When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by wielding an axe against them; for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down; for is the tree of the field man, that it should be besieged of thee?

If in war a town is shut in by your armies for a long time, do not let its trees be cut down and made waste; for their fruit will be your food; are the trees of the countryside men for you to take up arms against them?

Οταν πολιορκης πολιν τινα ημερας πολλας, πολεμων αυτην δια να εξουσιασης αυτην, δεν θελεις εξολοθρευσει τα δενδρα αυτης, καταφερων επ' αυτα πελεκυν· διοτι εξ αυτων δυνασαι να τρεφησαι και δεν θελεις κοψει αυτα. Μηπως ειναι ανθρωπος το δενδρον του αγρου, ωστε να ελθη εναντιον σου εν τη πολιορκια;

When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down (for the tree of the field is man’s life) to employ them in the siege: