1. الشوقْ إلى نظمِ الأزجالِ

    غلبْ على أمرِ القاضي

    The longing to compose zajals

    Has got the better of the judge.

  2. والقصدْ أشرح واقعة حالِ

    ما دمت فاضي أعمل قاضي

    And my aim is to recount an actual incident:

    Since I’m at leisure, I’ll play judge.

  3. جرنالْ نشرْ ضمن الأخبار

    نادره لقاضي من قِبْلي

    A newspaper published among the news

    An anecdote about a judge from Upper Egypt:

  4. أخد أجازه ودار منشار

    في مصرِ ياكل ويوَلَي

    He took leave and made the rounds like a saw,

    In Cairo, eating and moving on.