spoken: Oh Lord, you made many, many poor people. I realize, of course, it’s no shame to be poor.
But it’s no great honor either! So, what would have been so terrible if I had a small fortune?

sung: If I were a rich man,
Yaba debah debah debah debah debah debah dum
All day long I’d biddy biddy bum.
If I were a wealthy man.
I wouldn’t have to work hard.
Yaba debah debah debah debah debah debah dum
If I were a biddy biddy rich,
Aidle deedle daidle daidle man.

I’d build a big tall house with rooms by the dozen,
Right in the middle of the town.
A fine tin roof and real wooden floors below.
There would be one long staircase just going up,
And one even longer coming down,
And one more leading nowhere, just for show.

I’d fill my yard with chicks and turkeys and geese and ducks for the town to see and hear.
Squawking just as noisily as they can
And each lobeldeegee, bideldeegoo, bideldeeger, bideldeegah
Would land like a trumpet on the ear,
As if to say “Here lives a wealthy man.”… Oy

Repeat first verse

I see my wife, my Golde, looking like a rich man’s wife with a proper double chin
Supervising meals to her heart’s delight.
I see her putting on airs and strutting like a peacock.
Oy, what a happy mood she’s in.
Screaming at the servants, day and night. screams

The most important men in town will come to fawn on me! They will ask me to advise them like a Solomon the Wise. “If you please, Reb Tevye...” “Pardon me, Reb Tevye...”
Posing problems that would cross a rabbi’s eye!
Yadah deedahdah yadeedahdah ahh
And it won’t make one bit of difference if I answer right or wrong.
When you’re rich, they think you really know!

If I were rich, I’d have the time that I lack
To sit in the synagogue and pray
And maybe have a seat by the Eastern wall.
And I’d discuss the holy books with the learned men, seven hours every day.
And that would be the sweetest thing of all. … Oy

If I were a rich man,
Yaba debah debah debah debah debah debah dum
All day long I’d biddy biddy bum.
If I were a wealthy man.
I wouldn’t have to work hard.
Yaba debah debah debah debah debah debah dum
Lord who made the lion and the lamb,
You decreed I should be what I am.
Would it spoil some vast eternal plan?
If I were a wealthy man.