UDutheronomi 20
1 “Lapho liphuma ukuyakulwa lesitha senu empini libe selibona amabhiza lezinqola kanye lebutho elikhulu ukwedlula elenu, lingabesabi, ngoba uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu, owalikhupha eGibhithe, uzakuba lani.
When you go to war with your enemies and you see horses and chariots, and a larger army than yours, don't be afraid of them, because the Lord your God who led you out of Egypt is with you.
2 Nxa selilungele ukuhlasela, umphristi uzakuza akhulume lebutho.
Before you go into battle, the priest shall come and speak to the army.
3 Uzakuthi: ‘Zwana, wena Israyeli, namuhla liya ekuhlaseleni izitha zenu. Lingapheli amandla kumbe lesabe; lingatshaywa luvalo njalo lethuke phambi kwabo.
He is to tell them, “Listen, men of Israel! Today you are going to fight your enemies. Don't be nervous or afraid; don't be panicked or terrified by them.
4 Ngoba uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu nguye ohamba lani ukuyalilwela ezitheni zenu ukuba linqobe.’
For the Lord your God is going with you to fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you the victory.”
5 Izikhulu zizakuthi ebuthweni: ‘Ukhona owakhe indlu entsha ongakayihlali na? Kabuyele emzini wakhe, funa afe empini kuthi omunye asale esezihlalela endlini yakhe.
The officers shall also speak to the army and tell them, “Is there any man here who has built a new house and hasn't dedicated it to the Lord? He can go home, otherwise he might die in battle and another man will dedicate it.
6 Ukhona ohlanyele isivini kodwa engakadli izithelo zaso na? Kabuyele emzini wakhe, funa afe empini kuthi omunye azidlele izithelo zaso.
Is there any man here who has planted a vineyard and hasn't yet enjoyed its fruit? He can go home, otherwise he might die in battle and another man will enjoy its fruit.
7 Ukhona osethembise owesifazane kodwa engakamthathi ukuthi abe ngumkakhe na? Kabuyele emzini wakhe, funa afe empini kuthi omunye umuntu amthathe’
Is there any man here who is engaged to a woman and hasn't married her? He can go home, otherwise he might die in battle and another man will marry her.”
8 Izikhulu zizaqhubeka zithi, ‘Ikhona indoda eyesabayo kumbe ephelelwa ngamandla na? Kayibuyele emzini wayo ukuze abafowabo labo bangaphelelwa ngamandla.’
The officers are also to tell the army, “Is there any man here who is afraid or nervous? He can go home, so he won't affect his fellow-soldiers and make them as frightened as himself.”
9 Kuzakuthi lapho izikhulu seziqedile ukukhuluma lebutho, zizakhetha abalawuli bebutho.
After the officers have finished speaking to the army, they are put commanders in charge to lead it into battle.
10 Nxa lisiya edolobheni ukuthi lihlasele, khulumani labantu bakulelodolobho lidinga ukuthula.
When you arrive at a town, ready to attack it, you must first make an offer of peace to the people living there.
11 Bangavuma njalo balivulele amasango abo, bonke abantu bakulelodolobho bazakuba yizichaka zenu balisebenzele.
If they accept your offer of peace and open their gates to you, all the inhabitants will become your slave-laborers.
12 Kodwa bangala ukwamukela amazwi enu okuthula balihlasele, livimbezeleni lelodolobho.
However, if they refuse to make peace with you and decide to fight you, then lay siege to the town.
13 Kuzakuthi lapho uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu esenikele idolobho lelo kini, libulale amadoda wonke ngenkemba.
Once the Lord your God has handed it over to you, kill every male with the sword.
14 Kodwa abesifazane, abantwana, izifuyo kanye lakho konke okukulelodolobho kuzakuba yimpango yenu. Yonke impango yezitha zenu uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu alinika yona izakuba ngeyenu.
But you can take as plunder the women, children, livestock, and everything else in the town. You can take and use all your enemies' possessions the Lord your God gives you.
15 Lokhu yikho okumele likwenze emadolobheni wonke akude lani njalo angasiwo ezizwe ezihlala eduzane lani.
This is the way you are to deal with all the towns that are a long way from you and don't belong to neighboring nations.
16 Kanti-ke, emadolobheni ezizwe uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu alinika wona njengelifa, lingatshiyi lutho oluphefumulayo luphila.
However, when it comes to the towns of those nations whose land the Lord your God is giving you to occupy, don't leave anything alive that breathes.
17 Lizawabhubhisa liwaqede wonke amaHithi, ama-Amori, amaKhenani, amaPherizi, amaHivi kanye lamaJebusi njengokulaywa kwenu nguThixo uNkulunkulu wenu.
Set them apart for complete destruction—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—as the Lord your God has ordered you to do.
18 Funa balifundise ukwenza imikhuba yabo enengekayo yokukhonza onkulunkulu babo, lone kuThixo uNkulunkulu wenu.
This is to prevent them teaching you all the offensive things they do in worshiping their gods, and in so doing make you sin against the Lord your God.
19 Nxa idolobho selilivimbezele okwesikhathi eside, lilihlasela ukuze lilithumbe, lingatshabalalisi izihlahla zalo ngokuzigamula, ngoba lingadla izithelo zazo. Lingazigamuli. Kambe izihlahla zeganga zingabantu ukuthi lingazivimbezela na?
Now when you lay siege to a town and it goes on for a long time as you fight to capture it, don't destroy the fruit trees there. You can eat their fruit. Don't cut them down. Are the trees in the orchard human beings that you should also attack?
20 Kodwa-ke lingagamula izihlahla elizaziyo ukuthi azitheli izithelo ezidliwayo ukuze lizisebenzise ekwakheni amadumba lize linqobe ledolobho lelo empini.”
However, you may destroy the trees that you know are not fruit trees. You can use them to build siege equipment to attack the town that is fighting against you until it falls.
