by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796)
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" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Wilhelm Christoph Leonhard Gerhard (1780 - 1858) , "Die Hochländer-Wittwe" CAT DUT ENG FRE FRE ; composed by Gustav Dullo, Robert Schumann.
Other 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