These translations are taken from a French work published by Dr. Oppert
and M. Ménant; [Footnote: The title of the work is "Documents juridiques
de l'Assyrie et de la Chaldée," par J. Oppert et J. Ménant, Paris, 1877.]
the versions have been revised, in some essential points, for the "Records
of the Past," by Dr. Oppert, who holds himself personally responsible for
the exact representation of the sense of these documents; but on account
of the unusual difficulty of these texts, the reader may easily be
convinced that for a long time yet, and particularly in details of minor
importance, there will remain room enough for a conscientious improvement
of all previous translations.