o can ye labour lea?

    chorus—o can ye labour lea, young man,

    o can ye labour lea?

    it fee nor bountith shall us twine

    gin ye can labour lea.

    i fee'd a man at michaelmas,

    wi' airle pennies three;

    but a' the faut i had to him,

    he could na labour lea,

    o can ye labour lea, c.

    o clappin's gude in febarwar,

    an' kissin's sweet in may;

    but my delight's the ploughman lad,

    that weel can labour lea,

    o can ye labour lea, c.

    o 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.

    o can ye labour lea, c.