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
(There) he was seething from the heat of the flames Reason was saving to him, “Did not a warner come to thee?”
او همی جوشید از تف سعیر ** عقل می‌گفتش الم یاتک نذیر