Deuteronomy 20

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	EL LIBRO DEL PUEBLO DE DIOS
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.	1 Cuando salgas a combatir contra tus enemigos y veas caballos, carros de guerra y un ejército más numeroso que tú, no les tengas miedo; el Señor, tu Dios el mismo que te hizo salir de Egipto, está contigo.
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:	2 Y cuando ya estén prontos para entrar en combate, el sacerdote se adelantará y arengará a la tropa
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.	3 en estos términos: «Escucha, Israel. Ahora ustedes están próximos a entrar en batalla contra sus enemigos. ¡Tengan valor! No teman, ni se angustien, ni tiemblen ante ellos,
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.’	4 porque el Señor, su Dios, los acompaña, y él combatirá en favor de ustedes para darles la victoria sobre sus enemigos».
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.	5 Los escribas, por su parte, dirán a la tropa: «¿Alguien construyó una casa nueva y todavía no la estrenó? Que se retire y vuelva a su casa, no sea que muera en el combate y otro hombre la estrene.
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.	6 ¿Alguien plantó una viña y todavía no recogió los primeros frutos? Que se retire y vuelva a su casa, no sea que muera en el combate y otro hombre los recoja.
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.’	7 ¿Alguien está comprometido con una mujer y todavía no se unió a ella? Que se retire y vuelva a su casa, no sea que muera en el combate y otro hombre se case con ella».
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.’	8 Además, los escribas harán esta advertencia a la tropa: «¿Alguien tiene miedo y le falta valor? Que se retire y vuelva a su casa, no sea que transmita a sus hermanos su propia cobardía».
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.	9 Y cuando los escribas hayan terminado de instruir a la tropa, los jefes de batallones se pondrán al frente de ella.
10 When, at any time, you approach a city to fight against it, you shall first offer peace to it.	10 Cuando te acerques a una ciudad para atacarla, primero le ofrecerás la paz.
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.	11 Si ella la acepta y te abre sus puertas, toda la población te pagará tributo y te servirá.
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.	12 Pero si rehúsa el ofrecimiento de paz y te opone resistencia, deberás sitiarla.
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,	13 Cuando el Señor, tu Dios, la ponga en tus manos, tú pasarás al filo de la espada a todos sus varones.
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.	14 En cuanto a las mujeres, los niños, el ganado y cualquier otra cosa que haya en la ciudad, podrás retenerlos como botín, y disfrutar de los despojos de los enemigos que el Señor, tu Dios, te entrega.
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.	15 Así tratarás a todas las ciudades que estén muy alejadas de ti y que no pertenezcan a las naciones vecinas.
16 But among those cities which shall be given to you, you shall not permit anyone at all to live.	16 Pero en las ciudades de esos pueblos que el Señor, tu Dios, te dará como herencia, no deberás dejar ningún sobreviviente.
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.	17 Consagrarás al exterminio total a los hititas, a los amorreos, a los cananeos, a los perizitas, a los jivitas y a los jebuseos, como te lo ordena el Señor, tu Dios,
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.	18 para que ellos no les enseñen a imitar todas las abominaciones que cometen en honor de sus dioses. Así ustedes no pecarán contra el Señor, su Dios.
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.	19 Si para conquistar una ciudad tienes que asediarla mucho tiempo, no destruirás sus árboles a golpes de hacha. Come de sus frutos, pero no los cortes. ¿Acaso los árboles del campo son hombres, para que los hagas también a ellos víctimas del asedio?
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.”	20 Podrás destruir y cortar, en cambio, los árboles que sepas que no dan ningún fruto, a fin de construir máquinas de asedio contra la ciudad que te oponga resistencia, hasta que logres someterla.