مرگ پیش از مرگ امنست ای فتی ** این چنین فرمود ما را مصطفی
To die before death is to be safe, O youth: even so hath Mustafa (Mohammad) commanded us.
گفت موتواکلکم من قبل ان ** یاتی الموت تموتوا بالفتن
He said, “Die, all of you, ere death come, else ye will die with (the certainty of suffering) sore afflictions (hereafter).”
هم‌چنان مرد و شکم بالا فکند ** آب می‌بردش نشیب و گه بلند
He (the fish) died in that manner and threw his belly upwards: the water was carrying him, now alow, now aloft.
هر یکی زان قاصدان بس غصه برد ** که دریغا ماهی بهتر بمرد2275
Every one of those pursuers (the fishermen) bore great vexation (in his heart), saying, “Alas, the best fish is dead.”
شاد می‌شد او کز آن گفت دریغ ** پیش رفت این بازیم رستم ز تیغ
He (the fish) was made glad by their saying “Alas”: (he said to himself), “This trick of mine has come off, I am delivered from the sword.”
پس گرفتش یک صیاد ارجمند ** پس برو تف کرد و بر خاکش فکند
Then a worthy fisherman seized him and spat on him and flung him on the ground.
غلط غلطان رفت پنهان اندر آب ** ماند آن احمق همی‌کرد اضطراب
He (the half-intelligent fish), rolling over and over, went secretly into the water; the (entirely) foolish one remained (where he was), moving to and fro in agitation.
از چپ و از راست می‌جست آن سلیم ** تا بجهد خویش برهاند گلیم
That simpleton kept leaping about, right and left, in order that he might save his skin by his own efforts.
دام افکندند و اندر دام ماند ** احمقی او را در آن آتش نشاند2280
They cast the net, and he (at last) remained in the net: foolish ness ensconced him in that fire (of perdition).
بر سر آتش به پشت تابه‌ای ** با حماقت گشت او همخوابه‌ایی
On the top of the fire, on the surface of a frying-pan, he be came the bedfellow of Folly.