Anthony Esolen asks: Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot?
If, like me, you have never really known what Auld Lang Syne was about, never having sung more than the chorus, this year I finally troubled to look it up for both of our sakes. Happy New Year!
| Original by Burns: | Modern English translation: |
| Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And days o’ lang syne! | Should old acquaintances be forgot, And never brought to mind? Should old acquaintances be forgot, And days of old long past. |
| Chorus: For auld lang syne, my dear For auld lang syne, We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet For auld lang syne! | Chorus: And for old long past, my dear, For old long past, We will take a cup of kindness yet, For old long past, |
| We twa hae run about the braes, And pu’d the gowans fine, But we’ve wander’d mony a weary foot Sin’ auld lang syne. | We two have run about the hillsides And pulled the wild daisies fine; But we have wandered many a weary foot Since old long past. |
| We twa hae paidl’t in the burn Frae morning sun till dine, But seas between us braid hae roar’d Sin’ auld lang syne. | We two have paddled in the stream, From morning sun till noon; But seas between us broad have roared Since old long past. |
| And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere, And gie’s a hand o’ thine, And we’ll tak a right guid willie-waught For auld lang syne! | And there is a hand, my trusty friend! And give me a hand of yours! And we will take a right good-will drink, For old long past. |
| And surely ye’ll be your pint’ stoup, And surely I’ll be mine! And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet For auld lang syne! | And surely you will pay for your pint-vessel! And surely I will pay for mine! And we will take a cup of kindness yet, For old long past. |
