A soul am I of the Great Life,

a soul am I of the mighty Life,

a soul am I of the Great Life.

Who cast me into the sorrow of the world?

Into the sorrow of the world, who cast me,

who set me in the evil darkness?

Who set me in the evil darkness,

who showed me the blazing fire?

Who showed me the fire,

and who threw me into the turbid water

from which the destroyers are formed?

From it the destroyers are formed,

and thence they become turbid.

Perhaps I shall be held back

and my form become turbid like their form.

Perhaps my form will become turbid

and my speech be lost away from my parents.

As the soul stands and seeks to be enlightened,

the man, his helper, comes.

"You are not a portion of sorrow, that you should brood over it,

you are not a portion of the darkness that would make an end of you.

You are not a portion of the fire,

that you should behold the blazing fire.

You are not a portion of turbidity,

that your form should become turbid like theirs.

You are a portion of the brightness

that is without turbidity.

You are a portion of the earth of light,

in which there is no darkness to make an end of you.

You will prevail, soul,

and your own form will enlighten you.

Your mind will support you firmly,

and your heart will be a helper and builder for you.

Endure in the world and dwell in it

until we long for you.

When we long for you,

we shall betake ourselves here and come to you.

We shall betake ourselves here and come to you,

then we shall bring you out and lift you up to your treasure-house."

As his Lord supported the soul,

he spoke and sang wondrous hymns.

He spoke and sang wondrous hymns

and sought to clear his mind of the transient things:

"Why do I not recount

where the strength of my Lord supported me greatly?

Very long I endured and dwelt in the world,

very long I dwelt among the works of my hands.

Very long I dwelt in it,

until my number was full.

When my number was full,

my mind remembered my home.

I thought of the first Tanna,

from which all the angels were created.

My great helper came to me,

the man who supported me greatly,

the man whose strength dwelt with me

and calmed my heart in the world.

He took me with his right hand,

lifted me up to my treasure-house and hid me there.

When I beheld my treasure-house,

I forgot the vain dwellings.

I spoke with the speech of the angels and shone,

and my locks were braided upon my head through his blessing."

Blessed be God, the Great; God is victorious.