Deuteronomy 20

1 When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses, chariots, and a people more numerous than you, you shall not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, is with you.

Pindi utokapo kwenda vitani kupigana dhidi ya adui zako, na kuona farasi, magari, na watu wengi zaidi kuliko wewe, haupaswi kuwaogopa; kwa kuwa Yahwe Mungu wako yu pamoja nawe, yeye aliyekuleta kutoka nchi ya Misri.

2 It shall be, when you draw near to the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people,

Wakati unakaribia kuingia kwenye vita, kuhani anapaswa kuwasogelea na kuongea na watu.

3 and shall tell them, “Hear, Israel, you draw near today to battle against your enemies. Do not let your heart faint! Do not be afraid, nor tremble, neither be scared of them;

Anapaswa kuwaambia,”Sikilizeni, Israel, mnaenda kupigana dhidi ya maadui zenu. Msidhofishe moyo wenu. Msiohofu au kutetemeka. Msiwaogope.

4 for the LORD your God is he who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.”

Kwa kuwa Yahwe Mungu wenu ndiye aendae pamoja nanyi kupigana kwa ajili yenu dhidi ya maadui zenu na kuwaokoa.

5 The officers shall speak to the people, saying, “What man is there who has built a new house, and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it.

Maakida wanapaswa kuzungumza na watu na kusema, “Ni mtu yupi aliyejenga nyumba mpya na hajaiweka wakfu? Acha aende na arudi nyumbani kwake, ili kwamba asife vitani na mtu mwingine aiweke wakfu.

6 What man is there who has planted a vineyard, and has not used its fruit? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man use its fruit.

Kuna yeyote ambaye amepanda mzabibu na hajafurahia matunda yake? Acha aende nyumbani, ili kwamba asife vitani na mtu mwingine afurahie matunda yake.

7 What man is there who has pledged to be married to a wife, and has not taken her? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.”

Ni mtu yupi aliyeposa kuoa mwanamke lakini bado hajamuoa? Acha aende nyumbani ili kwamba asife vitani na mume mwingine amuoa.”

8 The officers shall speak further to the people, and they shall say, “What man is there who is fearful and faint-hearted? Let him go and return to his house, lest his brother’s heart melt as his heart.”

Maakida wanapaswa kuzungumza zaidi kwa watu na kusema, “Ni mwanaume gani aliye hapa ambaye ni mwenye hofu au mnyonge? Acha aende na arudi nyumbani kwake, ili kwamba moyo wa ndugu yake usiyeyuke kama moyo wake.

9 It shall be, when the officers have finished speaking to the people, that they shall appoint captains of armies at the head of the people.

Wakati maakida wamemaliza kuzungumza na watu, wanapaswa kuteua majemedari juu yao.

10 When you draw near to a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace to it.

Wakati mtokapo kuteka mji, wafanye watu hao toleo la amani.

11 It shall be, if it gives you answer of peace and opens to you, then it shall be that all the people who are found therein shall become forced laborers to you, and shall serve you.

Kama watapokea amani na kufungua malango yao kwako, watu wote wanaopatikana ndani yake wanapaswa kulazimishwa kukufanyia kazi na wanapaswa kukutumikia.

12 If it will make no peace with you, but will make war against you, then you shall besiege it.

Lakini kama haitengenezi amani kwenu, lakani badala yake inatengeneza vita dhidi yenu, basi mnapaswa kumruhusu,

13 When the LORD your God delivers it into your hand, you shall strike every male of it with the edge of the sword;

na wakati Yahwe Mungu wenu anawapa ushindi na kuwaweka chini ya utawala wenu, mnapaswa kuua kila mtu katika mji.

14 but the women, the little ones, the livestock, and all that is in the city, even all its plunder, you shall take for plunder for yourself. You may use the plunder of your enemies, which the LORD your God has given you.

Lakini wanawake, wadogo, ng'ombe, na kila kitu kilicho ndani ya mji, na nyara zake zote, utavichukua kama mateka yako. Nawe utawamaliza mateka wa maadui zako, ambao Yahwe Mungu amekupa.

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

Unapaswa kuifanyia hivyo kuelekea miji yote ambayo iko mbali nawe, miji ambayo siyo miji ya mataifa yafuatayo.

16 But of the cities of these peoples that the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes;

Katika miji ya watu hawa ambayo Yahwe Mungu wenu anawapa kama urithi, mnapaswa kutunza chochote kilicho na uhai.

17 but you shall utterly destroy them: the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, as the LORD your God has commanded you;

Badala yake, mnapaswa kabisa kuagamiza: Hittite, na Amorite, Wakanani, Waperezi, Hivite, na Wabusi, kama Yahwe Mungu wenu alivyowaamuru.

18 that they not teach you to follow all their abominations, which they have done for their gods; so would you sin against the LORD your God.

Fanya hivi ili kwamba wasiwafundishe kufanya katika njia za machukizo, kama walivyofanya kwa miungu yao. Kama mtafanya, mtafanya dhambi dhidi ya Yahwe Mungu wenu.

19 When you shall besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, you shall not destroy its trees by wielding an ax against them; for you may eat of them. You shall not cut them down, for is the tree of the field man, that it should be besieged by you?

Wakati mtakapouzingira mji kwa muda mrefu, huku mkipigana dhidi yake kuuteka, hampaswi kuharibu miti yake kwa kushika shoka dhidi yake. Kwa kuwa utaweza kula matunda yake, kwa hiyo usiikate. Kwa maana mti wa kondeni mtu ambaye atauzingira?

20 Only the trees that you know are not trees for food, you shall destroy and cut them down. You shall build bulwarks against the city that makes war with you, until it falls.

Ila miti ambayo unaijua siyo miti ya chakula, unaweza kuharibu na kuikata chini; utajenga maburuji dhidi ya mji unaofanya vita nawe, mpaka uanguke.