The Dead Sea Scrolls

The Book of Secrets


1Q,4Q299-301

4Q301 F.1

(...) I shall speak out freely, and I shall express my various sayings
among you (...) (.. those who would understand parables and riddles,
and those who would penetrate the origins of knowledge, along with
those who hold fast to the wonderful mysteries ...) (...) those who walk
in simplicity as well as those who are devious in every activity of the deeds
of humanity ...) those with a stiff neck, a hard pate, and all the mass of the
Gentiles, with (...)


4Q301 F.2

the customs of the fool and the inheritance of the wise (...)
Now what good is the riddle to you, you who search for the origins
of knowledge? Why is the heart honored, for it is the dominion (...)
a parable? Why is it splendid to you, for it is (...)
Why is a prince (...) ruler? (...) without strenght, and he dominates
him with a whip that cost nothing. Who could say (...) who among you
seeks the prescense of Light and Illumination (...) the plan of memory
without (...) (...) by the angels of (...) (...) those who praise (...)


4Q300 F.3
so that they would know the difference between good and evil .....)
1Q27 col.1 secrets of sin (...) but they did not know the secret
of the way things are nor did they understand the things of old
and they did not know what would come upon them, so they did not
rescue themselves without the secret of the way things are.

This shall be the sign that this shall come to pass : when the sources
of evil are shut up and wickedness is banished in the prescense of
righteousness, as darkness in the prescense of light, or as smoke
vanishes and is no more, in the same way wickedness will vanish
forever and righteousness will be manifest like the sun.
The world will be made firm and all the adherents of the secrets
of sin shall be no more. True knowledge shall fill the world and
there will never be any more folly. This is all ready to happen, it is a
true oracle, and by this it shall be known to you that it cannot be averted.

It is true that all the peoples reject evil, yet it advances in all of them.
It is true that truth is esteemed in the utterances of all the nations -
yet is there any tongue or language that grasp it?
What nation wants to be oppressed by another that is stronger?
Or who wants his money to be stolen by a wicked man?
Yet what nation is there that has not oppressed its neighbour?
Where is the people that has not robbed the wealth of another ...

4q299 F.2 (+4Q300 F.5) Col.2

what should we call a man who ... his) deeds (...) but every deed of
the righteous has been judged impure. And what shall we call man who
(... call no one on earth) wise or righteous, for it is not a human possession
(...) and not (...) (...wisdom is hidden) except for the wisdom of cunning
evil, and the schemes of Belial ...) a thing that ought never to be done again,
except (...) the command of his Maker ; and what shall a man do and live?
... he who) has violated the command of his Maker shall have his name
erased from the mouth of all (...) (...)
So listen, you who hold fast to the wonderful secrets ...) of eternity
, and the plots behind every did, and the purpouse of .... He knows)
every secret and stands behind very thought. He does every (... the Lord of all)
is He, from long ago He established it, and forever (...) (...) the purpouse
of the origins he opened up to (...) (...) for he tests His son, and gives
as an inheritance (...) (...) every secret, and he limits of every deed;
and what (...) (...) the Gentiles, for He created them and their deeds (...)

4Q300 F.1 Col.2

Consider the soothsayers, those teachers of sin. Say the parable,
declare the riddle before we speak ; then you will know if you
have understood. (...) your foolishness, for the vision is sealed up
from you, and you have not properly understood the eternal mysteries
and you have not become wise in understanding (...) (...) for you
have not properly understood the origin of Wisdom; but if you
should unseal the vision (...) (...) all your wisdom, for to you
(...) Hear now what wisdom is.

4Q299 F.5

(...light)s of the stars for a memorial of His name ...)(...hidden)
things of the mysteries of Light and the ways of Darkness
(...) (...) the times of heat with the periods (of cold....)
(... the breaking of day) and the coming of night (...) (...)
the origins of things (...).

4Q299 F.8

(...) How can a man understand without knowledge or hearing?
(...) (...) He created insight for His children, by much wisdom He
uncovered our ears tat we may h(ear...) (...) He created insight
for all those who pursue true knowledge and (...) (...) all wisdom
is from eternity; it may not be changed (...) (...)
He locked up behind the waters , so that not (...) (...)
the heaven above heaven (...)

4Q301 F.3

(...) and He is welll known for His patience, and might in His great anger,
and splendid (...) He in His numerous acts of mercy, and terrible in
His wrathful purpouses, and honoured (...) (...) and over the land
He made him a ruler, and God is honoured among His Holy people,
and splendid among His chosen, yes , splendid (...)
holy, great in the blessing of (...) (...) their splendour and (...)
when the Era of Wickedness is at an end , and evil doing (...)


The Thanksgiving Psalms
from the Dead Sea Scrolls.


Psalm 4.

I thank you, O Lord,
for your eye is awake and watches over my soul.
You rescue me from the jealousy of liars,
from the congregation of those who seek the smooth way.
But you save the soul of the poor
whom they planned to destroy
by spilling the blood of your servant.


I walked because of you - but they didn`t know this.
They laughed at me. They shamed me
with lies from their mouth.
But you helped the soul of the poor and the weak,
you saved me from their harsh arms,
you redeemed me amid their taunts.
From the wicked I do not fear destruction.


Psalm 5.

They made my life a ship on the deep sea,
like a fortified city circled by agressors.
I hurt like a woman in labor bearing her first child,
whose belly pangs torture her in the crucible.
Pains of Hell
for a son come on the waves of death.
She labors to bear a man,
and among the waves of death she gives birth to a manchild,
with pains of Hell.
He springs from the crucible,
O wondrous counselor with power :
Yes, a man emerges from the waves..


But she who carries dead seed in her womb
suffers waves from a pit of horror.
The foundations of the wall will rock
like a ship on the face of the waters.
Clouds will bellow.
Those who dwell in the dust, like those on the sea,
are terrified by the roar of the waters.


All those wise men are like mariners on the deep:
their wisdom confounded by the roaring seas.
The abyss boils over the fountains of water.
The seas rage.
Hell opens, and arrows fly toward Heaven.
Their eternal bars are bolted.


Psalm 8.

I thank you, O Lord.
You illumined my face by your covenant.
I seek you,
As sure as the dawn you appear as perfect light.


Teachers of lies have comforted your people
and now they stumble, foolishly.
They abhor themselves
and do not esteem me through whom your wonders
and powers are manifest.
They have banished me from my land like a bird
from its nest, and my friends
and neighbors are driven from me.
They think me a broken pot.
They preach lies. They are dissembling prophets.
They devise baseness against me,
exchanging your teaching, written in my heart,
for smooth words.
They deny knowledge to the thirsty
and force them to drink vinegar to cover up error.
They stumble through mad feasts,
but you, God, spurn the schemes of Belial.
Your wisdom prevails.
Your hearts meditation prevails, established forever.


Psalm 23.

Your holy spirit
illuminates the dark places of the heart
of your servant,
with light like the sun.
I look to the covenants made by men,
worthless.
Only your truth shines,
and those who love it are wise
and walk in the glow
of your light.
From darkness you raise hearts.
Let light shine on your servant.
Your light is everlasting.


The Divine Throne- Chariot ,
from the Dead Sea Scrolls.


... The ministers of the Glorious Face in the abode of the gods of knowledge
fall down before him, and the cherubim utter blessings. And as they rise up
, there is a divine small voice and loud praise ; there is a divine small voice
as they fold their wings.
The cherubim bless the image of the Throne-Chariot above the firmament, and
they praise the majesty of the fiery firmament beneath the seat of his glory.
And between the turning wheels, angels of holiness come and go, as it were
a fiery vision of most holy spirits ; and about them flow seeming rivulets of fire,
like gleaming bronze, a radiance of many gorgeous colors, of marvelous
pigments magnificiently mingled.
The Spirits of the Living God move perpetually with the glory of the wonderful
Chariot. The small voice of blessing accompanies the tumult as they depart,
and on the path of their return they worship the Holy One, Ascending
they rise marvelously ; settling, they stay still. The sound of joyful praise is
silenced and there is a small voice of blessing in all the camp of God.
And a voice of praise resounds from the midsts of all their divisions in worship.
And each one in his place, all their numbered ones sing hymns of praise


The Parable of the Bountiful Tree


4Q302a

F.1 Col.2

Please consider this, you who are wise: If a man has a fine tree,
which grows high, all the way to heaven (...) (...) of the soil, and
it produces succulent fruit every year with the autumn rains
and the spring rains, (...) and in thirst, will he not (...) and guard it
(...) to multiply the boughs (?) of (...) from its shoot, to increase
(...) and its mass of branches (...)

F.2 Col.1

(...) your God (...) your hearts (...) (...) with a willing spirit.
(...) Shall God establish (...) from your hand?
When you rebel, (...) your intentions, will He not confront you
, reprove you and reply to your complaint?
(...) As for God, His dwelling is in heaven, and his kingdom
embraces the lands ; in the seas (...) in them, and (...)


A Baptismal Liturgy

4Q414

F.2 Col.1

(... And he shall) say (in response)"Blessed (are You, ...)
The unclean for the festivals of (...) Your (...) and to make
atonement for us (...to be) pure before you (...) in every matter
(...) to purify oneself prior to (...) You made us (....)

F.2 + 3. Col.2

And you shall cleanse him for Your holy statutes
(..) for the first, the third and the sixth (...) in the
truth of Your covenant (...) to cleanse oneself from uncleanness
(...) and then he shall enter the water (...) And he shall say in
response "Blessed are You (...) for from what comes out of
Your mouth (...) men of impurity (...)

F.10

Soul (...) he is (...) to Yourself as a pure people (...)
And I also (...) the day which (...) in the times of purity
(...) the Yahad. In Israel`s pure food (...) and they shall
dwell (...). And it will happen on that day (...)
a female and she will give thanks (...)

F.12

For You made me (...) Your will is that we cleanse ourselves before (...)
and he established for himself a statute of atonement (...)
and to be in righteous purity and he shall bathe in water and sprinkle
upon (...) (...) And then they return from the water (...) cleansing
His people in the waters of bathing (...) second time upon his station.
And he shall say in response : "Blessed are You (...) (...) Your
purification in Your glory (...) (...) eternally. And today (...).


The Coming of Melchizedek

11Q13

Col.2

(...) And concerning what Scripture says, "In this year of Jubilee you shall return,
everyone f you, to your property" (Lev. 25;13) And what is also written;
"And this is the manner of the remission; every creditor shall remit the claim
that is held against a neighbor, not exacting it of a neighbor who is a member
of the community, because God`s remission has been proclaimed" (Deut.15;2)
the interpretation is that it applies to the Last Days and concerns the captives, just
as Isaiah said: "To proclaim the Jubilee to the captives" (Isa. 61;1) (...)
just as (...) and from the inheritance of Melchizedek, for (... Melchizedek)
, who will return them to what is rightfully theirs. He will proclaim to them
the Jubilee, thereby releasing them from the debt of all their sins.
He shall proclaim this decree in the first week of the jubilee period
that follows nine jubilee periods. Then the "Day of Atonement" shall
follow after the tenth jubilee period, when he shall atone for all the Sons
of Light, and the people who are predestined to Melchizedek.
(...) upon them (...) For this is the time decreed for the
"Year of Melchizedek`s favour", and by his might he will judge God`s
holy ones and so establish a righteous kingdom, as it is written about
him in the Songs of David ; "A godlike being has taken his place in
the council of God; in the midst of divine beings he holds judgement"
(ps. 82;1). Scripture also says about him ; "Over it take your seat
in the highest heaven; A divine being will judge the peoples" (Ps. 7;7-8)
Concerning what scripture says ; " How long will you judge unjustly
, and show partiality with the wicked? Selah" (Ps. 82;2)
,the interpretation applies to Belial and the spirits predestined to him,
because all of them have rebelled, turning from God`s precepts and
so becoming utterly wicked. Therefore Melchizedek will thoroughly
prosecute the vengenance required by God`s statutes. Also, he will deliver
all the captives from the power of Belial, and from the power of all
the spirits destined to him. Allied with him will be all the
"righteous divine beings"(Isa. 61;3). (The ...) is that whi(ch ...all)
the divine beings.

The visitation is the Day of Salvation that He has decreed through Isaiah
the prophet concerning all the captives, inasmuch as Scripture says,
"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger
who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation,
who says to Zion "Your divine being reigns"." (Isa. 52;7)
This scriptures interpretation : "the mountains" are the prophets,
they who were sent to proclaim God`s truth and to prophesy to all Israel.
"The messengers" is the Anointed of the spirit, of whom Daniel spoke;
"After the sixty-two weeks, an Anointed shall be cut off" (Dan. 9;26)
The "messenger who brings good news, who announces Salvation"
is the one of whom it is written; "to proclaim the year of the LORD`s favour
, the day of the vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn" (Isa. 61;2)
This scripture`s interpretation: he is to instruct them about all the periods
of history for eternity (... and in the statutes) of the truth. (...)
(.... dominion) that passes from Belial and returns to the Sons of Light (....)
(...) by the judgment of God, just as t is written concerning him;
"who says to Zion "Your divine being reigns" (Isa. 52;7)
"Zion" is the congregation of all the sons of righteousness, who uphold
the covenant and turn from walking in the way of the people.
"Your divine being" is Melchizedek, who will deliver them from the
power of Belial. Concerning what scripture says, "Then you shall
have the trumpet sounded loud; in the seventh month . . . " (Lev. 25;9)


Tongues of Fire

1Q29,4Q376


1Q29 F.1

(...) (...) the stone, just as the LORD commanded ....) and your Urim.
And it (the cloud?) shall come forth with him, with the tongues of fire.
The left-hand stone which is on its left side shall be uncovered before
the whole congregation until the priest finishes speaking and after the
cloud has been lifted ... And you shall keep (...) the prophet has spoken
to you (...) (...) who counsels rebellion (...) (...) the LORD your God (...)

F.2

(...) (... the) right-hand stone when the priest comes out (...)
three tongues of fire from the right-hand stone (...)
(from ...) (...) and after he goes up he shall draw near to the people(...)

F.3-4

(...) (...the LORD) your God (...) (...Blessed is the God of Israel)
(...) (...) among them all. Your name (...) (...and an) abundance of
strenght, honored (and awesome...) (...)

F.5-7

(...) these words, according to all (...) (... and then) the priests
shall interpret His will , all (...) (...) the congregation (...)
(... O Children of Israel, keep all of these words) (...)
(... to do) all (...) the number of commandments (...) (...) their (...)

4Q376


F.1 Col.1

(...) the anointed priest upon whose head has been poured
the anointing oil ... and he shall offer a bull of the herd and a ram
(...) for the Urim.

Col.2

and your Urim. And it (the cloud?) shall come forth with him,
with tongues of fire. The left-hand stone which is upon its left side
shall be uncovered before the whole congregation until the priests finishes speaking.
And after the cloud has been lifted (...) And you shall keep (...) and the prophet
has spoken to you.


Col.3

according to this entire commandment. And if the Leader of the
whole nation is in the camp or (if ...) his enemy and Israel with him,
or if they march on a city to throw up a siege against it,
or in respect to any matter which (...) to the Leader (...) the field is far (...)