| Original | Traduzione inglese da Mudcat Café |
| THE FLYTING O' LIFE AND DAITH | THE SLANGING-MATCH OF LIFE AND DEATH |
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| Quo life, the warld is mine. | Said Life, The world is mine, |
| The floo'ers and trees, they're a' my ain. | The flowers and trees, they're all my own, |
| I am the day, and the sunshine. | I am the day and the sunshine. |
| Quo life, the warld is mine. | Said Life, The world is mine. |
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| Quo daith, the warld is mine. | Said Death, The world is mine, |
| Your lugs are deef, your een are blin. | Your ears are deaf, your eyes are blind, |
| Your floo'ers maun dwine in my bitter win'. | Your flowers must wither in my bitter wind. |
| Quo daith, the warld is mine. | Said Death, The world is mine. |
| | |
| Quo life, the warld is mine. | Said Life, The world is mine, |
| I hae saft win's, an' healin' rain. | I have soft winds and healing rain, |
| Aipples I hae, an' breid an' wine. | Apples I have, and bread and wine, |
| Quo life, the warld is mine. | Said Life, The world is mine. |
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| Quo daith, the warld is mine. | Said Death, The world is mine, |
| Whit sterts in dreid, gangs doon in pain. | What stirs in dread goes down in pain, |
| Bairns wantin' breid are makin' mane. | Children wanting for bread are making moan, |
| Quo daith, the warld is mine. | Said Death, the world is mine. |
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| Quo life, the warld is mine. | Said Life, the world is mine, |
| Your deadly wark, I ken it fine. | Your deadly work, I know it well, |
| There's maet on earth for ilka wean. | There's meat on Earth for every child, |
| Quo life, the warld is mine. | Said Life, The world is mine. |
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| Quo daith, the warld is mine. | Said Death, The world is mine, |
| Your silly sheaves crine in my fire. | Your silly sheaves shrivel in my fire, |
| My worm keeks in your barn and byre. | My work peers into your barn and byre, |
| Quo daith, the warld is mine. | Said Death, The world is mine. |
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| Quo life, the warld is mine. | Said Life, The world is mine, |
| Dule on your een! Ae galliard hert | Damn your eyes! A gallant heart |
| Can ban tae hell your blackest airt. | Can banish to hell your blackest art. |
| Quo life, the warld is mine. | Said Life, The world is mine. |
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| Quo daith, the warld is mine. | Said Death, The world is mine. |
| Your rantin' hert, in duddies braw, | Your ranting heart, in fine tatters, |
| He winna lowp my preeson wa'. | He won't leap my prison wall, |
| Quo daith, the warld is mine. | Said Death, The world is mine. |
| | |
| Quo life, the warld is mine. | Said Life, The world is mine. |
| Thou ye bigg preesons o' marble stane | Though you build prisons of marble stone |
| Hert's luve ye cannae preeson in. | Heart's love you can't imprison, |
| Quo life, the warld is mine. | Said Life, The world is mine. |
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| Quo daith, the warld is mine. | Said Death, The world is mine, |
| I hae dug a grave, I hae dug it deep, | I have dug a grave, I have dug it deep, |
| For war an' the pest will gar ye sleep. | For war and plague will make you sleep, |
| Quo death, the warld is mine. | Said Death, the world is mine. |
| | |
| Quo life, the warld is mine. | Said Life, The world is mine, |
| An open grave is a furrow syne. | An open grave is a furrow soon, |
| Ye'll no keep my seed frae fa'in in. | You'll not keep my seed from falling in. |
| Quo life, the warld is mine. | Said Life, The world is mine. |
