Robert Burns, also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, the National Bard, Bard of Ayrshire and the Ploughman Poet and various other names and epithets, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. Profoundly inspirational Robert Burns quotes will challenge the way you think, change the way you live and transform your whole life.
If you’re searching for meaningful quotes by greatest poets that perfectly capture what you’d like to say or just want to feel inspired yourself, browse through an amazing collection of best Sappho quotes, amazing Virgil quotes and powerful William Morris quotes.
Famous Robert Burns Quotes
Fain would I hide what I fear to discover — Robert Burns
To make three guineas do the work of five. — Robert Burns
Good Lord, what is man! for as simple he looks, Do but try to develop his books and his crooks, With his depths and his shallows, his good and his evil, All in all, he’s a problem must puzzle the devil. — Robert Burns
If there ‘s a hole in a’ your coats, I rede ye tent it; A chiel ‘s amang ye takin’ notes, And, faith, he ‘ll prent it. — Robert Burns
Suspicion is a heavy armor and with its weight it impedes more than it protects. — Robert Burns
Or like the snow falls in the river, A moment white-then melts for ever . . . — Robert Burns
Burns, has spent years exploring the many avenues for adventure and fun in San Diego. The fact that you can experience the desert, snow, mountains and ocean in the course of a day has always been amazing to me. If you are really motivated, you can snow ski, surf, take a mountain hike, and race dune buggies all in one weekend, .. I grew up here and want to showcase San Diego to the world. I love San Diego. — Robert Burns
There was three Kings into the east, / Three kings both great and high, / And they hae sworn a solemn oath / John Barleycorn should die. — Robert Burns
Critics! Those cut-throat bandits in the paths of fame. — Robert Burns
The best plans of men and mice often go awry. — Robert Burns

‘T is sweeter for thee despairing Than aught in the world beside,-Jessy! — Robert Burns
Gars auld claes look amaist as weel’s the new. — Robert Burns
His locked, lettered, braw brass collar, Shewed him the gentleman and scholar. — Robert Burns
They never sought in vain that sought the Lord alright! — Robert Burns
I think if we had a skate park we’d be a lot more safer then just going out on the streets and skateboarding and it would just keep kids off the streets generally. — Robert Burns
To step aside is human. — Robert Burns
Nursing her wrath to keep it warm.–Robert Burns — Robert Burns
Morality, thou ly bane, Thy tens o’ thousands thou has slain! — Robert Burns
Be Briton still to Britain true, Among oursel’s united; For never but by British hands Maun British wrangs be righted. — Robert Burns
This group definitely has something that’s unique, you’re not gonna find something like this anywhere else. — Robert Burns
This is the first data being collected anywhere in the country under a new national air quality monitoring program. Monitoring at other locations will get under way in 2006, but we’re setting the stage for future poultry and other livestock production facility air emissions monitoring under this program. — Robert Burns
O Life! thou art a galling load, Along a rough, a weary road, To wretches such as I! — Robert Burns
The best laid schemes o’ mice and men Gang aft a-gley; And leave us naught but grief and pain For promised joy — Robert Burns
The fear o’ hell’s a hangman’s whip To haud the wretch in order; But where ye feel your honour grip, Let that aye be your border. — Robert Burns
Public opinion would have gone against us had we continued. — Robert Burns
O, Life! how pleasant is thy morning, Young Fancy’s rays the hills adorning! Cold pausing Caution’s lesson scorning, We frisk away, Like schoolboys, at the expected warning, To joy and play. — Robert Burns
We’re trying to help the county get the workforce, … If you have courses for student teachers in Charlotte County, they’re more likely to stay in Charlotte County after they graduate. — Robert Burns
Oh my luve’s like a red, red rose, That’s newly sprung in June; Oh my luve’s like the melodie That’s sweetly played in tune. — Robert Burns
Life is but a day at most. — Robert Burns
When matters are desperate we must put on a desperate face. — Robert Burns
My brother knew this young lady. They went to high school together. It’s not like they met one another recently. They’ve known each other for years. — Robert Burns
Some rhyme a neebor’s name to lash; Some rhyme (vain thought!) for needfu’ cash; Some rhyme to court the countra clash, An’ raise a din; For me, an aim I never fash; I rhyme for fun. — Robert Burns
Now Simmer blinks on flowery braes, And o’er the chrystal streamlets plays; Come let us spend the lightsome days In the birks of Aberfeldy. — Robert Burns
Dare to be honest and fear no labor. — Robert Burns
What is life, when wanting love? Night without a morning; Love’s the cloudless summer sun, Nature gay adorning. — Robert Burns
Now’s the day and now’s the hour. — Robert Burns
Prudent, cautious self-control is wisdom’s root. — Robert Burns
All my fears and cares are of this world; if there is another, an honest man has nothing to fear from it. — Robert Burns
They can’t see the forest for the trees. They get hung up on looking at the individual tree being cut, and can’t see the benefit of the landscape as a whole. — Robert Burns
The golden hours on angel wings Flew o’er me and my dearie, For dear to me as light and life Was my sweet Highland Mary. — Robert Burns
Pharmaceutical projects are like fresh fruit – they depreciate if they are not tended to, and they do poorly if sitting on the shelf with long periods of inactivity. — Robert Burns
Once upon a Lammas Night When corn rigs are bonny, Beneath the Moon’s unclouded light, I held awhile to Annie… The time went by with careless heed Between the late and early, With small persuasion she agreed To see me through the barley… Corn rigs and barley rigs, Corn rigs are bonny! I’ll not forget that happy night Among the rigs with Annie! — Robert Burns
Gie me ae spark o’ Nature’s fire, That’s a’ the learning I desire. — Robert Burns
Man’s inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn! — Robert Burns
And wild-scatter’d cowslips bedeck the green dale. — Robert Burns
A lot of this depends on us getting the land and the funding from the Legislature, … We’re talking with some developers about various sites. — Robert Burns
The actions that were taken have affected many more people than the two people involved. — Robert Burns
They’ve come to realize how much it can hurt them to withhold information. I think they’re starting to recognize that more than they did in the past. — Robert Burns
Here’s to us, who’s like us Damn few, and they’re all dead. — Robert Burns
The snowdrop and primrose our woodlands adorn, and violets bathe in the wet o’ the morn. — Robert Burns
The wisest man the warl’ e’er saw, He dearly loved the lasses, O. — Robert Burns
Affliction’s sons are brothers in distress; A brother to relieve, how exquisite the bliss! — Robert Burns
The fact that you can experience the desert, snow, mountains and ocean in the course of a day has always been amazing to me. If you are really motivated, you can snow ski, surf, take a mountain hike, and race dune buggies all in one weekend. I grew up here and want to showcase San Diego to the world. I love San Diego. — Robert Burns
I’m truly sorry man’s dominion has broken Nature’s social union. — Robert Burns
Had we never lov’d sae kindly, Had we never lov’d sae blindly, Never met — or never parted — we had never been broken-hearted. — Robert Burns
I pick my favourite quotations and store them in my mind as ready armour, offensive or defensive, amid the struggle of this turbulent existence. — Robert Burns
Inspiring bold JohnBarleycorn! What dangers thou canst make us scorn! Wi’ usquebae, we’ll face the devil! — Robert Burns
There’s a certain amount of skepticism that’s natural. You just have to judge the particular person you’re taking to. — Robert Burns
What signifies the life o’ man, An’ ’twere na for the lasses O — Robert Burns
Ambition is a meteor-gleam; Fame a restless airy dream; Pleasures, insects on the wing Round Peace, th’ tend rest flow’r of spring. — Robert Burns
But human bodies are sic fools, For a’ their colleges and schools, That when nae real ills perplex them, They make enow themsel’s to vex them — Robert Burns
Auld nature swears, the lovely dears / Her noblest work she classes O; / Her prentice han’ she tried on man, / An’ then she made the lasses O. — Robert Burns
Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to min? — Robert Burns
Some wee short hour ayont the twal. — Robert Burns
The wide world is all before us – but a world without a friend. — Robert Burns
It’s really addictive. Personally, it’s the highlight of my week to be able to play with some talented played and some challenging music. — Robert Burns
Again rejoicing Nature sees Her robe assume its vernal hues Her leafy locks wave in the breeze, All freshly steep’d in the morning dews. — Robert Burns
Misled by fancy’s meteor ray, By passion driven; But yet the light that led astray Was light from heaven. — Robert Burns
I think that he believed there was some extramarital thing going on. — Robert Burns
Suspense is worse than disappointment. — Robert Burns
Ilk cowslip cup shall kep a tear. — Robert Burns
The great Creator to revere Must sure become the creature; But still the preaching cant forbear, And ev’n the rigid feature: Yet ne’er with wits profane to range Be complaisance extended;An atheist laugh’s a poor exchange For deity offended. — Robert Burns
I’ll be merry and free, I’ll be sad for nae-body; If nae-body cares for me, I’ll care for nae-body. — Robert Burns
A man’s a man for a’ that. . . . . A prince can mak a belted knight, A marquis, duke, and a’ that; But an honest man’s aboon his might, Guid faith he mauna fa’ that! . . . Then let us pray that come it may, As come it will for a’ that, That sense and worth, o’er a’ the earth, May bear the gree and a’ that. For a’ that, and a’ that, It’s comin’ yet, for a’ that, When man to man, the world o’er, Shall brithers be for a’ that. — Robert Burns
The upright, honest-hearted man Who strives to do the best he can, Need never fear the church’s ban Or hell’s damnation. — Robert Burns
Nae man can tether time or tide. — Robert Burns
Oh wad some power the giftie gie us To see oursel’s as others see us! It wad frae monie a blunder free us, And foolish notion — Robert Burns
All-cheering Plenty, with her flowing horn, Led yellow Autumn, wreath’d with nodding corn. — Robert Burns
Let them cant about decorum, Who have characters to lose! — Robert Burns
And there begins a lang digression about the lords o’ the creation. — Robert Burns
Their sighing, canting, grace-proud faces, their three-mile prayers, and half-mile graces. — Robert Burns
But Mousie, thou art no thy lane In proving foresight may be vain The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men Gang aft agley An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain For promis’d joy! — Robert Burns
It’s amazing how fast you can get up over the calorie limit, especially when you’re on the road or eating at home. — Robert Burns
Ah, gentle dames! It gars me greet / To think how mony counsels sweet, / How mony lengthen’d sage advices, / The husband frae the wife despises! — Robert Burns
But to see her was to love her, love but her, and love her forever — Robert Burns
To see her is to love her, And love but her forever; For nature made her what she is, And never made anither! — Robert Burns
Farewell, my friends! farewell, my foes! My peace with these, my love with those. The bursting tears my heart declare; Farewell, the bonnie banks of Ayr. — Robert Burns
The poor inhabitant below Was quick to learn and wise to know And keenly felt the friendly glow And softer flame; But thoughtless follies laid him low, And stain’d his name! — Robert Burns
He turn’d him right and round about / Upon the Irish shore; / And gae his bridle-reins a shake, / With adieu for evermore, / My dear,/ Adieu for evermore. — Robert Burns
Firmness in enduring and exertion is a character I always wish to possess. I have always despised the whining yelp of complaint and cowardly resolve. — Robert Burns
And O! be sure to fear the Lord alway, And mind your duty, duly, morn and night; Lest in temptation’s path ye gang astray, Implore His counsel and assisting might: They never sought in vain that sought the Lord aright. — Robert Burns
There is no such uncertainty as a sure thing. — Robert Burns
We like to involve the students ù really, if it wasn’t for the students, we wouldn’t be here. — Robert Burns
Dweller in yon dungeon dark, Hangman of creation, mark! Who in widow weeds appears, Laden with unhonoured years, Noosing with care a bursting purse, Baited with many a deadly curse? — Robert Burns