Deuteronomy 20

1 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.

1 Mtakapokwenda vitani kupigana na adui zenu na mkaona farasi na magari ya vita na jeshi kubwa kuliko lenu, msiwaogope, kwa sababu Bwana Mungu wenu aliyewatoa kutoka Misri, atakuwa pamoja nanyi.

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

2 Wakati mtakapokaribia kwenda vitani, kuhani atakuja mbele na kuhutubia jeshi.

3 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.

3 Atasema: “Sikia, ee Israeli, leo unakwenda vitani kupigana na adui zako. Usife moyo wala usiogope, usitishwe wala usitiwe hofu mbele yao.

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

4 Kwa kuwa Bwana Mungu wenu ndiye huenda pamoja nanyi kuwapigania dhidi ya adui zenu na kuwapatia ushindi.”

5 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.

5 Maafisa wataliambia jeshi: “Je, kuna yeyote aliyejenga nyumba mpya ambayo haijawekwa wakfu? Yeye na arudi nyumbani, ama sivyo anaweza kufa vitani na mtu mwingine akaiweka wakfu.

6 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.

6 Je, kuna yeyote aliyepanda shamba la mizabibu na hajaanza kulifurahia? Yeye na arudi nyumbani, au sivyo anaweza kufa vitani na mtu mwingine akalifurahia.

7 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.”

7 Je, kuna yeyote aliyeposa mwanamke na hajamwoa? Yeye na arudi nyumbani, ama sivyo anaweza kufa vitani na mtu mwingine akamwoa.”

8 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.”

8 Kisha maafisa wataongeza haya, “Je, kuna mtu anayeogopa ama kufa moyo? Yeye na arudi nyumbani ili ndugu zake nao wasije wakafa moyo pia.”

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

9 Wakati maafisa watakapomaliza kuzungumza na jeshi, watawateua wakuu wa vikosi.

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

10 Wakati mtakapokwenda kushambulia mji, wapeni watu wake masharti ya amani.

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

11 Wakikubali na kuwafungulia malango yao, watu wake wote watawatumikia kwa kufanya kazi ngumu na watawatumikia.

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

12 Ikiwa watakataa kufanya mapatano ya amani na wakiwaingiza katika vita, basi mtauzunguka mji huo kwa vita.

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

13 Wakati Bwana Mungu wenu atakapouweka mji huo mkononi mwenu, waueni kwa upanga wanaume wote waliomo ndani yake.

14 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.

14 Kwa upande wa wanawake, watoto, mifugo na kila kitu kingine chochote ndani ya huo mji, mnaweza kuvichukua kama nyara kwa ajili yenu. Nanyi mnaweza kuzitumia hizo nyara ambazo Bwana Mungu wenu amewapa kutoka kwa adui zenu.

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

15 Hivi ndivyo mtakavyofanya kwa miji yote ambayo iko mbali nanyi, ambayo haimilikiwi na mataifa ya karibu.

16 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.

16 Hata hivyo, katika miji ya mataifa ambayo Bwana Mungu wenu anawapa kama urithi, msiache kitu chochote hai kinachopumua.

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

17 Waangamizeni kabisa Wahiti, Waamori, Wakanaani, Waperizi, Wahivi na Wayebusi, kama Bwana Mungu wenu alivyowaamuru.

18 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.

18 La sivyo, watawafundisha kufuata mambo yote ya machukizo wanayofanya wakiabudu miungu yao, nanyi mtatenda dhambi dhidi ya Bwana Mungu wenu.

19 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?

19 Wakati mtakapouzunguka mji kwa vita kwa muda mrefu, mkipigana dhidi yake ili kuuteka, msiharibu miti yake kwa kuikata kwa shoka, kwa sababu mtaweza kula matunda yake. Hivyo msiikate. Je, miti hiyo ya mashambani ni watu, hata muizingire?

20 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.

20 Hata hivyo, mnaweza kuikata miti ambayo sio miti ya matunda na kuitumia kujenga ngome, mpaka mji ulio katika vita na ninyi utakapoanguka.