| «Dear God, you made many, many poor people
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| I realize, of course, that it’s no shame to be poor
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| But it’s no great honor either!
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| So, what would have been so terrible if I had a small fortune?»
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| If I were a rich man
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| Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum
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| All day long I’d biddy biddy bum
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| If I were a wealthy man
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| I wouldn’t have to work hard
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| Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum
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| If I were a biddy biddy rich
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| Yidle-diddle-didle-didle man
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| I’d build a big tall house with rooms by the dozen
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| Right in the middle of the town
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| A fine tin roof with real wooden floors below
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| There would be one long staircase just going up
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| And one even longer coming down
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| And one more leading nowhere, just for show
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| I’d fill my yard with chicks and turkeys and geese and ducks
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| For the town to see and hear
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| And each loud «cheep» and «swaqwk» and «honk» and «quack»
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| Would land like a trumpet on the ear
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| As if to say «Here lives a wealthy man.»
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| If I were a rich man
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| Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum
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| All day long I’d biddy biddy bum
|
| If I were a wealthy man
|
| I wouldn’t have to work hard
|
| Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum
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| If I were a biddy biddy rich
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| Yidle-diddle-didle-didle man
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| I see my wife, my Golde, looking like a rich man’s wife
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| With a proper double-chin
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| Supervising meals to her heart’s delight
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| I see her putting on airs and strutting like a peacock
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| Oy, what a happy mood she’s in
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| Screaming at the servants, day and night
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| The most important men in town would come to fawn on me!
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| They would ask me to advise them
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| Like a Solomon the Wise
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| «If you please, Reb Tevye…»
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| «Pardon me, Reb Tevye…»
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| Posing problems that would cross a rabbi’s eyes!
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| And it won’t make one bit of difference if i answer right or wrong
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| When you’re rich, they think you really know!
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| If I were rich, I’d have the time that I lack
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| To sit in the synagogue and pray
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| And maybe have a seat by the Eastern wall
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| And I’d discuss the holy books with the learned men, several hours every day
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| That would be the sweetest thing of all
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| If I were a rich man
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| Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum
|
| All day long I’d biddy biddy bum
|
| If I were a wealthy man
|
| I wouldn’t have to work hard
|
| Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum
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| If I were a biddy biddy rich
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| Yidle-diddle-didle-didle man |