” ‘Auld Lang Syne’ is a song which is well known all over the world, and is sung at New Year and times of celebration. Burns adapted and improved upon a very old song which to his knowledge had never been written down before. ‘Auld Lang Syne’ like so many Scots phrases, doesn’t have an exact English equivalent, but ‘old times sake’ is quite similar.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And days o’ auld lang syne?
Chorus
For auld lang syne, my jo.
For auld lang syne,
We’ll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
And surely ye’ll be your pint stowp!
And surely I’ll be mine!
And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
We twa hae run about the braes
And pu’d the gowans fine;
But we’ve wander’d monie a weary foot
Sin’ auld lang syne.
We twa hae paidl’d i’ the burn,
Frae mornin’ sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar’d
Sin’ auld lang syne.
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.” Robert Burns.
Feel the Burns, Islander.
Excerpted from “Robert Burns in your pocket”. Publisher: Waverly Books, 144 Port Dundas Road, Glasgow, Scotland, G4 OHZ.