Deuteronomy 20
1 When thou goest out to war against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, [and] a people more numerous than thou, thou shalt not fear them; for Jehovah thy God is with thee, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
Pindi utokapo kwenda vitani kupigana dhidi ya adui zako, na kuona farasi, magari, na watu wengi zaidi kuliko wewe, haupaswi kuwaogopa; kwa kuwa Yahwe Mungu wako yu pamoja nawe, yeye aliyekuleta kutoka nchi ya Misri.
2 And it shall be, when ye approach unto the battle, that the priest shall draw near and speak unto the people,
Wakati unakaribia kuingia kwenye vita, kuhani anapaswa kuwasogelea na kuongea na watu.
3 and shall say unto them, Hear, Israel, ye are approaching this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be afraid of them;
Anapaswa kuwaambia,”Sikilizeni, Israel, mnaenda kupigana dhidi ya maadui zenu. Msidhofishe moyo wenu. Msiohofu au kutetemeka. Msiwaogope.
4 for Jehovah your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.
Kwa kuwa Yahwe Mungu wenu ndiye aendae pamoja nanyi kupigana kwa ajili yenu dhidi ya maadui zenu na kuwaokoa.
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 unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it.
Maakida wanapaswa kuzungumza na watu na kusema, “Ni mtu yupi aliyejenga nyumba mpya na hajaiweka wakfu? Acha aende na arudi nyumbani kwake, ili kwamba asife vitani na mtu mwingine aiweke wakfu.
6 And what man is there that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not eaten of it? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man eat of it.
Kuna yeyote ambaye amepanda mzabibu na hajafurahia matunda yake? Acha aende nyumbani, ili kwamba asife vitani na mtu mwingine afurahie matunda yake.
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.
Ni mtu yupi aliyeposa kuoa mwanamke lakini bado hajamuoa? Acha aende nyumbani ili kwamba asife vitani na mume mwingine amuoa.”
8 And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and shall say, What man is there that is timid and faint-hearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart melt as well as his heart.
Maakida wanapaswa kuzungumza zaidi kwa watu na kusema, “Ni mwanaume gani aliye hapa ambaye ni mwenye hofu au mnyonge? Acha aende na arudi nyumbani kwake, ili kwamba moyo wa ndugu yake usiyeyuke kama moyo wake.
9 And it shall be, when the officers have ended speaking unto the people, that they shall place captains of the hosts at the head of the people.
Wakati maakida wamemaliza kuzungumza na watu, wanapaswa kuteua majemedari juu yao.
10 When thou approachest unto a city to fight against it, thou shalt proclaim peace unto it.
Wakati mtokapo kuteka mji, wafanye watu hao toleo la amani.
11 And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then all the people that are found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee.
Kama watapokea amani na kufungua malango yao kwako, watu wote wanaopatikana ndani yake wanapaswa kulazimishwa kukufanyia kazi na wanapaswa kukutumikia.
12 And if it will not make peace with thee, but will make war with thee, then thou shalt besiege it;
Lakini kama haitengenezi amani kwenu, lakani badala yake inatengeneza vita dhidi yenu, basi mnapaswa kumruhusu,
13 and when Jehovah thy God delivereth it into thy hand, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword:
na wakati Yahwe Mungu wenu anawapa ushindi na kuwaweka chini ya utawala wenu, mnapaswa kuua kila mtu katika mji.
14 only the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that shall be in the city, all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take as booty for thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which Jehovah thy God giveth thee
Lakini wanawake, wadogo, ng'ombe, na kila kitu kilicho ndani ya mji, na nyara zake zote, utavichukua kama mateka yako. Nawe utawamaliza mateka wa maadui zako, ambao Yahwe Mungu amekupa.
15 Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities that are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations.
Unapaswa kuifanyia hivyo kuelekea miji yote ambayo iko mbali nawe, miji ambayo siyo miji ya mataifa yafuatayo.
16 But of the cities of these peoples which Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth,
Katika miji ya watu hawa ambayo Yahwe Mungu wenu anawapa kama urithi, mnapaswa kutunza chochote kilicho na uhai.
17 but shalt utterly devote them to destruction, the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, as Jehovah thy God hath commanded thee;
Badala yake, mnapaswa kabisa kuagamiza: Hittite, na Amorite, Wakanani, Waperezi, Hivite, na Wabusi, kama Yahwe Mungu wenu alivyowaamuru.
18 that they teach you not to do according to all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods, so that ye sin against Jehovah your God.
Fanya hivi ili kwamba wasiwafundishe kufanya katika njia za machukizo, kama walivyofanya kwa miungu yao. Kama mtafanya, mtafanya dhambi dhidi ya Yahwe Mungu wenu.
19 When thou shalt besiege a city many days, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by lifting up an axe against them; for thou canst eat of them; and thou shalt not cut them down, for is the tree of the field a man that it should be besieged?
Wakati mtakapouzingira mji kwa muda mrefu, huku mkipigana dhidi yake kuuteka, hampaswi kuharibu miti yake kwa kushika shoka dhidi yake. Kwa kuwa utaweza kula matunda yake, kwa hiyo usiikate. Kwa maana mti wa kondeni mtu ambaye atauzingira?
20 Only the trees which thou knowest are not trees for meat, thou mayest destroy and cut them down, and build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it fall.
Ila miti ambayo unaijua siyo miti ya chakula, unaweza kuharibu na kuikata chini; utajenga maburuji dhidi ya mji unaofanya vita nawe, mpaka uanguke.
