ארבעה אבות נזיקים. השור. והבור. והמבעה. וההבער. לא הרי השור. כהרי המבעה. ולא הרי המבעה כהרי השור. ולא זה וזה שיש בהן רוח חיים. כהרי האש שאין בו רוח חיים. ולא זה וזה שדרכן לילך ולהזיק. כהרי הבור שאין דרכו לילך ולהזיק. הצד השוה שבהן שדרכן להזיק. ושמירתן עליך. וכשהזיק חב המזיק לשלם תשלומי נזק במיטב הארץ:
There are four primary causes of injury: the ox and the pit and the crop-destroying beast and fire. [The distinctive feature of] the ox is not like [that of] the crop-destroying beast, nor is [the distinctive feature of] either of these, which are alive, like [that of] fire, which is not alive; nor is [the distinctive feature of] any of these, whose way it is to go forth and do injury, like [that of] the pit, whose way it is not to go forth and do injury. What they have in common is that it is their way to do injury and that you are responsible for caring over them; and if one of them did injury whoever [is responsible] for the injury must make restitution [to the damaged party] with the best of his land.