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 by the enlightenment of his Lord:

"From You, my Lord, I receive instruction,

You became a helper to me.

A helper You became to me,

tell me where You send me."

Then the Ancient Lord answered

and said to the soul, the servant of the Mighty:

"We send you here, to your place,

which the angels, the sons of salvation, prepared."

"If You send me there,

tell me which of the angels prepared the place.

Tell me which of the angels prepared it,

that I may bear the misery that is in it

when I, my Ancient Lord, am cast into it ......"

The soul descended to the world.

To the world the soul descended,

came there and fell into misery.

He came there, fell into misery,

and sighing received him.

The soul laments and sighs

that he was cut off from his place:

"My gentle Lord had not yet protected me,

had not instructed me about each single thing

and had not enlightened me about the world.

Now that I have descended and reached it,

all have become full of wickedness.

How much shall I hear of it,

how much of its sorrow shall I endure!

Woe and sorrow are mine,

that my Lord had not let me hear anything of His speech.

My Lord had not let me hear anything of His speech,

nor had He given me a counsel of the faithful.

If it pleases my gentle Lord,

let Him send me a man, a helper.

Let Him send me a helper, a first helper,

in whose dwelling everything that he says is heard."

"You know, soul,

who created the world,

who created the world,

and you were advised what is right."

When the soul heard this,

he reflected on the world:

"I will, according to the word of my good Lord,

dwell in the vain body.

I will remain and dwell in it

as long as it pleases my Lord.

When it pleases my Lord,

He will come and take me out of your midst, you wicked.

For woe and sorrow are mine

in your evil odour.

Woe and sorrow are mine through the false talk

and hearing that is yours.

You speak and hear in falsehood,

and perform vain works."

I spoke in the speech of life;

that was dear and pleasing to my Lord.

Dear it was and pleasing to my Lord,

and He sent His helper to me.

He sent His helper,

who speaks in His dwelling and is heard.

I opened my eyes,

and they were filled with light.

I opened my mouth and praised Him;

He found in me no want or fault:

"If you know that I have erred against your speech,

leave me in my body, in my place."

Then my first helper answered

and said to the soul, the servant of the Mighty:

"Be silent and be calm, soul,

servant of the Mighty, be silent and be calm.

Soul, you have not erred,

indeed you have done more."

"If I have done more and have not erred,

what then is it that you have done to me?"

When he heard this from him,

he took him out of his body.

He took him out of his body and recited hymns,

he calmed him, delivered him and set him upright.

He lifted him up and showed him the great Lord of perfection

and set him in precious splendour. —

God is held high and is victorious.