The Oldest Code of Laws in the World: The code of laws promulgated by Hammurabi, King of Babylon, B.C. 2285-2242Hammurabi, King of Babylonia
History
The Oldest Code of Laws in the World: The code of laws promulgated by Hammurabi, King of Babylon, B.C. 2285-2242
Hammurabi, King of Babylonia
Law -- Iraq -- Babylonia -- Sources
section 46. If he has not received the produce of his field, and has
given the field either for one-half or for one-third, the corn that is in
the field the cultivator and the owner of the field shall share according
to the tenour of their contract.
section 47. If the cultivator, because in the former year he did not set
up his dwelling, has assigned the field to cultivation, the owner of the
field shall not condemn the cultivator; his field has been cultivated,
and at harvest time he shall take corn according to his bonds.
section 48. If a man has a debt upon him and a thunderstorm ravaged his
field or carried away the produce, or the corn has not grown through lack
of water, in that year he shall not return corn to the creditor, he shall
alter his tablet and he shall not give interest for that year.
section 49. If a man has taken money from a merchant and has given to
the merchant a field planted with corn or sesame, and said to him,
'Cultivate the field, reap and take for thyself the corn and sesame which
there is,' if the cultivator causes to grow corn or sesame in the field,
at the time of harvest the owner of the field forsooth shall take the
corn or sesame which is in the field and shall give corn for the money
which he took from the merchant, and for its interests and for the
dwelling of the cultivator, to the merchant.
section 50. If the field was cultivated or the field of sesame was
cultivated when he gave it, the owner of the field shall take the corn or
sesame which is in the field and shall return the money and its interests
to the merchant.
section 51. If he has not money to return, the sesame, according to its
market price for the money and its interest which he took from the
merchant, according to the standard fixed by the king, he shall give to
the merchant.
section 52. If the cultivator has not caused corn or sesame to grow in
the field, he shall not alter his bonds.
section 53. If a man has neglected to strengthen his bank of the canal,
has not strengthened his bank, a breach has opened out itself in his
bank, and the waters have carried away the meadow, the man in whose bank
the breach has been opened shall render back the corn which he has caused
to be lost.
section 54. If he is not able to render back the corn, one shall give
him and his goods for money, and the people of the meadow whose corn the
water has carried away shall share it.
section 55. If a man has opened his runnel to water and has neglected
it, and the field of his neighbour the waters have carried away, he shall
pay corn like his neighbour.
section 56. If a man has opened the waters, and the plants of the field
of his neighbour the waters have carried away, he shall pay ten _GUR_ of
corn _per GAN_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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