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.

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

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 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.

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

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.”

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 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.”

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

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

When, at any time, you approach a city to fight against it, you shall first offer peace to it.

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

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

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

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

But among those cities which shall be given to you, you shall not permit anyone at all to live.

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

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 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.

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 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 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 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 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.”