If I aspire to go out to work
What will they say? Bat Melech Pnima
If I stay modestly at home
They say because of you he left Koillel
*
If I choose to teach
The salary is awful
I’ll be working
Entirely to pay the baby sitter
*
Get an advanced teacher diploma
Pity on every penny
As this is the only choice
To improve the take-home pay
*
But woe to my luck
Advanced Diplomas are now forbidden from the Torah
And the rebukers repeatedly reply
For money, you’re willing to give up your principles?
*
Don’t get me wrong
You must work,
and worry about the finances
But, Chalila, do not learn!
*
And if I’d abandon teaching
And find another job
they disdain me – you’re a traitor
Stam a career you’re choosing!
*
So I said I’d take on extra work
Giving extra lessons in the afternoons
But who will educate the kids?
they wonder with surprised eyes
So maybe I’ll realize the vision
to be an exemplary housewife
But from where will you get food?
If you slack off and become lazy?
*
For if your poor husband
Will run from Gmach to Gmach
Tell me, pray, from where
Will a Torah home grow?
*
It’s bad for me as a teacher
I don’t have a penny
Woe to the sorry one
Born without a job
*
If I’d sell candles
The sun wouldn’t set before I died
If I’d take a permanent job
as wings of a plane
El Al would make the entire week
A Shabbat Shabbaton
*
If I’d start dealing in sheitels
They’ll say “probably Avoda Zara”
And if I’d sell quantities of snoods
The Indians would start bowing to cotton
*
If I’d sell mobile phones
Kids would start to be born with antennas
And if I decide to teach teachers
There’d be no more Hishtalmuyot (courses)
The translation from Hebrew was done by an anonymous commenter here on Evanston Jew.