by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796)

When o'er the hill the eastern star
Language: Scottish (Scots) 
Our translations:  FRE
When o'er the hill the eastern star
  Tells bughtin-time is near, my jo,
And owsen frae the furrowed field
  Return sae dowf and weary O:
Down by the burn where scented birks
  Wi' dew are hanging clear, my jo,
I'll meet thee on the lea-rig,
  My ain kind Dearie O.

At midnight hour, in mirkest glen,
  I'd rove and ne'er be irie O,
If thro' that glen I gaed to thee,
  My ain kind Dearie O:
Altho' the night were ne'er sae [wet]1,
  And I were n'er sae weary O,
[I'd]2 meet thee on the lea-rig,
  My ain kind Dearie O.

The hunter lo'es the morning sun,
  To rouse the mountain deer, my jo,
At noon the fisher takes the glen,
  Adown the burn to steer, my jo;
Gie me the hour o' gloamin grey,
  It maks my heart sae cheary O
To meet thee on the lea-rig,
  My ain kind Dearie O.

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)
bughtin-time = the time of milking the ewes;
jo = sweetheart;
dowf = lethargic;
birks = birch trees;
lea-rig = grassy ridge, unploughed land;
irie = frightened;
gloamin = twilight
1 in some editions: "wild"
2 in some editions: "I'll"

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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 153