On my height I stand,

and my eyes look toward the Tibil.

I look and see the soul,

how she weeps, laments and pours herself out in tears

and sweeps the streets with her hair.

With her hair she sweeps the streets,

with her nails she digs up earth.

With her nails she digs up earth,

with her tears she moistens the clod.

The clod she moistens with her tears,

with her hands she joins vaults together.

Vaults she joins together with her hands,

so she stands and builds the structure.

She built it and plastered it,

then she climbed up and sat on the wall.

She took off the rose coat

and marvelled at its beauty.

She says to it:

"Woe to you, splendour of the body,

it is right that the worms of Hell devour you.

Woe to you, rose coat,

that the birds in the air tear to shreds."

The soul sits and waits:

perhaps an escort will come.

Perhaps an escort will come

and I shall go with them.

The soul looks up and sees

how the escort of the wicked draws near.

Darkness goes before them,

gloom follows them.

Demons accompany them,

Liliths are their escorts.

A mile and half a mile away

the sound of their weeping carries.

A mile and half a mile away

the smell of their stench carries.

When they came to the soul,

the guiltless soul of life said to them:

"What are your works, you wicked,

that your provision looks like this?"

Then they answer her:

"Our head penetrated into the earth

within this world.

Our eyes gave signals

within this world.

Our ears listened at the doors

within this world.

Our hands committed murder

within this world.

Our heart was divided

within this world.

Our body practised fornication

within this world.

Our knees bowed before the Seven

within this world.

Our feet went barefoot

within this world."

Then the guiltless soul of life said to them:

"If these are your works, you wicked,

then your provision suits you perfectly.

Go, go, you wicked,

I will not come with you in your escort."

The soul sits:

perhaps an escort will come,

perhaps an escort will come,

and I shall go with them in their escort.

The soul looks up and sees

how the escort of the good draws near.

Splendour goes before them,

light follows them.

Angels of life accompany them,

angels of splendour are their escorts.

A mile and half a mile away

their sweet fragrance carries.

Then the guiltless soul of life said to them:

"If it pleases you, my good brothers,

lead me with you in your escort.

I will be a companion to the good,

an escort to the faithful."

Then they say to her:

"What are your works, soul,

that we should lead you with us in our escort on the way?"

Then she says to them:

"My father distributed bread,

and my mother gave alms;

my brothers sang hymns,

and my sisters offered Kushta."

Then they say to her:

"Your father, who distributed bread,

did it for himself;

your mother, who gave alms,

did it for her soul.

Your brothers, who sang hymns,

will ascend on the paths of Kushta;

your sisters, who offered Kushta,

Manda dHaije will be a helper to them.

What are your works, which you did for yourself,

that we should lead you with us in our escort?"

Then she answers them:

"I will tell you, my brothers,

I will tell you, true and faithful men;

I will tell you, my brothers,

I will tell you how it was.

My brothers, according to their will,

my sisters, according to their own will,

my brothers, according to their will,

made me the bride of the wicked.

The bride of the wicked they made me,

who grant neither wage nor almsgiving.

Wage and almsgiving they do not grant,

therefore they are fettered in darkness.

But in me, who loved life,

knowledge of life took its place in my mind.

When the Saturday went out at evening,

when the Sunday entered for good,

I took alms into my pocket,

took a piece of bread into my hand.

I took alms into my pocket

and went to the gate of the temple.

The alms I put among the other alms

and the piece of bread to the common meal (for the poor).

If I found an orphan, I fed her

and filled the widow's pocket.

If I found a naked one,

I laid a garment about his neck.

If I found a captive,

I ransomed him and sent him back to his homeland.

I ransomed him, sent him back to his homeland

and provided him with provision for the road."

Then they brought splendour and clothed her with it,

brought light and covered her with it.

They bound a great diadem of splendour on her

and set a resplendent wreath on her.

They bound a girdle on her,

which is wholly splendour in high degree.

They laid a crossing for her over the seas,

laid a dam for her through the rivers.

They took her by the palm of the right hand

and led her over the streams of water.

Life upheld life,

life found its own.

Its own found life,

and my soul, the soul of N.N. of this ascent, found what she hoped for. —

God is held high and is victorious,

and victorious is the man who went here.

By the way stands the soul

and looks out for her helper:

For You I let my eyes look out,

Lord, who are wholly mercy.