שבועות ד׳:א׳ - ד׳:ב׳

שבועות העדות נוהגת באנשים ולא בנשים – as it is written (Leviticus 5:1): “[If a person incurs guilt—when he heard a public imprecation and -] although able to testify [as one who has either seen or learned of the matter- he does not give information, so that he is subject to punishment],” the Biblical verse speaks of one who is fit to give testimony, as it is written (Deuteronomy 19:17): “the two parties to the dispute/ועמדו שני האנשים (literally, the two men)[shall appear before the LORD],” men and not women. And this Biblical verse is written [concerning] witnesses; It is stated here, “two” and it is stated above “two” (Deuteronomy 17:6): “[A person shall be put to death only on] the testimony of two or [more] witnesses; he must not be put to death on the testimony of a single witness].”

ולא בקרובין – for they are unfit/disqualified to provide testimony , as it is written (Deuteronomy 24:16): “Parents shall not be put to death for children, [nor children be put to death for parents],” with the testimony of children, and the same law applies to other relatives.

ולא בפסולים – as, for example, those who are liable for death and/or liable for stripes and the thief, for they are called wicked, and the Torah stated (Exodus 23:1): “you shall not join hands with the guilty [to act as a malicious witness].”

ואינה נוהגת אלא בראויין להעיד – to exclude the king who does not testify (see Tractate Sanhedrin, Chapter 2, Mishnah 2) , and those who are unfit/disqualified from giving testimony according to the Rabbis such as those who are dice players and pigeon racers (see Tractate Sanhedrin, Chapter 3, Mishnah 3 and Tractate Rosh Hashanah, Chapter 1, Mishnah 8).

בפני בית דין ושלא בפני בית דין מפי עצמו (out of his own mouth)- if it is from his own mouth that he swore an oath that I don’t know any testimony concerning you, he is liable, whether he took at oath before a court or not before a court.

ומפי אחרים (or from the mouth of others) – as, for example, I adjure you that you should come and testify against me , and they said to him: We don’t know any testimony in your case.

אינם חייבין עד שיכפרו בית דין (when they have denied -their knowledge – in court) – as it is written (Leviticus 5:1): “he does not give information, so that he is subject o punishment,” in a place where he would state it would have effect, but the Biblical verse is written concerning one who is sworn on other people’s demands (as a supposed witness that claims ignorance).

וחייבין – a sliding-scale offering (this offering is made when there are one of three transgressions where the financial situation of the sinner is taken into account in determining the nature of the sin-offering that he brings: violating an oath, taking a false oath to avoid giving testimony and entering the Temple or partaking of sacrifices while ritually impure. The sinner generally brings a sin-offering of a female lamb or goat, but if he cannot afford it, he may instead bring a pair of doves, one as burnt offering and the other as a sin-offering or a if he cannot afford even that, he may instead bring a meal-offering).

על זדון השבועה – for it did not state concerning it "ונעלם" /that he concealed or hid one’s self.

ועל שגגתה עם זדון העדות – that they known that the this oath was forbidden but they did not know that they are liable for a sacrifice for it.

ואין חייבים על שגגתה – if they are completely in error inadvertently, for they were forced, we don’t call them "ונשבע על השקר"/that they swore falsely.