No actually it was a mistranslation. The writing actually says
"One day the sage El Matey was watching three young men. One of them was eating a small bowl of curried fish and the other two were discussing the meaning of life. By the time the two had finished, the other had finished his fish. He said
'It is a pity that you two have been so wrapped up in your discussion, as that was a particularly delicious fish. I was going to offer you some but you were so busy that I could not get a word in edgeways'
The sage El Matey was greatly impressed with this. He later wrote it into his great book of cod philosophy, adding two points;
1.It is unwise to pay great attention to philosophical things without first giving due and proper attention to what other people are eating
2.Simply because one's own mind is engaged on great and haughty things, do not assume that the man next to you is not thinking about fish"