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by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796)
Translation by Adolf Wilhelm Ernst von Winterfeld (1824 - 1888)

Here's to thy health, my bonnie lass
Language: English 
Here's to thy health, my bonnie lass, 
Gude night, and joy be wi' thee;  
I'll come nae mair to thy bower door, 
To tell thee that I love thee. 
O dinna think, my pretty pink, 
But I can live without thee; 
I vow and swear I dinna care 
How lang ye look about ye.  

Thou'rt ay sae free informing me 
Thou hast nae mind to marry;  
I'll be as free informing thee 
Nae time hae I to tarry. 
I ken thy friends try ilka means, 
Frae wedlock to delay thee, 
Depending on some higher chance;
But fortune may betray thee.  

I ken they scorn my low estate, 
But that does never grieve me; 
But I'm as free as any he, 
Sma' siller will relieve me. 
I count my health my greatest wealth, 
Sae lang as I'll enjoy it; 
I'll fear nae scant, I'll bode nae want, 
As lang's I get employment.  

But far off fowls hae feathers fair, 
And ay until ye try them; 
Tho' they seem fair, still have a care, 
They may prove waur than I am. 
But at twel' at night, when the moon shines bright, 
My dear, I'll come and see thee; 
For the man that loves his mistress weel 
Nae travel makes him weary.

About the headline (FAQ)

Confirmed with Robert Burns, The Caledonian Musical Museum [edited by his son], London: J. Dick, 1809, pages 227 - 228.


Text Authorship:

  • by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), no title, appears in Scots Musical Museum [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 Adolf Wilhelm Ernst von Winterfeld (1824 - 1888) , "Dein Wohlsein, meine schöne Maid" ; composed by Wilhelm Tappert.
      • Go to the text.

Researcher for this page: Melanie Trumbull

This text was added to the website: 2022-01-11
Line count: 32
Word count: 209

Dein Wohlsein, meine schöne Maid
Language: German (Deutsch)  after the English 
Dein Wohlsein, meine schöne Maid!  
Gut' Nacht und Gott behüt' dich!  
Ich komm' nicht mehr an Deine Thür, 
Zu sagen, daß ich lieb' Dich.  
O denke nicht, du glatt Gesicht, 
Ich könnt' nicht leben ohn' Dich:
Ich sag' es dir, o glaube mir, 
Fern Deinem Herzen wohn' ich.   

Im Garten hier, da sag'st Du mir
Du wollt'st noch etwas warten; 
Im Garten hier, sag' heut' ich Dir, 
Ich seh' Dir in die Karten. 
Ich kenn' Dein ehrenwerthes Haus; 
Man will noch nicht verfügen: 
Man will zu hoch mit Dir hinaus  --  
Doch das kann Dich betrügen. 

Ich weiß, mein Gut ist Euch zu klein, 
Doch das betrübt mich nimmer; 
Man kann in Armuth froher sein, 
Als in des Reichthums Schimmer. 
Mein froher Muth, das ist mein Gut, 
Das will ich recht genießen, 
So lang' der hält, wird mir auch Geld, 
In meine Tasche fließen. 

Confirmed with Adolf Wilhelm Ernst von Winterfeld, Lieder und Balladen von Robert Burns, Berlin: A. Hofmann & Comp, 1860, page 141. Note: Winterfeld translated only stanzas one through three, omitting the last stanza.


Text Authorship:

  • by Adolf Wilhelm Ernst von Winterfeld (1824 - 1888), "Dein Wohlsein, meine schöne Maid" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Based on:

  • a text in English by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), no title, appears in Scots Musical Museum
    • Go to the text page.

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

  • by Wilhelm Tappert (1830 - 1907), "Dein Wohlsein, meine schöne Maid", op. 3 (Zwei Lieder für 1 mittlere Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1876 [ medium voice and piano ], Berlin, Paez [sung text not yet checked]

Researcher for this page: Melanie Trumbull

This text was added to the website: 2022-01-11
Line count: 24
Word count: 143

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