歷史上最早的(de)(de)成文(wen)法(fa)(fa)典(dian)是古代西亞烏(wu)(wu)爾第(di)(di)三王(wang)朝(chao)創始(shi)者烏(wu)(wu)爾納(na)姆頒布的(de)(de)。它適(shi)應奴(nu)(nu)隸(li)制的(de)(de)發(fa)展，主(zhu)要(yao)(yao)用來保(bao)護(hu)奴(nu)(nu)隸(li)占有(you)(you)和(he)(he)私有(you)(you)制經濟，鎮(zhen)(zhen)壓(ya)奴(nu)(nu)隸(li)和(he)(he)貧民的(de)(de)反抗。這(zhe)(zhe)部法(fa)(fa)典(dian)大部損壞(huai)，只剩殘片。烏(wu)(wu)爾第(di)(di)三王(wang)朝(chao)（約(yue)(yue)公(gong)元(yuan)前(qian)2113~前(qian)2006年）創始(shi)人烏(wu)(wu)爾納(na)姆（約(yue)(yue)公(gong)元(yuan)前(qian)2113~前(qian)2096年在(zai)位）建立了強(qiang)大的(de)(de)中央集權制度(du)，總攬(lan)全國大權，統(tong)一(yi)兩河流域的(de)(de)法(fa)(fa)律，適(shi)應奴(nu)(nu)隸(li)制的(de)(de)發(fa)展和(he)(he)奴(nu)(nu)隸(li)主(zhu)鎮(zhen)(zhen)壓(ya)奴(nu)(nu)隸(li)反抗的(de)(de)需(xu)要(yao)(yao)，緩(huan)和(he)(he)自由民內部的(de)(de)矛盾，他下令用蘇美爾文(wen)（楔形文(wen)字）寫(xie)成了一(yi)部適(shi)用于烏(wu)(wu)爾全境(jing)的(de)(de)法(fa)(fa)典(dian)，這(zhe)(zhe)便是《烏(wu)(wu)爾納(na)姆法(fa)(fa)典(dian)》。
法典包括(kuo)序言和正(zheng)文(wen)29條(tiao)（傳下來的(de)只有23條(tiao)）兩大(da)部分，沒有結語(yu)，主要涉及(ji)政治、宗教和法律等(deng)方面。序言宣稱(cheng)，是(shi)(shi)神(shen)(shen)授(shou)予烏爾(er)納姆統治權力，烏爾(er)納姆在人世(shi)間的(de)行為是(shi)(shi)按照神(shen)(shen)意，確立「正(zheng)義」和「社(she)會秩序」，并列舉了(le)他在保護貧弱、抑制豪強等(deng)方面所采(cai)取(qu)的(de)措(cuo)施。
現(xian)已發現(xian)的(de)最早抄本大約(yue)是巴比倫時代的(de)，但(dan)大部分(fen)已毀(hui)損，僅存幾條殘(can)片。從(cong)破損較嚴重的(de)法典殘(can)片看，法典的(de)主要內容是對奴(nu)隸(li)制度、婚姻、家庭、繼承、刑罰等(deng)方(fang)面的(de)規定。如：第(di)一次(ci)離婚支(zhi)付(fu)(fu)1米納(na)白(bai)(bai)銀，而第(di)二次(ci)離婚應(ying)當支(zhi)付(fu)(fu)1/2米納(na)白(bai)(bai)銀，通(tong)奸者將(jiang)被(bei)處(chu)死；強暴(bao)自己的(de)女(nv)奴(nu)者將(jiang)被(bei)課(ke)以5西克爾(er)罰金(jin)；作偽證將(jiang)被(bei)處(chu)以罰款(kuan)；斗毆(ou)中打折(zhe)骨頭需支(zhi)付(fu)(fu)1米納(na)白(bai)(bai)銀，損傷(shang)腳(jiao)需支(zhi)付(fu)(fu)10西克爾(er)；外國人的(de)土(tu)(tu)地(di)被(bei)淹沒，每(mei)0.3公(gong)頃土(tu)(tu)地(di)將(jiang)給(gei)予(yu)3古(gu)爾(er)（約(yue)900公(gong)升(sheng)大麥(mai)）補(bu)償；將(jiang)逃亡(wang)奴(nu)隸(li)捉回(hui)的(de)奴(nu)隸(li)主要給(gei)捕(bu)捉者適當的(de)報酬；傷(shang)害他(ta)人的(de)身世要處(chu)以酷刑并罰款(kuan)；禁(jin)止行巫術；破壞他(ta)人耕地(di)者要支(zhi)付(fu)(fu)食物賠償；女(nv)奴(nu)對女(nv)主人不敬則予(yu)體罰。婦(fu)女(nv)在家庭中地(di)位低下，如犯通(tong)奸罪則處(chu)死等(deng)等(deng)。這些(xie)條文充分(fen)表明了當時立法已采(cai)用罰金(jin)賠款(kuan)等(deng)方(fang)式(shi)逐步取(qu)代同(tong)態復仇。
從現在僅存的(de)(de)二十多條殘(can)篇來(lai)看，涉及女(nv)奴(nu)的(de)(de)有(you)(you)五條，她們時常遭(zao)受強暴、買(mai)賣和毆打；有(you)(you)兩條涉及寡(gua)婦，她們的(de)(de)社會地(di)位較之女(nv)奴(nu)較好——法典序言提到不允許有(you)(you)勢力的(de)(de)人(ren)支配寡(gua)婦，正文(wen)又提到遺棄寡(gua)婦的(de)(de)男(nan)人(ren)應賠償一定(ding)數額的(de)(de)白銀(yin)；法典也涉及普(pu)通(tong)婦女(nv)，她們的(de)(de)社會地(di)位比女(nv)奴(nu)和婦女(nv)高，但(dan)較普(pu)通(tong)男(nan)子卑(bei)下。盡管法典中仍殘(can)存著讓河(he)神澄清妖(yao)術罪和妻子被控通(tong)奸罪的(de)(de)規定(ding)，但(dan)有(you)(you)關身體傷害的(de)(de)處罰規定(ding)比原始的(de)(de)處罰有(you)(you)了很大的(de)(de)進步。
《烏爾納姆法典》無論在內容上或形式上，都有創新之處，在西亞地區占有重要的地位，對后來兩河流域各國制定的法典影響頗大。
序言
The prologue, typical of Mesopotamian law codes, invokes the deities for Ur-Nammu's kingship and decrees "equity in the land".
"…After Anand Enlilhad turned over the Kingship of Ur to Nanna, at that time did Ur-Nammu, son born of Ninsun, for his beloved mother who bore him, in accordance with his principles of equity and truth... Then did Ur-Nammu the mighty warrior, king of Ur, king of Sumer and Akkad, by the might of Nanna, lord of the city, and in accordance with the true word of Utu, establish equity in the land; he banished malediction, violence and strife, and set the monthly Temple expenses at 90 gur of barley, 30 sheep, and 30 sila of butter. He fashioned the bronze sila-measure, standardized the one-minaweight, and standardized the stone weight of a shekelof silver in relation to one mina... The orphan was not delivered up to the rich man; the widow was not delivered up to the mighty man; the man of one shekel was not delivered up to the man of one mina."
正文
1. If a man commits a murder, that man must be killed.
2. If a man commits a robbery, he will be killed.
3. If a man commits a kidnapping, he is to be imprisoned and pay 15 shekels of silver.
4. If a slave marries a slave, and that slave is set free, he does not leave the household.
5. If a slave marries a native (i.e. free) person, he/she is to hand the firstborn son over to his owner.
6. If a man violates the right of another and deflowers the virgin wife of a young man, they shall kill that male.
7. If the wife of a man followed after another man and he slept with her, they shall slay that woman, but that male shall be set free. (§4 in some translations)
8. If a man proceeded by force, and deflowered the virgin slavewoman of another man, that man must pay five shekels of silver. (5)
9. If a man divorces his first-time wife, he shall pay her one mina of silver. (6)
10. If it is a (former) widow whom he divorces, he shall pay her half a mina of silver. (7)
11. If the man had slept with the widow without there having been any marriage contract, he need not pay any silver. (8)
13. If a man is accused of sorcery he must undergo ordeal by water; if he is proven innocent, his accuser must pay 3 shekels. (10)
14. If a man accused the wife of a man of adultery, and the river ordeal proved her innocent, then the man who had accused her must pay one-third of a mina of silver. (11)
15. If a prospective son-in-law enters the house of his prospective father-in-law, but his father-in-law later gives his daughter to another man, the father-in-law shall return to the rejected son-in-law twofold the amount of bridal presents he had brought. (12)
17. If a slave escapes from the city limits, and someone returns him, the owner shall pay two shekels to the one who returned him. (14)
18. If a man knocks out the eye of another man, he shall weigh out ½ a mina of silver. (15)
19. If a man has cut off another man’s foot, he is to pay ten shekels. (16)
20. If a man, in the course of a scuffle, smashed the limb of another man with a club, he shall pay one mina of silver. (17)
21. If someone severed the nose of another man with a copper knife, he must pay two-thirds of a mina of silver. (18)
22. If a man knocks out a tooth of another man, he shall pay two shekels of silver. (19)
24. [...] If he does not have a slave, he is to pay 10 shekels of silver. If he does not have silver, he is to give another thing that belongs to him. (21)
25. If a man’s slave-woman, comparing herself to her mistress, speaks insolently to her, her mouth shall be scoured with 1 quart of salt. (22)
28. If a man appeared as a witness, and was shown to be a perjurer, he must pay fifteen shekels of silver. (25)
29. If a man appears as a witness, but withdraws his oath, he must make payment, to the extent of the value in litigation of the case. (26)
30. If a man stealthily cultivates the field of another man and he raises a complaint, this is however to be rejected, and this man will lose his expenses. (27)
31. If a man flooded the field of a man with water, he shall measure out three kur of barley per iku of field. (28)
32. If a man had let an arable field to a(nother) man for cultivation, but he did not cultivate it, turning it into wasteland, he shall measure out three kur of barley per iku of field. (29)
烏(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)納(na)(na)(na)(na)(na)(na)姆(mu)（Ur-Nammu）約公(gong)(gong)元前2113年－公(gong)(gong)元前2096年在位阿(a)(a)卡德(de)王國(guo)滅亡(wang)后，蠻(man)族庫提人(ren)統治蘇(su)美(mei)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)地區，雖(sui)然其間有些蘇(su)美(mei)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)城(cheng)邦保持著相(xiang)對的獨立和繁榮。公(gong)(gong)元前2120年，漁夫出身(shen)的烏(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)魯克人(ren)烏(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)圖(tu)赫加(jia)(jia)(jia)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)起(qi)兵自(zi)立為(wei)烏(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)魯克王，并且打敗了(le)庫提人(ren)，俘獲(huo)了(le)庫提人(ren)的末代國(guo)王梯里根（Tiriga），烏(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)圖(tu)赫加(jia)(jia)(jia)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)占(zhan)領烏(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)后任命烏(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)納(na)(na)(na)(na)(na)(na)姆(mu)治理烏(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)。烏(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)圖(tu)赫加(jia)(jia)(jia)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)與烏(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)納(na)(na)(na)(na)(na)(na)姆(mu)的關(guan)系(xi)現在仍是(shi)史學界研究的課題，一(yi)說(shuo)(shuo)烏(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)納(na)(na)(na)(na)(na)(na)姆(mu)是(shi)烏(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)圖(tu)赫加(jia)(jia)(jia)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)的弟(di)弟(di)，另(ling)(ling)一(yi)說(shuo)(shuo)烏(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)納(na)(na)(na)(na)(na)(na)姆(mu)則是(shi)烏(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)圖(tu)赫加(jia)(jia)(jia)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)的女婿。但可能在烏(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)圖(tu)赫加(jia)(jia)(jia)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)尚在世(shi)時，烏(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)納(na)(na)(na)(na)(na)(na)姆(mu)就已經與他(ta)反目為(wei)仇，不臣服(fu)于他(ta)了(le)。約公(gong)(gong)元前2112年，烏(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)圖(tu)赫加(jia)(jia)(jia)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)死(si)于一(yi)場意外（或者可能是(shi)陰謀）。此后烏(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)納(na)(na)(na)(na)(na)(na)姆(mu)南征(zheng)北(bei)戰，繼阿(a)(a)卡德(de)王國(guo)以后，統一(yi)整(zheng)個美(mei)索不達(da)米亞(ya)，建立起(qi)了(le)強大(da)的中(zhong)央集(ji)權制王朝。（另(ling)(ling)一(yi)強大(da)的蘇(su)美(mei)城(cheng)邦拉格什(shen)于約公(gong)(gong)元前2110年被征(zheng)服(fu)）烏(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)納(na)(na)(na)(na)(na)(na)姆(mu)留給后人(ren)一(yi)部(bu)《烏(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)納(na)(na)(na)(na)(na)(na)姆(mu)法(fa)典》，今天考古所得的只(zhi)是(shi)這(zhe)部(bu)法(fa)典的一(yi)小部(bu)分。
《烏(wu)爾(er)(er)納姆法(fa)(fa)典》是部成(cheng)(cheng)熟的(de)法(fa)(fa)律，蘇美(mei)爾(er)(er)文明的(de)法(fa)(fa)制體(ti)系已經(jing)經(jing)歷了(le)很長(chang)時間(jian)的(de)發展。雖然如此，《烏(wu)爾(er)(er)納姆法(fa)(fa)典》但仍然可視為人(ren)類文明史上現存的(de)最早的(de)成(cheng)(cheng)文法(fa)(fa)。
歲月靜好 
