The Rule of the Congregation

1 And this is the Rule for all the congregation of Israel in the last days, when they gather to the Community, to wa[lk]

2 according to the judgement of the sons of Zadok the priests, and the men of their covenant, who have turned as[ide from walking in] the way of

3 the people. They are the men of His counsel, who have kept His covenant in the midst of wickedness, to make aton[ement for the lan]d.

4 When they come, they shall assemble all who come, from children to women, and shall read in [their] e[ars]

5 [a]ll the statutes of the covenant, and shall make them understand all their judgements, lest they err in [their err]ors.

6 [blank] And this is the Rule for all the hosts of the congregation, for every native-born in Israel. And from his yo[uth]

7 [they shall te]ach him in the Book of Meditation; and according to his days they shall instruct him in the statutes of the covenant, and [teach him]

8 [in] their [discipl]ine, in their judgements, for ten years. He shall enter among the children, and at [the age of] twenty yea[rs he shall pass]

9 [among] those enrolled, to enter the lot in the midst of his fam[il]y, to be joined to the congrega[tion of] holiness. And he shall not [draw near]

10 to a woman to know her in the bed of a male until he has completed twe[nt]y years, when he knows [good]

11 and evil. And then she shall be received to bear witness against him of the judgements of the Law, and to sta[n]d at the hearing of judgements.

12 And when it is complete for him — [blank] and at twenty-five years of age he shall come to sta[n]d in the foundations of the congregation of

13 holiness, to do the service of the congregation. And at thirty years of age he shall draw near to contend in a dispute

14 and in ju[dge]ment, and to stand among the heads of the thousands of Israel, as commanders of hundreds, commanders of f[if]ties,

15 [commanders of] tens, judges and officers for their tribes, in all their families, [by the authorit]y of the sons of

16 [Aar]on the priests. And all the commanders of the fathers' houses of the congregation for whom the lot goes forth to sta[nd] in the services,

17 [to go ou]t and to come in before the congregation. And according to his understanding, together with the perfection of his way, he shall brace his loins for the stati[on of the ser]vices of

18 his service, his work in the midst of his brothers, [whethe]r many or few. [One above] another they shall honour, each more than his fellow.

19 And as a man's years increase, according to his strength shall they lay his burden upon him in the ser[vi]ce of the congregation. And let no simple man

20 enter the lot to stand over the congregation of Israel for a disput[e of ju]dgement, nor to bear the burden of the congregation,

21 nor to stand in the war to subdue nations. Only in the Rule of the host shall he inscribe his family,

22 and in the service of forced labour shall he do his service according to his work. And the sons of Levi shall stand, each in his station,

23 by the authority of the sons of Aaron, to bring in and to bring out all the congregation, each in his rank, at the hand of the heads of

24 the [fa]thers' houses of the congregation, as commanders and judges and officers, according to the number of all their hosts, by the authority of the sons of Zadok the priests

25 [and all the he]ads of the fathers' houses of the congregation. And if there is a convocation for all the assembly, for judgement, or

26 for a counsel of the Community, or for a convocation of war, they shall sanctify them three days, so that every one who comes may be

27 rea[dy for the coun]cil. These are the men who are called to the counsel of the Community, from twenty years of age: all

28 the w[ise men of] the congregation, and the discerning, and the knowing, perfect of way, and the men of valour, together with

29 [the commanders of the tri]bes, and all their judges and their officers, and the commanders of thousands, and the commanders [of hundreds]