1Cademy - دفتر چهارم - بخش ۸۷ - چاره اندیشیدن آن ماهی نیم‌عاقل و خود را مرده کردن / Book Four - Section 87 - That Half-Wise Fish Devising a Plan and Feigning Death

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مثنوی معنوی: دفتر چهارم / Masnavi: Book Four
دفتر چهارم - بخش ۸۳ - قصهٔ آن آبگیر و صیادان و آن سه ماهی یکی عاقل و یکی نیم عاقل وان دگر مغرور و ابله مغفل لاشی و عاقبت هر سه / Book Four - Section 83 - The Story of That Pond and the Fishermen, and Those Three Fish - One Wise, One Half-Wise, and the Other Vain, Foolish, Heedless, Worthless - and the Fate of All Three

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دفتر چهارم - بخش ۸۷ - چاره اندیشیدن آن ماهی نیم‌عاقل و خود را مرده کردن / Book Four - Section 87 - That Half-Wise Fish Devising a Plan and Feigning Death

Original content

گفت ماهی دگر وقت بلا
چونک ماند از سایهٔ عاقل جدا

کو سوی دریا شد و از غم عتیق
فوت شد از من چنان نیکو رفیق

لیک زان نندیشم و بر خود زنم
خویشتن را این زمان مرده کنم

پس برآرم اشکم خود بر زبر
پشت زیر و می‌روم بر آب بر

می‌روم بر وی چنانک خس رود
نی بسباحی چنانک کس رود

مرده گردم خویش بسپارم به آب
مرگ پیش از مرگ امنست از عذاب

مرگ پیش از مرگ امنست ای فتی
این چنین فرمود ما را مصطفی

گفت موتواکلکم من قبل ان
یاتی الموت تموتوا بالفتن

هم‌چنان مرد و شکم بالا فکند
آب می‌بردش نشیب و گه بلند

هر یکی زان قاصدان بس غصه برد
که دریغا ماهی بهتر بمرد

شاد می‌شد او کز آن گفت دریغ
پیش رفت این بازیم رستم ز تیغ

پس گرفتش یک صیاد ارجمند
پس برو تف کرد و بر خاکش فکند

غلط غلطان رفت پنهان اندر آب
ماند آن احمق همی‌کرد اضطراب

از چپ و از راست می‌جست آن سلیم
تا بجهد خویش برهاند گلیم

دام افکندند و اندر دام ماند
احمقی او را در آن آتش نشاند

بر سر آتش به پشت تابه‌ای
با حماقت گشت او همخوابه‌ایی

او همی جوشید از تف سعیر
عقل می‌گفتش الم یاتک نذیر

او همی‌گفت از شکنجه وز بلا
هم‌چو جان کافران قالوا بلی

باز می‌گفت او که گر این بار من
وا رهم زین محنت گردن‌شکن

من نسازم جز به دریایی وطن
آبگیری را نسازم من سکن

آب بی‌حد جویم و آمن شوم
تا ابد در امن و صحت می‌روم

English translation

The other fish said, at the time of calamity, When it was left separated from the shadow of the wise one:

"He went toward the sea, freed from ancient grief — Such a fine companion has been lost to me.

Yet I will not dwell on that, but strike upon myself — I will make myself dead at this very moment.

Then I will raise my belly upward, Back below, and drift upon the water.

I will move upon it as driftwood moves, Not by swimming as any person swims.

I will become dead, and surrender myself to the water — Death before death is safe from torment.

Death before death is safe, O youth — Thus has Muṣṭafā commanded us.

He said: 'Mūtū kullukum min qabli an yatiya al-mawtu, tamūtū bil-fitan.'"

And so he died and cast his belly upward — The water bore him, now low, now high.

Each of those hunters felt much grief, Saying: "Alas, the better fish has died!"

He rejoiced at their cry of "alas" — "This trick of mine has worked; I am saved from the blade!"

Then a worthy fisherman took him up, Spat upon him, and threw him on the bank.

Rolling and tumbling, he slipped hidden back into the water — While that fool remained, thrashing in distress.

That guileless one darted left and right, To leap and save his own skin.

They cast the net and he remained caught in the net — His foolishness seated him in that fire.

On top of the fire, on the back of a pan, He became bedfellow with foolishness.

He was boiling from the heat of hellfire — Reason was saying to him: "Alam ya'tika nadhīr?"

He was saying from his torment and tribulation, Like the souls of the unbelievers: "Qālū balā!"

Again he said: "If this time I Escape from this neck-breaking torment,

I will make my home nowhere but in the sea — I will not make a pool my dwelling.

I will seek boundless water and be safe — Forever I will journey in safety and wholeness."

Updated 2026-05-16

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Ganjoor

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The Allegory of the Three Fishes in the Masnavi

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English translation

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