by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796)
Translation by Wilhelm Christoph Leonhard Gerhard (1780 - 1858)

The Highland Widow's Lament
Language: Scottish (Scots) 
Our translations:  FRE
Oh I am come to the low Countrie, 
Ochon, Ochon, Ochrie!
Without a penny in my purse. 
To buy a meal to me. 

It was na sae in the Highland hills, 
Ochon, Ochon, Ochrie!
Nae woman in the Country wide 
Sae happy was as me. 

For then I had a score o' kye 
Ochon, Ochon, Ochrie!
Feeding on you nill sae high, 
And giving milk to me. 

And there I had three score o' yowes, 
Ochon, Ochon, Ochrie!
Skipping on ou bonie knowes, 
And casting woo to me. 

I was the happiest of a' the Clan, 
Sair, sair may I repine;
For Donald was the brawest man, 
And Donald he was mine. 

Till Charlie Stewart cam at last, 
Sae far to set us free;
My Donald's arm was wanted then, 
For Scotland and for me. 

Their waefu' fate what need I tell, 
Right to wrang did yield;
My Donald and his Country fell 
Upon Culloden field. 

Ochon! O Donald, oh! 
Ochon, Ochon, Ochrie!
Nae woman in the warld wide, 
Sae wretched now as me.

Text Authorship:

  • by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "The Highland Widow's Lament"

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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Lamentation de la veuve du haut pays", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2003-11-19
Line count: 32
Word count: 174

Language: German (Deutsch)  after the Scottish (Scots) 
Our translations:  CAT DUT ENG FRE
   Ich bin gekommen ins Niederland,
O weh! o weh! o weh!
So ausgeplündert haben sie mich,
Daß ich vor Hunger vergeh.
 
   So war's in meinem Hochland nicht;
O weh! o weh! o weh!
Ein hochbeglückter Weib, als ich,
War nicht auf Thal und Höh!
 
   Denn damals hatt' ich zwanzig Küh';
O weh! o weh! o weh!
Die gaben Milch und Butter mir,
Und weideten im Klee.
 
   Und sechzig Schafe hatt' ich dort;
O weh! o weh! o weh!
Die wärmten mich mit weichem Vließ
Bei Frost und Winterschnee.
 
   Es konnte Kein' im ganzen Clan
Sich größern Glückes freun;
Denn Donald war der schönste Mann,
Und Donald, der war mein!
 
   So blieb's, bis Charlie Stuart kam,
Alt-Schottland zu befrein;
Da mußte Donald seinen Arm
Ihm und dem Lande leihn.
 
   Was sie befiel, wer weiß es nicht?
Dem Unrecht wich das Recht,
Und auf Culloden's blut'gem Feld
Erlagen Herr und Knecht. --
 
   O! Daß ich kam ins Niederland!
O weh! o weh! o weh!
Nun giebt's kein unglückselger Weib
Vom Hochland bis zur See!

Composition:

    Set to music by Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856), "Die Hochländer-Witwe", op. 25 no. 10 (1840), published 1840 [ voice and piano ], from Myrten, no. 10, Leipzig, Kistner

Text Authorship:

Based on:

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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Marta Garcia Cadena) , "La vídua de la terra alta", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "De weduwe uit de Hooglanden", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The highlander’s widow", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "La veuve du haut pays", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Pilar Lirio , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2003-11-19
Line count: 32
Word count: 172