Deuteronomy 20
1 When thou goest forth to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, [and] a people more than thou, thou shalt not be afraid of them; for Jehovah thy God is with thee, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
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.
2 And it shall be, when ye draw nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,
Pamene mwatsala pangʼono kuyamba nkhondo, wansembe azibwera kutsogolo ndipo aziyankhula ku gulu lonse lankhondolo.
3 and shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye draw nigh this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your heart faint; fear not, nor tremble, neither be ye affrighted at them;
Iye aziti, “Tamverani inu Aisraeli, mukupita kukachita nkhondo ndi adani anu lero. Musataye mitima kapena kuchita mantha ayi. Musaopsedwe kapena kunjenjemera pamaso pawo,
4 for Jehovah your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.
pakuti Yehova Mulungu wanu ndiye amene apite nanu kukakumenyerani nkhondo ndi kugonjetsa adani anu.”
5 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.
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.
6 And what man is there that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not used the fruit thereof? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man use the fruit thereof.
Kodi pali wina amene analima munda wamphesa ndipo sanayambe kudyerera? Ayambe wapita ku mudzi chifukwa mwina akafera ku nkhondo ndipo wina adzadyerera mundawo.
7 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.
Kodi pali amene wachita chinkhoswe ndi mkazi ndipo sanamukwatire mkaziyo? Ayambe wabwerera ku mudzi chifukwa mwina akafera ku nkhondo ndipo wina adzakwatira mkaziyo.”
8 And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and faint-hearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren’s heart melt as his heart.
Ndipo akuluakulu ankhondowo akapitirize kuti, “Kodi pali amene akuchita mantha kapena kutaya mtima? Abwerere ku mudzi kuopa kuti abale ake angatayenso mtima.”
9 And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking unto the people, that they shall appoint captains of hosts at the head of the people.
Akuluakuluwo akatsiriza kuyankhula ndi gulu la ankhondolo, adzasankhe olilamulira.
10 When thou drawest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it.
Pamene mukuyandikira kuphwanya mzinda, muyambe mwafunsa anthu a mu mzindawo ngati afuna zamtendere.
11 And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all the people that are found therein shall become tributary unto thee, and shall serve thee.
Akavomera natsekula zipata zawo, anthu wonse mu mzindawo adzagwidwa ukapolo nakugwirirani ntchito.
12 And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it:
Koma akakana za mtendere nachita nanu nkhondo, muwuphwanye mzindawo.
13 and when Jehovah thy God delivereth it into thy hand, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword:
Yehova Mulungu wanu akakupatsani mzindawo, muwaphe amuna onse.
14 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 for a prey unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which Jehovah thy God hath given thee.
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.
15 Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations.
Mizinda yonse yakutali osati ya mitundu yapafupi, muzichita nayo chomwechi.
16 But of the cities of these peoples, that Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth;
Komabe mʼmizinda imene Yehova Mulungu wanu akukupatsani ngati cholowa chanu, musasiyemo chamoyo chilichonse.
17 but thou shalt utterly destroy them: the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; as Jehovah thy God hath commanded thee;
Muwawononge kwathunthu Ahiti, Aamori, Akanaani, Aperezi, Ahivi ndi Ayebusi monga momwe Yehova Mulungu wanu anakulamulirani.
18 that they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so would ye sin against Jehovah your God.
Mukapanda kutero adzakuphunzitsani kuti mutengere zinthu zonyansa zimene amachita popembedza milungu yawo ndipo mudzachimwira Yehova Mulungu wanu.
19 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 wielding an axe against them; for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down; for is the tree of the field man, that it should be besieged of thee?
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?
20 Only the trees of which thou knowest that they are not trees for food, thou shalt destroy and cut them down; and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it fall.
Komabe mukhoza kudula mitengo imene mukudziwa kuti si ya zipatso ndi kuyigwiritsa ntchito pa nkhondo mpaka mzinda umene mukumenyana nawowo utagwetsedwa.
