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Thundering voice from the heavens above: THOU SHALT NOT LIE!

edit: just cited THE supralegal authority here, regarding fake nyuz...

It is a common misconception that "Thou shalt not lie" is a divine commandment from God. You're probably thinking of "Thou shalt not bear false witness against your neighbor" (Exodus 20:16), which is more specific.

The specifics must have been lost in translation on their way to me ;-)

I wish I could read ancient aramaic because I'm pretty sure they don't literally mean its fine to lie about anything that doesn't involve someone living nearby.

I suspect even in the translation, neither "neighbor" nor "false witness" are meant in the way you are inferring.

It should be probably read something like : don't swear to untrue things about your countrymen.

That's what I meant but I could have been less terse. It probably refers to the tribe of the Israelites so clan is probably closer than countrymen.

Ah, fair I misread you.

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