Address to the Haggis
By Robert Burns

(Translation into standard English)

Fair is your honest happy face
Great chieftain of the pudding race
Above them all you take your place
Stomach, tripe or guts
Well are you worthy of a grace
As long as my arm

The groaning platter there you fill
Your buttocks like a distant hill
Your skewer would help to repair a mill
In time of need
While through your pores the juices emerge
Like amber beads

His knife having seen hard labour wipes
And cuts you up with great skill
Digging into your gushing insides bright
Like any ditch
And then oh what a glorious sight
Warm steaming, rich

Then spoon for spoon
They stretch and strive
Devil take the last man, on they drive
Until all their well swollen bellies
Are bent like drums
Then, the old gent most likely to rift (burp)
Be thanked, mumbles

Is there that over his French Ragout
Or olio that would sicken a pig
Or fricassee would make her vomit
With perfect disgust
Looks down with a sneering scornful opinion
On such a dinner

Poor devil, see him over his trash
As week as a withered rush (reed)
His spindle-shank a good whiplash
His clenched fist…the size of a nut.
Through a bloody flood and battle field to dash
Oh how unfit

But take note of the strong haggis fed Scot
The trembling earth resounds his tread
Clasped in his large fist a blade
He'll make it whistle
And legs and arms and heads he will cut off
Like the tops of thistles

You powers who make mankind your care
And dish them out their meals
Old Scotland wants no watery food
That splashes in dishes
But if you wish her grateful prayer
Give her a haggis!

【沪江小编】这首诗表达了诗人对家乡菜肴毫不吝惜的赞美，洋溢着属于乡土的亲切、热烈、欢乐、率真的感情，读来仿佛置身丰收季节的农家家宴，热情的主人捧出丰美诱人的Haggis，满怀喜悦和自豪，情不自禁地夸起这道佳肴，招呼客人尽情享用。

罗伯特·彭斯（Robert Burns）是苏格兰人的骄傲，很多中国人都熟悉的《友谊地久天长》歌词被认为是他的不朽之作。每年1月25日，在纪念他诞辰的彭斯之夜（Burns Night）晚宴上，这首诗歌颂的Haggis（即羊杂碎小肚或羊杂布丁，或音译为哈吉斯、哈革斯）一定是主菜之一。

Haggis是苏格兰传统菜肴，也常出现在热情好客的彭斯夫妇招待客人的餐桌上。得力于彭斯的这首诗，Haggis已成为苏格兰的“国菜”，八国集团首脑会议（G8）在苏格兰举行时，东道主就在国宴上为参加会议的八国首脑们准备了这道苏格兰传统菜肴。

Haggis有不同的配方，但基本做法是将包括羊杂碎（心肝肺）、燕麦、羊板油、高汤、洋葱、及香料混合，缝进羊肚子（胃）里，用烧烤闷煮等各种方法做成。

彭斯的诗歌有浓厚的民歌风味和苏格兰风情。这里选择的文本是已经翻译成标准英语的版本，而音频中仍保持着部分苏格兰英语风味，可以细细体会其中明快跳动的韵律之美。