Deotoronomia 20

1 Raha mivoaka hanafika ny fahavalonao ianao ka mahita soavaly sy kalesy ary olona maro noho ianao, dia aza matahotra azy; fa Jehovah Andriamanitrao kosa, Izay nitondra anao niakatra avy tany amin’ ny tany Egypta, no momba anao.

When you go out to war against other nations, and come face to face with horses and war-carriages and armies greater in number than yourselves, have no fear of them: for the Lord your God is with you, who took you up out of the land of Egypt.

2 Ary rehefa hanafika ianareo, dia hanatona ny mpisorona ka hiteny amin’ ny olona hoe:

And when you are on the point of attacking, let the priest come forward and say to the people,

3 Mihainoa, ry Isiraely ô, fa efa hanafika ny fahavalonareo ianareo anio; koa aza ketraka ny fonareo ary aza matahotra, na mikorapaka foana, na mangorohoro noho ny tahotra azy;

Give ear, O Israel: today you are going forward to the fight; let your heart be strong; do not let uncontrolled fear overcome you because of those who are against you;

4 fa Jehovah Andriamanitrareo no miara-mandeha aminareo hiady ho anareo amin’ ny fahavalonareo mba hamonjy anareo.

For the Lord your God goes with you, fighting for you to give you salvation from those who are against you.

5 Dia hiteny amin’ ny olona ireo mpifehy azy ka hanao hoe: Iza no olona izay efa nanao trano vaovao, nefa tsy mbola nitokanany? Aoka handeha hiverina any an-tranony izy, fandrao maty any amin’ ny ady, ka olon-kafa no hitokana ny tranony.

And let the overseers say to the people, If there is any man who has made for himself a new house and has not gone into it, let him go back to his house, so that in the event of his death in the fight, another may not take his house for himself.

6 Ary iza no olona izay efa nanao tanim-boaloboka, nefa tsy mbola nihinana ny vokatra? Aoka handeha hiverina any an-tranony izy, fandrao maty any amin’ ny ady, ka olon-kafa no hihinana ny vokatra.

Or if any man has made a vine-garden without taking the first-fruits of it, let him go back to his house, so that in the event of his death in the fight, another may not be the first to make use of the fruit.

7 Ary iza no olona izay efa nifofo vady, nefa tsy mbola nampakatra azy? Aoka handeha hiverina any an-tranony izy, fandrao maty any amin’ ny ady, ka olon-kafa no hampakatra ny vadiny.

Or if any man is newly married and has had no sex relations with his wife, let him go back to his house, so that in the event of his death in the fight, another man may not take her.

8 Ary mbola hiteny amin’ ny olona ihany ny mpifehy azy ka hanao hoe: Iza no olona izay matahotra ka osa fo? Aoka handeha hiverina any an-tranony izy, fandrao ho ketraka tahaka ny fony koa ny fon’ ny rahalahiny.

And let the overseers go on to say to the people, If there is any man whose heart is feeble with fear, let him go back to his house before he makes the hearts of his countrymen feeble.

9 Ary rehefa vitan’ ny mpifehy vahoaka ny teny ataony amin’ ny olona, dia hasiany mpifehy ny miaramila hitarika azy.

Then, after saying these words to the people, let the overseers put captains over the army.

10 Raha mby akaikin’ izay tanàna hiadiana ianao, dia milazà fihavanana aminy.

When you come to a town, before attacking it, make an offer of peace.

11 Ary raha fihavanana no avaliny anao, ka mampandroso anao izy, dia hampanaovinao fanompoana ny olona rehetra ao, ka hanompo anao izy.

And if it gives you back an answer of peace, opening its doors to you, then all the people in it may be put to forced work as your servants.

12 Fa raha tsy mety manao fihavanana aminao kosa izy, fa te-hiady aminao, dia ataovy fahirano izy.

If however it will not make peace with you, but war, then let it be shut in on all sides:

13 Ary rehefa atolotr’ i Jehovah Andriamanitrao eo an-tananao izy, dia hovonoinao amin’ ny lelan-tsabatra ny lehilahy rehetra ao.

And when the Lord your God has given it into your hands, let every male in it be put to death without mercy.

14 Fa ny babo rehetra ao, dia ny zaza amim-behivavy sy ny biby fiompy ary izay rehetra ao an-tanàna, dia ho entinao ho anao; ary hohaninao ny babo azo tamin’ ny fahavalonao, izay omen’ i Jehovah Andriamanitrao anao.

But the women and the children and the cattle and everything in the town and all its wealth, you may take for yourselves: the wealth of your haters, which the Lord your God has given you, will be your food.

15 Toy izany no hataonao amin’ ny tanàna rehetra izay lavitra anao indrindra ka tsy tanànan’ ireto firenena ireto.

So you are to do to all the towns far away, which are not the towns of these nations.

16 Fa ny tanànan’ ireto firenena ireto kosa, izay omen’ i Jehovah Andriamanitrao ho lovanao, dia aza asiana miangana izay olona rehetra ao.

But in the towns of these peoples whose land the Lord your God is giving you for your heritage, let no living thing be kept from death:

17 Fa aringano tokoa ireo, dia ny Hetita sy ny Amorita sy ny Kananita sy ny Perizita sy ny Hivita ary ny Jebosita, araka izay nandidian’ i Jehovah Andriamanitrao anao,

Give them up to the curse; the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, as the Lord your God has given you orders:

18 mba tsy hampianarany anareo hanao araka ny fahavetavetany rehetra izay nataony tamin’ ireo andriamaniny, ka tsy hanotanareo amin’ i Jehovah Andriamanitrareo.

So that you may not take them as your example and do all the disgusting things which they do in the worship of their gods, so sinning against the Lord your God.

19 Raha hataonao fahirano ela ny tanàna izay tafihinao halaina, dia aza simbana kapaina amin’ ny famaky ny hazo eo; fa hisy hohaninao amin’ ireo, koa aza kapaina, fa olona va ny hazo any an-tsaha, no hataonao fahirano?

If in war a town is shut in by your armies for a long time, do not let its trees be cut down and made waste; for their fruit will be your food; are the trees of the countryside men for you to take up arms against them?

20 Kanefa ny hazo izay fantatrao fa tsy fihinam-boa dia kapao ihany, ka ataovy manda hamelezana ny tanàna izay miady aminao mandra-paharesiny.

Only those trees which you are certain are not used for food may be cut down and put to destruction: and you are to make walls of attack against the town till it is taken.