[1: sight] [2: nonsense] [3: talking] [4: walking] [5: eating; fools] [6: trousers] [7: prowl] [8: Notes] [9: catch] [10: shook hands] [11: face; fool] [12: something to talk about]
Rum coves that relieve us [1] Of clunkers and pieces, [2] Is gin'rally lagged, [3] Or wuss luck gets scragg'd. [4]
Are smashers and divers [5] And noble contrivers Not sold to the beaks [6] By the coppers an' sneaks? [7]
Yet moochin' arch-screevers, [8] Concoctin' deceivers, Chaps as reap like their own What by tothers were sown;
Piratical fakers [9] Of bosh by the acres, These muck-worms of trash Cut, oh, a great dash.
But, there, it don't matter Since, to cut it still fatter, By 'ook and by crook Ve've got up this book.
Tell ye 'ow? Vy in rum kens, [10] In flash cribs and slum dens, [11] I' the alleys and courts, 'Mong the doocedest sorts;
When jawin' with Jillie Or Mag and 'er Billie, Ve shoved down in black Their illigant clack. [12]
So from hartful young dodgers, From vaxy old codgers, [13] From the blowens ve got [14] Soon to know vot is vot.
Now then there is yer sumptuous Tuck-in of most scrumptious, And dainty mag-pie! [15] Will ye jes' come and try?
[1: thieves] [2: money] [3: imprisoned] [4: hung] [5: counterfeiters; pickpockets] [6: magistrates] [7: police; informers] [8: prowling; begging letter writers] [9: writers of "blood and thunder"] [10: queer places] [11: thieves' resorts] [12: talk] [13: men] [14: prostitutes] [15: speech]
You bible-sharps that thump on tubs, [1] You lurkers on the Abram-sham, [2] You sponges miking round the pubs, [3] You flymy titters fond of flam, [4] You judes that clobber for the stramm, [5] You ponces good at talking tall, With fawneys on your dexter famm-- [6] A mot's good-night to one and all! [7]
Likewise you molls that flash your bubs [8] For swells to spot and stand you sam, [9] You bleeding bonnets, pugs, and subs, You swatchel-coves that pitch and slam. [10] You magsmen bold that work the cram, [11] You flats and joskins great and small, Gay grass-widows and lawful-jam-- [12] A mot's good-night to one and all!
For you, you coppers, narks, and dubs, [13] Who pinched me when upon the snam, [14] And gave me mumps and mulligrubs [15] With skilly and swill that made me clam, [16] At you I merely lift my gam-- [17] I drink your health against the wall! [18] That is the sort of man I am, A mot's good-night to one and all!