The inaugural Robert Burns Memorial Lecture on the theme of the "State of the World and Brotherhood of Man" was delivered by Secretary-General Kofi Annan at UN Headquarters. The Secretary-General called for brotherhood, tolerance, and coexistence among all peoples in his lecture. January 13 2004.
A man's a man for a' that - By Robert Burns
Not translated - good poems should only be translated by good poets, if at all.
Is there for honest poverty
that hings his head, an a' that?
The coward slave we pass him by -
We dare be poor for a' that!
For a' that an a' that,
Our toils obscure an a' that,
The rank is but the guinea's stamp,
The man's the gowd for a' that.
What though on hamely fare we dine,
Wear hoddin grey, an a' that?
Gie fools their silks, and knaves their wine -
A man's a man for a' that
For a' that an a' that.
Their tinsel show, an a' that,
The honest man, tho e'er sae poor,
is king o men for a' that.
Ye see yon birkie ca'd 'a lord,'
What struts an stares an a' that?
Tho hundreds worship at his word,
He's but a cuif for a' that.
For a' that an a' that,
His ribband, star, an a that,
The man o independant mind,
He looks an laughs at a' that.
A prince can mak a belted knight,
A maquis, duke an a' that!
But an honest man's aboon his might -
Guid faith, he mauna fa' that!
For a' that, an a' that,
Their dignities, an a' that,
the pith o sense an pride o worth.
Are higher rank than a' that.
Then let us pray that come it may
[As come it will for a' that],
That sense an worth oer a' the earth,
Shall bear the gree an a' that.
For a' that an a' that,
It's comin yet for a' that,
That man to man the world oer,
Shall brithers be for a' that.