Chapter XVII.—The Tenets of the Esseni Continued.
All then pay attention to the president; and
whatever injunctions he will issue, they obey as law. For they
are anxious that mercy and assistance be extended to those that are
burdened with toil. And especially they abstain from wrath and
anger, and all such passions, inasmuch as they consider these to
be treacherous to man. And no one amongst them is in the habit of
swearing; but whatever any one says, this is regarded more binding than
an oath. If, however, one will swear, he is condemned as one
unworthy of credence. They are likewise solicitous about the
readings of the law and prophets; and moreover also, if there is any
treatise of the faithful, about that likewise. And they
evince the utmost curiosity concerning plants and stones, rather
busying themselves as regards the operative powers of these, saying
that these things were not created in vain.