Clear or translucent fabric softening compositions having a biodegradable fabric softening active and an added chelating agent are disclosed. The biodegradable fabric softening active preferably has the formula:

wherein each R substituent is hydrogen or a short chain C₁-C₆, preferably C₁-C₃ alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group, e.g., methyl (most preferred), ethyl, propyl, hydroxyethyl, and the like, benzyl, or mixtures thereof; each m is 2 or 3; each n is from 1 to about 4, preferably 2; each Y is —O—(O)C—, —(R)N—(O)C—, —C(O)—N(R)—, or —C(O)—O—, preferably —O—(O)C—; the sum of carbons in each R¹, plus one when Y is —O—(O)C— or —(R)N—O)C—, is C₆-C₂₂, preferably C_12-22, more preferably C₁₄-C₂₀, but no more than one R¹ or YR¹ sum being less than about 12 and then the other R¹ or YR¹ sum is at least about 16, with each R¹ being a long chain C₅-C₂₁ (or C₆-C₂₂), preferably C₉-C₁₉ (or C₉-C₂₀), most preferably C₁₁-C₁₇ (or C₁₂-C₁₈), straight, branched, unsaturated or polyunsatruated alkyl, the average Iodine Value of the parent fatty acid of the R¹ being from about 20 to about 140. The chelating agent is preferably diaminetriaminepentaacetic acid. The compositions display excellant clarity with a percentage haze in the transmission mode of a Hunter Color analysis of less than 90%, preferably less than 50%.