by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796)
Bonnie Lesley Matches original text
Language: Scottish (Scots)
Our translations: FRE
O saw ye bonnie Lesley, As she gaed o'er the Border? She 's gane, like Alexander, To spread her conquests farther. To see her is to love her, And love but her for ever, For Nature made her what she is And never made anither. Thou art a queen, fair Lesley, Thy subjects we, before thee: Thou art divine, fair Lesley, The hearts o' men adore thee. The deil he could na scaith thee, Or aught that wad belang thee: He'd look into thy bonnie face, And say, `I canna wrang thee!' The Powers aboon will tent thee, Misfortune sha' na steer thee; Thou 'rt like themsels sae lovely, That ill they'll ne'er let near thee. Return again, fair Lesley, Return to Caledonie! That we may brag, we hae a lass There 's nane again sae bonnie.
Composition:
- Set to music by William Beaton Moonie (1883 - 1961), "Bonnie Lesley", published 1927
Text Authorship:
- by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "Bonnie Lesley"
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CZE Czech (Čeština) (Josef Václav Sládek) , "Krásná Lesley"
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Pierre Mathé [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 137