Famous legal documents throughout history (extracts). Hammurabi's code of laws (1758 B. C. )

Hammurabi's Code of Laws (1758 B.C.)

2. If any one brings an accusation against a man, and the accused goes to the river and leaps into the river, if he sinks in the river his accuser shall take possession of his house. But if the river proves that the accused is not guilty, and he escapes unhurt, then he who has 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. [...]

5. If a judge trying a case, reaches a decision, and presents 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 steals 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. [...]

16. If any one receives into his house a runaway male or female slave, and docs not bring it out at the public proclamation, the master of the house shall be put to death. [...]

21. If any one breaks a hole into a house (breaks 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. [...]

25. If fire breaks out in a house, and someone who comes to put it out casts his eye upon the property of the owner of the house, and takes the property of the master of the house, he shall be thrown into that self-same fire. [...]

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. [...]

125. If any one places 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. [...]

129. If a man's wife is surprised with another man, both shall be tied and thrown into the water, but the husband may pardon his wife. [...]

145. If a man takes a wife, and she bears him no children, and he intends to take another wife; if he takes this second wife, and brings her into the house, this second wife shall not be allowed equality with his wife.

148. If a man takes a wife, and she be seized by disease; if he then desires 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. [...]

165. If a man gives to one of his sons whom he prefers a field, garden, and house and if later the father dies, 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. [...]

195. If a son strikes his father, his hands shall be hewn off. [... ]

196. If a man puts out the eye of another man, his eye shall be put out.

197. If he breaks another man's bone, his bone shall be broken.