A lens for reading an original, comprises five lenses as a whole including two positive and two negative lenses, an aspherical surface provided on at least one surface of the five lenses, a construction of four lens groups for five lenses which include a cemented lens constructed by cementing one of the positive lenses and one of the negative lenses, an aperture stop disposed between a second and third lens groups, and the cemented lens disposed adjacent to the aperture stop.