Damascus Document

Opening call — Israel's apostasy, the Righteous Teacher (vv. 1-17)

1Now, therefore, hearken (unto me) all ye who know righteousness, And have understanding in the works of God.

2For He hath a controversy with all flesh, And will execute judgement upon all who despise Him.

3For because of the trespass of those who forsook Him, He hid His face from Israel and from His Sanctuary, And gave them over to the sword.

4But when He remembered the covenant of the forefathers, He left a remnant to Israel And gave them not over to destruction.

5And in the period of the wrath three hundred and ninety years after He had given them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon He visited them], And He made to spring forth from Israel and Aaron A root of His planting to inherit His land, And to grow fat through the goodness of His earth.

6And they had understanding of their iniquity, And they knew that they were guilty men, And had like the blind been groping after the way twenty years.

7And God considered their works; for they sought Him with a perfect heart And He raised them up a Teacher of righteousness To lead them in the way of His heart.

8And He made known to later generations What He had done [to a later generation] to a congregation of treacherous men: Those who turned aside out of the way.

9This was the time concerning which it was written: As a stubborn heifer So hath Israel behaved himself stubbornly:

10When there arose the scornful man, Who talked to Israel lying words, And made them go astray in the wilderness where there was no way, [to bring low the pride of the world].

11So that they should turn aside from the paths of righteousness, And remove the landmark which the forefathers had set in their inheritance:

12So as to make cleave unto them The curses of His covenant, To deliver them to the sword That avengeth with the vengeance of the covenant.

13Because they sought after smooth things, And they chose deceits, And kept watch with a view to lawless deeds.

14And they chose the best of the flock, And justified the wicked, And condemned the righteous:

15And transgressed the covenant, And violated the statute, And attacked the soul of the righteous.

16And all that walked uprightly their soul abhorred, And they pursued them with the sword, And rejoiced in the strife of the people.

17And so the wrath of God was kindled against their congregation, So that He laid waste all their multitude, And their deeds were uncleanness before Him.

Divine foreknowledge; wrath for the wicked; remnant for the faithful (vv. 1-10)

1And now, hearken unto me all ye who have entered into the covenant, And I will disclose to you the ways of the wicked. God loveth [knowledge] wisdom : And counsel He hath set before Him: Prudence and knowledge minister unto Him. Longsuffering is with Him And plenteousness of forgivenesses To pardon those who repent of transgression. And power and might and great fury with flames of fire [therein are all the angels of destruction] For them who turned aside out of the way, And abhorred the statute, So that there should be no remnant, Nor any to escape of them. For God chose them not from the beginning of the world, And ere they were formed He knew their works. And He abhorred their generations from of old, And hid His face from their land till they were consumed. [And He knew the years of (their) office and the number and exact statement of their periods for all the things that belong to the ages and have been, moreover whatsoever shall come to pass in their periods for all the years of eternity. | Il.

2Yet in all of them He raised Him up men called by name, In order to leave a remnant to the earth, And to fill the face of the earth with their seed. And through His Messiah He shall make them know His holy spirit, And he is true, and in the true interpretation of his name are their names: But them He hated He made to go astray. I-IV. 1. Exhortation to choose God's Will and to shun the evil Inclination, 1-2; through it fell the mighty Men of old, the Watchers and their Children, 3-5; and all Flesh and also the Sons of 20/00, 6-iv. 1.

The evil inclination; fall of the Watchers; Noah's sons (vv. 1-9)

1Now therefore, children, hearken unto me, And I will open your eyes to see, And to understand the works of God. And to choose what He approveth, And to reject what He hateth : To walk uprightly in all His ways, And not to go about in the thoughts of an evil imagination And (with) eyes (full) of fornication. and Israelites exactly as in our text. According to Taanith 15 4 these men had to arrange the proper prayers for the various days in order that the sacrifices might be favourably received. The head of this body was called For many were led astray by them, And mighty men of valour stumbled by them from of old [and until this day]. Because they walked in the stubbornness of their heart the watchers of heaven fell. By them were they caught because they kept not the commandment of God. And their children whose height was like the loftiness of the cedars And whose bodies were like the mountains fell thereby. All flesh that was on dry land perished thereby, And they were as though they had not been. Because they did their own will, And kept not the commandment of their Maker, Until His wrath was kindled against them. By them went astray the sons of Noah and their families: Because of them they were cut off. ‘God created‏ =

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob; the sons of Israel in Egypt (vv. 2-9)

2Abraham did not walk in them, And he was (recorded) friend because he kept the commandments of God, And chose not the will of his own spirit.

3And he delivered (the commandment) to Isaac and Jacob, And they observed (it) and were recorded as friends of God, And members of the covenant for ever.

4The sons of Jacob went astray through them, And they were punished according to their error. s And their children in Egypt walked in the stubbornness of their heart, So that they took counsel against the commandments of God, And every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

5Because they forsook the covenant of God: Απά they chose their own will,‏

6And they eat blood], and He cut off their males in the desert (when He said) to them in Kadesh: Go up and possess (the land, but they hardened) their spirit : And they hearkened not unto the voice of their Maker [The commandments of their Teacher] but murmured in their tents, And so the wrath of God was kindled against their congregation : g And their children [perished by it And their kings] were cut off by it, And their mighty men perished by it, And their land was made desolate by it.

9By it the first that entered into the covenant incurred guilt, And they were delivered unto the sword,

Hidden things revealed; the well of abundant water (vv. 1-6)

1But with them that held fast by the commandments of God, [Who were left of them], God confirmed the covenant of Israel for ever, Revealing unto them the hidden things Wherein all Israel had erred :

2His holy Sabbaths and His glorious festivals, His righteous testimonies and His true ways, And the desires of His will [the which if a man do, he shall live by them] He opened before them.

3And they digged a well of many waters: And he that despises them shall not live.

4But they wallowed in the transgression of man, And in the ways of the unclean woman, And they said that fit belongs to usf.

5But God wondrously pardoned their sins, And forgave their transgression, forsook the covenant of God: And they chose their own will. And He built them a sure house in Israel [the like of which never arose from of old nor until this day].

6They who hold fast to Him are for the life of eternity, And all the glory of man is for them ; As God confirmed it to them through Ezekiel the prophet, saying : ‘The priests and the Levites and the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of My Sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from them, they shall bring near unto Me fat and blood,’ VI. Migration of the Penitents to Damascus. Sons of Zadok hold office in the end of the Days, 1-3. Law to be obeyed and relations with Fudah broken off in the Period in which Belial is let loose, 4-12. 1

Sons of Zadok; migration to Damascus; the New Covenant

1The priests are the penitents of Israel who went forth out of the land of Judah: and (the

2Levites are) they who joined them. And the sons of Zadok are the elect of Israel called by 3 the name, that are holding office in the end of the days. Behold the statement of their names according to their generations, and the period of their office, and the number of their afflictions, and the years of their sojournings, and the statement of their works.

4The first saints whom God pardoned, Both justified the righteous, And condemned the wicked.

5And all they who come after them must do according to the interpretation of the Law, In which the forefathers were instructed Until the consummation of the period of these years.

6In accordance with the covenant which God established with the forefathers built them a sure house .(

7In order to pardon their sins, So shall God make atonement for them. And on the consummation of the period [of the number] of these years They shall no more join themselves to the house of Judah. ~ But shall every one stand up against his net. The wall shall have been built, The boundary been far removed. 6. In order to pardon, &c.

Regulations for the camps; the Star and the Scepter prophecy

1He that cometh up from this shall be caught by that, and he that escapeth from this shall be caught by that. VIL. 1-7. The Sin of Fornication. Divorce forbidden. The builders of the wall who walk after law—the law it is which talks, of which He said: Assuredly they shall talk—are caught [by two] by fornication in taking two wives during their life2,3time. But the fundamental principle of the creation is ‘Male and Female created He them.’ And 4 they who went into the Ark, ‘ Two and two went into the Ark.’ And as to the prince it is written, 5 ‘He shall not multiply wives unto himself.’ But David read not in the Book of the Law that was sealed, which was in the Ark; for it was not opened in Israel from the day of the death of Eleazar and

4Aforetime God visited their works, And His wrath was kindled because of their devices.

6Joshua, and the Elders who served Ashtaroth. And it was hidden (and was not) discovered until He who comes near them shall not be innocent : He that chooseth them shall be held guilty [unless he was forced]. °

7Zadok arose. Now they glorified the deeds of David save only the blood of Uriah, and God fabandoned them to himf. VII. 8-18. The Sin of polluting the Sanctuary.

8And they also pollute the Sanctuary since they separate not according to the Law, and lie with 9 her who sees the blood of her issue. And they take (to wife) each his brother’s daughter or his the pollution of the Sanctuary. I have here, of course, followed

9For aforetime arose Moses and Aaron through the prince of the Lights, But Belial raised Jochanneh and his brother with his evil device when the former delivered Israel.

11tosister's daughter. But Moses said ‘Thou shalt not approach thy mother’s sister: she is thy 11 mother’s near kin’. So the law of intercourse for males is written, and the same law holds for females; and let not the daughter of the brother uncover the nakedness of the brother of her father: he is near of kin.

12They also polluted their holy spirit and with a tongue of blasphemies they opened the mouth 13 against the statutes of the covenant of God, saying: They are not established. But abominations they speak regarding them.

14They are all ‘kindlers of fire And setters aflame of firebrands’ : 3 ‘The webs of spiders’ are their weavings And ‘the eggs of cockatrices’ are their eggs: (

18For ‘it is a people of no understanding’: * They are a nation void of counsel,’ [Because there is no understanding in them]. I

The well-diggers allegory; ordinances for community life

3But God remembered the covenant with the forefathers : And He raised up from Aaron men of understanding, And from Israel wise men:

4And He made them to hearken, And they digged the well. 5 ‘A well the princes digged, The nobles of the people delved it By the order of the Lawgiver.’

6The well is the Law, and they who digged it are the penitents of Israel who went forth out of the land of Judah and sojourned in the land of Damascus, all of whom God called princes. 7,

8For they sought Him and His glory was not turned back in the mouth of one (of them). And the Lawgiver is he who studies the Law, in regard to whom Isaiah said, ‘ He bringeth forth an instrument into ny and renders ‘when I. was delivered for the first time’. But this would require nym. I emend as follows: .

129 for his work.’ And the nobles of the people are those who came to dig the well by the precepts in the which the Lawgiver ordained that they should walk throughout the full period of the wickedness. And save them they shall get nothing until there arises the Teacher of Righteousness in the end of‏

13And in respect to robbing the poor of His people, So that widows may be their spoil, And they may murder the fatherless:

14And to make a difference between the clean and the unclean and to make men discern between 15 the holy and the profane: And to observe the Sabbath according to its true meaning and the feasts and the day of the Fast according to the utterances of them who entered into the New

16Covenant in the land of Damascus: To contribute their holy things according to the true inter17 pretation: To love every one his brother as himself, and to strengthen the hand of the poor 18 and the needy and the stranger, and to seek every one the peace of his brother: To hold aloof from harlots according to the law: and that no man should commit a trespass against his next 19 of kin: To rebuke every one his brother according to the commandment, and not to bear a grudge 20 from day to day, and to separate from all the pollutions according to their judgements. And no man to hold aloof... from the wealth of the Sanctuary. Can this be a pregnant expression for ‘to hold aloof... from robbing the wealth, &c.’? If so, we might compare Test. Lev.

173 shall make abominable (with these) his holy spirit, according as God separated (these) from them. 2

Foundation of the Zadokite party; laws for oaths, courts, witnesses

4And if they settle in camps according to the order of the land and take wives and beget children, they shall walk according to the Law, and according tothe judgements of the ordinances according to the order of the Law as He spake, ‘between a man and his wife, and between a father and his son’. will bring a visitation upon the land they shall be requited with the recompense of the wicked ; when there shall come to pass the word which is written in the words of Isaiah the son of Amos 8 the prophet, who said : ‘ He will bring upon thee and upon thy people and upon thy father’s house days that have (not) come from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah. \ clauses recur in When the two houses of Israel separated, [Ephraim departed from Judah, and] all who proved faithless were delivered to the sword, and those who held fast escaped into the land of the North.

5As He said, ‘And I will cause to go into captivity Siccuth your King and Chiun your images,

6the star of your god which ye made for yourselves) beyond Damascus.’ The books of the Law are the tabernacle of the King, as He said, ‘ And I will raise up the tabernacle of David that is

12And this also shall be the judgement of all them who have entered into His covenant, who will not hold fast to these (statutes): they shall be visited for destruction through the hand 13 0) Belial. This is the day on which God shall visit (as He hath spoken) : ‘The princes of Judah were (like them that removed the landmark): Upon them will I pour out(My)wrath (like water).

14For they are too sick to be healed, And they have been at the head of all the rebels.

15Because they have not turned from the way of traitors, But have wallowed in the ways of harlots, And in the wealth of wickedness and (in) revenge.

16And every man beareth a grudge against his brother, And every man hateth his neighbour.

17And they committed trespass every man against his next of kin, And drew near to unchastity : from Aaron and Israel. See note on i. 7. .

26B 26 the covenant of the fathers. But since He hated | is the covenant of the fathers. But God hates the builders of the wall His wrath was kindled. | and abhors the builders of the wall and His wrath was kindled against them and against all

27And such (will be) the case of all who reject the | who follow after them. And such (will be) the commandments of God, and forsake them and | case of all who reject the commandments of God, turn away in the stubbornness of their heart. and forsake them and turn away in the stubbornness of their heart. 28 ‘This is the word which Jeremiah spake to So are all the men who entered into the New Baruch the son of Neriah, and Elisha to his | Covenant in the land of Damascus and yet turned servant Gehazi. All the men who entered into | backward and acted treacherously and departed the New Covenant in the land of Damascus. from the spring of living waters. B 29 ‘They shall not be reckoned in the assembly of the people, and in its register they shall not be written, from the day when there was gathered in the Unique Teacher until there shall arise the

30Messiah from Aaron and from Israel. And such is the case for all that enter into the congregation 31 of the men of the perfection of holiness. And as for him who abhors doing precepts of upright men [he is the man who is melted in the furnace], when his deeds become known he shall be expelled from the congregation, as though his lot had not fallen among them that are taught of God. First of all 5y cannot stand. Next we might emend ayn into

32According to his trespass they shall record him as a perverted man until he come back to stand in 33 the office of the men of the perfection of holiness. And when his deeds become known, in accordance with the midrash of the Law in which walk the men of the perfection of holiness, no man shall consent (to be) with him in wealth and labour; for all the saints of the Most High have 34 cursed him. And such shall be the case of every one who rejects the first and the last, who have 35 placed idols upon their hearts and walked in the stubbornness of their hearts. They have no share 36 in the House of the Law. With a judgement like unto that of their neighbours who turned away 37 with the scornful men, they shall be judged. For they spake error against the statutes of righteousness, and rejected the covenant and the pledge of faith, which they had affirmed in the land 38 of Damascus; and this is the New Covenant. And there shall not be unto them nor unto their 39 families a share in the House of the Law. And from the day when there was gathered in the Unique Teacher until all the men of war were consumed who walked with the man of lies about forty years,

40And during this period there shall be kindled the wrath of God against Israel as He said, ‘ there 41 is no king and no prince’ and no judge, and none that rebuketh in righteousness,| Those who 42 repented of transgression (in Jacob) observed the covenant of God. Then they spake each man 43 with his neighbour (to strengthen one) another: ‘Let our steps hold fast to the way of God.’ And God hearkened to their words and heard, and a book of remembrance was written (before Him) for them that feared God (and) that thought upon His name until salvation and righteousness be revealed

5144 for (them that fear God. Then shall ye return and discern) between the righteous and wicked, 45 between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not. And He showeth mercy (unto thousands) of them that love Him and keep (His commandments) for a thousand generations. 46,47 {From the house of Peleg} that have gone out from the holy city. And they trusted in God throughout the period that Israel trespassed and polluted the Sanctuary and returned again to 48 molten images. The people with few words shall all be judged, each according to his spirit in 49 the counsel of holiness. And as for all those who have broken down the landmark of the Law amongst those who entered into the covenant, when there shall shine forth the glory of God to Israel, they shall be cut off from the midst of the camp, and with all those who do wickedly of Judah in the days of its testing. go But all they who hold fast by these judgements in going out and coming in according to the Law, and listen to the voice of the Teacher and confess before God (saying) 51 ‘We have done wickedly, we and our fathers, Because we have walked contrary to the statutes of the covenant, And true is thy judgement against us:’

52And (who) lift not the hand against His holy statutes, His righteous judgement, and the testimony 53 of His truth ; and are chastised by the first judgements with which the children of men were judged : and give ear to the voice of the Unique Teacher of Righteousness: and reject not the statutes of righteousness when they hear them: 44. From Mal.

54They shall rejoice and be glad, And their heart shall exult, And they shall make themselves strong against all the children of the world, And God will pardon them And they shall see His salvation ; For they trust in His holy name. A +

57And exalted themselves with a view to wealth and unjust gain, And every man did that which was right in his own eyes. And they chose every man the stubbornness of his heart, And they separated not from the people. And they cast off restraint with a high hand To walk in the way of the wicked, concerning whom God said: ‘Their wine is the poison of dragons And the cruel venom of asps.’ The dragons are the kings of the Gentiles and their wine is their ways, and the venom of asps is the head of the kings of Javan, who came to execute vengeance upon them. 17-21 B And they made themselves strong with a view to wealth and unjust gain, And every man did that which was right in his own eyes. And they chose every man the stubbornness of his heart, And they separated not from the people and their sins. And they cast off restraint with a high hand To walk in the ways of the wicked ; concerning whom God said: * Their wine is the poison of dragons And the cruel venom of asps.’ The dragons are the kings of the Gentiles and their wine is their ways, and the venom of asps is the head of the kings of Javan, who came to execute vengeance upon them. IX. 21-23. Neither to these things nor to Moses did the Builders of the Wall give heed. But despite all these things they who builded the wall and daubed it with untempered mortar line recurs. But despite all these things they who builded the wall and daubed it with untempered mortar But we might retain

58FRAGMENTS OF A 22204178 WORK 9. 22-25 A perceived not— For one who was }tperturbed} of spirit and talked lies talked to them— __ that the wrath of God was kindled against all His congregation : Nor that Moses said,‘ Not for thy righteousness or for the uprightness of thine heart dost thou go in to inherit these nations, but because He loved thy fathers and because He would keep the oath.’ B perceived not— For one who }walked in wind and weighed storms}, and talked lies to man {talked)\— that the wrath of God was kindled against all His congregation : Nor that Moses said to Israel, ‘Not for thy righteousness nor for the uprightness of thine heart dost thou go in to inherit these nations, but because He loved thy fathers and because He would keep the oath.’ but as He judged the Builders of the Wall, so shall those faithless to the New Covenant be judged, And such is the case of the penitents of Israel (who) turned aside from the way of the people. Owing to the love of God for the forefathers who stirred up (the people to follow) after Him, He loved them that came after them ; for theirs is Such is the case of the penitents of Israel (who) turned aside from the way of the people. Owing to the love of God for the forefathers who admonished the people (to follow) after God, He loved them that came after them, for theirs ample grounds for their opposition we learn from the words of Shammai, who lived in the first century B.c. This Rabbi said: ‘ We have two Toroth, the written Torah (

Laws on lost property; communal discipline; the camp

1Every man who puts under the ban a man [amongst men] according to the ordinances of the Gentiles is to be put to death:

2And as for that which He hath said: ‘Thou shalt not take vengeance nor bear a grudge against the children of thy people,’ every man of those who have entered into the covenant, who brings a charge against his neighbour whom he had not rebuked before witnesses, and yet brings it in his fierce wrath or recounts (it) to his elders in order to bring him into contempt, 3 is taking vengeance and bearing a grudge. But naught is written save that, ‘He taketh vengeance 4

3And as for anything that is lost, should it not be known who has stolen it from the property of the‏

43 2,13 1] he shall be caught again before another, his judgement shall be executed. And if they are two and they witness against him (each) on a different thing the man shall be only excluded from the Purity, provided that they are trustworthy, and that on the day on which they have seen the 14man they make it known to the Censor. And according to the statute (they shall) accept two 15 trustworthy witnesses, and not one to exclude the Purityt. And there shall arise no witness before the judges to cause a man to be put to death at his mouth, whose days have not been fulfilled so as 16 to pass over unto those that are numbered (and who is not) a man who fears God. None shall be believed as a witness against his neighbour who transgresses a word of the commandment with a high hand until they are cleansed through repentance.

Laws on age and witnesses; purity regulations

1sixty years old and upward to judge the congregation. For through the trespass of those that despise God, Israel erred. So God will remember the covenant of the forefathers, and will raise up to them a Saviour.

The Examiner of the camp; Sabbath laws; communal order

258 cubits. No man shall eat on the Sabbath day aught save that which is prepared or perishing in the field. Nor shall one eat or drink unless in the camp.

26Sabbath] for the sake of wealth or gain on the Sabbath. And if any person falls into a place of 27 water or into a place

Vows and communal membership; the New Covenant pledge

5Law regarding the Sabbath. And he whom he leads astray into profaning the Sabbath and the festivals shall not be put to death; it is for men to watch over him.

6And he whom he leads astray into profaning the Sabbath and the Feasts shall not be put to death ; but it shall be the duty of the sons of man to watch him; and should he be healed of it, they shall watch him seven years and then he shall come into the Congregation.

7None shall stretch out his hand to shed the blood of any man from among the Gentiles for the 8 sake of wealth or gain. Nor shall he take aught of their wealth lest they blaspheme, unless by g the counsel of the Community of Israel. No man shall sell an animal or bird that is clean to the

8polluted like them. According to their uncleanness shall be unclean he who toucheth them. And every instrument, nail, or peg in the wall which is with the dead in the house shall be unclean, like the uncleanness of an instrument of work. 15

Laws on vows; circumcision as covenant model; Mastema turns aside

1God, and shall make them understand His wondrous mighty acts, and shall narrate before them the 2 things of the world since its creation. And he shall have mercy upon them as a father upon his 3 children, and shall for(give) all that have incurred guilt. Asa shepherd with his flock he shall loose _ gall the bonds of their knots... oppressed and crushed in his congregation. And every one who joins his congregation, he shall reckon him according to his works, his understanding, his might, his 5 strength, and his wealth. And they shall record him in his place in accordance with his position 6 in a lot of the (camp). No man of the children of the camp shall have power to bring a man into 7 the congregation (without) the word of the Censor of the camp. Nor shall any man of them who have entered into the covenant of God do business (with) the children of the pit (un)less hand to 8

Duties of the Censor; administration of camps

6And the Censor who is over all the camps shall be from thirty years old even unto fifty years 7 old, a master in every counsel of men, and in every tongue. . . According to his word shall come 8 in those who enter the congregation every man in his due order. And as regards any matter on which it shall be incumbent for any man to speak, he shall speak to the Censor in regard to any suit or cause. XVIII. 1-5. Almsgiving. 18 1,2. And this is the regulation for the many in order to provide for all their needs. The wages of two days every month is the rule. And they shall give it into the hands of the Censor and the gjudges. From it they shall give . . . and (from) it they shall strengthen the hand of the poor and 4the needy. And to the aged man who... to the vagrant and him (who) was taken captive of 5 8 strange people. And to the virgin who has (no dot) (and to him whom) no man careth for: every 6,7 work ... and not... And this is the explanation of the settlement ... And this is the 8 explanation of the judgements which . . . (The Messiah from) Aaron and Israel. And He will g pardon our sins . . « in money and he shall know ... punishment six days and who shall

The New Covenant in the land of Damascus; covenant keepers preserved

5And if he transgress he shall be held guilty: but if he confess and make restitution he shall 6 not bear (the penalty) of death. And whosoever in all Israel shall enter into the covenant by a statute for ever, together with their children who are (not of an age) to pass over into the number of those 7 who are enrolled by the oath of the covenant, shall confirm it on their behalf. And this is also the law throughout the entire period of the wickedness for every one who returns from his corrupt 8 way. On the day when he speaks with the Censor of the many they shall enrol him by the oath gof the covenant that Moses established with Israel—the covenant to re(turn to the Law of M)oses. . . with all (his) heart . . . (and with all his) soul: as regards that which there is found 1

Laws as to oaths and vows; final exhortations

1And as for the exact statement of their periods to put Israel in remembrance in all these things; behold it is exactly determined in the Book of the Divisions of the Times into their Jubilees and Weeks.

2And on the day on which the man imposes it upon himself to return to the law of Moses the 3 angel of Mastema will depart from him if he make good his word. Therefore Abraham was 4 circumcised on the day of his knowing it. As to what he said,‘ That which is gone forth from 5 thy lips thou shalt keep’ to make it good—No binding oath, which a man imposes upon himself with a view to perform a commandment of the law, shall he cancel even at the risk of death.

6Nothing which a man (imposes) upon himself with a view to (frustrate the la)w shall he make 7 good even at the risk of death. (As for) the oath of the woman, whose oath Mos(es sa)id should 8 be disallowed, no man shall disallow an oath which no man knew. It is to be confirmed. And whether it be to disallow or to transgress the covenant, he shall disallow it and not confirm it.

9And so is also the law for her father. As to the law of the of(fer)ings no man shall vow anything