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 battle against your enemy, and have seen horse and chariot—a people more numerous than you—you are not afraid of them, for your God YHWH [is] with you, who is bringing you up out of the land of Egypt;

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

and it has been, in your drawing near to the battle, that the priest has come near, and spoken to the people,

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.

and said to them, Hear, O Israel: You are drawing near today to battle against your enemies, do not let your hearts be tender, do not fear, nor make haste, nor be terrified at their presence,

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

for your God YHWH [is] He who is going with you, to fight for you with your enemies—to save you.

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.

And the authorities have spoken to the people, saying, Who [is] the man that has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he 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.

And who [is] the man that has planted a vineyard and has not made it common? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in battle, and another man make it common.

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.”

And who [is] the man that has betrothed a woman and has not taken her? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in battle, and another man 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.”

And the authorities have added to speak to the people and said, Who [is] the man that is afraid and tender of heart? Let him go and return to his house, and the heart of his brothers does not melt like his heart.

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

And it has come to pass, as the authorities finish to speak to the people, that they have appointed princes of the hosts at the head of the people.

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

When you draw near to a city to fight against it, then you have called to it for 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.

and it has been, if it answers you [with] peace, and has opened to you, then it has come to pass, all the people who are found in it are for tributaries to you, and have served you.

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

And if it does not make peace with you, and has made war with you, then you have laid siege against it,

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

and your God YHWH has given it into your hand, and you have struck every male of it by the mouth 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.

Only, the women, and the infants, and the livestock, and all that is in the city, all its spoil, you seize for yourself, and you have eaten the spoil of your enemies which your God YHWH has given to you.

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

So you do to all the cities which are very far off from you, which are not of the cities of these nations.

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

Only, of the cities of these peoples which your God YHWH is giving to you [for] an inheritance, you do not keep alive any [that are] breathing;

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

for you certainly devote the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, as your God YHWH 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 do not teach you to do according to all their abominations which they have done for their gods, and you have sinned against your God YHWH.

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] many days to fight against it, to capture it, you do not destroy its trees to force an axe against them, for you eat of them, and you do not cut them down—for the tree of the field [is] man’s—to go in at your presence in the siege.

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.

Only, the tree of which you know that it [is] not a fruit-tree, you destroy it, and have cut [it] down, and have built a bulwark against the city which is making war with you until you have subdued it.”