Name:_________________Block:___

PrimarySource:TheCodeofHammurabi(1750BC)TranslatedbyL.W.King

LAWSofjusticewhichHammurabi,thewiseking,established.Arighteouslaw,andpious
statutedidheteachtheland.Hammurabi,theprotectingkingamI.Ihavenotwithdrawnmyself
fromthemen,whomBelgavetome,theruleoverwhomMardukgavetome,Iwasnot
negligent,butImadethemapeacefulabidingplace.Iexpoundedallgreatdifficulties,Imade
thelightshineuponthem.WiththemightyweaponswhichZamamaandIshtarentrustedtome,
withthekeenvisionwithwhichEaendowedme,withthewisdomthatMardukgaveme,Ihave
uprootedtheenemyaboveandbelow(innorthandsouth),subduedtheearth,brought
prosperitytotheland,guaranteedsecuritytotheinhabitantsintheirhomesadisturberwasnot
permitted.Thegreatgodshavecalledme,Iamthesalvationbearingshepherd,whosestaffis
straight,thegoodshadowthatisspreadovermycityonmybreastIcherishtheinhabitantsof
thelandofSumerandAkkadinmyshelterIhaveletthemreposeinpeaceinmydeep
wisdomhaveIenclosedthem.Thatthestrongmightnotinjuretheweak,inordertoprotectthe
widowsandorphans,IhaveinBabylonthecitywhereAnuandBelraisehightheirhead,in
ESagil,theTemple,whosefoundationsstandfirmasheavenandearth,inordertobespeak
justiceintheland,tosettlealldisputes,andhealallinjuries,setupthesemypreciouswords,
writtenuponmymemorialstone,beforetheimageofme,askingofrighteousness.

1.Ifanyoneensnareanother,puttingabanuponhim,buthecannotproveit,thenhethat
ensnaredhimshallbeputtodeath.
2.Ifanyonebringanaccusationagainstaman,andtheaccusedgototheriverandleapinto
theriver,ifhesinkintheriverhisaccusershalltakepossessionofhishouse.Butiftheriver
provethattheaccusedisnotguilty,andheescapeunhurt,thenhewhohadbroughtthe
accusationshallbeputtodeath,whilehewholeapedintotherivershalltakepossessionofthe
housethathadbelongedtohisaccuser.
5.Ifajudgetryacase,reachadecision,andpresenthisjudgmentinwritingiflatererrorshall
appearinhisdecision,anditbethroughhisownfault,thenheshallpaytwelvetimesthefineset
byhiminthecase,andheshallbepubliclyremovedfromthejudge'sbench,andneveragain
shallhesittheretorenderjudgement.
6.Ifanyonestealthepropertyofatempleorofthecourt,heshallbeputtodeath,andalsothe
onewhoreceivesthestolenthingfromhimshallbeputtodeath.
7.Ifanyonebuyfromthesonortheslaveofanotherman,withoutwitnessesoracontract,
silverorgold,amaleorfemaleslave,anoxorasheep,anassoranything,orifhetakeitin
charge,heisconsideredathiefandshallbeputtodeath.
8.Ifanyonestealcattleorsheep,oranass,orapigoragoat,ifitbelongtoagodortothe
court,thethiefshallpaythirtyfoldthereforiftheybelongedtoafreedmanofthekingheshall
paytenfoldifthethiefhasnothingwithwhichtopayheshallbeputtodeath.

17.Ifanyonefindrunawaymaleorfemaleslavesintheopencountryandbringthemtotheirmasters,themaster
oftheslavesshallpayhimtwoshekelsofsilver.
19.Ifheholdtheslavesinhishouse,andtheyarecaughtthere,heshallbeputtodeath.
21.Ifanyonebreakaholeintoahouse(breakintosteal),heshallbeputtodeathbeforethatholeandbe
buried.
22.Ifanyoneiscommittingarobberyandiscaught,thenheshallbeputtodeath.
23.Iftherobberisnotcaught,thenshallhewhowasrobbedclaimunderoaththeamountofhislossthenshall
thecommunity,and...onwhosegroundandterritoryandinwhosedomainitwascompensatehimforthegoods
stolen.
24.Ifpersonsarestolen,thenshallthecommunityand...payoneminaofsilvertotheirrelatives.
25.Iffirebreakoutinahouse,andsomeonewhocomestoputitoutcasthiseyeuponthepropertyoftheowner
ofthehouse,andtakethepropertyofthemasterofthehouse,heshallbethrownintothatselfsamefire.
127.Ifanyone"pointthefinger"(slander)atasisterofagodorthewifeofanyone,andcannotproveit,this
manshallbetakenbeforethejudgesandhisbrowshallbemarked.(bycuttingtheskin,orperhapshair.)
137.Ifamanwishtoseparatefromawomanwhohasbornehimchildren,orfromhiswifewhohasbornehim
children:thenheshallgivethatwifeherdowry,andapartoftheusufructoffield,garden,andproperty,sothatshe
canrearherchildren.Whenshehasbroughtupherchildren,aportionofallthatisgiventothechildren,equalasthat
ofoneson,shallbegiventoher.Shemaythenmarrythemanofherheart.
138.Ifamanwishestoseparatefromhiswifewhohasbornehimnochildren,heshallgivehertheamountofher
purchasemoneyandthedowrywhichshebroughtfromherfather'shouse,andlethergo.
142.Ifawomanquarrelwithherhusband,andsay:"Youarenotcongenialtome,"thereasonsforherprejudice
mustbepresented.Ifsheisguiltless,andthereisnofaultonherpart,butheleavesandneglectsher,thennoguilt
attachestothiswoman,sheshalltakeherdowryandgobacktoherfather'shouse.
143.Ifsheisnotinnocent,butleavesherhusband,andruinsherhouse,neglectingherhusband,thiswoman
shallbecastintothewater.
145.Ifamantakeawife,andshebearhimnochildren,andheintendtotakeanotherwife:ifhetakethissecond
wife,andbringherintothehouse,thissecondwifeshallnotbeallowedequalitywithhiswife.
147.Ifshehavenotbornehimchildren,thenhermistressmaysellherformoney.
148.Ifamantakeawife,andshebeseizedbydisease,ifhethendesiretotakeasecondwifeheshallnotput
awayhiswife,whohasbeenattackedbydisease,butheshallkeepherinthehousewhichhehasbuiltandsupport
hersolongasshelives.
149.Ifthiswomandoesnotwishtoremaininherhusband'shouse,thenheshallcompensateherforthedowry
thatshebroughtwithherfromherfather'shouse,andshemaygo.
195.Ifasonstrikehisfather,hishandsshallbehewnoff.
196.Ifamanputouttheeyeofanotherman,hiseyeshallbeputout.[Aneyeforaneye]
197.Ifhebreakanotherman'sbone,hisboneshallbebroken.
199.Ifheputouttheeyeofaman'sslave,orbreaktheboneofaman'sslave,heshallpayonehalfofitsvalue.
229Ifabuilderbuildahouseforsomeone,anddoesnotconstructitproperly,andthehousewhichhebuiltfallin
andkillitsowner,thenthatbuildershallbeputtodeath.

Judgement in the Presence of Osiris

Book of the Dead Medium: Papyrus (Egypt 1275BC)