Between the hidden and the splendour,

between the revealed and the hidden place,

stand the knowing ones from the house of their Lord.

The Great Ones, those skilled in wisdom,

stand there and question the soul

that has left the world.

They say to her:

"The good depart;

who shall bear the splendour of the good?

The splendour of the good, who shall bear it,

who shall dim their appearance?"

Then the soul answered and said

to the Great Ones, those skilled in wisdom:

"The Great Ones, who are of proven righteousness,

are not held back by the deception of this world.

The poor and the disciples

are not held back by the deception of this world.

The children of the poor and of the disciples

are not held back by the deception of this world.

But the bailiffs and pursuers

are held back by the deception of this world.

The nobles and the lords

leave the world in their heart's grief.

They acquire and leave it to their children,

they go away and seethe in the fire." —

"Soul, arm yourself

with your wage, your works and your almsgiving.

For the way you must go

is long and without end.

On it no miles are measured,

no milestones set up by measure.

On it keepers of watch-houses are left behind,

and bailiffs and toll-keepers stand on it."

"To what did you compare yesterday, soul,

to what do you compare today?" —

"Yesterday I was like a high building that the master-builder skilfully raised,

today it has collapsed and fallen in." —

"To what did you compare yesterday, soul,

to what do you compare today?" —

"Yesterday I ate and drank,

today my thoughts are full.

Yesterday I swept and watered,

today I climbed up on the refuse.

Yesterday I washed and combed myself,

today what I combed is scattered.

Yesterday I was like a rose on its stem,

today it is withered in its place."

"If you are sorry, soul,

enter again into your trunk.

Enter again into your trunk,

into the bodily trunk in which you dwelt." —

"My brothers, do not say to me:

'Enter again into your trunk.

Enter again into your trunk,

into the bodily trunk in which you dwelt.'

My body is a ravening sea,

that robs and devours lambs.

An evil dragon it is,

that has seven heads.

Seven heads it has,

it is without understanding and sense."

"If you are sorry for it, soul,

enter again into your trunk.

Enter again into your trunk,

into the bodily trunk in which you dwelt.

For God remembered you in kindness.

In kindness God remembered you,

and the angels of light asked after you."

"They drove me out and shut the doors against me

and barred the gate.

They barred the two windows against me,

which receive the speech of life.

They put out the two lamps for me,

which shine day and night.

The great gate was barred,

which praises life daily.

The two scale-pans were broken,

which give wage and almsgiving

and offer Kushta in perfect measure.

The two pillars toppled and fell,

the firmness of the whole palace.

The body has outwitted its master,

and the whole house is filled with darkness."

The soul flies and journeys

alone through the ether, without fear.

When the wicked heard of it,

they set her up again at the cut-off place, in the house of the toll-keepers.

They say to her:

"By whose power have you gone out, soul,

and whose name is pronounced over you?"

Then she answers them:

"I have gone out by the power of Life,

and the name of God is pronounced over me."

Then they say to her:

"O soul, you ascend to the house of life,

you stand in judgement and prevail.

When you go to the house of life,

remember us before God."

Then she answers them:

"When I ascend to the house of life

and journey to the dwelling of light,

when the Great One questions me,

when the Mighty One questions me,

when the Great One questions me,

witnesses will come and testify.

They are true witnesses,

true is everything that they say.

Your eyes, you planets, will see no light.

Your eyes will see no light

and your feet will find no firmness.

I and the angels, my brothers,

will ascend and behold the place of light,

the place whose sun does not set

and whose lamps of light do not grow dark.

To that place

your souls are called and invited." —

God is held high and is victorious,

and victorious is the man who went here.

O gentle soul,

O ordered, well-ordered soul,

O gentle soul,

may helpers come with you,

until the scale weighs

works and reward.