Community Rule
The blessing of the priests upon the men of God's lot, and the curse upon the men of Belial's lot, by which the covenant is yearly renewed.
1When they enter into the covenant, the priests and the Levites shall bless the God of salvation, and all His works of truth. And all them that enter the covenant shall say after them: Amen, amen.
2Then the priests shall recite the favours of God manifested in His mighty deeds, and shall declare all His merciful grace toward Israel; and the Levites shall recite the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their guilty rebellions and sins during the dominion of Belial.
3And all them that enter the covenant shall confess after them, saying: We have committed iniquity; we have transgressed; we have sinned; we have done wickedly — both we and our fathers before us — by walking contrary to the laws of truth. Yet just is God; He hath fulfilled His judgment upon us, and upon our fathers.
4But unto us hath He shown the mercies of His grace from of old; and He shall show them unto us for ever and ever.
5And the priests shall bless all the men of the lot of God, who walk perfectly in all His ways, saying: May He bless thee with every good. May He preserve thee from every evil. May He enlighten thy heart with insight of life; may He grace thee with everlasting knowledge. May He lift up His merciful countenance upon thee for everlasting peace.
6And the Levites shall curse all the men of the lot of Belial, saying: Cursed art thou for all thy guilty wicked works. May God deliver thee unto terror through the hand of all the avengers of vengeance. May He visit thy posterity with destruction at the hand of all that recompense thy deeds.
7Cursed art thou — without mercy. According to the darkness of thy works thou shalt be cursed in the everlasting blackness. May God not be merciful unto thee, when thou callest upon Him; nor pardon thee, by atoning for thy iniquities. May He lift up the angry countenance of His vengeance toward thee. May there be no peace for thee at the mouth of all that hold fast unto the fathers.
8And all them that enter the covenant shall say after the priests and Levites: Amen, amen.
9Thus shall they do, year by year, all the days of the dominion of Belial — that the covenant be confirmed unto them; and the chastening unto the rebellious; that no man enter the holy water and afterward defile it; nor enter the holy meal and afterward defile it; nor recite the holy name and afterward profane it; for he that doeth these shall not be reckoned among the perfect.
