De sintir la buena djente 2

From Morenika Izmirlia - Judeo-Spanish songs from Smyrna, 2020

The copla of the Debate of the Vegetables (El debate de las verduras) belongs to a group of debate coplas that include exchanges between flowers, colors, and other elements. In this copla, the tomato argues passionately with the aubergine, each one praising its own virtues while disparaging the other’s.
This particular copla is rarely found in oral tradition and appears here in a fragmentary version. Traces remain of a common structure in the copla repertoire, consisting of four-line stanzas with a Zajalesque rhyme pattern: the first three lines of each stanza rhyme together, while the fourth line shares a recurring rhyme with the final lines of all other stanzas. In this copla, parts of that structure are still preserved. Historically, this poetic form was borrowed from Arabic verse and later adapted into Hebrew liturgical poetry.

Text:
De sintir la buena gente el pleto de zerzavat,
todos se meten de enfrente sale el buen del tomat:
Mi color aleluciente,  se namoran por tomat.
        Mi comida es alabada y mijor de la berenĵena.

La berenĵena l'aresponde:
Callada state tú, tomat,   que no vales metalik,
que dos días en el cesto    lo que aprestas para el estiercol.   
         Mi comida es alabada y mijor del tomat.

El tomat le aresponde:
Todas las bodas se detienen asperándome a mí,
empesijo del piscado,  en el arroz atemí,
si queres por apetite, la salata es de mí.                   
         Mi comida es alabada y mijor de la berenĵena.
          
La berenĵena le aresponde:
Yo cuando salgo trufanda do haber a la judería:
si el aceite sta muy caro,  yené más en alburnía.
          Mi comida es alabada y mijor del tomat.      

El tomat le aresponde:
Callada, masate, preta y negra, que hablates arseslik,
si en un cesto yo te veo  me pareces aĝeslik.
          Mi comida es alabada y mijor de la berenĵena.

Translation:
When the good people heard the quarrel of the vegetables,
everyone gathered around, and out came the fine tomato:
My shining color makes people fall in love with me.
    My food is praised, and better than the eggplant.

The eggplant answers him:
Be silent, tomato, you’re not worth a coin.
After two days in the basket, they throw you to the dung heap.
    My food is praised, and better than the tomato.

The tomato replies:
All weddings all waiting for me.
I’m the beginning of the fish dish, I season the rice,
and if you want something appetizing, the salad is mine.
    My food is praised, and better than the eggplant.

The eggplant replies:
When I come out fresh, I announce to the Jewish quarter.
If the oil is too expensive, I still give plenty of flavor.
    My food is praised, and better than the tomato.

The tomato answers:
Be quiet, black and ugly one, you speak foolishly.
If I see you in a basket, you look dirty.
    My food is praised, and better than the eggplant.