Translations
When you lay siege to a city for a long time, fighting to capture it, do not destroy its fruit trees by taking an axe to them—you can eat from them, so don't cut them down. The trees of the field are not soldiers who come out against you in battle.
When you besiege a city many days, fighting against it to seize it, you shall not destroy its trees by swinging an axe against them—for from them you may eat, and them you shall not cut down. Is the tree of the field a man, to come under siege before you?
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:
When you lay siege to a city for an extended time while fighting against it to capture it, you must not destroy its trees by putting an axe to them, because you can eat their fruit. You must not cut them down. Are the trees of the field human, that you should besiege them?