"A Man's A Man for A' That" in Modern English

On the occasion of Nima Hoda’s wedding.

Original:

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 hodden grey, an’ a that;
Gie fools their silks, and knaves their wine;
A Man’s a Man for a’ that:
For a’ that, and 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,
Wha struts, an’ stares, an’ a’ that;
Tho’ hundreds worship at his word,
He’s but a coof for a’ that:
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
His ribband, star, an’ a’ that:
The man o’ independent mind
He looks an’ laughs at a’ that.

A prince can mak a belted knight,
A marquis, duke, an’ a’ that;
But an honest man’s abon his might,
Gude faith, he maunna 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 and Worth, o’er a’ the earth,
Shall bear the gree, an’ a’ that.
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
It’s coming yet for a’ that,
That Man to Man, the world o’er,
Shall brothers be for a’ that.

Modern English:

Should honest poor hang their heads?
We pass by the coward ashamed of his poverty
We dare be poor despite all that!
Despite all that, and all that,
Our humble work, and all that,
Aristocratic rank is but the form that gold is cast into,
The man himself is the gold, despite all that.

So what if we dine on homely fare,
Wear rough grey tweed, and all that?
Give fools their silks, and knaves their wine -
A man is a man despite all that.
Despite all that, and all that,
Their ostentation, and all that,
The honest man, though ever so poor,
Is king of men despite all that.

You see that person called a “lord”,
Who struts, and postures, and all that?
Though hundreds worship at his word,
He is but a fool for all that.
Despite all that, and all that,
His regalia, and all that,
The man of independent mind,
He looks and laughs at all that.

A prince can bestow the title of knight,
Or marquis, duke, and all that!
But an honest man is above all of these -
Good faith, he must not fault that
Despite all that, and all that,
Their titles, and all that,
Strength of sense and pride of merit
Are higher rank than all that.

Then let us pray that it may come
(And it will come despite all that)
That sense and merit over all the earth
Will prevail and all that!
Despite all that, and all that,
It is coming yet despite all that,
That man to man the world over
Will be brothers despite all that.