In that work, originally written in Syriac, the Apostle Thomas sings the hymn while praying for himself and fellow prisoners.
When the boy receives the letter, he remembers his mission, retrieves the pearl and returns.
The hymn is commonly interpreted as a Gnostic view of the human condition, that we are spirits lost in a world of matter and forgetful of our true origin.
This state of affairs may be ameliorated by a revelatory message delivered by a messenger, a role generally ascribed to Jesus.
The Hymn of the Pearl has also been admired by Orthodox Christian thinkers[citation needed] and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
When I was a little child, and dwelling in my kingdom of my father's house, and in the riches and luxuries of my teachers, I was living at ease.
Then they made with me an agreement, and they inscribed it in my heart so that it would not be forgotten: "If [you would go] down into Egypt and bring [back] the one pearl, which is in the middle of the sea surrounded by the hissing serpent, then you will put on your glorious garment and your toga which rests (is laid) over it.
I went straight to the serpent, around its lodging I settled until it was going to slumber and sleep, that I might snatch my pearl from it.
Think of your glorious garment, remember your splendid toga, which you will put on and wear when your name is called out from the book of the combatants (athletes).
I remembered that I was a son of kings, and my free soul longed for its natural state.
and my glorious garment which I had stripped off, and my toga which was wrapped with it, (from Ramatha and Reken), from the heights of Hyrcania, my parents sent it there, with the hand of their stewards, who, on account of their faithfulness, could be trusted with it.