The Rule of the Congregation

1 and of fifties and of tens; and the Levites in the mid[st, each in the divi]sion of his service. These are

2 the men of renown, called to the appointed assembly, summoned to the counsel of the Community in Israel

3 before the sons of Zadok the priests. And let no man afflicted with any of all the uncleannesses of

4 man enter the assembly of these; and let no man afflicted with these hold

5 a station in the midst of the congregation. And anyone afflicted in his flesh — crippled in the feet, or

6 the hands, lame or blind or deaf or dumb, or afflicted in his flesh with a blemish

7 visible to the eyes; or an old man stumbling, unable to hold firm in the midst of the congregation —

8 let these not en[ter] to stand [in] the midst of the congregation of the m[e]n of renown, for the angels of

9 holiness are [in] their [congrega]tion. And if there is a mat[ter for one of th]ese to speak to the counsel of holiness,

10 [they] shall inquire [of him] from his mouth; but into the midst of [the congregation the man shall no]t come, for he is afflicted.

11 [ … ] in the [ses]sion of the men of renown, [called to the] appointed assembly, for the counsel of the Community — if He summons ⟨begets⟩

12 [ … God … ] the Messiah with them, there shall come [the Priest,] head of all the congregation of Israel, and all

13 the fa[thers' houses of the sons of] Aaron the priests, [called to the] appointed assembly, men of renown; and they shall sit

14 be[fore him, each] according to his honour. And afterward shall s[it the Messi]ah of Israel, and there shall sit before him the heads of

15 the th[ousands of Israel, ea]ch according to his honour, according to [his station] in their camps and in their marches; and all

16 the heads of the fa[thers' houses of the congreg]ation, with the wise m[en of the congregation of holiness], shall sit before them, each according to

17 his honour. And [when] they are summoned [to the] common [tab]le, [or to drink the new] wine, and the table of

18 the Community is set, [and the new wine is mixed] for drinking, [let] no man [put out] his hand at the first of

19 the bread and [the new wine] before the priest, for [he] shall [b]less the first of the bread

20 and the new win[e, and shall put out] his hand on the bread first. And after[ward shall] the Messiah of Israel put out his hands

21 on the bread. [And afterward] all the congregation of the Community [shall bl]ess, ea[ch according to] his honour. And according to this statute shall they d[o]

22 at every arra[ngement, when] as many as ten me[n] are summoned. [blank]