Kh'vil nit geyn in kheyder

Shlekhte kumen un farbaytn,

 Bad times always come

Shtendik libe gute tsaytn;

 instead of good times.

Nokhn zumer shteyt shoyn hintn,

 After the summer, comes autumn

Bald der osyen mit di vintn. 

 with the winds.

      Kh'vil nit geyn in kheyder

       I don't want to go to kheyder,

      Vayl der rebe shmayst keseyder,

       because the Rebbe whips us.

      Kh'vil nit geyn in kheyder!

       I don't want to go to kheyder!

      Un der kantshik dresht di beyner,

       The stick hurts our bones,

      Lernen ober vil nit keyner -

       Anyhow, nobody wants to learn.

      Kh'vil nit geyn in kheyder!

       I don't want to go to kheyder!

Un er shteyt shoyn do nit vayt,

 Not far away stands

Der bahelfer bay der zayt.

 the teacher's aid,

Mit a shtekn, a lamtern,

 with a stick, a "lantern" -

Ayngezunken zol er vern!

 May he sink (to hell)!

Es tsit ahintsu oyfn ayz,

 The ice quivers behind.

Dos ayz iz glat, der shney iz vayz,

 It is smooth; the snow is white.

Vilt zikh glitshn a katoves,

 We want to skate

Un er dult undz mit "fir oves".

 But he makes us study "fir oves" *