歷史上最早的(de)(de)(de)(de)成(cheng)文(wen)法(fa)典(dian)(dian)(dian)是(shi)古代西亞烏(wu)爾第三王朝(chao)創(chuang)始者烏(wu)爾納姆(mu)(mu)頒布的(de)(de)(de)(de)。它適(shi)(shi)應奴(nu)(nu)隸(li)(li)(li)制的(de)(de)(de)(de)發展，主要(yao)用來(lai)保護奴(nu)(nu)隸(li)(li)(li)占有和私有制經濟，鎮壓(ya)(ya)奴(nu)(nu)隸(li)(li)(li)和貧(pin)民(min)的(de)(de)(de)(de)反抗。這部法(fa)典(dian)(dian)(dian)大部損壞，只剩(sheng)殘(can)片。烏(wu)爾第三王朝(chao)（約(yue)公元(yuan)(yuan)前(qian)(qian)2113~前(qian)(qian)2006年）創(chuang)始人烏(wu)爾納姆(mu)(mu)（約(yue)公元(yuan)(yuan)前(qian)(qian)2113~前(qian)(qian)2096年在位）建立了(le)強大的(de)(de)(de)(de)中央集(ji)權制度，總攬(lan)全國大權，統一(yi)兩(liang)河流(liu)域的(de)(de)(de)(de)法(fa)律，適(shi)(shi)應奴(nu)(nu)隸(li)(li)(li)制的(de)(de)(de)(de)發展和奴(nu)(nu)隸(li)(li)(li)主鎮壓(ya)(ya)奴(nu)(nu)隸(li)(li)(li)反抗的(de)(de)(de)(de)需要(yao)，緩(huan)和自由民(min)內部的(de)(de)(de)(de)矛盾，他下令用蘇美爾文(wen)（楔(xie)形文(wen)字）寫成(cheng)了(le)一(yi)部適(shi)(shi)用于烏(wu)爾全境的(de)(de)(de)(de)法(fa)典(dian)(dian)(dian)，這便是(shi)《烏(wu)爾納姆(mu)(mu)法(fa)典(dian)(dian)(dian)》。
法典包括序(xu)言和正文29條（傳下(xia)來(lai)的(de)只有23條）兩大(da)部(bu)分，沒有結語，主(zhu)要涉及政治(zhi)、宗(zong)教和法律等方面。序(xu)言宣(xuan)稱，是神授(shou)予烏爾(er)納姆統治(zhi)權力(li)，烏爾(er)納姆在人世(shi)間的(de)行為是按照神意，確立「正義(yi)」和「社(she)會秩(zhi)序(xu)」，并列舉了他(ta)在保護貧(pin)弱、抑(yi)制豪(hao)強等方面所采取的(de)措施。
現已發現的最早抄本大約是巴(ba)比倫時代(dai)的，但大部分(fen)已毀損，僅存(cun)幾條(tiao)殘(can)片。從(cong)破損較嚴重的法典殘(can)片看，法典的主要內容(rong)是對奴(nu)(nu)隸(li)制度、婚姻(yin)、家庭、繼承(cheng)、刑罰(fa)等方(fang)面的規定(ding)。如(ru)：第(di)一次(ci)離(li)婚支付(fu)1米(mi)納(na)白(bai)銀，而第(di)二次(ci)離(li)婚應當(dang)(dang)(dang)支付(fu)1/2米(mi)納(na)白(bai)銀，通奸者(zhe)將被(bei)(bei)處(chu)死；強暴自(zi)己的女奴(nu)(nu)者(zhe)將被(bei)(bei)課以(yi)5西克爾罰(fa)金(jin)；作(zuo)偽證(zheng)將被(bei)(bei)處(chu)以(yi)罰(fa)款；斗毆中打折(zhe)骨頭需支付(fu)1米(mi)納(na)白(bai)銀，損傷(shang)腳需支付(fu)10西克爾；外國人(ren)的土地(di)(di)被(bei)(bei)淹沒，每0.3公頃(qing)土地(di)(di)將給予3古爾（約900公升大麥）補償；將逃亡奴(nu)(nu)隸(li)捉回的奴(nu)(nu)隸(li)主要給捕捉者(zhe)適當(dang)(dang)(dang)的報酬；傷(shang)害他人(ren)的身(shen)世要處(chu)以(yi)酷刑并(bing)罰(fa)款；禁止(zhi)行巫術；破壞他人(ren)耕地(di)(di)者(zhe)要支付(fu)食物賠償；女奴(nu)(nu)對女主人(ren)不敬則予體罰(fa)。婦女在家庭中地(di)(di)位(wei)低(di)下(xia)，如(ru)犯通奸罪(zui)則處(chu)死等等。這些條(tiao)文充分(fen)表明了當(dang)(dang)(dang)時立法已采用罰(fa)金(jin)賠款等方(fang)式逐步取(qu)代(dai)同(tong)態(tai)復仇。
從(cong)現在僅存的(de)(de)(de)二十(shi)多條殘篇來(lai)看，涉及女(nv)奴(nu)的(de)(de)(de)有(you)五條，她(ta)們(men)時(shi)常遭受強暴(bao)、買賣和(he)毆打；有(you)兩條涉及寡婦(fu)，她(ta)們(men)的(de)(de)(de)社(she)會地位較(jiao)之女(nv)奴(nu)較(jiao)好——法典序言提到不(bu)允許有(you)勢力的(de)(de)(de)人(ren)支配寡婦(fu)，正文又提到遺棄(qi)寡婦(fu)的(de)(de)(de)男人(ren)應(ying)賠償一定(ding)(ding)數額(e)的(de)(de)(de)白銀；法典也涉及普通婦(fu)女(nv)，她(ta)們(men)的(de)(de)(de)社(she)會地位比(bi)女(nv)奴(nu)和(he)婦(fu)女(nv)高(gao)，但較(jiao)普通男子(zi)卑(bei)下。盡管法典中仍殘存著讓河神澄清妖術罪(zui)和(he)妻(qi)子(zi)被控通奸(jian)罪(zui)的(de)(de)(de)規(gui)定(ding)(ding)，但有(you)關身體傷害的(de)(de)(de)處罰規(gui)定(ding)(ding)比(bi)原(yuan)始(shi)的(de)(de)(de)處罰有(you)了很大的(de)(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)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)納(na)(na)(na)(na)姆(mu)(mu)（Ur-Nammu）約公(gong)(gong)元(yuan)前(qian)(qian)2113年(nian)－公(gong)(gong)元(yuan)前(qian)(qian)2096年(nian)在(zai)(zai)位阿卡德(de)王國滅亡后(hou)，蠻族庫提(ti)人(ren)統治(zhi)蘇美爾(er)(er)(er)(er)地區(qu)，雖(sui)然(ran)其間有些蘇美爾(er)(er)(er)(er)城邦保持著相對的(de)(de)(de)獨立和繁榮。公(gong)(gong)元(yuan)前(qian)(qian)2120年(nian)，漁夫出(chu)身的(de)(de)(de)烏(wu)魯(lu)克人(ren)烏(wu)圖赫加(jia)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)起(qi)兵自(zi)立為烏(wu)魯(lu)克王，并且打敗了庫提(ti)人(ren)，俘獲了庫提(ti)人(ren)的(de)(de)(de)末代國王梯(ti)里根（Tiriga），烏(wu)圖赫加(jia)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)占領(ling)烏(wu)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)后(hou)任命(ming)烏(wu)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)納(na)(na)(na)(na)姆(mu)(mu)治(zhi)理(li)烏(wu)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)。烏(wu)圖赫加(jia)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)與烏(wu)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)納(na)(na)(na)(na)姆(mu)(mu)的(de)(de)(de)關系現在(zai)(zai)仍是史(shi)學(xue)界研究的(de)(de)(de)課題(ti)，一(yi)說(shuo)(shuo)烏(wu)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)納(na)(na)(na)(na)姆(mu)(mu)是烏(wu)圖赫加(jia)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)的(de)(de)(de)弟(di)弟(di)，另一(yi)說(shuo)(shuo)烏(wu)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)納(na)(na)(na)(na)姆(mu)(mu)則是烏(wu)圖赫加(jia)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)的(de)(de)(de)女(nv)婿。但可能(neng)在(zai)(zai)烏(wu)圖赫加(jia)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)尚在(zai)(zai)世時(shi)，烏(wu)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)納(na)(na)(na)(na)姆(mu)(mu)就已經與他反目(mu)為仇(chou)，不(bu)(bu)臣(chen)服于他了。約公(gong)(gong)元(yuan)前(qian)(qian)2112年(nian)，烏(wu)圖赫加(jia)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)死于一(yi)場(chang)意外（或者可能(neng)是陰謀(mou)）。此后(hou)烏(wu)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)納(na)(na)(na)(na)姆(mu)(mu)南征(zheng)北(bei)戰，繼阿卡德(de)王國以后(hou)，統一(yi)整個美索(suo)不(bu)(bu)達米亞(ya)，建立起(qi)了強大(da)的(de)(de)(de)中央集權(quan)制王朝(chao)。（另一(yi)強大(da)的(de)(de)(de)蘇美城邦拉格什于約公(gong)(gong)元(yuan)前(qian)(qian)2110年(nian)被征(zheng)服）烏(wu)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)納(na)(na)(na)(na)姆(mu)(mu)留給后(hou)人(ren)一(yi)部《烏(wu)爾(er)(er)(er)(er)納(na)(na)(na)(na)姆(mu)(mu)法典》，今天考古所得的(de)(de)(de)只(zhi)是這部法典的(de)(de)(de)一(yi)小部分。
《烏爾納(na)(na)姆(mu)法(fa)典(dian)(dian)》是部成(cheng)熟的(de)法(fa)律，蘇美爾文明的(de)法(fa)制體系(xi)已(yi)經經歷了很長時間的(de)發展。雖然如此，《烏爾納(na)(na)姆(mu)法(fa)典(dian)(dian)》但仍然可視為人類(lei)文明史上現(xian)存的(de)最早的(de)成(cheng)文法(fa)。
歲月靜好 
