Un día antes que muriera llamó a toda su parientera los tomó a su cabecera, un día antes de Purim. A Pasandata le ha dicho, de Agag seas maldicho, que tú tomes en mi dicho y aborrezcas el Purim. No tomes tú tal camino en Purim no bebas vino que todo que le vino, todo le vino en Purim. Dalfón, mi hijo segundo, así tengas negro mundo, si puedes meter a Israel al fundo en este día de Purim. A Aspata le decía: de mí tómate mancía, ni cadena ni manilla no estrenes en Purim. Que muncho estó quemado, de este día afamado, .[manca una linea] hace taanit en Purim Y tú mi hijo Porata, vende tu ropa barata, no hables con quen tratas en los días de Purim. Esto te digo por encargo y te lo escribo de largo porque me fue muncho amargo este dia de Purim. Ven aqui tu, Adalia, ya lo encolgan a el alla, si queres ver reaia amaniana toman Purim. Alza tu ojo y cata que esta sejora me mata llame me Aridata antes que entre Purim. Hijo mi yo el sejeno no hagas como un ajeno para ti lo que es bueno endechar en Purim Y tú mi hijo Parmasta venimos de grande casta de Agag es nuestra rasta no des Shalom en Purim. Ya andes y ate, tu Arisai, como Ajiman y Sesai, vengate de ben Ishai y gastales el Purim. Despues vino Aridai llorando con muncho guay, por modo de Mordehai se enforco en Purim. Despues vino Vaizata, lo que a mi me mata, quedar mi paga alta encolgado en Purim. La mujer le dicia, que era esta alferesia con Mordehai que tenia a tomarse en Purim. Calla tu, Zeres, la loca, a ti hablar no te toca, por ti ordeni la forca y me la estreni en Purim. Vino su hijo Remor, despues de tanta amor colgando como un jamor mando Ahashveros en Purim. Y Simshai, el escribano, se mataba con su mano, avoltaba roto y sano, siempre sali a Purim. Los amigos le hablaban, con esto lo amargaban, Israel se alaban, por ti en este Purim. Al cabo lo trujeron, que enforcarlo quiseron iza, iza, le dijeron, lo encolgaron en Purim.
One day before he died he called all his relatives, he took them to his bedside, one day before Purim. To Pasandata he said, From Agag you are accursed, take my words as I tell them and despise the Purim day. Do not take such a path, on Purim do not drink wine, for everything that befell him, it all befell him on Purim. Dalfón, my second son, may your world be blackened, cast Israel down to the depths on this very day of Purim. To Aspata he was saying: ‘Take from me this warning, neither chain nor bracelet shall you wear on Purim. For much have I been burned by this infamous day, […line missing…] make a fast on Purim. And you, my son Porata, sell your clothing cheaply, do not speak with whom you deal in the days of Purim. This I tell you as a charge, and I write it to you at length, for very bitter it was to me, this day of Purim. Come here, you Adalia, see, they are hanging him there; if you want to see the proof, tomorrow they take Purim. Lift your eyes and look, for this woman kills me; call me Aridata before Purim enters. My son, I, the old man, do not act like a stranger; for you what is good is to lament on Purim. And you, my son Parmasta, we come from noble lineage, from Agag is our descent, give no ‘shalom’ on Purim. Go on your way, you Arisai, like Ahiman and Sheshai, take vengeance on the son of Yishai and ruin them on Purim. Afterward came Aridai, weeping with great woe, for by the plan of Mordecai he was hanged on Purim. Afterward Vaizata came, what kills me is this: that my earned reward is to be hanged on Purim. His wife said to him, it was foolish to have dealings with Mordecai to destroy us on Purim “Silence, Zeres you madwoman, it is not for you to speak; by your advice I made the gallows, and I was hanged on Purim.” Then came his son Remor, after so much favor, hanging like a donkey by order of Ahashverosh on Purim. And Simshai, the scribe, killed himself by his own hand, His sanity ruined always fearing Purim. His friends spoke to him, and they embittered him, praising Israel, because of you is this Purim. At last they brought him, for they wished to hang him; “up, up,” they told him, they hanged him on Purim.
Jerusalem National Sound Archive placement: Yc2775
This a a humorous and festive copla from the Ottoman tradition , celebrating the downfall of Haman and the joy of the Jewish people. Haman here is the protagonist, foreseeing all the disasters soon to befall him, his family and his advisors. An almost identical text of a Purim copla exists in North Morocco as well which includes a chorus. Most of the strophes in this copla are structured in Muslim originated 12th century Zajal rhyme quatrains, in which first three lines of each strophe rhyme while all the fourth lines rhyme with each other. The rhythm, typical of the Ottoman region, is an asymmetric 7/8 beat.
This website was created by Orit Perlman with the collaboration and blessings of Dr. Susana Weich-Shahak in 2025