بخش 87 - 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,

“He hath gone towards the sea and is freed from sorrow: such a good comrade hath been lost to me!

But I will not think of that and will attend to myself: at this (present) time I will feign to be dead.

Then I will turn my belly upwards and my back downwards and will move on the water.

I will move upon it as weeds move, not by swimming as a person (swimmer) does.

I will become dead, I will commit myself to the water: to die before death is to be safe from torment.”

To die before death is to be safe, O youth: even so hath Mustafa (Mohammad) commanded us.

He said, “Die, all of you, ere death come, else ye will die with (the certainty of suffering) sore afflictions (hereafter).”

He (the fish) died in that manner and threw his belly upwards: the water was carrying him, now alow, now aloft.

Every one of those pursuers (the fishermen) bore great vexation (in his heart), saying, “AJas, the best fish is dead.”

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.”

Then a worthy fisherman seized him and spat on him and flung him on the ground.

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.

That simpleton kept leaping about, right and left, in order that he might save his skin by his own efforts.

They cast the net, and he (at last) remained in the net: foolish ness ensconced him in that fire (of perdition).

On the top of the fire, on the surface of a frying-pan, he be came the bedfellow of Folly.

(There) he was seething from the heat of the flames Reason was saving to him, “Did not a warner come to thee?”

He, from the rack of torture and tribulation, was replying like the souls of the unbelievers: they said, “Yea.”

Then again he was saying, “If this time I escape from this neck-breaking affliction,

I will not make my home except in a sea: I will not make a lake my dwelling-place.

I will seek the boundless sea and become safe: I will go in safety and welfare for ever.”