Every seventh year you shall practice release of debts. This shall be the nature of the release: every creditor shall release his authority over what he claims from his neighbor. He shall not force it from his neighbor or his brother, for God’s Shmita has been proclaimed…

If there is a needy person among you, one of your brothers in any of your cities, in the land that the Lord gives you, you shall not harden your heart or close your hand against your needy brother. Rather, you shall open your hand to him, you shall lend him sufficiently for whatever he needs. Beware, that you may harbor the thought, “the seventh year is approaching,” so that you are mean to your needy brother and give him nothing. He will cry out to the Lord against you, and it will be your guilt. Give to him readily and have no regrets when you do so, for in return, the Lord will bless you in all your efforts and all your undertakings.

(1) The Sabbatical year cancels a loan [that was made] with a contract and [a loan that was made] without a contract. Store credit is not cancelled, but if it was made into a loan, it is canceled. Rabbi Yehudah says, the previous [of each subsequent purchase on credit] is cancelled. Wages owed to a worker are not canceled, but if it was made into a loan, it is canceled. Rabbi Yossi says, any type of work which must pause during the Sabbatical year, [wages owed for that work] are cancelled. But any work which need not pause during the Sabbatical year, [wages owed for that work] are not canceled.

(2) If one slaughters a cow and distributes it [to others] on [the post-Sabbatical] Rosh Hashanah [New Year's festival], if the [previous] month was full then [the debt owed the slaughterer is] canceled. [The fines for] rape, seduction, Motzi Shem Ra [husband who falsely accuses his bride of not having been a virgin], and any judicial court matter are not canceled. One who lends on collateral, and one who entrusts his contracts to the judicial court, [those loans] are not canceled.

(3) [Any loan made with a] Pruzbul [court exemption from the Sabbatical year cancellation of a loan] is not canceled. This is one of the matters that Hillel the elder instituted. When he observed that the nation withheld from lending to each other and were transgressing what is written in the Torah (Deuteronomy 15:9): "Beware lest there be in your mind a base thought," he instituted the Pruzbul.

(4) This is the body of the Pruzbul: "I entrust to you, so-and-so and so-and-so, who judge in such-and-such place, that any loan that I have, I may collect it any time that I wish." And the judges affix their signatures below, or the witnesses.

(1) At the end of every seven years you shall make a release. (2) And this is the manner of the release: every creditor shall release that which he lent to his neighbor; he shall not exact it of his neighbor and his brother; because the LORD’S release hath been proclaimed. (3) Of a foreigner thou may exact it; but whatever was yours and is now with your brother, your hand shall release it. (4) There shall be no needy among you—for the LORD will surely bless you in the land which the LORD your God gives your for an inheritance to possess it— (5) if only you diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD your God, to observe to do all this commandment which I command you this day. (6) For the LORD your God will bless you, as He promised you; and you shalt lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; and you shall rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over you. (7) If there be among you a needy person, one of your brethren, within any of your gates, in your land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your needy brother; (8) but you shall surely open your hand to him, and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need. (9) Beware that there be not a base thought in your heart, saying: ‘The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand’; and your eye be evil against your needy brother, and you do not give to him; and he cries to the LORD against you, and it be sin in you. (10) You shall surely give to him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him; because for this thing the LORD your God will bless you in all your work, and in all of the works of your hands. (11) For the poor shall never cease out of the land; therefore I command you, saying: ‘You shall surely open your hand unto your poor and needy fellows, in your land.’