That wary (fish) made its breast o afoot (swam away) and was going from its perilous abode to the sea of light,2235
سینه را پا ساخت می‌رفت آن حذور ** از مقام با خطر تا بحر نور
Like the deer of which a dog is in pursuit and which keeps running so long as there is a single nerve in its body.
هم‌چو آهو کز پی او سگ بود ** می‌دود تا در تنش یک رگ بود
Hare’s sleep (heedlessness) with the dog in pursuit is a sin: how indeed is sleep (dwelling) in the eye of him who hath fear?
خواب خرگوش و سگ اندر پی خطاست ** خواب خود در چشم ترسنده کجاست
That fish departed and took the way to the sea: it took the far way and the vast expanse.
رفت آن ماهی ره دریا گرفت ** راه دور و پهنه‌ی پهنا گرفت
It suffered many afflictions, and in the end it went after all towards safety and welfare.
رنجها بسیار دید و عاقبت ** رفت آخر سوی امن و عافیت
It cast itself into the deep Sea whose bound no eye can reach.2240
خویشتن افکند در دریای ژرف ** که نیابد حد آن را هیچ طرف
So when the fishermen brought their net (to the lake), the half-intelligent (fish) was bitterly grieved thereat.
پس چو صیادان بیاوردند دام ** نیم‌عاقل را از آن شد تلخ کام
And said, “Alas, I have lost the opportunity: how did not I accompany that guide?
گفت اه من فوت کردم فرصه را ** چون نگشتم همره آن رهنما
He went off suddenly, but seeing that he went I ought to have gone after him in hot haste.”
ناگهان رفت او ولیکن چونک رفت ** می‌ببایستم شدن در پی بتفت
‘Tis wrong to regret the past: what is gone will not come back: to remember it is of no avail.
بر گذشته حسرت آوردن خطاست ** باز ناید رفته یاد آن هباست
Story of the captive bird which gave the (following) injunctions: do not feel sorrow for what is past, think about taking precaution for the present (need), and do not spend time in repenting.
قصه‌ی آن مرغ گرفته کی وصیت کرد کی بر گذشته پشیمانی مخور تدارک وقت اندیش و روزگار مبر در پشیمانی
A certain man caught a bird by guile and trap: the bird said to him, “O noble sire,2245
آن یکی مرغی گرفت از مکر و دام ** مرغ او را گفت ای خواجه‌ی همام
Thou hast eaten many oxen and sheep, thou hast sacrificed many camels;
به تو بسی گاوان و میشان خورده‌ای ** تو بسی اشتر به قربان کرده‌ای
Thou hast never in the world been sated by them, neither wilt thou be sated by my limbs.
تو نگشتی سیر زانها در زمن ** هم نگردی سیر از اجزای من
Let me go, that I may bestow on thee three counsels, that thou mayst perceive whether I am wise or foolish.
هل مرا تا که سه پندت بر دهم ** تا بدانی زیرکم یا ابلهم
(I will give thee) the first of those counsels on thy hand, the second of them on thy plastered roof,
اول آن پند هم در دست تو ** ثانیش بر بام کهگل بست تو
And the third counsel I will give thee on a tree. (Let me go), for thou wilt become fortunate through these three counsels.2250
وآن سوم پند دهم من بر درخت ** که ازین سه پند گردی نیکبخت
(As for) that saying which is (to be said) on thy hand, ’tis this: ‘do not believe an absurdity (when thou hearest it) from any one.’”
آنچ بر دستست اینست آن سخن ** که محالی را ز کس باور مکن
When it (the bird) had uttered the first grave counsel on his palm, it became free and went (to perch) on the wall (of his house),
بر کفش چون گفت اول پند زفت ** گشت آزاد و بر آن دیوار رفت
And said, “The second is, ‘do not grieve over (what is) past: when it has passed from thee, do not feel regret for it.’”
گفت دیگر بر گذشته غم مخور ** چون ز تو بگذشت زان حسرت مبر
After that, it said to him, “In my body is concealed a solitary (large and precious) pearl, ten dirhems in weight.
بعد از آن گفتش که در جسمم کتیم ** ده درمسنگست یک در یتیم
By thy soul's truth (as sure as thou livest), that jewel was thy fortune and the luck of thy children.2255
دولت تو بخت فرزندان تو ** بود آن گوهر به حق جان تو
Thou hast missed the pearl, for it was not thy appointed lot (to gain it)—a pearl the like of which is not in existence.”
فوت کردی در که روزی‌ات نبود ** که نباشد مثل آن در در وجود
Even as a woman big with child keeps wailing at the time of parturition, so the Khwája began to cry out clamorously.
آنچنان که وقت زادن حامله ** ناله دارد خواجه شد در غلغله
The bird said to him, “Did not I admonish thee, saying, ‘Let there be no grief in thee for what passed yesterday’?
مرغ گفتش نی نصیحت کردمت ** که مبادا بر گذشته‌ی دی غمت
Since it is past and gone, why art thou grieving? Either thou didst not understand my counsel or thou art deaf.
چون گذشت و رفت غم چون می‌خوری ** یا نکردی فهم پندم یا کری
And (as regards) the second counsel I gave thee, (namely), ‘Do not from misguidedness put any belief in an absurd statement,’2260
وان دوم پندت بگفتم کز ضلال ** هیچ تو باور مکن قول محال
O lion, I myself do not weigh ten dirhems: how should the weight of ten dirhems be within me?”
من نیم خود سه درمسنگ ای اسد ** ده درمسنگ اندرونم چون بود
The Khwája came back to himself (recovered his wits) and said, “Hark, disclose the third (piece of) excellent counsel.”
خواجه باز آمد به خود گفتا که هین ** باز گو آن پند خوب سیومین
“Yes,” said the bird, “thou hast made good use of those (former counsels), that I should tell (thee) the third counsel in vain!”
گفت آری خوش عمل کردی بدان ** تا بگویم پند ثالث رایگان
To give counsel to a sleepy ignoramus is to scatter seed in nitrous soil.
پند گفتن با جهول خوابناک ** تخت افکندن بود در شوره خاک
The rent of folly and ignorance does not admit of being patched up: do not give the seed of wisdom to him (the fool), O counsellor.2265
چاک حمق و جهل نپذیرد رفو ** تخم حکمت کم دهش ای پندگو
How the half-intelligent fish devised a means (of escape) and feigned to be dead.
چاره اندیشیدن آن ماهی نیم‌عاقل و خود را مرده کردن
The second fish said in the hour of tribulation, when he was left sundered from the shadow (protection) of the intelligent one,
گفت ماهی دگر وقت بلا ** چونک ماند از سایه‌ی عاقل جدا
“He hath gone towards the sea and is freed from sorrow: such a good comrade hath been lost to me!
کو سوی دریا شد و از غم عتیق ** فوت شد از من چنان نیکو رفیق
But I will not think of that and will attend to myself: at this (present) time I will feign to be dead.
لیک زان نندیشم و بر خود زنم ** خویشتن را این زمان مرده کنم
Then I will turn my belly upwards and my back downwards and will move on the water.
پس برآرم اشکم خود بر زبر ** پشت زیر و می‌روم بر آب بر
I will move upon it as weeds move, not by swimming as a person (swimmer) does.2270
می‌روم بر وی چنانک خس رود ** نی بسباحی چنانک کس رود
I will become dead, I will commit myself to the water: to die before death is to be safe from torment.”
مرده گردم خویش بسپارم به آب ** مرگ پیش از مرگ امنست از عذاب
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
(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
He, from the rack of torture and tribulation, was replying like the souls of the unbelievers: they said, “Yea.”
او همی‌گفت از شکنجه وز بلا ** هم‌چو جان کافران قالوا بلی
Then again he was saying, “If this time I escape from this neck-breaking affliction,
باز می‌گفت او که گر این بار من ** وا رهم زین محنت گردن‌شکن