Deuteronomo 20
1 Pamene mukupita kokachita nkhondo ndi adani anu, mukaona akavalo kapena magaleta kapena gulu la ankhondo kuposa inuyo musamaope chifukwa Yehova Mulungu wanu, amene anakutulutsani ku Igupto adzakhala nanu.
When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, [and] a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God [is] with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
2 Pamene mwatsala pangʼono kuyamba nkhondo, wansembe azibwera kutsogolo ndipo aziyankhula ku gulu lonse lankhondolo.
And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,
3 Iye aziti, “Tamverani inu Aisraeli, mukupita kukachita nkhondo ndi adani anu lero. Musataye mitima kapena kuchita mantha ayi. Musaopsedwe kapena kunjenjemera pamaso pawo,
And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them;
4 pakuti Yehova Mulungu wanu ndiye amene apite nanu kukakumenyerani nkhondo ndi kugonjetsa adani anu.”
For the LORD your God [is] he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.
5 Akuluakulu ankhondo adzati kwa gulu la ankhondolo, “Kodi pali wina amene wangomanga nyumba kumene ndipo sanayitsekulire? Ayambe wapita ku mudzi chifukwa mwina akafera ku nkhondoko ndipo wina ndi kudzayitsekulira.
And the officers shall speak unto the people, saying, What man [is there] that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it.
6 Kodi pali wina amene analima munda wamphesa ndipo sanayambe kudyerera? Ayambe wapita ku mudzi chifukwa mwina akafera ku nkhondo ndipo wina adzadyerera mundawo.
And what man [is he] that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not [yet] eaten of it? let him [also] go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man eat of it.
7 Kodi pali amene wachita chinkhoswe ndi mkazi ndipo sanamukwatire mkaziyo? Ayambe wabwerera ku mudzi chifukwa mwina akafera ku nkhondo ndipo wina adzakwatira mkaziyo.”
And what man [is there] that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.
8 Ndipo akuluakulu ankhondowo akapitirize kuti, “Kodi pali amene akuchita mantha kapena kutaya mtima? Abwerere ku mudzi kuopa kuti abale ake angatayenso mtima.”
And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man [is there that is] fearful and fainthearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren’s heart faint as well as his heart.
9 Akuluakuluwo akatsiriza kuyankhula ndi gulu la ankhondolo, adzasankhe olilamulira.
And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking unto the people, that they shall make captains of the armies to lead the people.
10 Pamene mukuyandikira kuphwanya mzinda, muyambe mwafunsa anthu a mu mzindawo ngati afuna zamtendere.
When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it.
11 Akavomera natsekula zipata zawo, anthu wonse mu mzindawo adzagwidwa ukapolo nakugwirirani ntchito.
And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, [that] all the people [that is] found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee.
12 Koma akakana za mtendere nachita nanu nkhondo, muwuphwanye mzindawo.
And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it:
13 Yehova Mulungu wanu akakupatsani mzindawo, muwaphe amuna onse.
And when the LORD thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword:
14 Akazi, ana, ziweto ndi china chilichonse mu mzindamo, mukhoza kuzitenga kuti zikhale zanu monga katundu wolanda ku nkhondo. Katundu wa adani anuyu amene Yehova Mulungu wanu akukupatsani, mukhoza kumugwiritsa ntchito.
But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, [even] all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which the LORD thy God hath given thee.
15 Mizinda yonse yakutali osati ya mitundu yapafupi, muzichita nayo chomwechi.
Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities [which are] very far off from thee, which [are] not of the cities of these nations.
16 Komabe mʼmizinda imene Yehova Mulungu wanu akukupatsani ngati cholowa chanu, musasiyemo chamoyo chilichonse.
But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee [for] an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth:
17 Muwawononge kwathunthu Ahiti, Aamori, Akanaani, Aperezi, Ahivi ndi Ayebusi monga momwe Yehova Mulungu wanu anakulamulirani.
But thou shalt utterly destroy them; [namely], the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee:
18 Mukapanda kutero adzakuphunzitsani kuti mutengere zinthu zonyansa zimene amachita popembedza milungu yawo ndipo mudzachimwira Yehova Mulungu wanu.
That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the LORD your God.
19 Mukalimbana ndi mzinda nthawi yayitali, kuchita nawo nkhondo pofuna kuwugonjetsa, musawononge podula mitengo yake ndi nkhwangwa, osayidula chifukwa zipatso zakezo mukhoza kudya. Kodi mitengo ya ku munda ndi anthu kuti mukalimbane nayo?
When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down (for the tree of the field [is] man’s [life]) to employ [them] in the siege:
20 Komabe mukhoza kudula mitengo imene mukudziwa kuti si ya zipatso ndi kuyigwiritsa ntchito pa nkhondo mpaka mzinda umene mukumenyana nawowo utagwetsedwa.
Only the trees which thou knowest that they [be] not trees for meat, thou shalt destroy and cut them down; and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it be subdued.
