Here is the Hammurabi’s Code of Laws translated by L. W. King.

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When Anu the Sublime, King of the Anunaki, and Bel, the lord ofHeaven and earth, who decreed the fate of the land, assigned toMarduk, the over-ruling son of Ea, God of righteousness, dominionover earthly man, and made him great among the Igigi, they calledBabylon by his illustrious name, made it great on earth, andfounded an everlasting kingdom in it, whose foundations are laid sosolidly as those of heaven and earth; then Anu and Bel called byname me, Hammurabi, the exalted prince, who feared God, to bringabout the rule of righteousness in the land, to destroy the wickedand the evil-doers; so that the strong should not harm the weak; sothat I should rule over the black-headed people like Shamash, andenlighten the land, to further the well-being of mankind.

Hammurabi, the prince, called of Bel am I, making riches andincrease, enriching Nippur and Dur-ilu beyond compare, sublimepatron of E-kur; who reestablished Eridu and purified the worshipof E-apsu; who conquered the four quarters of the world, made greatthe name of Babylon, rejoiced the heart of Marduk, his lord whodaily pays his devotions in Saggil; the royal scion whom Sin made;who enriched Ur; the humble, the reverent, who brings wealth toGish-shir-gal; the white king, heard of Shamash, the mighty, whoagain laid the foundations of Sippara; who clothed the gravestonesof Malkat with green; who made E-babbar great, which is like theheavens, the warrior who guarded Larsa and renewed E-babbar, withShamash as his helper; the lord who granted new life to Uruk, whobrought plenteous water to its inhabitants, raised the head ofE-anna, and perfected the beauty of Anu and Nana; shield of theland, who reunited the scattered inhabitants of Isin; who richlyendowed E-gal-mach; the protecting king of the city, brother of thegod Zamama; who firmly founded the farms of Kish, crownedE-me-te-ursag with glory, redoubled the great holy treasures ofNana, managed the temple of Harsag-kalama; the grave of the enemy,whose help brought about the victory; who increased the power ofCuthah; made all glorious in E-shidlam, the black steer, who goredthe enemy; beloved of the god Nebo, who rejoiced the inhabitants ofBorsippa, the Sublime; who is indefatigable for E-zida; the divineking of the city; the White, Wise; who broadened the fields ofDilbat, who heaped up the harvests for Urash; the Mighty, the lordto whom come scepter and crown, with which he clothes himself; theElect of Ma-ma; who fixed the temple bounds of Kesh, who made richthe holy feasts of Nin-tu; the provident, solicitous, who providedfood and drink for Lagash and Girsu, who provided large sacrificialofferings for the temple of Ningirsu; who captured the enemy, theElect of the oracle who fulfilled the prediction of Hallab, whorejoiced the heart of Anunit; the pure prince, whose prayer isaccepted by Adad; who satisfied the heart of Adad, the warrior, inKarkar, who restored the vessels for worship in E-ud-gal-gal; theking who granted life to the city of Adab; the guide of E-mach; theprincely king of the city, the irresistible warrior, who grantedlife to the inhabitants of Mashkanshabri, and brought abundance tothe temple of Shidlam; the White, Potent, who penetrated the secretcave of the bandits, saved the inhabitants of Malka frommisfortune, and fixed their home fast in wealth; who establishedpure sacrificial gifts for Ea and Dam-gal-nun-na, who made hiskingdom everlastingly great; the princely king of the city, whosubjected the districts on the Ud-kib-nun-na Canal to the sway ofDagon, his Creator; who spared the inhabitants of Mera and Tutul;the sublime prince, who makes the face of Ninni shine; who presentsholy meals to the divinity of Nin-a-zu, who cared for itsinhabitants in their need, provided a portion for them in Babylonin peace; the shepherd of the oppressed and of the slaves; whosedeeds find favor before Anunit, who provided for Anunit in thetemple of Dumash in the suburb of Agade; who recognizes the right,who rules by law; who gave back to the city of Ashur its protectinggod; who let the name of Ishtar of Nineveh remain in E-mish-mish;the Sublime, who humbles himself before the great gods; successorof Sumula-il; the mighty son of Sin-muballit; the royal scion ofEternity; the mighty monarch, the sun of Babylon, whose rays shedlight over the land of Sumer and Akkad; the king, obeyed by thefour quarters of the world; Beloved of Ninni, am I.
When Marduk sent me to rule over men, to give the protection ofright to the land, I did right and righteousness in …, andbrought about the well-being of the oppressed.

The Code of Laws

1. If any one ensnare another, putting a ban upon him, but he cannot 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 goto the river and leap into the river, if he sink in the river hisaccuser shall take possession of his house. But if the river provethat the accused is not guilty, and he escape unhurt, then he whohad brought the accusation shall be put to death, while he wholeaped into the river shall take possession of the house that hadbelonged 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 acapital offense charged, be put to death.

4. If he satisfy the elders to impose a fine of grain or money, heshall receive the fine that the action produces.

5. If a judge try a case, reach a decision, and present hisjudgment in writing; if later error shall appear in his decision,and it be through his own fault, then he shall pay twelve times thefine set by him in the case, and he shall be publicly removed fromthe judge’s bench, and never again shall he sit there to renderjudgement.

6. If any one steal the property of a temple or of the court, heshall be put to death, and also the one who receives the stolenthing from him shall be put to death.

7. If any one buy from the son or the slave of another man, withoutwitnesses or a contract, silver or gold, a male or female slave, anox or a sheep, an ass or anything, or if he take it in charge, heis 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 paythirtyfold therefor; if they belonged to a freed man of the king heshall pay tenfold; if the thief has nothing with which to pay heshall be put to death.

9. If any one lose an article, and find it in the possession ofanother: if the person in whose possession the thing is found say”A merchant sold it to me, I paid for it before witnesses,” and ifthe owner of the thing say, “I will bring witnesses who know myproperty,” then shall the purchaser bring the merchant who sold itto him, and the witnesses before whom he bought it, and the ownershall bring witnesses who can identify his property. The judgeshall examine their testimony — both of the witnesses before whomthe price was paid, and of the witnesses who identify the lostarticle on oath. The merchant is then proved to be a thief andshall be put to death. The owner of the lost article receives hisproperty, and he who bought it receives the money he paid from theestate of the merchant.

10. If the purchaser does not bring the merchant and the witnessesbefore whom he bought the article, but its owner bring witnesseswho identify it, then the buyer is the thief and shall be put todeath, and the owner receives the lost article.

11. If the owner do not bring witnesses to identify the lostarticle, he is an evil-doer, he has traduced, and shall be put todeath.

12. If the witnesses be not at hand, then shall the judge set alimit, at the expiration of six months. If his witnesses have notappeared within the six months, he is an evil-doer, and shall bearthe fine of the pending case.

14. If any one steal the minor son of another, he shall be put todeath.

15. If any one take a male or female slave of the court, or a maleor female slave of a freed man, outside the city gates, he shall beput to death.

16. If any one receive into his house a runaway male or femaleslave of the court, or of a freedman, and does not bring it out atthe public proclamation of the major domus, the master of the houseshall be put to death.

17. If any one find runaway male or female slaves in the opencountry and bring them to their masters, the master of the slavesshall pay him two shekels of silver.

18. If the slave will not give the name of the master, the findershall 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 heswear to the owners of the slave, and he is free of all blame.

21. If any one break a hole into a house (break in to steal), heshall be put to death before that hole and be buried.

22. If any one is committing a robbery and is caught, then he shallbe put to death.

23. If the robber is not caught, then shall he who was robbed claimunder oath the amount of his loss; then shall the community, and… on whose ground and territory and in whose domain it wascompensate him for the goods stolen.

24. If persons are stolen, then shall the community and … pay onemina of silver to their relatives.

25. If fire break out in a house, and some one who comes to put itout cast his eye upon the property of the owner of the house, andtake the property of the master of the house, he shall be throwninto that self-same fire.

26. If a chieftain or a man (common soldier), who has been orderedto go upon the king’s highway for war does not go, but hires amercenary, if he withholds the compensation, then shall thisofficer or man be put to death, and he who represented him shalltake 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 toanother and he take possession, if he return and reaches his place,his field and garden shall be returned to him, he shall take itover 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 andgarden shall be given to him, he shall take over the fee of hisfather.

29. If his son is still young, and can not take possession, a thirdof the field and garden shall be given to his mother, and she shallbring him up.

30. If a chieftain or a man leave his house, garden, and field andhires it out, and some one else takes possession of his house,garden, and field and uses it for three years: if the first ownerreturn and claims his house, garden, and field, it shall not begiven to him, but he who has taken possession of it and used itshall 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 itover 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 hisplace; if he have the means in his house to buy his freedom, heshall buy himself free: if he have nothing in his house with whichto buy himself free, he shall be bought free by the temple of hiscommunity; if there be nothing in the temple with which to buy himfree, the court shall buy his freedom. His field, garden, and houseshall not be given for the purchase of his freedom.

33. If a … or a … enter himself as withdrawn from the “Way ofthe 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 thecaptain, or take away from the captain a gift presented to him bythe king, then the … or … shall be put to death.

35. If any one buy the cattle or sheep which the king has given tochieftains from him, he loses his money.

36. The field, garden, and house of a chieftain, of a man, or ofone 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 shallbe 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 assignhis tenure of field, house, and garden to his wife or daughter, norcan he assign it for a debt.

39. He may, however, assign a field, garden, or house which he hasbought, and holds as property, to his wife or daughter or give itfor debt.

40. He may sell field, garden, and house to a merchant (royalagents) 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 achieftain, man, or one subject to quit-rent, furnishing the palingstherefor; if the chieftain, man, or one subject to quit-rent returnto field, garden, and house, the palings which were given to himbecome his property.

42. If any one take over a field to till it, and obtain no harvesttherefrom, it must be proved that he did no work on the field, andhe must deliver grain, just as his neighbor raised, to the owner ofthe field.

43. If he do not till the field, but let it lie fallow, he shallgive grain like his neighbor’s to the owner of the field, and thefield which he let lie fallow he must plow and sow and return toits owner.

44. If any one take over a waste-lying field to make it arable, butis lazy, and does not make it arable, he shall plow the fallowfield in the fourth year, harrow it and till it, and give it backto its owner, and for each ten gan (a measure of area) ten gur ofgrain shall be paid.

45. If a man rent his field for tillage for a fixed rental, andreceive the rent of his field, but bad weather come and destroy theharvest, the injury falls upon the tiller of the soil.

46. If he do not receive a fixed rental for his field, but lets iton half or third shares of the harvest, the grain on the fieldshall be divided proportionately between the tiller and the owner.

47. If the tiller, because he did not succeed in the first year,has had the soil tilled by others, the owner may raise noobjection; the field has been cultivated and he receives theharvest according to agreement.

48. If any one owe a debt for a loan, and a storm prostrates thegrain, or the harvest fail, or the grain does not grow for lack ofwater; in that year he need not give his creditor any grain, hewashes 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 afield tillable for corn or sesame and order him to plant corn orsesame in the field, and to harvest the crop; if the cultivatorplant corn or sesame in the field, at the harvest the corn orsesame that is in the field shall belong to the owner of the fieldand he shall pay corn as rent, for the money he received from themerchant, and the livelihood of the cultivator shall he give to themerchant.

50. If he give a cultivated corn-field or a cultivatedsesame-field, the corn or sesame in the field shall belong to theowner of the field, and he shall return the money to the merchantas rent.

51. If he have no money to repay, then he shall pay in corn orsesame in place of the money as rent for what he received from themerchant, according to the royal tariff.

52. If the cultivator do not plant corn or sesame in the field, thedebtor’s contract is not weakened.

53. If any one be too lazy to keep his dam in proper condition, anddoes not so keep it; if then the dam break and all the fields beflooded, then shall he in whose dam the break occurred be sold formoney, and the money shall replace the corn which he has caused tobe ruined.

54. If he be not able to replace the corn, then he and hispossessions shall be divided among the farmers whose corn he hasflooded.

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 payhis neighbor corn for his loss.

56. If a man let in the water, and the water overflow theplantation of his neighbor, he shall pay ten gur of corn for everyten gan of land.

57. If a shepherd, without the permission of the owner of thefield, and without the knowledge of the owner of the sheep, letsthe sheep into a field to graze, then the owner of the field shallharvest his crop, and the shepherd, who had pastured his flockthere without permission of the owner of the field, shall pay tothe owner twenty gur of corn for every ten gan.

58. If after the flocks have left the pasture and been shut up inthe common fold at the city gate, any shepherd let them into afield and they graze there, this shepherd shall take possession ofthe field which he has allowed to be grazed on, and at the harvesthe 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.

60. If any one give over a field to a gardener, for him to plant itas a garden, if he work at it, and care for it for four years, inthe fifth year the owner and the gardener shall divide it, theowner 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 agarden, if it be arable land (for corn or sesame) the gardenershall pay the owner the produce of the field for the years that helet 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 toits owner, the latter shall pay him for one year ten gur for tengan.

64. If any one hand over his garden to a gardener to work, thegardener shall pay to its owner two-thirds of the produce of thegarden, for so long as he has it in possession, and the other thirdshall he keep.

65. If the gardener do not work in the garden and the product falloff, the gardener shall pay in proportion to other neighboringgardens.

[The text for laws 66 through 99 is missing]

100. … interest for the money, as much as he has received, heshall give a note therefor, and on the day, when they settle, payto the merchant.

101. If there are no mercantile arrangements in the place whitherhe went, he shall leave the entire amount of money which hereceived with the broker to give to the merchant.

102. If a merchant entrust money to an agent (broker) for someinvestment, and the broker suffer a loss in the place to which hegoes, he shall make good the capital to the merchant.

103. If, while on the journey, an enemy take away from him anythingthat he had, the broker shall swear by God and be free ofobligation.

104. If a merchant give an agent corn, wool, oil, or any othergoods to transport, the agent shall give a receipt for the amount,and compensate the merchant therefor. Then he shall obtain areceipt form the merchant for the money that he gives the merchant.

105. If the agent is careless, and does not take a receipt for themoney which he gave the merchant, he can not consider theunreceipted money as his own.

106. If the agent accept money from the merchant, but have aquarrel with the merchant (denying the receipt), then shall themerchant swear before God and witnesses that he has given thismoney to the agent, and the agent shall pay him three times thesum.

107. If the merchant cheat the agent, in that as the latter hasreturned to him all that had been given him, but the merchantdenies the receipt of what had been returned to him, then shallthis agent convict the merchant before God and the judges, and ifhe still deny receiving what the agent had given him shall pay sixtimes the sum to the agent.

108. If a tavern-keeper (feminine) does not accept corn accordingto gross weight in payment of drink, but takes money, and the priceof the drink is less than that of the corn, she shall be convictedand thrown into the water.

109. If conspirators meet in the house of a tavern-keeper, andthese conspirators are not captured and delivered to the court, thetavern-keeper shall be put to death.

110. If a “sister of a god” open a tavern, or enter a tavern todrink, then shall this woman be burned to death.

111. If an inn-keeper furnish sixty ka of usakani-drink to … sheshall receive fifty ka of corn at the harvest.

112. If any one be on a journey and entrust silver, gold, preciousstones, or any movable property to another, and wish to recover itfrom him; if the latter do not bring all of the property to theappointed place, but appropriate it to his own use, then shall thisman, 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 fromthe granary or box without the knowledge of the owner, then shallhe who took corn without the knowledge of the owner out of thegranary or money out of the box be legally convicted, and repay thecorn he has taken. And he shall lose whatever commission was paidto him, or due him.

114. If a man have no claim on another for corn and money, and tryto demand it by force, he shall pay one-third of a mina of silverin every case.

115. If any one have a claim for corn or money upon another andimprison him; if the prisoner die in prison a natural death, thecase shall go no further.

116. If the prisoner die in prison from blows or maltreatment, themaster 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 todeath; 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 toforced labor: they shall work for three years in the house of theman who bought them, or the proprietor, and in the fourth year theyshall be set free.

118. If he give a male or female slave away for forced labor, andthe merchant sublease them, or sell them for money, no objectioncan be raised.

119. If any one fail to meet a claim for debt, and he sell the maidservant who has borne him children, for money, the money which themerchant has paid shall be repaid to him by the owner of the slaveand she shall be freed.

120. If any one store corn for safe keeping in another person’shouse, and any harm happen to the corn in storage, or if the ownerof the house open the granary and take some of the corn, or ifespecially he deny that the corn was stored in his house: then theowner of the corn shall claim his corn before God (on oath), andthe owner of the house shall pay its owner for all of the corn thathe took.

121. If any one store corn in another man’s house he shall pay himstorage 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 tokeep, 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 orcontract, and if he to whom it was given deny it, then he has nolegitimate claim.

124. If any one deliver silver, gold, or anything else to anotherfor safe keeping, before a witness, but he deny it, he shall bebrought before a judge, and all that he has denied he shall pay infull.

125. If any one place his property with another for safe keeping,and there, either through thieves or robbers, his property and theproperty of the other man be lost, the owner of the house, throughwhose neglect the loss took place, shall compensate the owner forall that was given to him in charge. But the owner of the houseshall try to follow up and recover his property, and take it awayfrom the thief.

126. If any one who has not lost his goods state that they havebeen lost, and make false claims: if he claim his goods and amountof injury before God, even though he has not lost them, he shall befully compensated for all his loss claimed. (I.e., the oath is allthat is needed.)

127. If any one “point the finger” (slander) at a sister of a godor the wife of any one, and can not prove it, this man shall betaken before the judges and his brow shall be marked. (by cuttingthe skin, or perhaps hair.)

128. If a man take a woman to wife, but have no intercourse withher, this woman is no wife to him.

129. If a man’s wife be surprised (in flagrante delicto) withanother man, both shall be tied and thrown into the water, but thehusband may pardon his wife and the king his slaves.

130. If a man violate the wife (betrothed or child-wife) of anotherman, who has never known a man, and still lives in her father’shouse, and sleep with her and be surprised, this man shall be putto death, but the wife is blameless.

131. If a man bring a charge against one’s wife, but she is notsurprised with another man, she must take an oath and then mayreturn 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 jumpinto the river for her husband.

133. If a man is taken prisoner in war, and there is a sustenancein his house, but his wife leave house and court, and go to anotherhouse: because this wife did not keep her court, and went toanother house, she shall be judicially condemned and thrown intothe water.

134. If any one be captured in war and there is not sustenance inhis house, if then his wife go to another house this woman shall beheld blameless.

135. If a man be taken prisoner in war and there be no sustenancein his house and his wife go to another house and bear children;and if later her husband return and come to his home: then thiswife shall return to her husband, but the children follow theirfather.

136. If any one leave his house, run away, and then his wife go toanother house, if then he return, and wishes to take his wife back:because he fled from his home and ran away, the wife of thisrunaway shall not return to her husband.

137. If a man wish to separate from a woman who has borne himchildren, or from his wife who has borne him children: then heshall give that wife her dowry, and a part of the usufruct offield, garden, and property, so that she can rear her children.When she has brought up her children, a portion of all that isgiven to the children, equal as that of one son, shall be given toher. She may then marry the man of her heart.

138. If a man wishes to separate from his wife who has borne him nochildren, he shall give her the amount of her purchase money andthe dowry which she brought from her father’s house, and let hergo.

139. If there was no purchase price he shall give her one mina ofgold as a gift of release.

140. If he be a freed man he shall give her one-third of a mina ofgold.

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, shemay 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 anotherwife, she shall remain as servant in her husband’s house.

142. If a woman quarrel with her husband, and say: “You are notcongenial to me,” the reasons for her prejudice must be presented.If she is guiltless, and there is no fault on her part, but heleaves and neglects her, then no guilt attaches to this woman, sheshall take her dowry and go back to her father’s house.

143. If she is not innocent, but leaves her husband, and ruins herhouse, neglecting her husband, this woman shall be cast into thewater.

144. If a man take a wife and this woman give her husband amaid-servant, and she bear him children, but this man wishes totake another wife, this shall not be permitted to him; he shall nottake a second wife.

145. If a man take a wife, and she bear him no children, and heintend to take another wife: if he take this second wife, and bringher into the house, this second wife shall not be allowed equalitywith his wife.

146. If a man take a wife and she give this man a maid-servant aswife and she bear him children, and then this maid assume equalitywith the wife: because she has borne him children her master shallnot sell her for money, but he may keep her as a slave, reckoningher among the maid-servants.

147. If she have not borne him children, then her mistress may sellher for money.

148. If a man take a wife, and she be seized by disease, if he thendesire to take a second wife he shall not put away his wife, whohas been attacked by disease, but he shall keep her in the housewhich 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 withher from her father’s house, and she may go.

150. If a man give his wife a field, garden, and house and a deedtherefor, if then after the death of her husband the sons raise noclaim, then the mother may bequeath all to one of her sons whom sheprefers, and need leave nothing to his brothers.

151. If a woman who lived in a man’s house made an agreement withher husband, that no creditor can arrest her, and has given adocument therefor: if that man, before he married that woman, had adebt, the creditor can not hold the woman for it. But if the woman,before she entered the man’s house, had contracted a debt, hercreditor can not arrest her husband therefor.

152. If after the woman had entered the man’s house, bothcontracted a debt, both must pay the merchant.

153. If the wife of one man on account of another man has theirmates (her husband and the other man’s wife) murdered, both of themshall be impaled.

154. If a man be guilty of incest with his daughter, he shall bedriven from the place (exiled).

155. If a man betroth a girl to his son, and his son haveintercourse with her, but he (the father) afterward defile her, andbe 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 knownher, 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’shouse. She may marry the man of her heart.

157. If any one be guilty of incest with his mother after hisfather, 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’shouse.

159. If any one, who has brought chattels into his father-in-law’shouse, and has paid the purchase-money, looks for another wife, andsays to his father-in-law: “I do not want your daughter,” thegirl’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 ofthe girl say: “I will not give you my daughter,” he shall give himback all that he brought with him.

161. If a man bring chattels into his father-in-law’s house and paythe “purchase price,” if then his friend slander him, and hisfather-in-law say to the young husband: “You shall not marry mydaughter,” the he shall give back to him undiminished all that hehad brought with him; but his wife shall not be married to thefriend.

162. If a man marry a woman, and she bear sons to him; if then thiswoman die, then shall her father have no claim on her dowry; thisbelongs to her sons.

163. If a man marry a woman and she bear him no sons; if then thiswoman die, if the “purchase price” which he had paid into the houseof his father-in-law is repaid to him, her husband shall have noclaim upon the dowry of this woman; it belongs to her father’shouse.

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 himthe present of his father, and he shall accept it; and the rest ofthe paternal property shall they divide.

166. If a man take wives for his son, but take no wife for hisminor son, and if then he die: if the sons divide the estate, theyshall set aside besides his portion the money for the “purchaseprice” for the minor brother who had taken no wife as yet, andsecure a wife for him.

167. If a man marry a wife and she bear him children: if this wifedie and he then take another wife and she bear him children: ifthen the father die, the sons must not partition the estateaccording to the mothers, they shall divide the dowries of theirmothers only in this way; the paternal estate they shall divideequally with one another.

168. If a man wish to put his son out of his house, and declarebefore the judge: “I want to put my son out,” then the judge shallexamine into his reasons. If the son be guilty of no great fault,for which he can be rightfully put out, the father shall not puthim out.

169. If he be guilty of a grave fault, which should rightfullydeprive him of the filial relationship, the father shall forgivehim the first time; but if he be guilty of a grave fault a secondtime the father may deprive his son of all filial relation.

170. If his wife bear sons to a man, or his maid-servant have bornesons, and the father while still living says to the children whomhis maid-servant has borne: “My sons,” and he count them with thesons of his wife; if then the father die, then the sons of the wifeand of the maid-servant shall divide the paternal property incommon. The son of the wife is to partition and choose.

171. If, however, the father while still living did not say to thesons of the maid-servant: “My sons,” and then the father dies, thenthe sons of the maid-servant shall not share with the sons of thewife, 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 themaid; the wife shall take her dowry (from her father), and the giftthat her husband gave her and deeded to her (separate from dowry,or the purchase-money paid her father), and live in the home of herhusband: so long as she lives she shall use it, it shall not besold for money. Whatever she leaves shall belong to her children.

172. If her husband made her no gift, she shall be compensated forher gift, and she shall receive a portion from the estate of herhusband, equal to that of one child. If her sons oppress her, toforce her out of the house, the judge shall examine into thematter, and if the sons are at fault the woman shall not leave herhusband’s house. If the woman desire to leave the house, she mustleave to her sons the gift which her husband gave her, but she maytake the dowry of her father’s house. Then she may marry the man ofher heart.

173. If this woman bear sons to her second husband, in the place towhich she went, and then die, her earlier and later sons shalldivide the dowry between them.

174. If she bear no sons to her second husband, the sons of herfirst husband shall have the dowry.

175. If a State slave or the slave of a freed man marry thedaughter of a free man, and children are born, the master of theslave 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 aman’s daughter, and after he marries her she bring a dowry from afather’s house, if then they both enjoy it and found a household,and accumulate means, if then the slave die, then she who was freeborn may take her dowry, and all that her husband and she hadearned; she shall divide them into two parts, one-half the masterfor the slave shall take, and the other half shall the free-bornwoman take for her children. If the free-born woman had no gift sheshall take all that her husband and she had earned and divide itinto two parts; and the master of the slave shall take one-half andshe shall take the other for her children.

177. If a widow, whose children are not grown, wishes to enteranother house (remarry), she shall not enter it without theknowledge of the judge. If she enter another house the judge shallexamine the state of the house of her first husband. Then the houseof her first husband shall be entrusted to the second husband andthe woman herself as managers. And a record must be made thereof.She shall keep the house in order, bring up the children, and notsell the house-hold utensils. He who buys the utensils of thechildren of a widow shall lose his money, and the goods shallreturn to their owners.

178. If a “devoted woman” or a prostitute to whom her father hasgiven a dowry and a deed therefor, but if in this deed it is notstated that she may bequeath it as she pleases, and has notexplicitly stated that she has the right of disposal; if then herfather die, then her brothers shall hold her field and garden, andgive her corn, oil, and milk according to her portion, and satisfyher. If her brothers do not give her corn, oil, and milk accordingto her share, then her field and garden shall support her. Sheshall have the usufruct of field and garden and all that her fathergave her so long as she lives, but she can not sell or assign it toothers. Her position of inheritance belongs to her brothers.

179. If a “sister of a god,” or a prostitute, receive a gift fromher father, and a deed in which it has been explicitly stated thatshe may dispose of it as she pleases, and give her completedisposition thereof: if then her father die, then she may leave herproperty to whomsoever she pleases. Her brothers can raise no claimthereto.

180. If a father give a present to his daughter — eithermarriageable or a prostitute (unmarriageable) — and then die, thenshe is to receive a portion as a child from the paternal estate,and enjoy its usufruct so long as she lives. Her estate belongs toher brothers.

181. If a father devote a temple-maid or temple-virgin to God andgive her no present: if then the father die, she shall receive thethird of a child’s portion from the inheritance of her father’shouse, and enjoy its usufruct so long as she lives. Her estatebelongs 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 herfather die, then shall she receive one-third of her portion as achild of her father’s house from her brothers, but Marduk may leaveher estate to whomsoever she wishes.

183. If a man give his daughter by a concubine a dowry, and ahusband, and a deed; if then her father die, she shall receive noportion 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 hera dowry according to her father’s wealth and secure a husband forher.

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 injurehis foster father and mother, then this adopted son shall return tohis father’s house.

187. The son of a paramour in the palace service, or of aprostitute, can not be demanded back.

188. If an artizan has undertaken to rear a child and teaches himhis craft, he can not be demanded back.

189. If he has not taught him his craft, this adopted son mayreturn to his father’s house.

190. If a man does not maintain a child that he has adopted as ason and reared with his other children, then his adopted son mayreturn to his father’s house.

191. If a man, who had adopted a son and reared him, founded ahousehold, and had children, wish to put this adopted son out, thenthis son shall not simply go his way. His adoptive father shallgive him of his wealth one-third of a child’s portion, and then hemay go. He shall not give him of the field, garden, and house.

192. If a son of a paramour or a prostitute say to his adoptivefather or mother: “You are not my father, or my mother,” his tongueshall be cut off.

193. If the son of a paramour or a prostitute desire his father’shouse, and desert his adoptive father and adoptive mother, and goesto 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 herhands, but the nurse unbeknown to the father and mother nurseanother child, then they shall convict her of having nursed anotherchild without the knowledge of the father and mother and herbreasts 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 putout.

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 afreed man, he shall pay one gold mina.

199. If he put out the eye of a man’s slave, or break the bone of aman’s slave, he shall pay one-half of its value.

200. If a man knock out the teeth of his equal, his teeth shall beknocked out.

201. If he knock out the teeth of a freed man, he shall payone-third of a gold mina.

202. If any one strike the body of a man higher in rank than he, heshall receive sixty blows with an ox-whip in public.

203. If a free-born man strike the body of another free-born man orequal rank, he shall pay one gold mina.

204. If a freed man strike the body of another freed man, he shallpay 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, thenhe shall swear, “I did not injure him wittingly,” and pay thephysicians.

207. If the man die of his wound, he shall swear similarly, and ifhe (the deceased) was a free-born man, he shall pay half a mina inmoney.

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 unbornchild, he shall pay ten shekels for her loss.

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, heshall 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 herchild, 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 knifeand cure it, or if he open a tumor (over the eye) with an operatingknife, 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 thephysician 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 outthe eye, his hands shall be cut off.

219. If a physician make a large incision in the slave of a freedman, and kill him, he shall replace the slave with another slave.

220. If he had opened a tumor with the operating knife, and put outhis eye, he shall pay half his value.

221. If a physician heal the broken bone or diseased soft part of aman, 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 twoshekels.

224. If a veterinary surgeon perform a serious operation on an assor an ox, and cure it, the owner shall pay the surgeon one-sixth ofa shekel as a fee.

225. If he perform a serious operation on an ass or ox, and killit, he shall pay the owner one-fourth of its value.

226. If a barber, without the knowledge of his master, cut the signof a slave on a slave not to be sold, the hands of this barbershall be cut off.

227. If any one deceive a barber, and have him mark a slave not forsale with the sign of a slave, he shall be put to death, and buriedin his house. The barber shall swear: “I did not mark himwittingly,” and shall be guiltless.

228. If a builder build a house for some one and complete it, heshall give him a fee of two shekels in money for each sar ofsurface.

229 If a builder build a house for some one, and does not constructit properly, and the house which he built fall in and kill itsowner, then that builder shall be put to death.

230. If it kill the son of the owner the son of that builder shallbe put to death.

231. If it kill a slave of the owner, then he shall pay slave forslave to the owner of the house.

232. If it ruin goods, he shall make compensation for all that hasbeen ruined, and inasmuch as he did not construct properly thishouse which he built and it fell, he shall re-erect the house fromhis own means.

233. If a builder build a house for some one, even though he hasnot yet completed it; if then the walls seem toppling, the buildermust make the walls solid from his own means.

234. If a shipbuilder build a boat of sixty gur for a man, he shallpay him a fee of two shekels in money.

235. If a shipbuilder build a boat for some one, and do not make ittight, if during that same year that boat is sent away and suffersinjury, the shipbuilder shall take the boat apart and put ittogether tight at his own expense. The tight boat he shall give tothe boat owner.

236. If a man rent his boat to a sailor, and the sailor iscareless, and the boat is wrecked or goes aground, the sailor shallgive 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 forfitting it: if the sailor is careless, the boat is wrecked, and itscontents ruined, then the sailor shall compensate for the boatwhich was wrecked and all in it that he ruined.

238. If a sailor wreck any one’s ship, but saves it, he shall paythe half of its value in money.

239. If a man hire a sailor, he shall pay him six gur of corn peryear.

240. If a merchantman run against a ferryboat, and wreck it, themaster of the ship that was wrecked shall seek justice before God;the master of the merchantman, which wrecked the ferryboat, mustcompensate the owner for the boat and all that he ruined.

241. If any one impresses an ox for forced labor, he shall payone-third of a mina in money.

242. If any one hire oxen for a year, he shall pay four gur of cornfor plow-oxen.

243. As rent of herd cattle he shall pay three gur of corn to theowner.

244. If any one hire an ox or an ass, and a lion kill it in thefield, the loss is upon its owner.

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 ligamentof 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 theowner one-half of its value.

248. If any one hire an ox, and break off a horn, or cut off itstail, or hurt its muzzle, he shall pay one-fourth of its value inmoney.

249. If any one hire an ox, and God strike it that it die, the manwho hired it shall swear by God and be considered guiltless.

250. If while an ox is passing on the street (market) some one pushit, and kill it, the owner can set up no claim in the suit (againstthe hirer).

251. If an ox be a goring ox, and it shown that he is a gorer, andhe do not bind his horns, or fasten the ox up, and the ox gore afree-born man and kill him, the owner shall pay one-half a mina inmoney.

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 himseed, entrust a yoke of oxen to him, and bind him to cultivate thefield, 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 yokeof 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 eachone hundred gan he shall pay sixty gur of corn.

256. If his community will not pay for him, then he shall be placedin that field with the cattle (at work).

257. If any one hire a field laborer, he shall pay him eight gur ofcorn per year.

258. If any one hire an ox-driver, he shall pay him six gur of cornper year.

259. If any one steal a water-wheel from the field, he shall payfive shekels in money to its owner.

260. If any one steal a shadduf (used to draw water from the riveror canal) or a plow, he shall pay three shekels in money.

261. If any one hire a herdsman for cattle or sheep, he shall payhim eight gur of corn per annum.

262. If any one, a cow or a sheep …

263. If he kill the cattle or sheep that were given to him, heshall compensate the owner with cattle for cattle and sheep forsheep.

264. If a herdsman, to whom cattle or sheep have been entrusted forwatching over, and who has received his wages as agreed upon, andis satisfied, diminish the number of the cattle or sheep, or makethe increase by birth less, he shall make good the increase orprofit which was lost in the terms of settlement.

265. If a herdsman, to whose care cattle or sheep have beenentrusted, be guilty of fraud and make false returns of the naturalincrease, or sell them for money, then shall he be convicted andpay the owner ten times the loss.

266. If the animal be killed in the stable by God (an accident), orif a lion kill it, the herdsman shall declare his innocence beforeGod, and the owner bears the accident in the stable.

267. If the herdsman overlook something, and an accident happen inthe stable, then the herdsman is at fault for the accident which hehas caused in the stable, and he must compensate the owner for thecattle or sheep.

268. If any one hire an ox for threshing, the amount of the hire istwenty ka of corn.

269. If he hire an ass for threshing, the hire is twenty ka ofcorn.

270. If he hire a young animal for threshing, the hire is ten ka ofcorn.

271. If any one hire oxen, cart and driver, he shall pay onehundred and eighty ka of corn per day.

272. If any one hire a cart alone, he shall pay forty ka of cornper day.

273. If any one hire a day laborer, he shall pay him from the NewYear until the fifth month (April to August, when days are long andthe work hard) six gerahs in money per day; from the sixth month tothe 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 ofthe … five gerahs, as wages of the potter five gerahs, of atailor 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 inmoney per day.

276. If he hire a freight-boat, he shall pay two and one-halfgerahs per day.

277. If any one hire a ship of sixty gur, he shall pay one-sixth ofa shekel in money as its hire per day.

278. If any one buy a male or female slave, and before a month haselapsed the benu-disease be developed, he shall return the slave tothe seller, and receive the money which he had paid.

279. If any one by a male or female slave, and a third party claimit, the seller is liable for the claim.

280. If while in a foreign country a man buy a male or female slavebelonging to another of his own country; if when he return home theowner of the male or female slave recognize it: if the male orfemale slave be a native of the country, he shall give them backwithout any money.

281. If they are from another country, the buyer shall declare theamount of money paid therefor to the merchant, and keep the male orfemale slave.

282. If a slave say to his master: “You are not my master,” if theyconvict him his master shall cut off his ear.

The Epilogue

Laws of justice which Hammurabi, the wise king, established. Arighteous 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 wasnot negligent, but I made them a peaceful abiding-place. Iexpounded 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 thatMarduk gave me, I have uprooted the enemy above and below (in northand south), subdued the earth, brought prosperity to the land,guaranteed security to the inhabitants in their homes; a disturberwas not permitted. The great gods have called me, I am thesalvation-bearing shepherd, whose staff is straight, the goodshadow that is spread over my city; on my breast I cherish theinhabitants of the land of Sumer and Akkad; in my shelter I havelet them repose in peace; in my deep wisdom have I enclosed them.That the strong might not injure the weak, in order to protect thewidows and orphans, I have in Babylon the city where Anu and Belraise high their head, in E-Sagil, the Temple, whose foundationsstand firm as heaven and earth, in order to bespeak justice in theland, to settle all disputes, and heal all injuries, set up thesemy precious words, written upon my memorial stone, before the imageof me, as king of righteousness.
The king who ruleth among the kings of the cities am I. My wordsare well considered; there is no wisdom like unto mine. By thecommand of Shamash, the great judge of heaven and earth, letrighteousness go forth in the land: by the order of Marduk, mylord, let no destruction befall my monument. In E-Sagil, which Ilove, let my name be ever repeated; let the oppressed, who has acase at law, come and stand before this my image as king ofrighteousness; let him read the inscription, and understand myprecious words: the inscription will explain his case to him; hewill find out what is just, and his heart will be glad, so that hewill say:

“Hammurabi is a ruler, who is as a father to his subjects, whoholds the words of Marduk in reverence, who has achieved conquestfor Marduk over the north and south, who rejoices the heart ofMarduk, his lord, who has bestowed benefits for ever and ever onhis subjects, and has established order in the land.”
When he reads the record, let him pray with full heart to Marduk,my lord, and Zarpanit, my lady; and then shall the protectingdeities and the gods, who frequent E-Sagil, graciously grant thedesires daily presented before Marduk, my lord, and Zarpanit, mylady.
In future time, through all coming generations, let the king, whomay be in the land, observe the words of righteousness which I havewritten on my monument; let him not alter the law of the land whichI have given, the edicts which I have enacted; my monument let himnot mar. If such a ruler have wisdom, and be able to keep his landin order, he shall observe the words which I have written in thisinscription; the rule, statute, and law of the land which I havegiven; the decisions which I have made will this inscription showhim; let him rule his subjects accordingly, speak justice to them,give right decisions, root out the miscreants and criminals fromthis land, and grant prosperity to his subjects.
Hammurabi, the king of righteousness, on whom Shamash has conferredright (or law) am I. My words are well considered; my deeds are notequaled; to bring low those that were high; to humble the proud, toexpel insolence. If a succeeding ruler considers my words, which Ihave written in this my inscription, if he do not annul my law, norcorrupt my words, nor change my monument, then may Shamash lengthenthat king’s reign, as he has that of me, the king of righteousness,that he may reign in righteousness over his subjects. If this rulerdo not esteem my words, which I have written in my inscription, ifhe despise my curses, and fear not the curse of God, if he destroythe law which I have given, corrupt my words, change my monument,efface my name, write his name there, or on account of the cursescommission 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 himthe glory of royalty, break his scepter, curse his destiny. MayBel, the lord, who fixeth destiny, whose command can not bealtered, who has made my kingdom great, order a rebellion which hishand can not control; may he let the wind of the overthrow of hishabitation blow, may he ordain the years of his rule in groaning,years of scarcity, years of famine, darkness without light, deathwith seeing eyes be fated to him; may he (Bel) order with hispotent mouth the destruction of his city, the dispersion of hissubjects, the cutting off of his rule, the removal of his name andmemory from the land. May Belit, the great Mother, whose command ispotent in E-Kur (the Babylonian Olympus), the Mistress, who harkensgraciously to my petitions, in the seat of judgment and decision(where Bel fixes destiny), turn his affairs evil before Bel, andput 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, thethinker of the gods, the omniscient, who maketh long the days of mylife, withdraw understanding and wisdom from him, lead him toforgetfulness, shut up his rivers at their sources, and not allowcorn or sustenance for man to grow in his land. May Shamash, thegreat Judge of heaven and earth, who supporteth all means oflivelihood, Lord of life-courage, shatter his dominion, annul hislaw, destroy his way, make vain the march of his troops, send himin his visions forecasts of the uprooting of the foundations of histhrone and of the destruction of his land. May the condemnation ofShamash overtake him forthwith; may he be deprived of water aboveamong the living, and his spirit below in the earth. May Sin (theMoon-god), the Lord of Heaven, the divine father, whose crescentgives light among the gods, take away the crown and regal thronefrom him; may he put upon him heavy guilt, great decay, thatnothing 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, myhelper, withhold from him rain from heaven, and the flood of waterfrom the springs, destroying his land by famine and want; may herage mightily over his city, and make his land into flood-hills(heaps of ruined cities). May Zamama, the great warrior, thefirst-born son of E-Kur, who goeth at my right hand, shatter hisweapons on the field of battle, turn day into night for him, andlet his foe triumph over him. May Ishtar, the goddess of fightingand war, who unfetters my weapons, my gracious protecting spirit,who loveth my dominion, curse his kingdom in her angry heart; inher great wrath, change his grace into evil, and shatter hisweapons on the place of fighting and war. May she create disorderand sedition for him, strike down his warriors, that the earth maydrink their blood, and throw down the piles of corpses of hiswarriors on the field; may she not grant him a life of mercy,deliver him into the hands of his enemies, and imprison him in theland of his enemies. May Nergal, the might among the gods, whosecontest is irresistible, who grants me victory, in his great mightburn up his subjects like a slender reedstalk, cut off his limbswith his mighty weapons, and shatter him like an earthen image. MayNin-tu, the sublime mistress of the lands, the fruitful mother,deny him a son, vouchsafe him no name, give him no successor amongmen. 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 notunderstand, which he can not treat with dressing, which, like thebite of death, can not be removed, until they have sapped away hislife. May he lament the loss of his life-power, and may the greatgods of heaven and earth, the Anunaki, altogether inflict a curseand evil upon the confines of the temple, the walls of this E-barra(the Sun temple of Sippara), upon his dominion, his land, hiswarriors, his subjects, and his troops. May Bel curse him with thepotent curses of his mouth that can not be altered, and may theycome upon him forthwith.

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