Deuteronomy 20

1 “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.

“ʻOka ke ka ʻalu ke tauʻi ho ngaahi fili, mo ke mamata ki he fanga hoosi, mo e ngaahi saliote, mo e kakai ʻoku tokolahi hake ʻiate koe, ʻoua naʻa ke manavahē kiate kinautolu: he ʻoku ʻiate koe ʻa Sihova ko ho ʻOtua, ʻaia naʻa ne ʻomi koe mei he fonua ko ʻIsipite.

2 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:

Pea ʻe hoko ʻo pehē, ʻi hoʻomou hoko ʻo ofi ki he tau, ʻe ʻunuʻunu mai ʻae taulaʻeiki ʻo lea ki he kakai,

3 ‘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.

Pea ʻe pehē ʻe ia kiate kinautolu, ‘Fanongo, ʻE ʻIsileli, ʻoku mou hoko ʻo ofi he ʻaho ni ke tau mo homou ngaahi fili: ʻoua naʻa mou loto foʻi, pea ʻoua naʻa mou manavahē, pe tetetete, pe lilika kiate kinautolu;

4 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.’

He ko Sihova ko homou ʻOtua ia ʻaia ʻoku ʻalu mo kimoutolu, ke tauʻi homou ngaahi fili maʻamoutolu, ke fakamoʻui ʻakimoutolu.’

5 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.

“Pea ʻe lea ʻae kau matāpule ki he kakai, ʻo pehē, ‘Ko hai ha tangata kuo ne langa ha fale foʻou, pea ʻoku teʻeki ai hūfia ia; ke ʻalu ia ʻo foki ki hono fale, telia naʻa mate ia ʻi he tau, pea huufi ia ʻe ha tangata kehe.

6 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.

Pea ko hai ha tangata kuo ne tō ʻae ngoue vaine, pea ʻoku teʻeki ai te ne kai mei ai? Ke ʻalu ia ʻo foki ki hono fale, telia naʻa mate ia ʻi he tau, pea kai mei ai ʻe ha tangata kehe.

7 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.’

Pea ko hai ha tangata kuo poloʻi ha fefine kiate ia, pea ʻoku teʻeki ai te ne maʻu ia? Ke ʻalu ia pea foki ki hono fale, telia naʻa mate ia ʻi he tau, pea maʻu ia ʻe ha tangata kehe.’

8 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.’

Pea ʻe toe lea ʻae kau matāpule ki he kakai, pea tenau pehē, ‘Ko hai ha tangata ʻoku manavahē mo loto foʻi? Ke ʻalu ia ʻo foki ki hono fale, telia naʻa vaivai foki ʻae loto ʻo hono ngaahi kāinga ʻo hangē ko hono loto.’

9 And when the officers of the army have become silent, and have completed their speech, each one shall prepare his unit to wage war.

Pea ʻe pehē, ʻoka hili ʻae lea ʻae kau matāpule ki he kakai tenau toki fakanofo ʻae kau ʻeikitau ki he kau tau kenau taki ʻae tau.

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

“ʻOka ke ka hoko ʻo ofi ki ha kolo ke tauʻi ia, te ke fakahā ʻae melino ki ai.

11 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.

Pea ʻe pehē, kapau ʻoku tali fakamelino ia, pea ʻoku toʻo ia kiate koe, pea ʻe toki pehē, ko e kakai kotoa pē ʻoku ʻi ai ʻe hopoate kotoa pē kiate koe, pea tenau tauhi koe.

12 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.

Pea kapau ʻe ʻikai fai ia ha fakalelei mo koe, ka ʻoku loto ke tauʻi koe, te ke toki tauʻi ia:

13 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,

Pea hili hono tuku ia ʻe Sihova ko ho ʻOtua ki ho nima, te ke taaʻi ʻae tangata kotoa pē ʻoku ʻi ai ʻaki ʻae mata ʻoe heletā:

14 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.

Ka ko e kau fefine, mo e fānau siʻi, mo e fanga manu, mo e meʻa kotoa pē ʻoku ʻi he kolo, ʻio, ko e meʻa vete kotoa pē ʻo ia, ke ke toʻo kiate koe; pea ke kai ʻae meʻa vete ʻa ho ngaahi fili, ʻaia kuo foaki ʻe Sihova ko ho ʻOtua kiate koe.

15 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.

Ke ke fai pehē pe ki he ngaahi kolo ʻaia ʻoku mamaʻo ʻaupito meiate koe, ʻaia ʻoku ʻikai ʻi he ngaahi kolo ʻoe ngaahi puleʻanga ni.

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

Ka ko e ngaahi kolo ʻae kakai ni, ʻaia ʻoku foaki kiate koe ʻe Sihova ko ho ʻOtua ko ho tofiʻa, ʻoua naʻa ke fakamoʻui ha tokotaha ʻoku mānava:

17 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.

Ka te ke fakaʻauha ʻaupito ʻakinautolu; ʻae kau Heti, mo e kau ʻAmoli, mo e kau Kēnani, mo e kau Pelesi, mo e kau Hevi, mo e kau Sepusi; ʻo hangē ko e fekau ʻa Sihova ko ho ʻOtua kiate koe:

18 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.

Koeʻuhi ke ʻoua naʻa nau ako kiate kimoutolu ke fai ʻo hangē ko ʻenau ngaahi ngāue kovi ki honau ngaahi ʻotua: pea mou fai angahala ai kia Sihova ko homou ʻOtua.

19 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.

“ʻOka ke ka kāpui ha kolo ʻo fuoloa, ʻi hoʻo tauʻi ia ke lavaʻi, ʻoua naʻa ke maumauʻi ʻae ngaahi ʻakau ʻo ia ʻi hoʻo ʻai mālohi ʻae toki ki ai: he koeʻuhi te ke kai mei ai, pea ʻoua naʻa ke tā hifo ia ke ngāueʻaki ʻi he tau, (he ko e ʻakau ʻoe ngoue ko e moʻui ia ʻae tangata: )

20 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.”

Ka ko e ngaahi ʻakau ʻoku ke ʻilo ʻoku ʻikai ko e ngaahi ʻakau fua ke kai, ke ke maumau mo ke tā hifo ia, pea te ke tanu puke ki he kolo ʻoku ne tauʻi koe kaeʻoua ke ke lavaʻi ia.