The Thistle o' Scotland

Suaicheantas na h-Alba (The original Gaelic version by Evan MacColl) Seisd ’S e Fòghnan na h-Alba lus ainmeil nam buadh; Lus grinn nan dos calgach thug dearbh air bhi cruaidh; Sean-suaicheantas mòrail tir bhòidhich mo luaidh: ’S tric dh’fhadaich a dheagh-chliù tein’-éibhinn’nam ghruaidh.

Its strength and its beauty the storm never harms; It stan's on its guard like a warrior in arms; Yet its down is saft as the gull's on the sea, And its tassle[6] as bricht as my Jeanie's blue e’e.

Lus deas nam meur cròcach nach leònar le stoirm; Ged ’s ionann teachd geàrr air ’s laoch dàna fo airm, ’S leis clòimh tha cho maoth-gheal ri faoileig na tràigh, ’S bàrr-ghucan cho ciùin-ghorm ri sùilean mo ghràidh.

Langsyne[7] the invaders cam owre[8] to our shore, And fiercely our thistle they scotched and they tore; When they maist thocht it deid, ‘twas then it up bore, And it bloomed on their graves quite as strong as before.

Co ìosal no uasal, bheir cluas do mo dhàn, Nach òladh leam “buaidh leis” o chuachana làn!