What is a vain oath? One [who] swears to contradict what is known to man: [For example,] he said concerning a pillar of stone that it is of gold, concerning a man that he is a woman, or concerning a woman that she is a man. One [who] swears concerning some-thing that is impossible: [for example,] “If I did not see a camel flying through the air,” or, “If I did not see a snake like the beam of an olive press.” One [who] said to witnesses, “Come and testify for me,” [and they replied,] “We swear that we will not testify for you.” One [who] swears to annul a mitzvah; [for example,] not to make a succah, not to take a lulav, or not to put on tefillin. These are the vain oaths for which one is liable to [a penalty of] lashes for their willful transgression, and for whose inadvertent transgression one is exempt.

“I swear that I will eat this loaf,” “I swear that I will not eat it” —- the first is an oath of utterance, and the second is a vain oath. [If] he eats it —- he transgresses [only the prohibition against] a vain oath; [if] he does not eat it —- he transgresses an oath of utterance [as well].

The oath of utterance applies to both men and women, non-relatives and relatives, qualified [persons] and disqualified [persons], [both] in court and out of court, [but only] by his own mouth. One is liable for its willful transgression to [a penalty of] lashes, and for its inadvertent transgression, to a variable [sin-] offering.

The vain oath applies to [both] men and women, non-relatives and relatives, qualified [persons] and disqualified [persons], in court and out of court —- but [only] by his own mouth. One is liable for its willful transgression to [a penalty of] lashes, but for its inadvertent transgression one is exempt. For both this and that, one who was adjured by others —- is liable. How so? [If] one said, “I have not eaten today,” or, “I have not put on tefillin today” —- [and the other said,] “I adjure you,” and he replied, “Amen!” —- he is liable.

The oath of testimony applies to men but not to women, to non-relatives but not to relatives, to those qualified but not to those disqualified; and it applies only to those fit to testify; [both] in court and out of court —- by his own mouth; but if adjured by others —- they are not liable unless they deny [it] in court; [these are] the words of R' Meir. But the Sages say: Whether [he swears] by his own mouth or whether [he is adjured] by others —- they are not liable unless they deny it in court.

2. They are liable for the willful transgression of the oath, as well as for its inadvertent transgression coupled with the willful transgression of the testimony, but they are not liable for its inadvertent transgression. Now what are they liable for the willful transgression of the oath? A variable [sin-] offering.

What is the case of the oath of the testimony? [If] he says to two, “Come and testify for me,” [and they reply,] “We swear that we do not know any testimony for you”; or they say to him, “We do not know any testimony for you,” [and he says,] “I adjure you,” and they reply, “Amen!” —- they are liable.  [If] he adjured them five times outside of court, and they came to the court and confessed —- they are exempt. [If] they denied —- they are liable for each one. [If] he adjured them five times before the court, and they denied —- they are liable only once. Said R' Shimon: What is the reason? Because they cannot retract and confess.

[If] they both denied simultaneously, both are liable; consecutively —- the first one is liable, and the second one is exempt. [If] one denied and one admitted —- the denier is liable. [If] there were two pairs of witnesses, [and] the first one denied, and then the second one denied —- both are liable, because the testimony could be upheld by either of them.

“I adjure you that you come and testify for me that I have in so-and-so's possession a deposit, a loan, a stolen article, and a lost article,” [and they reply,] “We swear that we do not know any testimony for you” —- they are liable only once. [But if they reply,] “We swear that we do not know that you have in so-and-so's possession a deposit, a loan, a stolen article, and a lost article” —- they are liable for each one. “I adjure you that you come and testify for me that I have in so-and-so's possession a deposit of wheat, barley and spelt,” [and they reply,] “We swear that we do not know any testimony for you” —- they are liable only once. [But if they reply,] “We swear that we do not know any testimony for you that you have in so-and-so's possession wheat, barley, and spelt” —- they are liable for each one.

“I adjure you that you come and testify for me that I have in so-and-so's possession damages,” or “half-damages,” “double pay-ment,” “fourfold or fivefold payment,” or “that so-and-so violated my daughter,” or “seduced my daughter,” or “that my son struck me,” or “that my neighbor wounded me,” or “that he ignited my stack of grain on Yom Kippur” —- they are liable.

“I adjure you that you come and testify for me that I am a Kohen,” “that I am a Levi,” “that I am not the son of a divorcee,” “that I am not the son of a chalutzah”; “that so-and-so is a Kohen,” “that so-and-so is a Levi,” “that he is not the son of a divorcee,” “that he is not the son of a chalutzah”; “that so-and-so violated his daughter,” or “seduced his daughter,” or “that my son wounded me,” “that my neighbor wounded me,” or “that he ignited my stack of grain on the Sabbath” —- these are exempt.

“I adjure you that you come and testify for me that so-and-so promised to give me two hundred zuz, but did not give me” —- they are exempt, for one is not liable except for a claim of money, as [in the case of] a deposit.

“I adjure you that, when you know testimony for me, that you will come and testify for me” —- they are exempt, because the oath preceded the testimony.

[If] he stood in the synagogue and said, `I adjure you that, if you know testimony for me, that you come and testify for me” —- they are exempt, unless he directs himself to them.

[If] he said to two, “I adjure you, so-and-so and so-and-so, that if you know testimony for me, that you come and testify for me,” [and they replied,] “We swear that we do know any testimony for you,” and they know hearsay testimony, or one of them was a rela-tive or a person ineligible [to testify] —- they are exempt.

[If] he sent [the adjuration] through his slave, or [if] the defendant said to them, “I adjure you that if you know testimony for him, that you come and testify for him” —- they are exempt, unless they hear [it] from the claimant.