I was sitting, bent over my Talmudic studies,
Knowing nothing about prison life;
When suddenly my eyes opened wide,
And I had to quit my studying.

I began to make counterfeit money
And to lead a happy-go-lucky life,
Everything decent in me was extinguished,
All I wanted was only to make money,

But nothing can last long,
And everything must have an end,
One beautiful night, someone fingered my little machine—
And I was led away in chains.