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The Damascus Document — Column 11

The Qumran Community · a new plain-English translation from the original language

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on the road, and if he goes down to wash, he shall drink standing at his place, and let him not draw into

any vessel [...] Let him not send a foreigner's son to do his business on the day of the sabbath [...]

Let no man put on himself soiled garments, or garments brought in a bundle, unless

they have been washed in water or rubbed with frankincense [...] Let no man mix of his own will

on the sabbath [...] Let no man walk after the animal to graze it outside his city, except

within two thousand cubits [...] Let him not raise his hand to strike it with his fist, if

it is stubborn. Let him not take it out of his house [...] Let no man take out from the house

to outside space, or from outside space into the house [...] And if he is in a booth, let him not go out from it

and let him not enter it [...] Let him not open a sealed vessel on the sabbath [...] Let no man carry

on himself perfumes to go out and bring in and come in on the sabbath [...] Let him not lift, in his dwelling house,

a stone or dust [...] Let the nurse not carry the infant when going forth and entering on the sabbath [...]

Let no man press his male servant or his female servant or his hired worker on the sabbath

Let no man assist an animal to give birth on the sabbath day [...] and if it drops into a pit

or a ditch, let him not raise it up on the sabbath [...] Let no man rest in a place near

to the nations on the sabbath [...] Let no man profane the sabbath for wealth or gain on the sabbath [...]

And every human soul that falls into water, a place of water, or into a place

let no man bring him up by ladder, or rope, or vessel [...] Let no man go up to the altar on the sabbath

except the sabbath burnt offering, as it is written thus, apart from your sabbaths [...] Let him not send

to the altar a burnt offering, a grain offering, frankincense, or wood, by the hand of a man unclean with one

of the uncleannesses, to permit him to defile the altar [...] for thus it is written, the sacrifice

of the wicked is an abomination, yet the plea of the upright is like a welcome offering [...] And everyone who comes to

the house of worship shall not enter unclean, though washed [...] And when the trumpets of the assembly sound

he shall advance or delay, and they shall not cease from the work, all of it [...] the sabbath

An original translation made in 2026 by Scriptorium Press, working directly from the original language text (never from another English translation), in one consistent modern voice. Free to read, download, and listen — no accounts, no ads, nothing for sale.

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