To die before death is to be safe, O youth: even so hath Mustafa (Mohammad) commanded us.
مرگ پیش از مرگ امنست ای فتی ** این چنین فرمود ما را مصطفی
He said, “Die, all of you, ere death come, else ye will die with (the certainty of suffering) sore afflictions (hereafter).”
گفت موتواکلکم من قبل ان ** یاتی الموت تموتوا بالفتن
He (the fish) died in that manner and threw his belly upwards: the water was carrying him, now alow, now aloft.
هم‌چنان مرد و شکم بالا فکند ** آب می‌بردش نشیب و گه بلند
Every one of those pursuers (the fishermen) bore great vexation (in his heart), saying, “Alas, the best fish is dead.”2275
هر یکی زان قاصدان بس غصه برد ** که دریغا ماهی بهتر بمرد
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.”
شاد می‌شد او کز آن گفت دریغ ** پیش رفت این بازیم رستم ز تیغ
Then a worthy fisherman seized him and spat on him and flung him on the ground.
پس گرفتش یک صیاد ارجمند ** پس برو تف کرد و بر خاکش فکند
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.
غلط غلطان رفت پنهان اندر آب ** ماند آن احمق همی‌کرد اضطراب
That simpleton kept leaping about, right and left, in order that he might save his skin by his own efforts.
از چپ و از راست می‌جست آن سلیم ** تا بجهد خویش برهاند گلیم
They cast the net, and he (at last) remained in the net: foolish ness ensconced him in that fire (of perdition).2280
دام افکندند و اندر دام ماند ** احمقی او را در آن آتش نشاند
On the top of the fire, on the surface of a frying-pan, he be came the bedfellow of Folly.
بر سر آتش به پشت تابه‌ای ** با حماقت گشت او همخوابه‌ایی