HISTORY 1: FIRST SHORT PAPER ASSIGNMENT

HISTORY 1: FIRST SHORT PAPER ASSIGNMENT
DOCUMENT ANALYSIS
In this paper you will analyze (not simply summarize) the assigned historical document
(see attached). The prompt and questions below are intended to guide your analysis of
the document:
DOCUMENT: HAMMURABI’S LAWS ON FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
By the time of Hammurabi (r. 1792-1750 BCE), first king of the Babylonian Empire,
Mesopotamian marriages represented important business and economic relationships between
families. Hammurabi’s laws (one of the first written laws in human history) reflect a desire to
ensure the legitimacy of children and to protect the economic interests of both marital partners
and their families. While placing women under the authority of their fathers and husbands, the
laws also protected women against unreasonable treatment by their husbands or other men.
This document can also be found at http://avalon.law.yale.edu/ancient/hamframe.asp
PROMPT: In this class we discussed how the rise of writing was arguably a “revolution”
in human history. How is the document (“Hammurabi’s Laws”) “evidence” of writing’s
impact on human history? What evidence does the document give of the other
“revolutions” we have talked about in class (i.e. the rise of agriculture; the rise of the
complex societies)?
What does this document tell you about the complex society that produced it (be
mindful of our discussion of the general characteristics of a complex society)? You might
want to keep in mind the purpose of these laws (why are they needed by this society)?
Also, try to think “historically” about the people that wrote these laws. That is you
should try to put yourself in their place and time. What do you think their reasoning was
in writing these laws (even the ones that are morally objectionable or make no sense to us
in the present)?
In your analysis of these laws, you may focus on one or more of the specific
features of Mesopotamian society:
• Gender relationships
• Social classes
• Property ownership
• Commercial activity and economics
• State institutions and government
• Social practices and structures
• Religion
• Crime and punishment
Discuss whatever specific feature(s) you choose as they reflected in the individual laws.
You may also keep in mind that these laws are “epigraphic” – in that they include a
preamble by Hammurabi himself. How is Hammurabi “immortalized” by these laws?
How does this shape this law code’s meaning and significance?
This is not a “research” paper assignment therefore papers do not require any sources to
be cited (class notes and class texts are exceptions and may be referenced). Papers must
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be grammatically correct, well-structured, and have citation of relevant texts and page
numbers.
Papers should be 5-6 pages typed, double-spaced, with one-inch margins and
12-point font. Papers are due at the beginning of class on February 17, 2016.
Late assignments will be penalized 5% per weekday (i.e. Monday-Friday).
A successful paper will:
~ have a solid introduction with appropriate context that introduces the
piece
~ analyze, not solely describe or summarize the document
~ be well organized with coherent paragraphs relevant to the topic
~ have a concluding paragraph that accurately and concisely summarize the main points
of the paper
~ adequately explain the central objectives at work in the
source(s)
~ draw on appropriate evidence from your source to substantiate the claims
make
~ properly cite and punctuate quotations and evidence
GUIDELINES FOR WRITING A HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION PAPER
***Do Not Use Direct Quotes In Your Essay***
PURPOSE:
1. Main point of this assignment: To develop and foster a historical perspective to persuade
your readers to reinterpret the historical document, based on your understanding of the period
and motivations of the document’s author.
2. Procedure: Introduce the author, title, and date it was written. Include your thesis in the
introduction. The entire introduction should be no more than 5 sentences. You should have 4
to 5 fully developed body paragraphs. Total paper length is 2-3 pages.
3. Standards/Criteria: To write a clear, historical paper, you need to identify historical evidence
or criteria from the text, without direct quotations, that demonstrate your understanding of the
time period.
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4. Citations: Any material used for the essays must be cited. This means when you use ideas
that are not yours, tell me where you got them. This usually means the material you have been
asked to write about.
I. SOURCES:
The document attached. This is not a research paper so avoid using outside resource materials.
The assignment is an exercise in interpreting material that has been presented in the text in
relationship to the objectives of the course.
II. FORMAT:
An analytical essay requires you to think critically about a topic, offering your own
perspective on the assigned material. To write a strong and convincing essay, do not merely
summarize document or, recite facts. For this assignment, you become the historian—your
essay should demonstrate that you have analyzed the information, developed an interpretation
of it, and can support that interpretation with evidence.
III. STRUCTURE:
This essay requires an introduction, a body, and a conclusion:
The INTRODUCTION includes a thesis statement. Your thesis must be a focused
argument that is worthy of debate. If your thesis does not cause a stir of disagreements, it will
most likely produce a boring paper. The introduction should make it clear what your
interpretation will be throughout the essay. Essentially, the introduction is a “map” that will
guide the reader through the major points you will make and how you will proceed.
In the BODY of the paper, you supply the evidence that “proves” your thesis. Point out
relevant material that influenced your perceptions. What materials have you selected which
form the structure of your interpretation? The evidence you present should be organized in a
clear and logical manner. Since there is not a single “right” answer, your ability to demonstrate
logically the reasoning and evidence behind your thesis is very important to the success of
your paper. Think of this portion of the paper as constructing a series of statements, supported
by evidence, which will convince any reader that your views are “correct.”
Remember to explain your ideas and the evidence, not simply state them. Be explicit.
Do not force your readers to infer meaning from your writing or to read between the lines.
Your CONCLUSION should include a short summary of the main pints in the body of
your paper and a restatement of your thesis. Sum up strongly, for this is your last chance to
convince the reader to accept your point of view.
IV. MECHANICS of STYLE:
Good Grammar, spelling, and punctuation are a must in any paper. Errors will weaken
your overall presentation.
Each body paragraph should include a topic sentence, letting the reader know what
point will be discussed in this paragraph, and how it relates to your previous points. Smooth
transitions from paragraph to paragraph are essential.
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Citations: This is not a paper requiring end- or footnotes. When you cite from texts,
give the author and page number in parentheses immediately after the citation. Example: “See
Spot run.” (Hawthorne, p. 103). Direct quotes are not allowed from any of the sources you are
using. These papers are too short to use quotes. Often they take away from your argument and
usually increased the chances that you are using a quote out of context.
Avoid using colloquialisms. Slang is out of place in an academic paper, so do not us it.
Do not use contractions in formal writing. For example, use “cannot” for “can’t.”
Use the past tense when writing about events that occurred in the past (People in Fertile
Crescent were the first in world history to develop agriculture). Use the present tense when
discussing an author and his or her work (Diamond writes that agriculture was very important
in the development of human civilizations.).
For additional guidance, see Strunk and White, Elements of Style (NY: Macmillan Pub.
Co.), Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (
Chicago : University of Chicago Press), or The Chicago Manual of Style ( Chicago :
University of Chicago Press).
REMEMBER! A strong essay reads smoothly. PROOFREAD your paper out loud. You will
be amazed how you can find grammatical errors by hearing them rather than reading them.
Also have someone outside the class proofread your paper. If it makes sense to them, then you
have succeeded in articulating your position.
AVOID PLAGIARISM: Students often unintentionally misuse their sources. Others do so
intentionally. Both are unacceptable. Fundamentally, plagiarism is the offering of the words
and ideas of another author’s as your own. The work of another person, their ideas,
interpretations, distinctive phrasing, and exact words, constitute that author’s intellectual
property. Use of that property without proper citation, is, simply, theft. The following list will
suggest some forms of writing that will constitute, in the eyes of all instructors, plagiarism:
A. The use of another’s writing without proper use of quotation marks. Do not, under any
circumstances, copy into your paper a direct quotation of any length, without providing
quotation marks crediting the source of the quotation. This should never be an issue in my
course because quotes are not allowed.
B. The borrowing of a distinctive phrase, the use of an idea, and the paraphrasing of material
(a phrase, idea, or quotation) without giving proper credit. Also included in this category is the
mere rearrangement of phrases, ideas, or words.
C. The use of another student’s work.
Since you will be working with the writing of others, it is important that you learn and follow
certain ethical standards concerning the use of referenced material. Fortunately, plagiarism is
as easy to avoid as it is to commit. The following guidelines should prevent you from
inadvertently committing plagiarism.
A. When borrowing a direct quote (using the exact words, in the exact words, in the exact
order as they appear), always enclose the passage in quotation marks, and provide a citation in
dictating the sources of the quotation. This is the rule but is not allowed in this course.
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B. When paraphrasing, present the author’s work in your words, using your own phrasing and
style. IMPORTANT: even when paraphrasing, you MUST provide a citation indicating the
source of the borrowed material. This is what I want you to learn. Paraphrasing demonstrates
what you understand the author’s meaning.
C. When in doubt, cite it.
***Again: Do Not Use Direct Quotes In Your Paper***
GRADING CRITERIA:
An “A” paper: demonstrates a solid interpretation and argument of the text. It embodies an
exceptional thesis statement, coherent body paragraphs, which include relevant examples from
the text, and a persuasive conclusion. In an “A” paper, there are virtually no grammatical
errors and the style and tone is interesting and insightful. An “A” paper stands out not only in
terms of its content, but through its mechanics of grammar and style. In addition, the paper
must comply with all the rules in the “Guidelines to a Historical Interpretation.”
A “B” paper is comprised of a good, thoughtful interpretation of the text. The thesis statement
must stir interest in the reader, and the body paragraphs include supportive evidence from the
text, and a persuasive conclusion. In a “B” paper, there must be very few grammatical and
stylistic errors.
A “C” paper lacks an interpretive thesis and instead gives a mediocre analysis of the text. “C”
papers generally do not give much interpretation and tend to go off on tangents. The body
paragraphs give little supporting evidence. In “C” papers, there are an array of grammatical
and stylistic mistakes that take away from the reader’s understanding of the paper. Often this
paper is little more than a review of the book or summary of the author’s argument.
A non-passing paper is overwhelmingly one which does not fulfill the length and formatting
requirements. All papers are between 3-4 pages in length (unless otherwise stated in the
syllabus) and have 1 inch margins, double spaced in Times New Roman 12 point. Any paper
that does to fulfill these requirements will not be accepted. Non-passing papers also have weak
or nonexistent thesis statements and no historical focus.
Please consult the rubric for this paper posted on Blackboard.
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The Code of Hammurabi
Translated by L. W. King
When Anu the Sublime, King of the Anunaki, and Bel, the lord of Heaven and earth, who
decreed the fate of the land, assigned to Marduk, the over-ruling son of Ea, God of
righteousness, dominion over earthly man, and made him great among the Igigi, they called
Babylon by his illustrious name, made it great on earth, and founded an everlasting kingdom in
it, whose foundations are laid so solidly as those of heaven and earth; then Anu and Bel called
by name me, Hammurabi, the exalted prince, who feared God, to bring about the rule of
righteousness in the land, to destroy the wicked and the evil-doers; so that the strong should
not harm the weak; so that I should rule over the black-headed people like Shamash, and
enlighten the land, to further the well-being of mankind.
Hammurabi, the prince, called of Bel am I, making riches and increase, enriching Nippur and
Dur-ilu beyond compare, sublime patron of E-kur; who reestablished Eridu and purified the
worship of E-apsu; who conquered the four quarters of the world, made great the name of
Babylon, rejoiced the heart of Marduk, his lord who daily pays his devotions in Saggil; the
royal scion whom Sin made; who enriched Ur; the humble, the reverent, who brings wealth to
Gish-shir-gal; the white king, heard of Shamash, the mighty, who again laid the foundations of
Sippara; who clothed the gravestones of Malkat with green; who made E-babbar great, which
is like the heavens, the warrior who guarded Larsa and renewed E-babbar, with Shamash as his
helper; the lord who granted new life to Uruk, who brought plenteous water to its inhabitants,
raised the head of E-anna, and perfected the beauty of Anu and Nana; shield of the land, who
reunited the scattered inhabitants of Isin; who richly endowed E-gal-mach; the protecting king
of the city, brother of the god Zamama; who firmly founded the farms of Kish, crowned E-mete-ursag
with glory, redoubled the great holy treasures of Nana, managed the temple of
Harsag-kalama; the grave of the enemy, whose help brought about the victory; who increased
the power of Cuthah; made all glorious in E-shidlam, the black steer, who gored the enemy;
beloved of the god Nebo, who rejoiced the inhabitants of Borsippa, the Sublime; who is
indefatigable for E-zida; the divine king of the city; the White, Wise; who broadened the fields
of Dilbat, who heaped up the harvests for Urash; the Mighty, the lord to whom come scepter
and crown, with which he clothes himself; the Elect of Ma-ma; who fixed the temple bounds
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of Kesh, who made rich the holy feasts of Nin-tu; the provident, solicitous, who provided food
and drink for Lagash and Girsu, who provided large sacrificial offerings for the temple of
Ningirsu; who captured the enemy, the Elect of the oracle who fulfilled the prediction of
Hallab, who rejoiced the heart of Anunit; the pure prince, whose prayer is accepted by Adad;
who satisfied the heart of Adad, the warrior, in Karkar, who restored the vessels for worship in
E-ud-gal-gal; the king who granted life to the city of Adab; the guide of E-mach; the princely
king of the city, the irresistible warrior, who granted life to the inhabitants of Mashkanshabri,
and brought abundance to the temple of Shidlam; the White, Potent, who penetrated the secret
cave of the bandits, saved the inhabitants of Malka from misfortune, and fixed their home fast
in wealth; who established pure sacrificial gifts for Ea and Dam-gal-nun-na, who made his
kingdom everlastingly great; the princely king of the city, who subjected the districts on the
Ud-kib-nun-na Canal to the sway of Dagon, his Creator; who spared the inhabitants of Mera
and Tutul; the sublime prince, who makes the face of Ninni shine; who presents holy meals to
the divinity of Nin-a-zu, who cared for its inhabitants in their need, provided a portion for
them in Babylon in peace; the shepherd of the oppressed and of the slaves; whose deeds find
favor before Anunit, who provided for Anunit in the temple of Dumash in the suburb of
Agade; who recognizes the right, who rules by law; who gave back to the city of Ashur its
protecting god; who let the name of Ishtar of Nineveh remain in E-mish-mish; the Sublime,
who humbles himself before the great gods; successor of Sumula-il; the mighty son of Sinmuballit;
the royal scion of Eternity; the mighty monarch, the sun of Babylon, whose rays shed
light over the land of Sumer and Akkad; the king, obeyed by the four quarters of the world;
Beloved of Ninni, am I.
When Marduk sent me to rule over men, to give the protection of right to the land, I did right
and righteousness in . . . , and brought about the well-being of the oppressed.
CODE OF LAWS
1. If any one ensnare another, putting a ban upon him, but he can not prove it, then he that
ensnared him shall be put to death.
2. If any one bring an accusation against a man, and the accused go to the river and leap into
the river, if he sink in the river his accuser shall take possession of his house. But if the river
prove that the accused is not guilty, and he escape unhurt, then he who had brought the
accusation shall be put to death, while he who leaped into the river shall take possession of the
house that had belonged to his accuser.
3. If any one bring an accusation of any crime before the elders, and does not prove what he
has charged, he shall, if it be a capital offense charged, be put to death.
4. If he satisfy the elders to impose a fine of grain or money, he shall receive the fine that the
action produces.
5. If a judge try a case, reach a decision, and present his judgment in writing; if later error shall
appear in his decision, and it be through his own fault, then he shall pay twelve times the fine
set by him in the case, and he shall be publicly removed from the judge’s bench, and never
again shall he sit there to render judgement.
6. If any one steal the property of a temple or of the court, he shall be put to death, and also the
one who receives the stolen thing from him shall be put to death.
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7. If any one buy from the son or the slave of another man, without witnesses or a contract,
silver or gold, a male or female slave, an ox or a sheep, an ass or anything, or if he take it in
charge, he is considered a thief and shall be put to death.
8. If any one steal cattle or sheep, or an ass, or a pig or a goat, if it belong to a god or to the
court, the thief shall pay thirtyfold therefor; if they belonged to a freed man of the king he shall
pay tenfold; if the thief has nothing with which to pay he shall be put to death.
9. If any one lose an article, and find it in the possession of another: if the person in whose
possession the thing is found say “A merchant sold it to me, I paid for it before witnesses,” and
if the owner of the thing say, “I will bring witnesses who know my property,” then shall the
purchaser bring the merchant who sold it to him, and the witnesses before whom he bought it,
and the owner shall bring witnesses who can identify his property. The judge shall examine
their testimony–both of the witnesses before whom the price was paid, and of the witnesses
who identify the lost article on oath. The merchant is then proved to be a thief and shall be put
to death. The owner of the lost article receives his property, and he who bought it receives the
money he paid from the estate of the merchant.
10. If the purchaser does not bring the merchant and the witnesses before whom he bought the
article, but its owner bring witnesses who identify it, then the buyer is the thief and shall be put
to death, and the owner receives the lost article.
11. If the owner do not bring witnesses to identify the lost article, he is an evil-doer, he has
traduced, and shall be put to death.
12. If the witnesses be not at hand, then shall the judge set a limit, at the expiration of six
months. If his witnesses have not appeared within the six months, he is an evil-doer, and shall
bear the fine of the pending case.
14. If any one steal the minor son of another, he shall be put to death.
15. If any one take a male or female slave of the court, or a male or female slave of a freed
man, outside the city gates, he shall be put to death.
16. If any one receive into his house a runaway male or female slave of the court, or of a
freedman, and does not bring it out at the public proclamation of the major domus, the master
of the house shall be put to death.
17. If any one find runaway male or female slaves in the open country and bring them to their
masters, the master of the slaves shall pay him two shekels of silver.
18. If the slave will not give the name of the master, the finder shall bring him to the palace; a
further investigation must follow, and the slave shall be returned to his master.
19. If he hold the slaves in his house, and they are caught there, he shall be put to death.
20. If the slave that he caught run away from him, then shall he swear to the owners of the
slave, and he is free of all blame.
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21. If any one break a hole into a house (break in to steal), he shall be put to death before that
hole and be buried.
22. If any one is committing a robbery and is caught, then he shall be put to death.
23. If the robber is not caught, then shall he who was robbed claim under oath the amount of
his loss; then shall the community, and . . . on whose ground and territory and in whose
domain it was compensate him for the goods stolen.
24. If persons are stolen, then shall the community and . . . pay one mina of silver to their
relatives.
25. If fire break out in a house, and some one who comes to put it out cast his eye upon the
property of the owner of the house, and take the property of the master of the house, he shall
be thrown into that self-same fire.
26. If a chieftain or a man (common soldier), who has been ordered to go upon the king’s
highway for war does not go, but hires a mercenary, if he withholds the compensation, then
shall this officer or man be put to death, and he who represented him shall take possession of
his house.
27. If a chieftain or man be caught in the misfortune of the king (captured in battle), and if his
fields and garden be given to another and he take possession, if he return and reaches his place,
his field and garden shall be returned to him, he shall take it over again.
28. If a chieftain or a man be caught in the misfortune of a king, if his son is able to enter into
possession, then the field and garden shall be given to him, he shall take over the fee of his
father.
29. If his son is still young, and can not take possession, a third of the field and garden shall be
given to his mother, and she shall bring him up.
30. If a chieftain or a man leave his house, garden, and field and hires it out, and some one else
takes possession of his house, garden, and field and uses it for three years: if the first owner
return and claims his house, garden, and field, it shall not be given to him, but he who has
taken possession of it and used it shall continue to use it.
31. If he hire it out for one year and then return, the house, garden, and field shall be given
back to him, and he shall take it over again.
32. If a chieftain or a man is captured on the “Way of the King” (in war), and a merchant buy
him free, and bring him back to his place; if he have the means in his house to buy his
freedom, he shall buy himself free: if he have nothing in his house with which to buy himself
free, he shall be bought free by the temple of his community; if there be nothing in the temple
with which to buy him free, the court shall buy his freedom. His field, garden, and house shall
not be given for the purchase of his freedom.
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33. If a . . . or a . . . enter himself as withdrawn from the “Way of the King,” and send a
mercenary as substitute, but withdraw him, then the . . . or . . . shall be put to death.
34. If a . . . or a . . . harm the property of a captain, injure the captain, or take away from the
captain a gift presented to him by the king, then the . . . or . . . shall be put to death.
35. If any one buy the cattle or sheep which the king has given to chieftains from him, he loses
his money.
36. The field, garden, and house of a chieftain, of a man, or of one subject to quit-rent, can not
be sold.
37. If any one buy the field, garden, and house of a chieftain, man, or one subject to quit-rent,
his contract tablet of sale shall be broken (declared invalid) and he loses his money. The field,
garden, and house return to their owners.
38. A chieftain, man, or one subject to quit-rent can not assign his tenure of field, house, and
garden to his wife or daughter, nor can he assign it for a debt.
39. He may, however, assign a field, garden, or house which he has bought, and holds as
property, to his wife or daughter or give it for debt.
40. He may sell field, garden, and house to a merchant (royal agents) or to any other public
official, the buyer holding field, house, and garden for its usufruct.
41. If any one fence in the field, garden, and house of a chieftain, man, or one subject to quitrent,
furnishing the palings therefore; if the chieftain, man, or one subject to quit-rent return to
field, garden, and house, the palings which were given to him become his property.
42. If any one take over a field to till it, and obtain no harvest there from, it must be proved
that he did no work on the field, and he must deliver grain, just as his neighbor raised, to the
owner of the field.
43. If he do not till the field, but let it lie fallow, he shall give grain like his neighbor’s to the
owner of the field, and the field which he let lie fallow he must plow and sow and return to its
owner.
44. If any one take over a waste-lying field to make it arable, but is lazy, and does not make it
arable, he shall plow the fallow field in the fourth year, harrow it and till it, and give it back to
its owner, and for each ten gan (a measure of area) ten gur of grain shall be paid.
45. If a man rent his field for tillage for a fixed rental, and receive the rent of his field, but bad
weather come and destroy the harvest, the injury falls upon the tiller of the soil.
46. If he do not receive a fixed rental for his field, but lets it on half or third shares of the
harvest, the grain on the field shall be divided proportionately between the tiller and the owner.
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47. If the tiller, because he did not succeed in the first year, has had the soil tilled by others, the
owner may raise no objection; the field has been cultivated and he receives the harvest
according to agreement.
48. If any one owe a debt for a loan, and a storm prostrates the grain, or the harvest fail, or the
grain does not grow for lack of water; in that year he need not give his creditor any grain, he
washes his debt-tablet in water and pays no rent for this year.
49. If any one take money from a merchant, and give the merchant a field tillable for corn or
sesame and order him to plant corn or sesame in the field, and to harvest the crop; if the
cultivator plant corn or sesame in the field, at the harvest the corn or sesame that is in the field
shall belong to the owner of the field and he shall pay corn as rent, for the money he received
from the merchant, and the livelihood of the cultivator shall he give to the merchant.
50. If he give a cultivated corn-field or a cultivated sesame-field, the corn or sesame in the
field shall belong to the owner of the field, and he shall return the money to the merchant as
rent.
51. If he have no money to repay, then he shall pay in corn or sesame in place of the money as
rent for what he received from the merchant, according to the royal tariff.
52. If the cultivator do not plant corn or sesame in the field, the debtor’s contract is not
weakened.
53. If any one be too lazy to keep his dam in proper condition, and does not so keep it; if then
the dam break and all the fields be flooded, then shall he in whose dam the break occurred be
sold for money, and the money shall replace the corn which he has caused to be ruined.
54. If he be not able to replace the corn, then he and his possessions shall be divided among
the farmers whose corn he has flooded.
55. If any one open his ditches to water his crop, but is careless, and the water flood the field
of his neighbor, then he shall pay his neighbor corn for his loss.
56. If a man let in the water, and the water overflow the plantation of his neighbor, he shall pay
ten gur of corn for every ten gan of land.
57. If a shepherd, without the permission of the owner of the field, and without the knowledge
of the owner of the sheep, lets the sheep into a field to graze, then the owner of the field shall
harvest his crop, and the shepherd, who had pastured his flock there without permission of the
owner of the field, shall pay to the owner twenty gur of corn for every ten gan.
58. If after the flocks have left the pasture and been shut up in the common fold at the city
gate, any shepherd let them into a field and they graze there, this shepherd shall take
possession of the field which he has allowed to be grazed on, and at the harvest he must pay
sixty gur of corn for every ten gan.
59. If any man, without the knowledge of the owner of a garden, fell a tree in a garden he shall
pay half a mina in money.
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60. If any one give over a field to a gardener, for him to plant it as a garden, if he work at it,
and care for it for four years, in the fifth year the owner and the gardener shall divide it, the
owner taking his part in charge.
61. If the gardener has not completed the planting of the field, leaving one part unused, this
shall be assigned to him as his.
62. If he do not plant the field that was given over to him as a garden, if it be arable land (for
corn or sesame) the gardener shall pay the owner the produce of the field for the years that he
let it lie fallow, according to the product of neighboring fields, put the field in arable condition
and return it to its owner.
63. If he transform waste land into arable fields and return it to its owner, the latter shall pay
him for one year ten gur for ten gan.
64. If any one hand over his garden to a gardener to work, the gardener shall pay to its owner
two-thirds of the produce of the garden, for so long as he has it in possession, and the other
third shall he keep.
65. If the gardener do not work in the garden and the product fall off, the gardener shall pay in
proportion to other neighboring gardens. [Here a portion of the text is missing, apparently
comprising thirty-four paragraphs.] 100. . . . interest for the money, as much as he has received, he shall give a note therefor, and
on the day, when they settle, pay to the merchant.
101. If there are no mercantile arrangements in the place whither he went, he shall leave the
entire amount of money which he received with the broker to give to the merchant.
102. If a merchant entrust money to an agent (broker) for some investment, and the broker
suffer a loss in the place to which he goes, he shall make good the capital to the merchant.
103. If, while on the journey, an enemy take away from him anything that he had, the broker
shall swear by God and be free of obligation.
104. If a merchant give an agent corn, wool, oil, or any other goods to transport, the agent shall
give a receipt for the amount, and compensate the merchant therefor. Then he shall obtain a
receipt form the merchant for the money that he gives the merchant.
105. If the agent is careless, and does not take a receipt for the money which he gave the
merchant, he can not consider the unreceipted money as his own.
106. If the agent accept money from the merchant, but have a quarrel with the merchant
(denying the receipt), then shall the merchant swear before God and witnesses that he has
given this money to the agent, and the agent shall pay him three times the sum.
107. If the merchant cheat the agent, in that as the latter has returned to him all that had been
given him, but the merchant denies the receipt of what had been returned to him, then shall this
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agent convict the merchant before God and the judges, and if he still deny receiving what the
agent had given him shall pay six times the sum to the agent.
108. If a tavern-keeper (feminine) does not accept corn according to gross weight in payment
of drink, but takes money, and the price of the drink is less than that of the corn, she shall be
convicted and thrown into the water.
109. If conspirators meet in the house of a tavern-keeper, and these conspirators are not
captured and delivered to the court, the tavern-keeper shall be put to death.
110. If a “sister of a god” open a tavern, or enter a tavern to drink, then shall this woman be
burned to death.
111. If an inn-keeper furnish sixty ka of usakani-drink to . . . she shall receive fifty ka of corn
at the harvest.
112. If any one be on a journey and entrust silver, gold, precious stones, or any movable
property to another, and wish to recover it from him; if the latter do not bring all of the
property to the appointed place, but appropriate it to his own use, then shall this man, who did
not bring the property to hand it over, be convicted, and he shall pay fivefold for all that had
been entrusted to him.
113. If any one have consignment of corn or money, and he take from the granary or box
without the knowledge of the owner, then shall he who took corn without the knowledge of the
owner out of the granary or money out of the box be legally convicted, and repay the corn he
has taken. And he shall lose whatever commission was paid to him, or due him.
114. If a man have no claim on another for corn and money, and try to demand it by force, he
shall pay one-third of a mina of silver in every case.
115. If any one have a claim for corn or money upon another and imprison him; if the prisoner
die in prison a natural death, the case shall go no further.
116. If the prisoner die in prison from blows or maltreatment, the master of the prisoner shall
convict the merchant before the judge. If he was a free-born man, the son of the merchant shall
be put to death; if it was a slave, he shall pay one-third of a mina of gold, and all that the
master of the prisoner gave he shall forfeit.
117. If any one fail to meet a claim for debt, and sell himself, his wife, his son, and daughter
for money or give them away to forced labor: they shall work for three years in the house of
the man who bought them, or the proprietor, and in the fourth year they shall be set free.
118. If he give a male or female slave away for forced labor, and the merchant sublease them,
or sell them for money, no objection can be raised.
119. If any one fail to meet a claim for debt, and he sell the maid servant who has borne him
children, for money, the money which the merchant has paid shall be repaid to him by the
owner of the slave and she shall be freed.
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120. If any one store corn for safe keeping in another person’s house, and any harm happen to
the corn in storage, or if the owner of the house open the granary and take some of the corn, or
if especially he deny that the corn was stored in his house: then the owner of the corn shall
claim his corn before God (on oath), and the owner of the house shall pay its owner for all of
the corn that he took.
121. If any one store corn in another man’s house he shall pay him storage at the rate of one
gur for every five ka of corn per year.
122. If any one give another silver, gold, or anything else to keep, he shall show everything to
some witness, draw up a contract, and then hand it over for safe keeping.
123. If he turn it over for safe keeping without witness or contract, and if he to whom it was
given deny it, then he has no legitimate claim.
124. If any one deliver silver, gold, or anything else to another for safe keeping, before a
witness, but he deny it, he shall be brought before a judge, and all that he has denied he shall
pay in full.
125. If any one place his property with another for safe keeping, and there, either through
thieves or robbers, his property and the property of the other man be lost, the owner of the
house, through whose neglect the loss took place, shall compensate the owner for all that was
given to him in charge. But the owner of the house shall try to follow up and recover his
property, and take it away from the thief.
126. If any one who has not lost his goods state that they have been lost, and make false
claims: if he claim his goods and amount of injury before God, even though he has not lost
them, he shall be fully compensated for all his loss claimed. (I.e., the oath is all that is needed.)
127. If any one “point the finger” (slander) at a sister of a god or the wife of any one, and can
not prove it, this man shall be taken before the judges and his brow shall be marked. (by
cutting the skin, or perhaps hair.)
128. If a man take a woman to wife, but have no intercourse with her, this woman is no wife to
him.
129. If a man’s wife be surprised (in flagrante delicto) with another man, both shall be tied and
thrown into the water, but the husband may pardon his wife and the king his slaves.
130. If a man violate the wife (betrothed or child-wife) of another man, who has never known
a man, and still lives in her father’s house, and sleep with her and be surprised, this man shall
be put to death, but the wife is blameless.
131. If a man bring a charge against one’s wife, but she is not surprised with another man, she
must take an oath and then may return to her house.
132. If the “finger is pointed” at a man’s wife about another man, but she is not caught
sleeping with the other man, she shall jump into the river for her husband.
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133. If a man is taken prisoner in war, and there is a sustenance in his house, but his wife leave
house and court, and go to another house: because this wife did not keep her court, and went to
another house, she shall be judicially condemned and thrown into the water.
134. If any one be captured in war and there is not sustenance in his house, if then his wife go
to another house this woman shall be held blameless.
135. If a man be taken prisoner in war and there be no sustenance in his house and his wife go
to another house and bear children; and if later her husband return and come to his home: then
this wife shall return to her husband, but the children follow their father.
136. If any one leave his house, run away, and then his wife go to another house, if then he
return, and wishes to take his wife back: because he fled from his home and ran away, the wife
of this runaway shall not return to her husband.
137. If a man wish to separate from a woman who has borne him children, or from his wife
who has borne him children: then he shall give that wife her dowry, and a part of the usufruct
of field, garden, and property, so that she can rear her children. When she has brought up her
children, a portion of all that is given to the children, equal as that of one son, shall be given to
her. She may then marry the man of her heart.
138. If a man wishes to separate from his wife who has borne him no children, he shall give
her the amount of her purchase money and the dowry which she brought from her father’s
house, and let her go.
139. If there was no purchase price he shall give her one mina of gold as a gift of release.
140. If he be a freed man he shall give her one-third of a mina of gold.
141. If a man’s wife, who lives in his house, wishes to leave it, plunges into debt, tries to ruin
her house, neglects her husband, and is judicially convicted: if her husband offer her release,
she may go on her way, and he gives her nothing as a gift of release. If her husband does not
wish to release her, and if he take another wife, she shall remain as servant in her husband’s
house.
142. If a woman quarrel with her husband, and say: “You are not congenial to me,” the reasons
for her prejudice must be presented. If she is guiltless, and there is no fault on her part, but he
leaves and neglects her, then no guilt attaches to this woman, she shall take her dowry and go
back to her father’s house.
143. If she is not innocent, but leaves her husband, and ruins her house, neglecting her
husband, this woman shall be cast into the water.
144. If a man take a wife and this woman give her husband a maid-servant, and she bear him
children, but this man wishes to take another wife, this shall not be permitted to him; he shall
not take a second wife.
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145. If a man take a wife, and she bear him no children, and he intend to take another wife: if
he take this second wife, and bring her into the house, this second wife shall not be allowed
equality with his wife.
146. If a man take a wife and she give this man a maid-servant as wife and she bear him
children, and then this maid assume equality with the wife: because she has borne him children
her master shall not sell her for money, but he may keep her as a slave, reckoning her among
the maid-servants.
147. If she have not borne him children, then her mistress may sell her for money.
148. If a man take a wife, and she be seized by disease, if he then desire to take a second wife
he shall not put away his wife, who has been attacked by disease, but he shall keep her in the
house which he has built and support her so long as she lives.
149. If this woman does not wish to remain in her husband’s house, then he shall compensate
her for the dowry that she brought with her from her father’s house, and she may go.
150. If a man give his wife a field, garden, and house and a deed therefor, if then after the
death of her husband the sons raise no claim, then the mother may bequeath all to one of her
sons whom she prefers, and need leave nothing to his brothers.
151. If a woman who lived in a man’s house made an agreement with her husband, that no
creditor can arrest her, and has given a document therefor: if that man, before he married that
woman, had a debt, the creditor can not hold the woman for it. But if the woman, before she
entered the man’s house, had contracted a debt, her creditor can not arrest her husband
therefor.
152. If after the woman had entered the man’s house, both contracted a debt, both must pay the
merchant.
153. If the wife of one man on account of another man has their mates (her husband and the
other man’s wife) murdered, both of them shall be impaled.
154. If a man be guilty of incest with his daughter, he shall be driven from the place (exiled).
155. If a man betroth a girl to his son, and his son have intercourse with her, but he (the father)
afterward defile her, and be surprised, then he shall be bound and cast into the water
(drowned).
156. If a man betroth a girl to his son, but his son has not known her, and if then he defile her,
he shall pay her half a gold mina, and compensate her for all that she brought out of her
father’s house. She may marry the man of her heart.
157. If any one be guilty of incest with his mother after his father, both shall be burned.
158. If any one be surprised after his father with his chief wife, who has borne children, he
shall be driven out of his father’s house.
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159. If any one, who has brought chattels into his father-in-law’s house, and has paid the
purchase-money, looks for another wife, and says to his father-in-law: “I do not want your
daughter,” the girl’s father may keep all that he had brought.
160. If a man bring chattels into the house of his father-in-law, and pay the “purchase price”
(for his wife): if then the father of the girl say: “I will not give you my daughter,” he shall give
him back all that he brought with him.
161. If a man bring chattels into his father-in-law’s house and pay the “purchase price,” if then
his friend slander him, and his father-in-law say to the young husband: “You shall not marry
my daughter,” the he shall give back to him undiminished all that he had brought with him; but
his wife shall not be married to the friend.
162. If a man marry a woman, and she bear sons to him; if then this woman die, then shall her
father have no claim on her dowry; this belongs to her sons.
163. If a man marry a woman and she bear him no sons; if then this woman die, if the
“purchase price” which he had paid into the house of his father-in-law is repaid to him, her
husband shall have no claim upon the dowry of this woman; it belongs to her father’s house.
164. If his father-in-law do not pay back to him the amount of the “purchase price” he may
subtract the amount of the “Purchase price” from the dowry, and then pay the remainder to her
father’s house.
165. If a man give to one of his sons whom he prefers a field, garden, and house, and a deed
therefor: if later the father die, and the brothers divide the estate, then they shall first give him
the present of his father, and he shall accept it; and the rest of the paternal property shall they
divide.
166. If a man take wives for his son, but take no wife for his minor son, and if then he die: if
the sons divide the estate, they shall set aside besides his portion the money for the “purchase
price” for the minor brother who had taken no wife as yet, and secure a wife for him.
167. If a man marry a wife and she bear him children: if this wife die and he then take another
wife and she bear him children: if then the father die, the sons must not partition the estate
according to the mothers, they shall divide the dowries of their mothers only in this way; the
paternal estate they shall divide equally with one another.
168. If a man wish to put his son out of his house, and declare before the judge: “I want to put
my son out,” then the judge shall examine into his reasons. If the son be guilty of no great
fault, for which he can be rightfully put out, the father shall not put him out.
169. If he be guilty of a grave fault, which should rightfully deprive him of the filial
relationship, the father shall forgive him the first time; but if he be guilty of a grave fault a
second time the father may deprive his son of all filial relation.
170. If his wife bear sons to a man, or his maid-servant have borne sons, and the father while
still living says to the children whom his maid-servant has borne: “My sons,” and he count
them with the sons of his wife; if then the father die, then the sons of the wife and of the maid-
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servant shall divide the paternal property in common. The son of the wife is to partition and
choose.
171. If, however, the father while still living did not say to the sons of the maid-servant: “My
sons,” and then the father dies, then the sons of the maid-servant shall not share with the sons
of the wife, but the freedom of the maid and her sons shall be granted. The sons of the wife
shall have no right to enslave the sons of the maid; the wife shall take her dowry (from her
father), and the gift that her husband gave her and deeded to her (separate from dowry, or the
purchase-money paid her father), and live in the home of her husband: so long as she lives she
shall use it, it shall not be sold for money. Whatever she leaves shall belong to her children.
172. If her husband made her no gift, she shall be compensated for her gift, and she shall
receive a portion from the estate of her husband, equal to that of one child. If her sons oppress
her, to force her out of the house, the judge shall examine into the matter, and if the sons are at
fault the woman shall not leave her husband’s house. If the woman desire to leave the house,
she must leave to her sons the gift which her husband gave her, but she may take the dowry of
her father’s house. Then she may marry the man of her heart.
173. If this woman bear sons to her second husband, in the place to which she went, and then
die, her earlier and later sons shall divide the dowry between them.
174. If she bear no sons to her second husband, the sons of her first husband shall have the
dowry.
175. If a State slave or the slave of a freed man marry the daughter of a free man, and children
are born, the master of the slave shall have no right to enslave the children of the free.
176. If, however, a State slave or the slave of a freed man marry a man’s daughter, and after he
marries her she bring a dowry from a father’s house, if then they both enjoy it and found a
household, and accumulate means, if then the slave die, then she who was free born may take
her dowry, and all that her husband and she had earned; she shall divide them into two parts,
one-half the master for the slave shall take, and the other half shall the free-born woman take
for her children. If the free-born woman had no gift she shall take all that her husband and she
had earned and divide it into two parts; and the master of the slave shall take one-half and she
shall take the other for her children.
177. If a widow, whose children are not grown, wishes to enter another house (remarry), she
shall not enter it without the knowledge of the judge. If she enter another house the judge shall
examine the state of the house of her first husband. Then the house of her first husband shall
be entrusted to the second husband and the woman herself as managers. And a record must be
made thereof. She shall keep the house in order, bring up the children, and not sell the household
utensils. He who buys the utensils of the children of a widow shall lose his money, and
the goods shall return to their owners.
178. If a “devoted woman” or a prostitute to whom her father has given a dowry and a deed
therefor, but if in this deed it is not stated that she may bequeath it as she pleases, and has not
explicitly stated that she has the right of disposal; if then her father die, then her brothers shall
hold her field and garden, and give her corn, oil, and milk according to her portion, and satisfy
her. If her brothers do not give her corn, oil, and milk according to her share, then her field and
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garden shall support her. She shall have the usufruct of field and garden and all that her father
gave her so long as she lives, but she can not sell or assign it to others. Her position of
inheritance belongs to her brothers.
179. If a “sister of a god,” or a prostitute, receive a gift from her father, and a deed in which it
has been explicitly stated that she may dispose of it as she pleases, and give her complete
disposition thereof: if then her father die, then she may leave her property to whomsoever she
pleases. Her brothers can raise no claim thereto.
180. If a father give a present to his daughter–either marriageable or a prostitute
unmarriageable)–and then die, then she is to receive a portion as a child from the paternal
estate, and enjoy its usufruct so long as she lives. Her estate belongs to her brothers.
181. If a father devote a temple-maid or temple-virgin to God and give her no present: if then
the father die, she shall receive the third of a child’s portion from the inheritance of her
father’s house, and enjoy its usufruct so long as she lives. Her estate belongs to her brothers.
182. If a father devote his daughter as a wife of Mardi of Babylon (as in 181), and give her no
present, nor a deed; if then her father die, then shall she receive one-third of her portion as a
child of her father’s house from her brothers, but Marduk may leave her estate to whomsoever
she wishes.
183. If a man give his daughter by a concubine a dowry, and a husband, and a deed; if then her
father die, she shall receive no portion from the paternal estate.
184. If a man do not give a dowry to his daughter by a concubine, and no husband; if then her
father die, her brother shall give her a dowry according to her father’s wealth and secure a
husband for her.
185. If a man adopt a child and to his name as son, and rear him, this grown son can not be
demanded back again.
186. If a man adopt a son, and if after he has taken him he injure his foster father and mother,
then this adopted son shall return to his father’s house.
187. The son of a paramour in the palace service, or of a prostitute, can not be demanded back.
188. If an artizan has undertaken to rear a child and teaches him his craft, he can not be
demanded back.
189. If he has not taught him his craft, this adopted son may return to his father’s house.
190. If a man does not maintain a child that he has adopted as a son and reared with his other
children, then his adopted son may return to his father’s house.
191. If a man, who had adopted a son and reared him, founded a household, and had children,
wish to put this adopted son out, then this son shall not simply go his way. His adoptive father
shall give him of his wealth one-third of a child’s portion, and then he may go. He shall not
give him of the field, garden, and house.
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192. If a son of a paramour or a prostitute say to his adoptive father or mother: “You are not
my father, or my mother,” his tongue shall be cut off.
193. If the son of a paramour or a prostitute desire his father’s house, and desert his adoptive
father and adoptive mother, and goes to his father’s house, then shall his eye be put out.
194. If a man give his child to a nurse and the child die in her hands, but the nurse unbeknown
to the father and mother nurse another child, then they shall convict her of having nursed
another child without the knowledge of the father and mother and her breasts shall be cut off.
195. If a son strike his father, his hands shall be hewn off.
196. If a man put out the eye of another man, his eye shall be put out. [ An eye for an eye ] 197. If he break another man’s bone, his bone shall be broken.
198. If he put out the eye of a freed man, or break the bone of a freed man, he shall pay one
gold mina.
199. If he put out the eye of a man’s slave, or break the bone of a man’s slave, he shall pay
one-half of its value.
200. If a man knock out the teeth of his equal, his teeth shall be knocked out. [ A tooth for a
tooth ] 201. If he knock out the teeth of a freed man, he shall pay one-third of a gold mina.
202. If any one strike the body of a man higher in rank than he, he shall receive sixty blows
with an ox-whip in public.
203. If a free-born man strike the body of another free-born man or equal rank, he shall pay
one gold mina.
204. If a freed man strike the body of another freed man, he shall pay ten shekels in money.
205. If the slave of a freed man strike the body of a freed man, his ear shall be cut off.
206. If during a quarrel one man strike another and wound him, then he shall swear, “I did not
injure him wittingly,” and pay the physicians.
207. If the man die of his wound, he shall swear similarly, and if he (the deceased) was a freeborn
man, he shall pay half a mina in money.
208. If he was a freed man, he shall pay one-third of a mina.
209. If a man strike a free-born woman so that she lose her unborn child, he shall pay ten
shekels for her loss.
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210. If the woman die, his daughter shall be put to death.
211. If a woman of the free class lose her child by a blow, he shall pay five shekels in money.
212. If this woman die, he shall pay half a mina.
213. If he strike the maid-servant of a man, and she lose her child, he shall pay two shekels in
money.
214. If this maid-servant die, he shall pay one-third of a mina.
215. If a physician make a large incision with an operating knife and cure it, or if he open a
tumor (over the eye) with an operating knife, and saves the eye, he shall receive ten shekels in
money.
216. If the patient be a freed man, he receives five shekels.
217. If he be the slave of some one, his owner shall give the physician two shekels.
218. If a physician make a large incision with the operating knife, and kill him, or open a
tumor with the operating knife, and cut out the eye, his hands shall be cut off.
219. If a physician make a large incision in the slave of a freed man, and kill him, he shall
replace the slave with another slave.
220. If he had opened a tumor with the operating knife, and put out his eye, he shall pay half
his value.
221. If a physician heal the broken bone or diseased soft part of a man, the patient shall pay the
physician five shekels in money.
222. If he were a freed man he shall pay three shekels.
223. If he were a slave his owner shall pay the physician two shekels.
224. If a veterinary surgeon perform a serious operation on an ass or an ox, and cure it, the
owner shall pay the surgeon one-sixth of a shekel as a fee.
225. If he perform a serious operation on an ass or ox, and kill it, he shall pay the owner onefourth
of its value.
226. If a barber, without the knowledge of his master, cut the sign of a slave on a slave not to
be sold, the hands of this barber shall be cut off.
227. If any one deceive a barber, and have him mark a slave not for sale with the sign of a
slave, he shall be put to death, and buried in his house. The barber shall swear: “I did not mark
him wittingly,” and shall be guiltless.
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228. If a builder build a house for some one and complete it, he shall give him a fee of two
shekels in money for each sar of surface.
229 If a builder build a house for some one, and does not construct it properly, and the house
which he built fall in and kill its owner, then that builder shall be put to death.
230. If it kill the son of the owner the son of that builder shall be put to death.
231. If it kill a slave of the owner, then he shall pay slave for slave to the owner of the house.
232. If it ruin goods, he shall make compensation for all that has been ruined, and inasmuch as
he did not construct properly this house which he built and it fell, he shall re-erect the house
from his own means.
233. If a builder build a house for some one, even though he has not yet completed it; if then
the walls seem toppling, the builder must make the walls solid from his own means.
234. If a shipbuilder build a boat of sixty gur for a man, he shall pay him a fee of two shekels
in money.
235. If a shipbuilder build a boat for some one, and do not make it tight, if during that same
year that boat is sent away and suffers injury, the shipbuilder shall take the boat apart and put
it together tight at his own expense. The tight boat he shall give to the boat owner.
236. If a man rent his boat to a sailor, and the sailor is careless, and the boat is wrecked or goes
aground, the sailor shall give the owner of the boat another boat as compensation.
237. If a man hire a sailor and his boat, and provide it with corn, clothing, oil and dates, and
other things of the kind needed for fitting it: if the sailor is careless, the boat is wrecked, and
its contents ruined, then the sailor shall compensate for the boat which was wrecked and all in
it that he ruined.
238. If a sailor wreck any one’s ship, but saves it, he shall pay the half of its value in money.
239. If a man hire a sailor, he shall pay him six gur of corn per year.
240. If a merchantman run against a ferryboat, and wreck it, the master of the ship that was
wrecked shall seek justice before God; the master of the merchantman, which wrecked the
ferryboat, must compensate the owner for the boat and all that he ruined.
241. If any one impresses an ox for forced labor, he shall pay one-third of a mina in money.
242. If any one hire oxen for a year, he shall pay four gur of corn for plow-oxen.
243. As rent of herd cattle he shall pay three gur of corn to the owner.
244. If any one hire an ox or an ass, and a lion kill it in the field, the loss is upon its owner.
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245. If any one hire oxen, and kill them by bad treatment or blows, he shall compensate the
owner, oxen for oxen.
246. If a man hire an ox, and he break its leg or cut the ligament of its neck, he shall
compensate the owner with ox for ox.
247. If any one hire an ox, and put out its eye, he shall pay the owner one-half of its value.
248. If any one hire an ox, and break off a horn, or cut off its tail, or hurt its muzzle, he shall
pay one-fourth of its value in money.
249. If any one hire an ox, and God strike it that it die, the man who hired it shall swear by
God and be considered guiltless.
250. If while an ox is passing on the street (market) some one push it, and kill it, the owner can
set up no claim in the suit (against the hirer).
251. If an ox be a goring ox, and it shown that he is a gorer, and he do not bind his horns, or
fasten the ox up, and the ox gore a free-born man and kill him, the owner shall pay one-half a
mina in money.
252. If he kill a man’s slave, he shall pay one-third of a mina.
253. If any one agree with another to tend his field, give him seed, entrust a yoke of oxen to
him, and bind him to cultivate the field, if he steal the corn or plants, and take them for
himself, his hands shall be hewn off.
254. If he take the seed-corn for himself, and do not use the yoke of oxen, he shall compensate
him for the amount of the seed-corn.
255. If he sublet the man’s yoke of oxen or steal the seed-corn, planting nothing in the field, he
shall be convicted, and for each one hundred gan he shall pay sixty gur of corn.
256. If his community will not pay for him, then he shall be placed in that field with the cattle
(at work).
257. If any one hire a field laborer, he shall pay him eight gur of corn per year.
258. If any one hire an ox-driver, he shall pay him six gur of corn per year.
259. If any one steal a water-wheel from the field, he shall pay five shekels in money to its
owner.
260. If any one steal a shadduf (used to draw water from the river or canal) or a plow, he shall
pay three shekels in money.
261. If any one hire a herdsman for cattle or sheep, he shall pay him eight gur of corn per
annum.
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262. If any one, a cow or a sheep . . .
263. If he kill the cattle or sheep that were given to him, he shall compensate the owner with
cattle for cattle and sheep for sheep.
264. If a herdsman, to whom cattle or sheep have been entrusted for watching over, and who
has received his wages as agreed upon, and is satisfied, diminish the number of the cattle or
sheep, or make the increase by birth less, he shall make good the increase or profit which was
lost in the terms of settlement.
265. If a herdsman, to whose care cattle or sheep have been entrusted, be guilty of fraud and
make false returns of the natural increase, or sell them for money, then shall he be convicted
and pay the owner ten times the loss.
266. If the animal be killed in the stable by God ( an accident), or if a lion kill it, the herdsman
shall declare his innocence before God, and the owner bears the accident in the stable.
267. If the herdsman overlook something, and an accident happen in the stable, then the
herdsman is at fault for the accident which he has caused in the stable, and he must
compensate the owner for the cattle or sheep.
268. If any one hire an ox for threshing, the amount of the hire is twenty ka of corn.
269. If he hire an ass for threshing, the hire is twenty ka of corn.
270. If he hire a young animal for threshing, the hire is ten ka of corn.
271. If any one hire oxen, cart and driver, he shall pay one hundred and eighty ka of corn per
day.
272. If any one hire a cart alone, he shall pay forty ka of corn per day.
273. If any one hire a day laborer, he shall pay him from the New Year until the fifth month
(April to August, when days are long and the work hard) six gerahs in money per day; from
the sixth month to the end of the year he shall give him five gerahs per day.
274. If any one hire a skilled artizan, he shall pay as wages of the . . . five gerahs, as wages of
the potter five gerahs, of a tailor five gerahs, of . . . gerahs, . . . of a ropemaker four gerahs, of .
. .. gerahs, of a mason . . . gerahs per day.
275. If any one hire a ferryboat, he shall pay three gerahs in money per day.
276. If he hire a freight-boat, he shall pay two and one-half gerahs per day.
277. If any one hire a ship of sixty gur, he shall pay one-sixth of a shekel in money as its hire
per day.
278. If any one buy a male or female slave, and before a month has elapsed the benu-disease
be developed, he shall return the slave to the seller, and receive the money which he had paid.
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279. If any one buy a male or female slave, and a third party claim it, the seller is liable for the
claim.
280. If while in a foreign country a man buy a male or female slave belonging to another of his
own country; if when he return home the owner of the male or female slave recognize it: if the
male or female slave be a native of the country, he shall give them back without any money.
281. If they are from another country, the buyer shall declare the amount of money paid
therefor to the merchant, and keep the male or female slave.
282. If a slave say to his master: “You are not my master,” if they convict him his master shall
cut off his ear.
THE EPILOGUE
LAWS of justice which Hammurabi, the wise king, established. A righteous law, and pious
statute did he teach the land. Hammurabi, the protecting king am I. I have not withdrawn
myself from the men, whom Bel gave to me, the rule over whom Marduk gave to me, I was
not negligent, but I made them a peaceful abiding-place. I expounded all great difficulties, I
made the light shine upon them. With the mighty weapons which Zamama and Ishtar entrusted
to me, with the keen vision with which Ea endowed me, with the wisdom that Marduk gave
me, I have uprooted the enemy above and below (in north and south), subdued the earth,
brought prosperity to the land, guaranteed security to the inhabitants in their homes; a disturber
was not permitted. The great gods have called me, I am the salvation-bearing shepherd, whose
staff is straight, the good shadow that is spread over my city; on my breast I cherish the
inhabitants of the land of Sumer and Akkad; in my shelter I have let them repose in peace; in
my deep wisdom have I enclosed them. That the strong might not injure the weak, in order to
protect the widows and orphans, I have in Babylon the city where Anu and Bel raise high their
head, in E-Sagil, the Temple, whose foundations stand firm as heaven and earth, in order to
bespeak justice in the land, to settle all disputes, and heal all injuries, set up these my precious
words, written upon my memorial stone, before the image of me, as king of righteousness.
The king who ruleth among the kings of the cities am I. My words are well considered; there is
no wisdom like unto mine. By the command of Shamash, the great judge of heaven and earth,
let righteousness go forth in the land: by the order of Marduk, my lord, let no destruction befall
my monument. In E-Sagil, which I love, let my name be ever repeated; let the oppressed, who
has a case at law, come and stand before this my image as king of righteousness; let him read
the inscription, and understand my precious words: the inscription will explain his case to him;
he will find out what is just, and his heart will be glad, so that he will say:
“Hammurabi is a ruler, who is as a father to his subjects, who holds the words of Marduk in
reverence, who has achieved conquest for Marduk over the north and south, who rejoices the
heart of Marduk, his lord, who has bestowed benefits for ever and ever on his subjects, and has
established order in the land.”
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When he reads the record, let him pray with full heart to Marduk, my lord, and Zarpanit, my
lady; and then shall the protecting deities and the gods, who frequent E-Sagil, graciously grant
the desires daily presented before Marduk, my lord, and Zarpanit, my lady.
In future time, through all coming generations, let the king, who may be in the land, observe
the words of righteousness which I have written on my monument; let him not alter the law of
the land which I have given, the edicts which I have enacted; my monument let him not mar. If
such a ruler have wisdom, and be able to keep his land in order, he shall observe the words
which I have written in this inscription; the rule, statute, and law of the land which I have
given; the decisions which I have made will this inscription show him; let him rule his subjects
accordingly, speak justice to them, give right decisions, root out the miscreants and criminals
from this land, and grant prosperity to his subjects.
Hammurabi, the king of righteousness, on whom Shamash has conferred right (or law) am I.
My words are well considered; my deeds are not equaled; to bring low those that were high; to
humble the proud, to expel insolence. If a succeeding ruler considers my words, which I have
written in this my inscription, if he do not annul my law, nor corrupt my words, nor change my
monument, then may Shamash lengthen that king’s reign, as he has that of me, the king of
righteousness, that he may reign in righteousness over his subjects. If this ruler do not esteem
my words, which I have written in my inscription, if he despise my curses, and fear not the
curse of God, if he destroy the law which I have given, corrupt my words, change my
monument, efface my name, write his name there, or on account of the curses commission
another so to do, that man, whether king or ruler, patesi, or commoner, no matter what he be,
may the great God (Anu), the Father of the gods, who has ordered my rule, withdraw from him
the glory of royalty, break his scepter, curse his destiny. May Bel, the lord, who fixeth destiny,
whose command can not be altered, who has made my kingdom great, order a rebellion which
his hand can not control; may he let the wind of the overthrow of his habitation blow, may he
ordain the years of his rule in groaning, years of scarcity, years of famine, darkness without
light, death with seeing eyes be fated to him; may he (Bel) order with his potent mouth the
destruction of his city, the dispersion of his subjects, the cutting off of his rule, the removal of
his name and memory from the land. May Belit, the great Mother, whose command is potent
in E-Kur (the Babylonian Olympus), the Mistress, who harkens graciously to my petitions, in
the seat of judgment and decision (where Bel fixes destiny), turn his affairs evil before Bel,
and put the devastation of his land, the destruction of his subjects, the pouring out of his life
like water into the mouth of King Bel. May Ea, the great ruler, whose fated decrees come to
pass, the thinker of the gods, the omniscient, who maketh long the days of my life, withdraw
understanding and wisdom from him, lead him to forgetfulness, shut up his rivers at their
sources, and not allow corn or sustenance for man to grow in his land. May Shamash, the great
Judge of heaven and earth, who supporteth all means of livelihood, Lord of life-courage,
shatter his dominion, annul his law, destroy his way, make vain the march of his troops, send
him in his visions forecasts of the uprooting of the foundations of his throne and of the
destruction of his land. May the condemnation of Shamash overtake him forthwith; may he be
deprived of water above among the living, and his spirit below in the earth. May Sin (the
Moon-god), the Lord of Heaven, the divine father, whose crescent gives light among the gods,
take away the crown and regal throne from him; may he put upon him heavy guilt, great decay,
that nothing may be lower than he. May he destine him as fated, days, months and years of
dominion filled with sighing and tears, increase of the burden of dominion, a life that is like
unto death. May Adad, the lord of fruitfulness, ruler of heaven and earth, my helper, withhold
from him rain from heaven, and the flood of water from the springs, destroying his land by
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famine and want; may he rage mightily over his city, and make his land into flood-hills (heaps
of ruined cities). May Zamama, the great warrior, the first-born son of E-Kur, who goeth at my
right hand, shatter his weapons on the field of battle, turn day into night for him, and let his foe
triumph over him. May Ishtar, the goddess of fighting and war, who unfetters my weapons, my
gracious protecting spirit, who loveth my dominion, curse his kingdom in her angry heart; in
her great wrath, change his grace into evil, and shatter his weapons on the place of fighting and
war. May she create disorder and sedition for him, strike down his warriors, that the earth may
drink their blood, and throw down the piles of corpses of his warriors on the field; may she not
grant him a life of mercy, deliver him into the hands of his enemies, and imprison him in the
land of his enemies. May Nergal, the might among the gods, whose contest is irresistible, who
grants me victory, in his great might burn up his subjects like a slender reedstalk, cut off his
limbs with his mighty weapons, and shatter him like an earthen image. May Nin-tu, the
sublime mistress of the lands, the fruitful mother, deny him a son, vouchsafe him no name,
give him no successor among men. May Nin-karak, the daughter of Anu, who adjudges grace
to me, cause to come upon his members in E-kur high fever, severe wounds, that can not be
healed, whose nature the physician does not understand, which he can not treat with dressing,
which, like the bite of death, can not be removed, until they have sapped away his life.
May he lament the loss of his life-power, and may the great gods of heaven and earth, the
Anunaki, altogether inflict a curse and evil upon the confines of the temple, the walls of this Ebarra
(the Sun temple of Sippara), upon his dominion, his land, his warriors, his subjects, and
his troops. May Bel curse him with the potent curses of his mouth that can not be altered, and
may they come upon him forthwith.

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