“Pitifers vab” – A Purim Play Song Performed by Lifshe Schaechter-Widman
Pitifers vab / Potiphar’s Wife: A Purim Play Song
Sung by Lifshe Schaechter-Widman, recorded by Leybl Kahn, 1954 NYC
Commentary by Itzik Gottesman
Potiphar’s wife and Joseph, by Rembrandt, 1634
Lifshe Schaechter-Widman (LSW) remembered this song from a purim-shpil in her home town, Zvinyetshke, Bukovina. The “Mekhires yoysef” Purim pay about the selling of Joseph was so popular that LSW term for the Purim players was “Yosef-shpiler”. This song sung by the Joseph character describes the attempted seduction by Potiphar’s wife (Genesis 39-40). It also is a good example of the open, carnivalesque atmosphere of the Purim holiday when even sexual topics could be referred to in public.
TRANSLITERATION
Pitifers vab hot mikh ongeredt,
ikh zol mit ir shlufn.
ikh zol mit ir shlufn.
Kh’o mikh getin a bore
mitn yeytse-hore,
az Got vet mikh shtrufn.
Pitifers vab hot mikh ongeredt,
mir zoln shlufn beyde.
mir zoln shlufn beyde.
Kh’o mikh getin a bore
mitn yeytse-hore,
az Yitskhok iz mayn zeyde.
Pitifers vab hot mikh ongeredt,
Mir zoln zayn tsizamen
Mir zoln zayn tsizamen,
Kh’o mikh getin a bore
mitn yeytse-hore,
az Rukhl iz mayn mame.
TRANSLATION
Potiphar’s wife tried to convince me,
that I should sleep with her.
I struggled with the evil inclination –
and remembered – God would punish me.
Potiphar’s wife tried to convince me,
we should sleep together.
I struggled with the evil inclination
and remembered – Isaac was my grandfather.
Potiphar’s wife tried to convince me,
we should be together.
I struggled with the evil inclination
and remembered – Rachel was my mother. 
Yiddish Song of the Week 
March 14, 2019 at 9:08 pm
The more accurate translation of the second sentence in each verse might be: “I negotiated with the evil inclination…” and the Hebrew- origin spelling of the verb would be בוררה.
March 14, 2019 at 9:13 pm
On second thought, that sentence should read: “I negotiated with the evil inclination, saying…”
March 23, 2019 at 4:53 pm
The Y-E dictionary contains an entry for the verb BOREN ZIKH which translates as wrestle/struggle. Not being a Hebraist, I have no idea if there is any connection to the Hebrew word cited. Personally, my relationship to the Yeytser Hore is more wrestling than negotiation.