, not their money, and that all people are equal. You can find the poem in Scots and English below. 

We hope you have a wonderful Burns night! Slàinte! 

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A MAN'S A MAN FOR A'THAT - in Scots

Is there for honest Poverty 
That hings his head, an' a' that;
The coward slave-we pass him by, We dare be poor for a' that! 
For a' that, an' a' that.
Our toils obscure an' a' that, 
The rank is but the guinea's stamp, 
The Man's the gowd for a' that. 


What though on hamely fare we dine, 
Wear hoddin grey, an' a that; Gie fools their silks, and knaves their wine; 
A Man's a Man for a' that: For a' that, and a' that,
Their tinsel show, an' a' that;
The honest man, tho' e'er sae poor,
Is king o' men for a' that.


Ye see yon birkie, ca'd a lord, 
Wha struts, an' stares, an' a' that; Tho' hundreds worship at his word,
He's but a coof for a' that:
For a' that, an' a' that, 
His ribband, star, an' a' that:
The man o' independent mind
He looks an' laughs at a' that.



A prince can mak a belted knight, A marquis, duke, an' a' that;
But an honest man's abon his might,
Gude faith, he maunna fa' that! For a' that, an' a' that,
Their dignities an' a' that;
The pith o' sense, an' pride o' worth,
Are higher rank than a' that. 


Then let us pray that come it may, (As come it will for a' that,)
That Sense and Worth, o'er a' the earth,
Shall bear the gree, an' a' that. For a' that, an' a' that,
It's coming yet for a' that,
That Man to Man, the world o'er, Shall brothers be for a' that. 

A MAN'S A MAN FOR A'THAT - in English

Is there for honest poverty
That hangs his head, and all that?
The coward slave, we pass him by 
We dare be poor for all that!
For all that, and all that,
Our toils obscure, and all that,
The rank is but the guinea’s stamp,
The man’s the gold for all that.

What though on homely fare we dine,
Wear course grey woolen, and all that?
Give fools their silks, and knaves their wine –
A man is a man for all that.
For all that, and all that,
Their tinsel show, and all that,
The honest man, though ever so poor,
Is king of men for all that.

You see yonder fellow called ‘a lord,’
Who struts, and stares, and all that?
Though hundreds worship at his word,
He is but a dolt for all that.
For all that, and all that,
His ribboned, star, and all that,
The man of independent mind,
He looks and laughs at all that.

A prince can make a belted knight,
A marquis, duke, and all that!
But an honest man is above his might –
Good faith, he must not fault that
For all that, and all that,
Their dignities, and all that,
The pith of sense and pride of worth
Are higher rank than all that.

Then let us pray that come it may
(As come it will for a’ that)
That Sense and Worth over all the earth
Shall have the first place and all that!
For all that, and all that,
It is coming yet for all that,
That man to man the world over
Shall brothers be for all that.