Deuteronomy 20
1 When thou go forth to battle against thine enemies, and see horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, thou shall not be afraid of them, for Jehovah thy God is with thee, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
Mtakapokwenda vitani kupigana na adui zenu na mkaona farasi na magari ya vita na jeshi kubwa kuliko lenu, msiwaogope, kwa sababu Bwana Mungu wenu aliyewatoa kutoka Misri, atakuwa pamoja nanyi.
2 And it shall be, when ye draw near to the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people,
Wakati mtakapokaribia kwenda vitani, kuhani atakuja mbele na kuhutubia jeshi.
3 and shall say to them, Hear, O Israel, ye draw near this day to battle against your enemies. Let not your heart faint. Fear not, nor tremble, neither be ye frightened at them.
Atasema: “Sikia, ee Israeli, leo unakwenda vitani kupigana na adui zako. Usife moyo wala usiogope, usitishwe wala usitiwe hofu mbele yao.
4 For Jehovah your God is he who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.
Kwa kuwa Bwana Mungu wenu ndiye huenda pamoja nanyi kuwapigania dhidi ya adui zenu na kuwapatia ushindi.”
5 And the officers shall speak to the people, saying, What man is there who has built a new house, and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it.
Maafisa wataliambia jeshi: “Je, kuna yeyote aliyejenga nyumba mpya ambayo haijawekwa wakfu? Yeye na arudi nyumbani, ama sivyo anaweza kufa vitani na mtu mwingine akaiweka wakfu.
6 And what man is there who has planted a vineyard, and has not used the fruit of it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man use the fruit of it.
Je, kuna yeyote aliyepanda shamba la mizabibu na hajaanza kulifurahia? Yeye na arudi nyumbani, au sivyo anaweza kufa vitani na mtu mwingine akalifurahia.
7 And what man is there who has betrothed a wife, and has not taken her? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.
Je, kuna yeyote aliyeposa mwanamke na hajamwoa? Yeye na arudi nyumbani, ama sivyo anaweza kufa vitani na mtu mwingine akamwoa.”
8 And the officers shall speak further to the people, and they shall say, What man is there who is fearful and faint-hearted? Let him go and return to his house, lest his brother's heart melt as his heart.
Kisha maafisa wataongeza haya, “Je, kuna mtu anayeogopa ama kufa moyo? Yeye na arudi nyumbani ili ndugu zake nao wasije wakafa moyo pia.”
9 And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking to the people, that they shall appoint captains of armies at the head of the people.
Wakati maafisa watakapomaliza kuzungumza na jeshi, watawateua wakuu wa vikosi.
10 When thou draw near to a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace to it.
Wakati mtakapokwenda kushambulia mji, wapeni watu wake masharti ya amani.
11 And it shall be, if it makes to thee an answer of peace, and opens to thee, then it shall be, that all the people that are found in it shall become tributary to thee, and shall serve thee.
Wakikubali na kuwafungulia malango yao, watu wake wote watawatumikia kwa kufanya kazi ngumu na watawatumikia.
12 And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shall besiege it.
Ikiwa watakataa kufanya mapatano ya amani na wakiwaingiza katika vita, basi mtauzunguka mji huo kwa vita.
13 And when Jehovah thy God delivers it into thy hand, thou shall smite every male of it with the edge of the sword,
Wakati Bwana Mungu wenu atakapouweka mji huo mkononi mwenu, waueni kwa upanga wanaume wote waliomo ndani yake.
14 but the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil of it, thou shall take for a prey to thyself. And thou shall eat the spoil of thine enemies, which Jehovah thy God has given thee.
Kwa upande wa wanawake, watoto, mifugo na kila kitu kingine chochote ndani ya huo mji, mnaweza kuvichukua kama nyara kwa ajili yenu. Nanyi mnaweza kuzitumia hizo nyara ambazo Bwana Mungu wenu amewapa kutoka kwa adui zenu.
15 Thus thou shall do to all the cities which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations.
Hivi ndivyo mtakavyofanya kwa miji yote ambayo iko mbali nanyi, ambayo haimilikiwi na mataifa ya karibu.
16 But of the cities of these peoples, that Jehovah thy God gives thee for an inheritance, thou shall save alive nothing that breathes,
Hata hivyo, katika miji ya mataifa ambayo Bwana Mungu wenu anawapa kama urithi, msiache kitu chochote hai kinachopumua.
17 but thou shall utterly destroy them-the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite-as Jehovah thy God has commanded thee,
Waangamizeni kabisa Wahiti, Waamori, Wakanaani, Waperizi, Wahivi na Wayebusi, kama Bwana Mungu wenu alivyowaamuru.
18 that they not teach you to do after all their abominations, which they have done to their gods, so ye would sin against Jehovah your God.
La sivyo, watawafundisha kufuata mambo yote ya machukizo wanayofanya wakiabudu miungu yao, nanyi mtatenda dhambi dhidi ya Bwana Mungu wenu.
19 When thou shall besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shall not destroy the trees of it by wielding an axe against them, for thou may eat of them. And thou shall not cut them down, for is the tree of the field a man, that it should be besieged by thee?
Wakati mtakapouzunguka mji kwa vita kwa muda mrefu, mkipigana dhidi yake ili kuuteka, msiharibu miti yake kwa kuikata kwa shoka, kwa sababu mtaweza kula matunda yake. Hivyo msiikate. Je, miti hiyo ya mashambani ni watu, hata muizingire?
20 Only the trees of which thou know that they are not trees for food, thou shall destroy and cut them down. And thou shall build bulwarks against the city that makes war with thee, until it falls.
Hata hivyo, mnaweza kuikata miti ambayo sio miti ya matunda na kuitumia kujenga ngome, mpaka mji ulio katika vita na ninyi utakapoanguka.
