Deuteronomio 20
1 Cuando salgan a la guerra contra otras naciones y se encuentren cara a cara con caballos y carros de guerra y ejércitos de guerra más numerosos que ustedes, no tengan miedo de ellos, porque Él Señor tu Dios está con ustedes, que los sacó de la tierra de Egipto.
“If you go out to battle against your enemies, and you see horsemen and chariots, and that the multitude of your adversary’s army is greater than your own, you shall not fear them. For the Lord your God, who led you away from the land of Egypt, is with you.
2 Y cuando estén a punto de atacar, deja que el sacerdote se adelante y diga a la gente:
Then, as the battle now draws near, the priest shall stand before the front ranks, and he shall speak to the people in this manner:
3 Escucha, oh Israel: hoy avanzas hacia la lucha; deja que tu corazón sea fuerte; no permitas ser vencido por el miedo descontrolado debido a los que están contra ti;
‘Listen, O Israel! Today you engage in a battle against your enemies. Do not let your heart be overwhelmed with fear. Do not be apprehensive. Do not yield. You should have no dread of them.
4 Porque el Señor tu Dios va con ustedes, luchando por ustedes para darles la salvación de los que están contra ustedes.
For the Lord your God is in your midst, and he will contend against your enemies on your behalf, so that he may rescue you from peril.’
5 Y que los supervisores digan a la gente: Si hay un hombre que se ha hecho una casa nueva y no ha entrado en ella, que regrese a su casa, para que en el caso de su muerte en la lucha, otro no puede tomar su casa para sí mismo.
Likewise, the officers shall proclaim, throughout every company, in the hearing of the soldiers: ‘What man is there who has built a new house, and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest perhaps he may die in the battle, and another man may dedicate it.
6 O si algún hombre ha hecho un jardín de viñas sin obtener sus primeros frutos, que regrese a su casa, para que, en caso de su muerte en la pelea, otro no sea el primero en hacerlo. Hacer uso de la fruta.
What man is there who has planted a vineyard, and has not yet caused it to be common, so that all may eat from it? Let him go, and return to his house, lest perhaps he may die in the battle, and another man may carry out his office.
7 O si un hombre está comprometido en matrimonio, déjelo volver a su casa para que, en el caso de su muerte en la pelea, otro hombre no la lleve.
What man is there, who has betrothed a wife, and has not taken her? Let him go, and return to his house, lest perhaps he may die in battle, and another man may take her.’
8 Y dejen que los supervisores continúen diciéndole a la gente: Si hay algún hombre cuyo corazón es débil por el miedo, que regrese a su casa antes de que debilite los corazones de sus compatriotas.
After these things have been declared, they shall add the remainder, and shall say to the people: ‘What man is there who is overwhelmed by fear and is fainthearted? Let him go, and return to his house, lest he cause the hearts of his brothers to fear, just as he himself has been thoroughly stricken with fear.’
9 Luego, después de decir estas palabras a la gente, que los supervisores pongan a los capitanes sobre el ejército.
And when the officers of the army have become silent, and have completed their speech, each one shall prepare his unit to wage war.
10 Cuando vengas a un pueblo, antes de atacarlo, haz una oferta de paz.
When, at any time, you approach a city to fight against it, you shall first offer peace to it.
11 Y si te devuelve una respuesta de paz, abriéndote sus puertas, entonces todas las personas que se encuentren en ella pueden ser sometidas a trabajos forzados como tus sirvientes.
If they receive it, and open the gates to you, then all the people who are in it shall be saved, and they shall serve you by paying tribute.
12 Sin embargo, si no hace las paces contigo, sino la guerra, que se cierre la ciudad por todos lados y la atacarán:
But if they are not willing to enter into an agreement, and they begin to act against you in warfare, then you shall besiege it.
13 Y cuando el Señor tu Dios lo haya entregado en tus manos, que todos los hombres que están en él sean ejecutados sin piedad.
And when the Lord your God will have delivered it into your hands, you shall strike down anyone who is in it, of the male gender, with the edge of the sword,
14 Pero las mujeres y los niños y el ganado y todo en el pueblo y toda su riqueza, pueden tomar para ustedes mismos: la riqueza de sus enemigos, que el Señor tu Dios les ha dado, será su alimento.
but not the women and young children, nor the cattle and the other things that are within the city. And you shall divide all the plunder to the soldiers, and you shall eat the spoils from your enemies, which the Lord your God will give to you.
15 Así deben hacer a todos los pueblos lejanos, que no son los pueblos de estas naciones cercanas.
So shall you do to all the cities which are at a great distance from you, those which are not among the cities that you shall receive as a possession.
16 Pero en las ciudades de estos pueblos cuya tierra el Señor tu Dios te da por su herencia, no permitan que ningún ser vivo quede con vida,
But among those cities which shall be given to you, you shall not permit anyone at all to live.
17 Enteramente destruye; al hitita, amorreo, cananeo, perizzita, heveo y jebuseo, como el Señor tu Dios te ha mandado.
Instead, you shall put them to death with the edge of the sword, specifically: the Hittite and the Amorite and the Canaanite, the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite, just as the Lord your God has commanded you.
18 Para que no sigan sus costumbres y hagan todas las cosas repugnantes que ellos hacen en la adoración de sus dioses, pecando así contra el Señor tu Dios.
Otherwise, they may teach you to do all the abominations which they have committed for their own gods. And then you would sin against the Lord your God.
19 Si en la guerra tus ejércitos cierran una ciudad durante mucho tiempo, no dejes que sus árboles sean talados y desechados; porque su fruto será tu alimento; ¿Son los árboles del campo hombres para que ustedes tomen las armas contra ellos?
When you will have besieged a city for a long time, and you will have encircled it with fortifications, so that you may fight against it, you shall not cut down trees from which one is able to eat, neither shall you cause devastation with axes to the surrounding region. For it is a tree, and not a man. It is not able to increase the number of those who are fighting against you.
20 Solo aquellos árboles de los que ustedes están seguros que no se usan para comer pueden ser cortados y destruidos y ustedes deben hacer muros de ataque contra la ciudad hasta que sea tomada.
But if there are any trees which are not fruitful, but are wild, and if these are fit for other uses, then cut them down, and make machines, until you have captured the city that is contending against you.”
