Serekh Hayahad (The Rule of the Community) "10 Commandments" 9

1 For  {...}  a sin  of  oversight,  then,  he  will  be  punished  two  years;  but whoever  acts  impertinently  shall  not  go  back  again.  Only  someone  who  sins through  oversight  
2 shall  be  tested  for  two  full  years  in  respect  of  his  behaviour and  of  his  counsel  according  to  the  authority  of  the  Many  and  shall  then  be enrolled  according  to  his  rank  in  the  Community  of  holiness.  
3 Blank  When these  exist  in  Israel  in  accordance  with  these  rules  in  order  to  establish  the spirit  of  holiness  in  truth  
4  eternal,  in  order  to  atone  for  the  fault  of  the  trans- gression and  for  the  guilt  of  sin  and  for  approval  for  the  earth,  without  the  flesh of  burnt  offerings  and  without  the  fats  of  sacrifice -the  offering  of  
5 the  lips  in compliance  with  the  decree  will  be  like  the  pleasant  aroma  of  justice  and  the correctness  of  behaviour  will  be  acceptable  like  a freewill  offering -at  this  mo- ment the  men  of  
6 the  Community  shall  set  themselves  apart  (like)  a holy  house for  Aaron,  in  order  to  enter  the  holy  of  holies,  and  (like)  a house  of  the  Com- munity for  Israel,  (for)  those  who  walk  in  perfection.  
7 Only  the  sons  of  Aaron will  have  authority  in  the  matter  of  judgment  and  of  goods,  and  their  word  will settle  the  lot  of  all  provision  for  the  men  of  the  Community  
8 and  the  goods  of the  men  of  holiness  who  walk  in  perfection.  Their  goods  must  not  be  confused with  the  goods  of  the  men  of  deceit  who  
9 have  not  cleansed  their  path,  with- drawing from  evil  and  walking  on  a perfect  path.  They  should  not  depart  from any  counsel  of  the  law  in  order  to  walk  
10 in  complete  stubbornness  of  their heart,  but  instead  shall  be  ruled  by  the  first  directives  which  the  men  of  the Community  began  to  be  taught  
11 until  the  prophet  comes,  and  the  Messiahs of  Aaron  and  Israel.  Blank  
12  Blank  These  are  the  regulations  for  the  Instructor by  which  he  shall  walk  with  every  living  being  in  compliance  with  the  circum- stances of  every  period  and  in  compliance  with  the  worth  of  each  man:  
13  he should  fulfil  the  will  of  God  in  compliance  with  all  revelation  for  every  period; he  should  acquire  all  the  wisdom  that  has  been  gained  according  to  the  periods and  the  
14  regulation  of  the  period;  he  should  separate  and  weigh  the  sons  of Zadok  Blank  according  to  their  spirits;  he  should  keep  hold  of  the  chosen  ones of  the  period  according  to  his  will,  as  he  has  commanded;  he  should  carry  out the  judgment  of  each  man  in  accordance  with  his  spirit;  he  should  include  each one  according  to  the  purity  of  his  hands  and  according  to  his  intellect  
16  promote him.  And  thus  shall  be  his  love  and  thus  shall  be  his  hatred.  Blank  He should  not  reproach  or  argue  with  the  men  of  the  pit  but  instead  hide  the counsel  of  the  law  in  the  midst  of  the  men  of  sin.  He  should  reproach  (with) truthful  knowledge  and  (with)  just  judgment  those  who  choose  
18  the  path, each  one  according  to  his  spirit,  according  to  the  circumstances  of  the  time.  He should  lead  them  with  knowledge  and  in  this  way  teach  them  the  mysteries  of wonder  and  of  truth  in  the  midst  of  
19  the  men  of  the  Community,  so  that  they walk  perfectly,  each  one  with  his  fellow,  in  all  that  has  been  revealed  to  them. This  is  the  time  for  making  ready  the  path  
20  to  the  desert  and  he  will  teach them  about  all  that  has  been  discovered  so  that  they  can  carry  it  out  in  this moment  and  so  they  will  be  detached  from  anyone  who  has  not  withdrawn  his path  
21  from  all  wickedness.  And  these  are  the  rules  of  behaviour  for  the  In- spector in  these  times,  concerning  his  love  and  his  hatred.  Everlasting  hatred 
22  for  the  men  of  the  pit  in  clandestine  spirit.  To  them  he  should  leave  goods and  hand-made  items  like  a servant  to  his  master  and  like  one  oppressed  before 
23  someone  domineering  him.  He  should  be  a man  enthusiastic  for  the  decree and  for  his  time,  for  the  day  of  revenge.  He  should  perform  (God’s)  will  in  all that  his  hand  should  tackle  
24  and  in  all  that  he  controls,  as  he  commanded. And  all  that  happens  to  him  he  should  welcome  freely  and  be  gratified  by  noth- ing except  God’s  will.  
25  He  should  relish  all  the  words  of  his  mouth,  wish  for nothing  that  he  has  not  commanded  and  be  ever  alert  to  the  precept  of  God. 
26  [. . .]  he  shall  bless  his  Creator  and  in  all  that  transpires  [. . . and  with  the  of- fering] of  his  lips  he  shall  bless  him