Concerning War
1 “When you go out to fight against your enemies and you see chariots and horses and an army that outnumbers yours, do not be afraid of them. The Lord your God, who rescued you from Egypt, will be with you. 2 Before you start fighting, a priest is to come forward and say to the army, 3 ‘Men of Israel, listen! Today you are going into battle. Do not be afraid of your enemies or lose courage or panic. 4 The Lord your God is going with you, and he will give you victory.’
5 “Then the officers will address the men and say, ‘Is there any man here who has just built a house, but has not yet dedicated it? If so, he is to go home. Otherwise, if he is killed in battle, someone else will dedicate his house. 6 Is there any man here who has just planted a vineyard, but has not yet had the chance to harvest its grapes? If so, he is to go home. Otherwise, if he is killed in battle, someone else will enjoy the wine. 7 Is there anyone here who is engaged to be married? If so, he is to go home. Otherwise, if he is killed in battle, someone else will marry the woman he is engaged to.’
8 “The officers will also say to the men, ‘Is there any man here who has lost his nerve and is afraid? If so, he is to go home. Otherwise, he will destroy the morale of the others.’ 9 When the officers have finished speaking to the army, leaders are to be chosen for each unit.
10 “When you go to attack a city, first give its people a chance to surrender. 11 If they open the gates and surrender, they are all to become your slaves and do forced labor for you. 12 But if the people of that city will not surrender, but choose to fight, surround it with your army. 13 Then, when the Lord your God lets you capture the city, kill every man in it. 14 You may, however, take for yourselves the women, the children, the livestock, and everything else in the city. You may use everything that belongs to your enemies. The Lord has given it to you. 15 That is how you are to deal with those cities that are far away from the land you will settle in.
16 “But when you capture cities in the land that the Lord your God is giving you, kill everyone. 17 Completely destroy all the people: the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, as the Lord ordered you to do. 18 Kill them, so that they will not make you sin against the Lord by teaching you to do all the disgusting things that they do in the worship of their gods.
19 “When you are trying to capture a city, do not cut down its fruit trees, even though the siege lasts a long time. Eat the fruit, but do not destroy the trees; the trees are not your enemies. 20 You may cut down the other trees and use them in the siege mounds until the city is captured.
Ngekwe ngwa
1 “Kuti ha muyenda kugwa ne zwita zwenyu, mube mubona mbizi ne koloyi dze ngwa ne ngwa hwulu pana yenyu musitongo zwitja, ngoti Yahwe Ndzimu wenyu banamwi ibo bakamudusa mu shango ye Egipiti. 2 Ngono muti musedzela pejo ne ngwa, mpirisiti azhe mbeli alebeleke ne bathu, 3 abadwe ati, ‘Ihwani imwi Baiziraela, masedzela pejo ne ngwa kugwa ne zwita zwenyu mu zhuba lino, musitongo paluka moyo, musitje kene kuli kutetema kene kubazeeza, 4 ngoti Yahwe Ndzimu wenyu ndibo banoyenda namwi kumugwila ne zwita zwenyu, kumupa kukunda.’ 5 Ipapo makulukota anowolebeleka ne bathu eti, ‘Ndiwupi nlume mumuli wakabaka ng'umba iye tshwa ngono usathu kaizhula? Ngaabgwilile ku ng'umba iye pamwe unodwa efa mu ngwa ngono mmwe nlume ebe eizhula. 6 Kene ndiani nlume uyipapa wakalima nnda we zhambi ngono usathu kaja mitjelo yawo? Ngaabgwilile ku ng'umba iye ngoti pamwe ungadwa efa mu ngwa ngono mmwe nlume esala eja mitjelo. 7 Kakale ndiani nlume uipapa wakabigilidza nkadzi ngono usathu kankotosa? Ngaabgwilile ku ng'umba iye ngoti pamwe ungadwa efa mu ngwa ngono mmwe nlume esala enkotosa.’ 8 Ngono makulukota ngabalebeleke kakale ne bathu ati, ‘Ndiani nlume uipapa unotja etetema moyo? Ngaabgwilile ku ng'umba iye ngoti moyo ye bakwinya babe inodwa inyawuka seuwe.’ 9 Ngono kuti makulukota apedza kulebeleka ne bathu, ipapo batungamili be babhayani bashalugwe batungamile bathu.
10 “Uti usedzela pa nzi kubhayana nawo, ukumbile mbakisano mu uli. 11 Ngono ha shandulo yawo ili ye mbakisano ngono bezwipa kukuli, ipapo bathu bose banowang'wa muuli babe bashingili babo bakushingile. 12 Koga nzi usingathame mbakisano nawe koga uthama ngwa nawe, ipapo uukombe nge ngwa, 13 ngono kuti Yahwe Ndzimu uwo beulonga mu maboko awo ubulaye balume bose bamuuli, 14 koga bakadzi ne batukununu ne ng'ombe ne tjimwe ne tjimwe mu nzi nkulu, thundu yawo yose uitole kube iyo yose ushathisiwe nge thundu ye zwita zwizo yawapiwa ndi Yahwe Ndzimu uwo. 15 Uthame uyijalo ku mizi mikulu yose ikulekule nawe isi mizi ye njudzi idzedzi dzipano. 16 Koga mu mizi mikulu ye bathu ibaba iyeyi yaunopiwa ndi Yahwe Ndzimu uwo kube thaka, kushete tjimwe tjinotjila tjinofema tjaunosiya, 17 koga ubalobese tjoselele, Bahiti ne Baamori ne Bakanana ne Baperizi ne Bahivi ne Bajebusi Yahwe Ndzimu uwo sekwa bakalaula, 18 kuti basitongodwa bemudiya kuthama kunoyendidzana ne mishingo yabo inoshimisa yabakashinga mu kushingila midzimu yabo, ngono nge kwaikoko mudwa mutjinyila Yahwe Ndzimu wenyu.
19 “Ha ungakomba nzi nge ngwa tjibaka tjilefu, kuti uutole usitjinye miti yawo nge kuitema nge shathu, ngoti ungaja mitjelo yayo kusi kuitema. Apa miti imu minda bathu baakafanila kukomba kene? 20 Miti yamunoziba kuti ayitojiwa koga ndiyo yamungatema mubaka ndiyo zwamunoshingisa mu kukomba nzi kudzina muwutola.