Column 10

1 with the times that he decreed: at the beginning of the dominion of light, with its turning, and when it is gathered to its decreed dwelling; at the beginning of 2 the watches of darkness, when he opens his storehouse and sets it above, and at its turning, when it is gathered before the light; when the lights 3 shine forth from the holy height, and when they are gathered to the dwelling of glory; at the coming in of the seasons on the days of the new moon, together with their turning and 4 their handing over, one to another. When they are renewed, it is a great day for the holy of holies and a sign for the opening of his eternal kindnesses, at the heads of 5 the seasons in every age that comes to be; at the beginning of months for their seasons, and the holy days in their order, as a memorial in their seasons. 6 With the offering of the lips I will bless him, as a statute engraved forever: at the heads of years and at the turning of their seasons, when the statute of 7 their order is fulfilled, each day by its rule, one after another: the season of harvest to summer, and the season of sowing to the season of grass; the seasons of years to their weeks, 8 and at the head of their weeks to the season of release. And in all my existence the engraved statute shall be on my tongue as a fruit of praise and the portion of my lips. I will lift up 9 … I will sing with knowledge, and all my music shall be for the glory of God, and the strings of my lyre for the order of his holiness, and the flute of my lips I will raise to the measure of his judgment. 10 With the coming of day and night I will enter the covenant of God, and with the going out of evening and morning I will recite his statutes. And while they exist I will set 11 my boundary without turning back. And I will declare his judgment right, according to my perversity, and my transgressions are before my eyes like an engraved statute. And to God I will say, “My righteousness,” 12 and to the Most High, “Foundation of my goodness, source of knowledge and spring of holiness, height of glory and might of all, for eternal splendor.” I will choose what 13 he teaches me, and I will be content as he judges me. At the beginning of the undertaking of my hands and my feet I will bless his name; at the beginning of going out and coming in, 14 of sitting down and rising up, and when I lie on my bed, I will sing aloud to him. And I will bless him with the offering that comes from my lips, in the ranks of men, 15 and before I lift my hand to enrich myself with the delights of the produce of the world. At the beginning of fear and dread, and in the place of distress with desolation, 16 I will bless him for his great wonders, and on his might I will meditate, and on his kindnesses I will lean all the day. And I know that in his hand is the judgment of 17 every living thing, and truth are all his works. And when distress breaks out I will praise him, and in his salvation I will rejoice as well. I will not repay anyone with an evil⁠a 18 reward; with good I will pursue a man. For with God is the judgment of every living thing, and he will repay a man his reward. I will not be jealous in a spirit of 19 wickedness, and my soul will not crave the wealth of violence. And in the dispute of a man of the pit I will not take part until the day of vengeance. But my anger I will not 20 turn back from the men of iniquity, and I will not be content until judgment is established. I will not bear a grudge in anger against those who turn back from transgression, but I will have no compassion 21 on all who turn from the way. I will not comfort the stricken until their way is perfect. And I will not keep Belial in my heart, and there will not be heard in my mouth 22 foolishness or sinful lying, and deceits and lies will not be found on my lips. But the fruit of holiness will be on my tongue, and abominations 23 will not be found on it. With thanksgivings I will open my mouth, and my tongue will recount the righteous acts of God continually, and the unfaithfulness of men until the end of 24 their transgression. Empty words I will banish from my lips, and impurities and perversities from the knowledge of my heart. With sound counsel I will hide knowledge, 25 and with prudent knowledge I will fence it in with a firm boundary, to keep faithfulness and strong judgment according to the righteousness of God. I will measure out 26 the statute by the measuring line of the times, and … […] righteousness, loving kindness toward the humbled, and strengthening of hands for the anxious [of heart, and to teach]