[If] one rents a donkey to drive it on the mountain, and he drives it in the valley, [or] in the valley, and he drives it on the mountains —- even if this is ten mil and this is ten mil —- and it dies, he is liable.  [If] one rents a donkey to drive it on the mountain, and he drives it in the valley —- if it slips, he is exempt; but if it dies from the heat, he is liable. [If he rents it] to drive it in the valley, and he drives it on the mountain —- if it slips, he is liable; but if it dies from the heat, he is exempt; if [it dies] because of the ascent, he is liable.  [If] one rents a donkey, and it becomes blind or is seized for public service, he may say to him: “That which is yours is before you.” [If] it dies or breaks a leg, he is obligated to provide him with [another] donkey.

[If] one rents a cow to plow on the mountains, and he plows in the valley —- if the colter breaks, he is exempt. [If he rents it to plow] in the valley, and he plows on the mountains —- if the colter breaks, he is liable; to thresh beans, and he threshes grain, he is exempt; to thresh grain, and he threshes beans, he is liable, because beans are slippery.

[If] one rents a donkey on which to bring wheat, and he brings barley on it, he is liable; grain, and he brings straw on it, he is liable, because the added bulk is difficult to carry. [If he rents it] to bring a lesech of wheat, and he brings a lesech of barley, he is exempt; but if he added to its load, he is liable. How much must he add to its load to be liable? Sumchos says in the name of R’ Meir: A seah for a camel, three kavs for a donkey.

All craftsmen are regarded as paid shomrim, and any of them who says: “Take your [article] and bring money” is an unpaid shomer. [If one says:] “Watch for me and I will watch for you,” he is a paid shomer. [If one says:] “Watch for me,” and he re-plies: “Put it down before me,” he is an unpaid shomer.

[If] he lent him on security, he is a paid shomer. R’ Yehudah says: [If] he lent him money, he is an unpaid shomer; [if] he lent him produce, he is a paid shomer. Abba Shaul says: A person may rent out a poor man’s security, fixing a price and progressively [diminishing the debt], because he is as one who returns a lost article.

[If] one moves a cask from one place to another and breaks it, whether he is an unpaid shomer or a paid shomer, he must swear. R’ Eliezer says: [Indeed] both must swear, but I wonder whether both can swear.

[If] one hired laborers and ordered them to work early and late —- [in] a place where it is customary not to work early or not to work late, he has no right to compel them.  [In] a place where it is customary to give [the workers] food, he must give [them] food; to provide relish, he must provide relish; everything [must be done] according to the local custom.  It once happened that R’ Yochanan ben Massia said to his son: “Go out [and] hire laborers for us.” He went, and agreed to give them food. When he came to his father, he said to him: “My son, even if you prepare for them [a meal] like Solomon’s ban-quet in his time, you have not discharged your duty toward them, for they are children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Rather, before they start work, go out and say to them: `On condition that you have no claim upon me other than bread and beans.’ ” Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: He did not have to say [it]; everything is according to the local custom.

These may eat by virtue of [the law of] the Torah: one who works with [produce] attached to the ground, at the time of the completion of the work, or with [produce] detached from the ground, when its work is not yet completed —- with something that grows from the ground.  These do not eat: one who works with [produce] attached to the ground, when the work is not completed; or with [produce] detached from the ground, after its work has been completed; or with something that does not grow from the ground.

[If] one was working with his hands, but not with his feet; with his feet, but not with his hands; [or] even with his shoulder, he may eat. R’ Yose, the son of R’ Yehudah, says: [He may not eat] unless he works with his hands and his feet.

[If] he was working with the figs, he may not partake of the grapes; with the grapes, he may not partake of the figs; but he may abstain until he reaches the place of the best [fruits] and eat.  Concerning all of these, [the Rabbis] said [they may eat] only at the time of work; but in order to avoid a loss to its owner, they said: The laborers may eat while walking from row to row, and when they return from the winepress. Concerning a donkey, [it may eat] when it is being unloaded.

A laborer may eat a cucumber even [it it is worth] a dinar, or a date even [if it is worth] a dinar. R’ Elazar Chisma says: A la-borer may not eat in excess of his wages. The Sages permit [it], but [maintain that] we should teach a person not to be a glutton, lest he shut the door in his face.

A person may stipulate for himself, for his son and daughter who are of age, for his male slave and female slave who are of age, [and] for his wife, because they have understanding. But he may not stipulate for his son and daughter who are minors, nor for his male slave and female slave who are minors, nor for his animal, since they have no understanding.

[If] one hires laborers to work in his reva’i plantings, they may not eat. If he did not notify them, he must redeem [the fruit] and give them to eat.  [If] his fig cakes separated [or] his casks opened, they may not eat. If he did not notify them, he must tithe [the fruit] and give them to eat.