Sometimes, when wearied eawt at neet,
Aw sit me deawn i'th' owd arm-cheear
Bi th' fire 'at bruns so warm an' breet,
An' think o'th' joy an' comfort theer.
An' strange reflections cross mi mind,
When studyin' th' ways o' human life;
An' oft, aw try some road to find,
To leeten th' toil an' strife.

Aw think o' folks 'at fret an' pine,
An' uv ther envy mek a show,
Becose they connot dress as fine
As someb'dy else they chonce to know.
What foo's sich folks mun be, for sure,
To sigh for what's beyond command;
A mon may be, tho' ragged an' poor,
As good as th' best i'th' land.

A mon 'at's blessed wi' strength an' health,
To toil an' earn his daily bread,
Should envy nob'dy o' ther wealth,
Nor harbour vile thowts in his yed.
Breet gowd con gain respect, aw know,
While poverty grins deawn on th' poor ;
But rank an' titles, after o,
Are empty seawnds—no mooar.

Th' Owd squire 'at lives i'th' ho' up yon,
Surreawnded bi its park an' greawnds,
Con co' o th' land for miles his own,
An' gooa eawt huntin' wi' his heawnds.
But when he roams throo th' meadows green,
Or throo his woods, weel-stocked wi' game,
He con but feeast his een on th' scene,
An' sooa con aw—just th'same.

Becose he's deawn i' th' world a bit,
A mon's no reason to give way;
Act bowdly!—dunnot mope an' sit,
For after th' darkness follows th' day.
Cheer up, an' banish care away, '
An' o'er yor trubbles gaily sing;
Ther's mony a warkin' mon, to-day,
Far happier than a king!

We've o eawr ups an' deawns to face,
Sooa buckle to an' mek yor mark;
An' fortin's sun'll shine i' th' place
O' th' cleawds 'at mek life drear an' dark.
Heawever hard yor lot may be,
Keep courage, tho' yo chonce to fo’;
For just look reawnd yo, an yo'll see
Ther's plenty worse than yo.

Sooa do yor duty while yo con,
An' let this be yor daily creed :—
To act to every fella-mon
Wi' truth an' reet, i' word an' deed.
An' aw'll do th' same misel, an' o,
Until aw tek mi final rest;
An' then, when th' judgment comes, aw know
Aw'st ston' mi chonce wi' th' best.

21st Century English Version by Jim Saville
A working Man’s Reflections

Sometimes, when wearied out at night,
I sit me down in the old arm chair,
By the fire that burns so warm and bright,
And think o' the joy and comfort there.
And strange reflections cross my mind,
When studying the ways of human life;
And oft, I try some way to find,
To lighten the toil and strife.

I think of folk that fret and pine,
And of their envy make a show;
Because they cannot turn out as fine
As somebody else they chance to know.
What fools such folk must be, for sure,
To sigh for things they cannot command!
A man may be, though ragged and poor,
As good as the best in all the land.

A man that's blessed with strength and health,
To toil and earn his daily bread,
Should envy nobody of their wealth,
Nor grieve for things that he cannot get.
Bright gold can gain respect, I know,
While poverty grins down on the poor,
But rank and titles, after all,
Are empty sounds — no more.

The old squire that lives in the house yonder,
Surrounded with it’s park and grounds!
Can call all the land for miles, his own,
And go out hunting with his hounds.
But when he roams through the meadows green,
Or through his woods, well stacked with game;
He can but feast his eyes on the scene,
And so can I, just the same.

Because he's down in the world a bit,
A man’s no reason to give way;
Be brave in the strife, don't mope and sit,
For after the darkness follows the day.
Cheer up, and banish care away,
And o'er your troubles gaily sing;
There’s many a working man to-day,
Far happier than a king.

We've all our ups and downs to face,
So buckle to and make your mark;
And fortune's sun will shine in the place
O' the clouds that make life drear and dark.
However hard your lot may be,
Keep courage, though you’d chance to fall;
For just look round you, and you’ll see
There's plenty worse than you.

So do your duty while you can,
And let this be your daily creed—
To act to every fellow man,
With truth and right, in word and deed.
And I'll do the same myself, as well,
Until I take my final rest;
And then when the judgment comes, I know
I'll stand my chance with the best.