Ah’v heeard him tell ’em pat an’ plain,
’At they mun all be boorn again,
Or suffer ivverlastin pain,
I’ t’warld te cum;
Bud if they’ll flee te Christ i’ time,
For all ther’s rum.
I’th’ pulpit or i’ conversation,
He’s awlus on for t’sowl’s salvation,
Wi’ kind reproof or exhoortation.
Or coonsel sweet;
An’ thooase ’at follows his persuasion,
They’ll be reeght.
Ther’s sum ’at sez, bud they’re misteean,
When they’re babtized they’re boorne ageean;
Just heer they miss t’ fundation steean,
An’ beelds o’t’ sand;
An’ they’ve neea dreead, till t’hoose is doon
Bud it ’ll stand.
Ah’s flay’d,” sez he, “ift’ truth wur knawn,
Ther’s monny a precious soul o’erthrawn,
For that gud seed ’at he hez sawn
Wi’oot effect;
Bud bleeam for ivver is ther awn,
Thruff sad neglect.
Ah’v seen yoong men, an’ women too,
An’ men wi’ hair all off ther broo,
Afoore he’s reead his lesson throo,
’S beean fast asleep;
Whahl others ’at far better knew
'S beean seen te weep.
They’ll rock an’ riggle like a ship,
Till sum kind frind gies them a nip,
Or wakken’d up wi’ t’saxton’s whip,
Or others’ coughing;
Then, mebby, when they’ve rubb’d their een,
They’ll start a laffin.
Sum’s liv’d te three or fower skoor,
An’ lang time heer’s had rulin pow’r,
They’ve woorn deep tracks across ’at moor,
Wi’ constant gangin;
Bud still, all t’whahl, for this warld’s loore,
Ther heearts wur langin.
Thersels they’ve nivver fairly seen,
They’ve nivver knawn ther sins forgeean,
Tho’ monny a time ther prayers hev beean
As lood as t’clark;
And thof they’ve hed twea pair of een,
They’ve deed i’t’ dark.
Ther’s sum ’at neeame o’ Christian beears,
An’s hed that neeame for monny yeears,
’At’s berreed ow’r t’heead an’ t’eears,
I’ warldly care;
An’ oft at kirk, we’ve cause te feear,
They market theer.
Ah wur at a sarten hoose yah day,
An’ t’awd man tiv his son did say,
If all be weel, thoo mun away,
Te moorn te t’ kirk,
An’ try te git oor wreeghts next week,
Te cum te woark.