5 Mose 20

1 Sɛ mokɔ ɔko de tia mo atamfo na muhu apɔnkɔ ne nteaseɛnam ne asraafo a wɔdɔɔso sen mo a, munnsuro wɔn, efisɛ Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn no, a oyii mo fii Misraim no bɛka mo ho.

When you go out to war against your enemies and see horses, chariots, and an army larger than yours, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you.

2 Sɛ morebɛkɔ ɔko a, ɔsɔfo no bɛba abɛkasa akyerɛ asraafo no.

When you are about to go into battle, the priest is to come forward and address the army,

3 Ɔbɛka se, “Muntie me, mo Israel mmarima! Nnɛ, morekɔ ɔsa atia mo atamfo. Mommma mo koma ntutu! Mommma mo aba mu mmu na momma mo ho mpopo.

saying to them, “Hear, O Israel, today you are going into battle with your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be alarmed or terrified because of them.

4 Na Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn no, na ɔne mo rekɔ. Ɔbɛko atia mo atamfo no ama moadi nkonim.”

For the LORD your God goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.”

5 Asraafo mpanyimfo no bebisa asraafo no se, “Mo mu bi asi ɔdan foforo a ɔntenaa mu da? Onii no nsan nkɔ fie! Ebia na wɔakum no wɔ ɔko no mu na ama obi akɔtena mu.

Furthermore, the officers are to address the army, saying, “Has any man built a new house and not dedicated it? Let him return home, or he may die in battle and another man dedicate it.

6 Obi wɔ ha a wadɔw bobeturo na onnidii mu da? Onii no nsan nkɔ fie! Ebia na wɔakum no wɔ ɔko no mu na ama obi akodidi mu.

Has any man planted a vineyard and not begun to enjoy its fruit? Let him return home, or he may die in battle and another man enjoy its fruit.

7 Obi wɔ ha a ɔne ɔbea bi akasa nanso ɔwaree no ana? Onii no nsan nkɔ fie! Ebia na wɔakum no wɔ ɔko no mu na ama obi akɔware no.”

Has any man become pledged to a woman and not married her? Let him return home, or he may die in battle and another man marry her.”

8 Afei, mpanyimfo no bɛkɔ so abisa se, “So mo mu bi suro anaa ne koma atu ana? Ɛno de, ɔnkɔ fie sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a, ne nuabarimanom nso koma rentu.”

Then the officers shall speak further to the army, saying, “Is any man afraid or fainthearted? Let him return home, so that the hearts of his brothers will not melt like his own.”

9 Sɛ mpanyimfo no wie asraafo no kasakyerɛ a, afei wɔbɛpaw asahene adeda wɔn ano.

When the officers have finished addressing the army, they are to appoint commanders to lead it.

10 Sɛ mudu kurow bi mu a mo ne wɔn nni kan nka asomdwoesɛm.

When you approach a city to fight against it, you are to make an offer of peace.

11 Sɛ wɔpene mo nhyehyɛe so na wobue wɔn apon ma mo a, mobɛhyɛ nnipa a wɔwɔ mu no nyinaa ama wɔayɛ adwumaden ama mo.

If they accept your offer of peace and open their gates, all the people there will become forced laborers to serve you.

12 Na sɛ wɔampene asomdwoe nhyehyɛe no so na sɛ wose wɔne mo bɛko a, ɛno de, montow nhyɛ kurow no so.

But if they refuse to make peace with you and wage war against you, lay siege to that city.

13 Sɛ Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn no, dan kurow no hyɛ mo nsa a, munkum kurow no mu mmarima nyinaa.

When the LORD your God has delivered it into your hand, you must put every male to the sword.

14 Ɛyɛ a momfa kurow no mu mmea, mmofra, nyɛmmoa ne asade a aka nyinaa sɛ agyapade. Mubetumi de mo atamfo no asade a Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn no, de bɛma mo no ayɛ mo ade.

But the women, children, livestock, and whatever else is in the city—all its spoil—you may take as plunder, and you shall use the spoil of your enemies that the LORD your God gives you.

15 Eyi ne ɔkwan a ɛsɛ sɛ mode nkuropɔn a ɛwɔ akyiri na wɔnyɛ aman a ɛbemmɛn no fa so.

This is how you are to treat all the cities that are far away from you and do not belong to the nations nearby.

16 Na amanaman nkuropɔn a Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn no, de rema mo sɛ agyapade no de, monsɛe biribiara a nkwa wɔ mu wɔ hɔ.

However, in the cities of the nations that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, you must not leave alive anything that breathes.

17 Monsɛe Hetifo, Amorifo, Kanaanfo, Perisifo, Hewifo ne Yebusifo no pasaa sɛnea Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn no, ahyɛ mo no.

For you must devote them to complete destruction —the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you,

18 Sɛ ɛba saa a, ɛremma nnipa a wɔte asase no so no nkyerɛ mo akyiwade a wɔyɛ wɔ wɔn abosonsom ho amma mo anyɛ bɔne antia Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn no.

so that they cannot teach you to do all the detestable things they do for their gods, and so cause you to sin against the LORD your God.

19 Sɛ motua kuropɔn bi ano kyɛ, a moreko afa kurow no a, mommfa abonnua ntwitwa mu nnua nsɛe no. Efisɛ mubetumi adi nʼaba. Munntwitwa nnua no ngu. Nnua no nyɛ atamfo a ɛsɛ sɛ motow hyɛ so!

When you lay siege to a city for an extended time while fighting against it to capture it, you must not destroy its trees by putting an axe to them, because you can eat their fruit. You must not cut them down. Are the trees of the field human, that you should besiege them?

20 Nanso mutumi twa nnua a munim sɛ ɛnyɛ aduan; na momfa nyɛ ade a ɛho behia mo sɛ mode bɛboa atua kurow a mo ne wɔn reko no ano akosi sɛ mubedi so.

But you may destroy the trees that you know do not produce fruit. Use them to build siege works against the city that is waging war against you, until it falls.