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.