If one accepts a field from his neighbor [in arisuth (tenant-farming), to give (to the owner) a half, a third, or a fourth (of the yield), or in chachiruth (rental), for so many and so many korin a year], in a place where the custom is to cut (the grain), he cuts it; to uproot, he uproots; to plow after it, [after the cutting or the uprooting, in order to overturn roots of bad grasses in it and kill them], he plows after it — all according to the custom of the land. Just as they divide the grain, so they divide the straw and the stubble. Just as they divide the wine, so they divide the shoots and the (vine) staves. And both supply the staves. [This is the reason (for what precedes), i.e., Why is it that they divide the staves? Because both supply the new staves each year.]

If one received a field from his neighbor, and it were beth hashlachin [dry land, lacking sufficient rain (and, therefore, irrigated)] or a tree-field, [and "beloved" of the tenant-farmer by virtue of the tree, being enabled to share in the fruits without exertion] — If the well [from which the field were irrigated] dried up, or the tree were cut, this does not reduce his rental [if he received the field on rental, so many and so many korin a year; for in the beginning he did not indicate that he was adding to the rental because of the well or the field.] If he (the renter) said to him (the owner): Rent me this beth hashlachin field, or this tree-field — If the well dried up or the tree were cut, his rental is reduced, [the renter having indicated that he was adding to the rental because of the well].

If one received a field from his neighbor [for a half, a third, or a quarter of the yield], and he let it lie fallow [neither plowing nor sowing it], its yield-potential is assessed, and he (the renter) gives it (that yield) to him (the owner). For thus does he write to him: "If I let it lie fallow and do not work it, I will pay according to its potential" [i.e., according to what it would yield if it were properly plowed and seeded.]

If one received a field from his neighbor and did not wish to weed it [i.e., to remove bad grass, which weakens the soil and impedes the growth of the grain], and he (the renter) said to him: "What difference does it make to you [if my share is less because the grasses reduce the ears]? I will give you the rental" [so many and so many korin, that I agreed to], he is not heeded, because he (the owner) can tell him: "Tomorrow you may leave it, and it will raise (bad) grasses for me."

If one received a field from his neighbor [for half, a third, or a quarter of the yield, as a tenant-farmer], and it did not yield [i.e., it yielded very little; and the tenant-farmer came to him to (inform him that he would) stop working it, it not being worth his effort] — If there is enough in it (the field) to cover the winnowing shovel (leha'amid kri) [close to two sa'ah], he must work it [perforce]. R. Yehudah said: What kind of measurement is kri? [The kri measurement is not appropriate for both a large and a small field, for the cultivation of the one is not comparable to that of the other.] Rather, (the criterion is) if there is enough (to equal) the dropping (of seed). [If the measure of the yield equals that of the sowing, he must cultivate it. The halachah is not in accordance with R. Yehudah.]

If one received a field from his neighbor [in rental — so many and so many korin], and it were eaten by locusts or blasted — If it were "a plague of the land" [i.e., if most of the fields of that land were locust-eaten or blasted], he deducts from his rental. If it were not "a plague of the land," he does not deduct from his rental, [for he (the owner) says to him: "It's your hard luck."] R. Yehudah says: If he received it from him for (payment in) money, in either event, [even if it were a plague of the land], he does not deduct, [for the "decree" did not go forth against money.]

If one received a field from his neighbor [in rental] for ten [i.e., for such and such] kor of wheat for a year, and it were blasted, he gives him [the stipulated ten kor] from its midst [i.e., from this blasted wheat, and the other cannot claim good wheat.] If the wheat were prime, he (the renter) cannot tell him (the owner): "I will buy some (for you) from the market," but he must give him from its midst.

If one received a field from his neighbor [in rental] to sow it with barley [i.e., for so much barley or wheat or money], he may not sow it with wheat; (If he received it to sow it with) wheat, he may sow it with barley, [for wheat weakens the soil more than barley.] R. Shimon b. Gamliel forbids it. [For it is harmful to the soil to sow it with one kind (of seed) one year, and with a different kind another. As to the halachah, all is according to the soil and the place. If the stipulation were for something that weakens the soil a little, he cannot change it and sow something that weakens it a lot. If the reverse, it is permitted.] (If he received it to sow it) with grain, he may not sow it with pulse; with pulse, he may sow it with grain. R. Shimon b. Gamliel forbids it.

If one received a field from his neighbor for few years, [less than seven], he may not sow it with flax, [for flax seed greatly weakens the soil, and its roots remain in the ground for seven years], and he has no (cutting privileges) in the trunk of a sycamore, [a wild fig tree, whose branches are cut for beams.] If he received it from him for seven years, the first year he may sow it with flax, and he has (cutting privileges) in the trunk of a sycamore. [The sycamore is a wild fig tree whose branches are cut for beams. When cut, they grow again, but in fewer than seven years, they cannot be made into beams. Therefore, if he received it for fewer than seven years, he may not cut it for beams, not having received it for this purpose. For in a few years they cannot grow back (to be suitable) for beams. But if he received it for seven years, the first year he may sow it with flax, and he may cut the sycamore that is in it.]

If one received a field from his neighbor for one seven-year period for seven hundred zuz, the shemitah year (in which the field must lie fallow) is included. If he received it from him for seven years for seven hundred zuz, the shemitah year is not included (and he has it for another "productive" year).

A worker hired by the day can collect [the worker’s wages] all of the [following] night. A worker hired by the night can collect it all of the [following] day. A worker hired by the hour can collect it all day and night. A worker hired by the week, month, year, or period of seven years, if his time expires by day, can collect [his wages] all of [that] day; [If the worker’s time] expires by night, he can collect it all [that] night and the [following] day.

Whether it be the hire of person, the hire of a beast, or the hire of utensils, it is subject to [the commandment], “In the same day you shall give him his hire” [Deuteronomy 24:15], and it is subject to [the commandment], “The wages of a hired servant shall not stay with you all night until the morning.” [Leviticus 19:13.] When is that? When [the worker] claimed [the wages]; [But if] he did not claim [the wages], [the employer] does not violate [the commandment]. If [the employer] gave [the worker] a draft on a shopkeeper or a moneychanger, [the employer] does not violate [the commandment]. A hired worker, within the set time, swears [that he has not yet been paid] and is paid. But if the set time passed, [the worker] cannot swear and receive payment; Yet if there are witnesses that [the worker] claimed payment [within the set time], [the worker] can [still] swear and receive [payment]. A resident alien is subject to [the commandment], “In the same day you shall give him his hire,” But not to [the commandment], “The wages of a hired servant shall not stay with you all night until the morning.”

If one gave a loan to his neighbor, [and the time came and he did not repay him], he may not take a pledge from him [forcibly, even in the marketplace], except through [a messenger of] beth-din; and he [the messenger of beth-din (and, it goes without saying, the creditor himself)] may not enter his house to take his pledge, it being written (Deuteronomy 24:11): "Outside shall you stand." If he had two vessels, [his debt being against both, and both standing in pledge], he takes one and returns one [when the other needs it. He returns it, and keeps the other with him, viz.:] He returns the pillow at night and the plow in the daytime. And if he (the debtor) dies, he (the creditor) does not return (the pledge) to his heirs, [there being no mitzvah to return it, it being written (Ibid. 13): "Return shall you return to him the pledge" — to him, and not to his heirs.] R. Shimon b. Gamliel says: Even to him (the debtor) himself, he returns it only until thirty days [the time of beth-din], and from the thirtieth day on it is sold in beth-din. [The halachah is not in accordance with R. Shimon b. Gamliel.] A pledge is not taken from a widow, whether she be poor or rich, it being written (Deuteronomy 24:17): "And you shall not take as a pledge the garment of a widow." [Because there is one who holds that it is a poor widow from whom a pledge is not taken, for since you must return it to her, and she comes and goes with you, you give her a bad name with her neighbors — but with a rich one, to whom this does not apply, we might think that a pledge is taken; we must, therefore, be apprised to the contrary, viz.: "You shall not take the pledge of a widow" subsumes both a poor and a rich widow.] If one takes a mill as a pledge, he transgresses a negative commandment, and he is liable (individually) for two implements, viz. (Ibid. 6): "One shall not take as a pledge the nether millstone nor the upper millstone." And it is not only nether and upper millstone that were interdicted, but all things which are used for food processing, viz. (Ibid.): "for it is a soul that he takes as a pledge."