فَلَمّا بَلَغا مَجمَعَ بَينِهِما نَسِيا حوتَهُما فَاتَّخَذَ سَبيلَهُ فِي البَحرِ سَرَبًا

But when they reached the junction between them, they forgot their fish, which took its course into the sea, slipping away.

فَلَمّا جاوَزا قالَ لِفَتاهُ آتِنا غَداءَنا لَقَد لَقينا مِن سَفَرِنا هـٰذا نَصَبًا

As they journeyed, he told his companion, “Bring us our lunch; we’ve experienced hardship on this journey.”

قالَ أَرَأَيتَ إِذ أَوَينا إِلَى الصَّخرَةِ فَإِنّي نَسيتُ الحوتَ وَما أَنسانيهُ إِلَّا الشَّيطانُ أَن أَذكُرَهُ ۚ وَاتَّخَذَ سَبيلَهُ فِي البَحرِ عَجَبًا

He replied, “Do you see when we rested by the rock? I forgot about the fish. Only Satan made me forget to remember it. Amazingly, it made its way into the sea.”

قالَ ذٰلِكَ ما كُنّا نَبغِ ۚ فَارتَدّا عَلىٰ آثارِهِما قَصَصًا

He said, “That’s what we were seeking!” So they returned following their footsteps.

فَوَجَدا عَبدًا مِن عِبادِنا آتَيناهُ رَحمَةً مِن عِندِنا وَعَلَّمناهُ مِن لَدُنّا عِلمًا

Then they came across one of Our servants, to whom We had given mercy from Us and taught knowledge from Us.

قالَ إِنَّكَ لَن تَستَطيعَ مَعِيَ صَبرًا

He answered, “You won’t be able to endure with me patiently.

وَكَيفَ تَصبِرُ عَلىٰ ما لَم تُحِط بِهِ خُبرًا

How could you endure things that you don’t understand?”

قالَ سَتَجِدُني إِن شاءَ اللَّهُ صابِرًا وَلا أَعصي لَكَ أَمرًا

He responded, “If God wills, you’ll find me patient, and I won’t disobey any of your instructions.”

قالَ فَإِنِ اتَّبَعتَني فَلا تَسأَلني عَن شَيءٍ حَتّىٰ أُحدِثَ لَكَ مِنهُ ذِكرًا

He said, “If you follow me, then don’t question me about anything until I choose to explain it to you.”

فَانطَلَقا حَتّىٰ إِذا رَكِبا فِي السَّفينَةِ خَرَقَها ۖ قالَ أَخَرَقتَها لِتُغرِقَ أَهلَها لَقَد جِئتَ شَيئًا إِمرًا

They set out, until, when they boarded the boat, he made a hole in it. He exclaimed, “Did you make a hole in it to drown its passengers? You did a strange thing!”