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 seeks to enlighten himself in his mind:

"Why has my form changed?

Where do they wish to take me?

To what place still

do they wish to carry off my dwelling?

They wish to take me away

from their shining speeches.

They wish to ...... me from their prayers,

which they perform in the house of perfection.

They wish to carry me away from the pure gleam of light

and let me dwell in the stinking garment.

When I see that garment,

who will come and lead me across?

Who will be a caller to me,

who a glorious helper to me?

Who will sit beside me and caress me,

that I may not forget, from here, from my place, what was entrusted to me?"

As the soul stands and reflects,

his helper took firm hold of him.

His helper took firm hold of him

and became a caller to him:

"Your splendour that comes from life is wide and great,

why do you call it a gleam of light?

To take away the splendour

and cut the light from the garment!

The good err,

although they have not yet seen what is ugly.

Where they have not yet seen what is ugly,

why do they err and transgress?"

Then the soul, with his pure mouth,

answered the helper who had made him firm:

"I was full of want,

now you have supported me, and the light became overabundant.

You have supported me now, the light became overabundant,

and strength and firmness came in fullness

through the strength of my great helper,

through the strength of the man who made me firm.

He took firm hold of me with his right hand

and passed on to me of his nature.

Through the rays laid upon me I shone,

I dwelt in the stinking body and did not brood.

The hours drew together, the seasons drew together,

and the course of the world was apportioned.

The seven stars were distributed,

and want weighed upon them.

My great helper came

and had me put off the body of death.

The body of death he had me put off

and clothed me in the splendour of his rays.

He instructed me about the prayers for the dead

which they held in every place."

He and his great helper

shine in one abode.

In one abode they shine

and live in one praise.

A victory has been prepared for them,

and they take half the share of grace.

They seek to brighten themselves in one abode,

and as they seek to brighten themselves, they are enlightened. —

And praised be God, the Living.