Ah! Fond Kiss - Robert Burns

Ah! Fond Kiss
In Contemporary English

Ah! Fond kiss and then we sever,
Ah farewell, alas, forever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I’ll pledge you,
With sighs and groans I’ll get you!
Who shall say that destiny grieves him
While the start of hope she leaves him?
Me, no cheerful twinkle lights me,
Dark despair around benights me.

I’ll never blame my partial fancy;
No one could resist my Nancy;
But to see her was to love her,
Love but her, and love forever.

Had we never loved so kindly,
Had we never loved so blindly,
Never met—or never parted,
We’d never been broken-hearted.

Fare you well, you first and fairest!
Fare you well, you best and dearest!
May you have joy and treasure,
Peace, enjoyment, love and pleasure!

Ah fond kiss, and then we sever!
Ah farewell, alas, forever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I’ll pledge you,
With sighs and groans I’ll get you!


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Original

Ae Fond Kiss

AE fond kiss, and then we sever;
Ae fareweel, alas, for ever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee!

Who shall say that Fortune grieves him
While the star of hope she leaves him?
Me, nae cheerfu' twinkle lights me,
Dark despair around benights me.

I'll ne'er blame my partial fancy;
Naething could resist my Nancy;
But to see her was to love her,
Love but her, and love for ever.

Had we never loved sae kindly,
Had we never loved sae blindly,
Never met—or never parted,
We had ne'er been broken-hearted.

Fare thee weel, thou first and fairest!
Fare thee weel, thou best and dearest!
Thine be ilka joy and treasure,
Peace, enjoyment, love, and pleasure!

Ae fond kiss, and then we sever!
Ae fareweel, alas, for ever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee!

~Robert Burns (1759-1796)