Donald's gane up the hill hard and hungry,
Donald comes down the hill wild and angry;
Donald will clear the gouk's nest cleverly, gouk = cuckoo
Here's to the king and Donald Macgillavry.
Come like a weigh-bauk, Donald Macgillavry, weigh-bauk = scales
Come like a weigh-bauk, Donald Macgillavry,
Balance them fair, and balance them cleverly:
Off wi'the counterfeit, Donald Macgillavry.
Donald's run o'er the hill but his tether, man, wud = mad
As he were wud, or stang'd wi' an ether, man; stung by an adder
When he comes back, there's some will look merrily:
Here's to King James and to Donald Macgillavry.
Come like a weaver, Donald Macgillavry,
Come like a weaver, Donald Macgillavry,
Pack on your back, and elwand sae cleverly; elwand = measuring rod
Gie them full measure, my Donald Macgillavry.
Donald has foughten wi' rief and roguery; rief = banditry
Donald has dinner'd wi banes and beggary, banes = bones
Better it were for Whigs and Whiggery
Meeting the devil than Donald Macgillavry.
Come like a tailor, Donald Macgillavry,
Come like a tailor, Donald Macgillavry,
Push about, in and out, thimble them cleverly,
Here's to King James and to Donald Macgillavry.
Donald's the callan that brooks nae tangleness; callan = fine fellow
Whigging and prigging and a'newfangleness,
They maun be gane: he winna be baukit, man: baukit = balked
He maun hae justice, or faith he'll tak it, man.
Come like a cobler, Donald Macgillavry,
Come like a cobler, Donald Macgillavry;
Beat them, and bore them, and lingel them cleverly, shoemaker's thread
Up wi' King James and wi' Donald Macgillavry.
Donald was mumpit wi' mirds and mockery; lulled with flattery
Donald was blinded wi' blads o' property; blads = lots
Arles ran high, but makings were naething, man, Arles = Thrashing
Lord, how Donald is flyting and fretting, man. flyt = scold
Come like the devil, Donald Macgillavry,
Come like the devil, Donald Macgillavry; skelp = chastise
Skelp them and scaud them that proved sae unbritherly, scaud = scold
Up wi' King James and wi' Donald Macgillavry!