Chorus
O can ye labour lea, young man,O can ye labour lea?It fee nor bountith shall us twineGin ye can labour lea.4I fee’d a man at Michaelmas,Wi’ airle pennies three;But a’ the faut I had to him,He could na labour lea,8
Chorus
O can ye labour lea, young man,O can ye labour lea?It fee nor bountith shall us twineGin ye can labour lea.12O clappin’s gude in Febarwar,An’ kissin’s sweet in May;But my delight’s the ploughman lad,That weel can labour lea,16
Chorus
O can ye labour lea, young man,O can ye labour lea?It fee nor bountith shall us twineGin ye can labour lea.20O kissin is the key o’ luve,And clappin’ is the lock;An’ makin’ o’s the best thing yet,That e’er a young thing gat.24
Chorus
O can ye labour lea, young man,O can ye labour lea?It fee nor bountith shall us twineGin ye can labour lea.28