Damascus Document

Damascus Document, CD-B column 20, Schechter 1910 English

the only teacher until there will arise the Anointed from Aaron and from Israel. And this is also the Law | for all that entered into the congregation of men of perfection of holiness, but he will *cease accomplishing the statutes that are upright. | He is the man who is melted in the furnace. When his deeds will appear he shall be expelled from the congregation | as though his lot had not fallen among them that are taught by God. According to his treason they shall record him *with the men | of *perversion until he will come back to stay in the station of the men of perfect holiness. | And when his deeds shall appear according to the interpretation of the Law in which walk | the men of perfection of holiness, no man shall *profit him in wealth and labour, | for the saints of the Most High have cursed him. And like this judgment shall be to everyone who despises both among them who were before | and among them who came after, who placed idols upon their hearts and walked in the stubbornness | of their hearts. They have no share in the house of the Law. Like the judgment of their neighbours who returned | with the men of scoffing they shall be judged. For they uttered error against the statutes of righteousness and despised | the covenant and the pledge of faith which they have affirmed in the land of Damascus; and this is the New Covenant. | And there shall not be unto them or unto their families a share in the house of the Law. And from the day | when there was gathered in the only teacher until all the men of the war were wasted who walked | with the man of lies about forty years. And at the end of these there will be kindled | the wrath of God against Israel as He said, ‘There is no King, and no prince,’ *and no judge, and none | rebuking in righteousness. And they who turn from sin... who observed the covenant of God......man |......his brother He will support their steps in the way of God. ‘And God hearkened | and heard and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that fear God and think | upon His name’......until there will be brought up salvation and righteousness for them who fear God. Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous | and wicked, between them that served Him and them that served Him not.” “And showeth mercy *unto thousands of them that love Him | and unto them that observe *His commandments for a thousand generations,” from the *house of Peleg that have gone out from the city of the sanctuary. | And they confided in God at the end of the treason of Israel and they polluted the Sanctuary and they came back unto God. | The *prince of the people with few words...according to His spirit they shall be judged...in the counsel | of holiness. And all they who broke through the bound of the Law of those who entered into the covenant when there will shine forth | the glory of God to Israel they will be cut off from among the camp and with them all they who do wickedly | of Judah in the days of its trial. But all they who hold steadfast to these laws to go out | and to come in according to the Law and listen to the voice of the teacher and shall confess before God...we | are guilty, we and our fathers because they walked contrary unto the laws of the covenant | and true is thy judgment against us. And they will not lift the hand against His holy statutes, His righteous judgment | and the testimony of His truth. And they will be chastised by the first judgments in which | the children of the men of the only one were judged. And they will listen to the voice of the teacher of righteousness. And they will not *answer | the statutes of righteousness when they hear them. They will rejoice and be glad and their hearts will exult and they will show themselves mighty | against all the children of the world, and God will make atonement for them and they will see His salvation for they put their trust in His holy name.