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 Yahweh your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, is with you.

Sɛ mokɔ ɔko de tia mo atamfoɔ na mohunu apɔnkɔ ne nteaseɛnam ne akodɔm a wɔdɔɔso sen mo a, monnsuro wɔn. Awurade, mo Onyankopɔn, a ɔyii mo firii Misraim no bɛka mo ho.

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

Sɛ morebɛkɔ ɔko a, ɔsɔfoɔ no bɛba abɛkasa akyerɛ akodɔm no.

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

Ɔbɛka sɛ, “Montie me, mo Israel mmarima! Ɛnnɛ, morekɔ ɔsa yi, mommma mo akoma ntu! Mommma mo abasa mu mmu, na momma mo ho mpopo.

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

Na Awurade, mo Onyankopɔn, na ɔne mo rekɔ. Ɔbɛko atia mo atamfoɔ no ama mo, na moadi nkonim.”

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.

Akodɔm mpanimfoɔ no bɛbisa akodɔm no sɛ, “Mo mu bi asi ɛdan foforɔ a ɔntenaa mu da? Sɛ obi wɔ ha saa a, ɔnsane nkɔ! Ebia na wɔakum no wɔ ɔko no mu na ama obi akɔtena mu!

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.

Obi wɔ ha a wadɔ bobefuo na ɔnnii mu aba da? Sɛ obi wɔ ha saa a, ɔnsane nkɔ! Ebia na wɔakum no wɔ ɔko no mu, na ama obi akɔdi mu aba.

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.”

Obi wɔ ha a wagye ɔbaa bi awadeɛ? Sɛ obi wɔ ha saa a, ɔnsane nkɔ! Ebia na wɔakum no wɔ ɔko no mu, na ama obi akɔware ne siyere no.”

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.”

Afei, mpanimfoɔ bɛkɔ so abisa sɛ, “Mo mu bi suro anaa nʼakoma atu? Ɛnneɛ, ɔnkɔ fie sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a, ne nuammarima nso akoma ntu.”

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.

Sɛ mpanimfoɔ no wie akodɔm no kasakyerɛ a, afei wɔbɛpa asahene asisi wɔn ano.

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

Sɛ mobɛn kuro biara a morekɔto ahyɛ wɔn so no ano a, deɛ ɛdi ɛkan no, monkyerɛ nnipa no asomdwoeɛ nhyehyɛeɛ a mowɔ ma wɔn.

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.

Sɛ wɔpene mo nhyehyɛeɛ no so na wɔbue wɔn apono ma mo a, nnipa a wɔwɔ mu no nyinaa, mobɛhyɛ wɔn ama wɔasom mo.

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

Na sɛ wɔampene asomdwoeɛ nhyehyɛeɛ no so na sɛ wɔse wɔne mo bɛko a, ɛnneɛ, monto nhyɛ kuro no so.

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

Sɛ Awurade, mo Onyankopɔn, dane kuro no hyɛ mo nsa a, monkum kuro no mu mmarima nyinaa.

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 Yahweh your God has given you.

Nanso, ɛyɛ a momfa kuro no mu mmaa, mmɔfra, nyɛmmoa ne asadeɛ a aka nyinaa sɛ agyapadeɛ. Momfa asadeɛ no nyinaa a Awurade de ama mo no.

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.

Saa nhyɛ yi fa nkuro a ɛwɔ akyiri nko ara ho, na ɛnyɛ nkuro a ɛwɔ bɔhyɛ asase no so.

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

Na amanaman nkuro a Awurade, mo Onyankopɔn, de rema mo sɛ agyapadeɛ sononko no deɛ, monsɛe biribiara a nkwa wɔ mu wɔ hɔ no.

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

Monsɛe Hetifoɔ, Amorifoɔ, Kanaanfoɔ, Perisifoɔ, Hewifoɔ ne Yebusifoɔ pasaa sɛdeɛ Awurade, mo Onyankopɔn, hyɛɛ mo no.

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

Sɛ ɛba saa a, ɛremma nnipa a wɔte asase no so no nkyerɛ mo akyiwadeɛ ho amanneɛ a wɔnam so somm wɔn anyame a anka ɛbɛma mo ayɛ bɔne a emu yɛ duru atia Awurade, mo Onyankopɔn, no.

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?

Sɛ moretua kuropɔn bi na ɔko no rekɔ so a, monnsɛe nnua. Monni nnuaba no na monntwitwa nnua no ngu. Nnua no nyɛ atamfoɔ a ɛsɛ sɛ moto hyɛ so!

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.

Nanso, motumi twa nnua a monim sɛ ɛnyɛ aduane. Momfa nyɛ deɛ ɛho hia mo mfa ntua kuro no kɔsi sɛ ɛbɛdi nkoguo.