The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English (40 page)

Hymn 4
(formerly
21
)

[Blessed art Thou,] O Lord
who hast given understanding
to the heart of [Thy] servant
that he may understand all these things
and resist [the works] of wickedness
and bless justly all those who choose Thy will,
[and that he may love all] that Thou lovest
and loathe all that Thou [hatest].
Thou shalt instruct Thy servant
... [spi]rits of man
for Thou hast cast their (lot) according to the spirits
between good and evil
to accomplish their task.
And I know through the understanding
which comes from Thee,
that in Thy goodwill towards m[a]n
[Thou hast] increa[sed his inheritance] in Thy Holy Spirit
and thus Thou hast drawn me near to understanding of Thee.
And the closer I approach,
the more am I filled with zeal
against all the workers of iniquity
and the men of deceit.

 

For none of those who approach Thee
rebels against Thy command,
nor do any of those who know Thee
alter Thy words;
for Thou art righteous,
and all Thine elect are truth.
Thou wilt blot out all injustice and wickedness for ever,
and Thy righteousness shall be revealed
before the eyes of all Thy creatures.

 

I know through Thy great goodness;
and with an oath I have undertaken
never to sin against Thee,
nor to do anything evil in Thine eyes.
And thus do I bring into community
all the men of my Council.

 

I will cause each man to draw near
in accordance with his understanding,
and according to the greatness of his inheritance,
so will I love him.
I will not honour an evil man,
nor consider [the bribes of shame];
I will [not] barter Thy truth for riches,
nor one of Thy precepts for bribes.

 

But [I will lo]ve [each ma]n
according to his sp[eech](?)
and according as Thou removest him far from Thee,
so will I hate him;
and none of those who have turned [from] Thy [Co]venant
will I bring into the Council [of Thy] t[ruth].

Hymn 5
(formerly
22
)

[I thank] Thee, O Lord,
as befits the greatness of Thy power
and the multitude of Thy marvels for ever and ever.
[Thou art a merciful God] and rich in [favours],
pardoning those who repent of their sin
and visiting the iniquity of the wicked.
[Thou delightest in] the free-will offering [of the righteous]
but iniquity Thou hatest always.
Thou hast favoured me, Thy servant,
with a spirit of knowledge,
[that I may choose] truth [and goodness]
and loathe all the ways of iniquity.
And I have loved Thee freely
and with all my heart;
[contemplating the mysteries of] Thy wisdom
[I have sought Thee].
For this is from Thy hand
and [nothing is done] without [Thy will].
VII
(formerly
XV
)
I have loved Thee freely
and with all my heart and soul
I have purified...
[that I might not] turn aside from any of Thy commands.
I have clung to the Congregation...
that I might not be separated from any of Thy laws.

 

I know through the understanding which comes from Thee
that righteousness is not in a hand of flesh,
[that] man [is not master of] his way
and that it is not in mortals to direct their step.
I know that the inclination of every spirit
[is in Thy hand];
Thou didst establish [all] its [ways] before ever creating it,
and how can any man change Thy words?
Thou alone didst [create] the just
and establish him from the womb
for the time of goodwill,
that he might hearken to Thy Covenant
and walk in all (Thy ways),
and that [Thou mightest show Thyself great] to him
in the multitude of Thy mercies,
and enlarge his straitened soul to eternal salvation,
to perpetual and unfailing peace.
Thou wilt raise up his glory
from among flesh.

 

But the wicked Thou didst create
for [the time] of Thy [wrath],
Thou didst vow them from the womb
to the Day of Massacre,
for they walk in the way which is not good.
They have despised [Thy Covenant]
and their souls have loathed Thy [truth];
they have taken no delight in all Thy commandments
and have chosen that which Thou hatest.

 

[For according to the mysteries] of Thy [wisdom],
Thou hast ordained them for great chastisements
before the eyes of all Thy creatures,
that [for all] eternity
they may serve as a sign [and a wonder],
and that [all men] may know Thy glory
and Thy tremendous power.

 

But what is flesh
that it should understand [these things]?
And how should [a creature of] dust direct his steps?
It is Thou who didst shape the spirit
and establish its work [from the beginning];
the way of all the living proceeds from Thee.
I know that no riches equal Thy truth,
and [have therefore desired
to enter the Council of] Thy holiness.
I know that Thou hast chosen them before all others
and that they shall serve Thee for ever.
Thou wilt [take no bribe for the deeds of iniquity],
nor ransom for the works of wickedness;
for Thou art a God of truth
and [wilt destroy] all iniquity [for ever,
and] no [wickedness] shall exist before Thee.
VIII
(formerly
XVI
)
Because I know all these things
my tongue shall utter a reply.
Bowing down and [confessing all] my transgressions,
I will seek [Thy] spirit [of knowledge];
cleaving to Thy spirit of [holiness],
I will hold fast to the truth of Thy Covenant,
that [I may serve] Thee in truth and wholeness of heart,
and that I may love [Thy Name].

 

Blessed art Thou, O Lord,
Maker [of all things and mighty in] deeds:
all things are Thy work!
Behold, Thou art pleased to favour [Thy servant],
and hast graced me with Thy spirit of mercy
and [with the radiance] of Thy glory.
Thine, Thine is righteousness,
for it is Thou who hast done all [these things]!

 

I know that Thou hast marked the spirit of the just,
and therefore I have chosen to keep my hands clean
in accordance with [Thy] will:
the soul of Thy servant [has loathed]
every work of iniquity.
And I know that man is not righteous

 

except through Thee,
and therefore I implore Thee
by the spirit which Thou hast given [me]
to perfect Thy [favours] to Thy servant [for ever],
purifying me by Thy Holy Spirit,
and drawing me near to Thee by Thy grace
according to the abundance of Thy mercies
[Grant me] the place [of Thy loving-kindness]
which [Thou hast] chosen for them that love Thee
and keep [Thy commandments,
that they may stand] in Thy presence [for] ever.
Let no scourge [come] near him
lest he stagger aside from the laws of Thy Covenant.
I [know, O Lord,
that Thou art merciful] and compassionate,
[long]-suffering and [rich] in grace and truth,
pardoning transgression [and sin].
Thou repentest of [evil against them that love Thee]
and keep [Thy] commandments,
[that] return to Thee with faith
and wholeness of heart
... to serve Thee
[and to do that which is] good in Thine eyes.
Reject not the face of Thy servant

Hymn 6
(formerly
I
)

IX
(formerly
I
)
Thou art long-suffering in Thy judgements
and righteous in all Thy deeds.

 

By Thy wisdom [all things exist from] eternity,
and before creating them Thou knewest their works
for ever and ever.
[Nothing] is done [without Thee]
and nothing is known unless Thou desire it.

 

Thou hast created all the spirits
[and hast established a statute] and law
for all their works.
Thou hast spread the heavens for Thy glory
and hast [appointed] all [their hosts]
according to Thy will;
the mighty winds according to their laws
before they became angels [of holiness]
... and eternal spirits in their dominions;
the heavenly lights to their mysteries,
the stars to their paths,
[the clouds] to their tasks,
the thunderbolts and lightnings to their duty,
and the perfect treasuries (of snow and hail)
to their purposes,
... to their mysteries.

 

Thou hast created the earth by Thy power
and the seas and deeps [by Thy might].
Thou hast fashioned [all] their [inhabi]tants
according to Thy wisdom,
and hast appointed all that is in them
according to Thy will.

 

[And] to the spirit of man
which Thou hast formed in the world,
[Thou hast given dominion over the works of Thy hands]
for everlasting days and unending generations.
... in their ages
Thou hast allotted to them tasks
during all their generations,
and judgement in their appointed seasons
according to the rule [of the two spirits.
For Thou hast established their ways]
for ever and ever,
[and hast ordained from eternity]
their visitation for reward and chastisements;
Thou hast allotted it to all their seed
for eternal generations and everlasting years...
In the wisdom of Thy knowledge

 

Thou didst establish their destiny before ever they were.
All things [exist] according to [Thy will]
and without Thee nothing is done.

 

These things I know
by the wisdom which comes from Thee,
for Thou hast unstopped my ears
to marvellous mysteries.

 

And yet I, a shape of clay
kneaded in water,
a ground of shame
and a source of pollution,
a melting-pot of wickedness
and an edifice of sin,
a straying and perverted spirit
of no understanding,
fearful of righteous judgements,
what can I say that is not foreknown,
and what can I utter that is not foretold?
All things are graven before Thee
on a written Reminder
for everlasting ages,
and for the numbered cycles
of the eternal years
in all their seasons;
they are not hidden or absent from Thee.

 

What shall a man say
concerning his sin?
And how shall he plead
concerning his iniquities?
And how shall he reply
to righteous judgement?
For Thine, O God of knowledge,
are all righteous deeds
and the counsel of truth;
but to the sons of men is the work of iniquity
and deeds of deceit.

 

It is Thou who hast created breath for the tongue
and Thou knowest its words;
Thou didst establish the fruit of the lips
before ever they were.
Thou dost set words to measure
and the flow of breath from the lips to metre.
Thou bringest forth sounds
according to their mysteries,
and the flow of breath from the lips
according to its reckoning,
that they may tell of Thy glory
and recount Thy wonders
in all Thy works of truth
and [in all Thy] righteous [judgements];
and that Thy Name be praised
by the mouth of all men,
and that they may know Thee
according to their understanding
and bless Thee for ever.

 

By Thy mercies and by Thy great goodness,
Thou hast strengthened the spirit of man
in the face of the scourge,
and hast purified [the erring spirit]
of a multitude of sins,
that it may declare Thy marvels
in the presence of all Thy creatures.
[I will declare to the assembly of the simple]
the judgements by which I was scourged,
and to the sons of men, all Thy wonders
by which Thou hast shown Thyself mighty [in me
in the presence of the sons of Adam].

 

Hear, O you wise men, and meditate on knowledge;
O you fearful, be steadfast!
Increase in prudence, [O all you simple];
O just men, put away iniquity!
Hold fast [to the Covenant],
O all you perfect of way;
[O all you afflicted with] misery,
be patient and despise no righteous judgement!

 

[but the foo]lish of heart
shall not comprehend these things
X
(formerly
II
)
Upon my [uncircumcised] lips
Thou hast laid a reply.
Thou hast upheld my soul,
strengthening my loins and restoring my power;
my foot has stood in the realm of ungodliness.
I have been a snare to those who rebel,
but healing to those of them who repent,
prudence to the simple,
and steadfastness to the fearful of heart.
To traitors Thou hast made of me
a mockery and scorn,
but a counsel of truth and understanding
to the upright of way.
I have been iniquity for the wicked,
ill-repute on the lips of the fierce,
the scoffers have gnashed their teeth.
I have been a byword to traitors,
the assembly of the wicked has raged against me;
they have roared like turbulent seas
and their towering waves have spat out mud and slime.
But to the elect of righteousness
Thou hast made me a banner,
and a discerning interpreter of wonderful mysteries,
to try [those who practise] truth
and to test those who love correction.
To the interpreters of error I have been an opponent,
[but a man of peace] to all those who see true things.
To all those who seek smooth things
I have been a spirit of zeal;
like the sound of the roaring of many waters
so have [all] the deceivers thundered against me;
[all] their thoughts were devilish [schemings].

 

They have cast towards the Pit the life of the man
whose mouth Thou hast confirmed,
and into whose heart
Thou hast put teaching and understanding,
that he might open a fountain of knowledge
to all men of insight.
They have exchanged them for lips of uncircumcision,
and for the foreign tongue
of a people without understanding,
that they might come to ruin in their straying.

Hymn 7
(formerly
2
)

I thank Thee, O Lord,
for Thou hast placed my soul
in the bundle of the living,
and hast hedged me about
against all the snares of the Pit.

 

Violent men have sought after my life
because I have clung to Thy Covenant.
For they, an assembly of deceit,
and a horde of Belial,
know not that my stand
is maintained by Thee,
and that in Thy mercy Thou wilt save my soul
since my steps proceed from Thee.
From Thee it is
that they assail my life,
that Thou mayest be glorified
by the judgement of the wicked,
and manifest Thy might through me
in the presence of the sons of men;
for it is by Thy mercy that I stand.

 

And I said, Mighty men
have pitched their camps against me,
and have encompassed me
with all their weapons of war.
They have let fly arrows

 

against which there is no cure,
and the flame of (their) javelins
is like a consuming fire among trees.
The clamour of their shouting
is like the bellowing of many waters,
like a storm of destruction
devouring a multitude of men;
as their waves rear up,
Naught and Vanity spout upward to the stars.
But although my heart melted like water,
my soul held fast to Thy Covenant,
and the net which they spread for me
has taken their own foot;
they have themselves fallen
into the snares which they laid for my life.
But my foot remains upon level ground;
apart from their assembly I will bless Thy Name.