Helaman
29 verses
In the sixty-ninth year of the reign of the judges over the Nephite people, Nephi, the son of Helaman, returned to the land of Zarahemla from the land to the north.
Behold, now it came to pass in the sixty and ninth year of the reign of the judges over the people of the Nephites, that Nephi, the son of Helaman, returned to the land of Zarahemla from the land northward.
He had been among the people in the land northward, preaching the word of God to them and prophesying many things to them.
For he had been forth among the people who were in the land northward, and did preach the word of God unto them, and did prophesy many things unto them;
They rejected all his words so completely that he couldn’t stay among them, and he returned to the land where he was born.
And they did reject all his words, insomuch that he could not stay among them, but returned again unto the land of his nativity.
Seeing the people in such terrible wickedness, with the Gadianton robbers filling the judgment seats and taking control and authority over the land, they set aside God's commandments and were not right before him at all, doing no justice to the people.
And seeing the people in a state of such awful wickedness, and those Gadianton robbers filling the judgment-seats—having usurped the power and authority of the land; laying aside the commandments of God, and not in the least aright before him; doing no justice unto the children of men;
They condemned the righteous because of their righteousness, let the guilty and wicked go unpunished because of their money, and held office at the head of government to rule and do whatever they wanted so they could gain wealth and worldly glory, and make it easier for themselves to commit adultery, steal, kill, and do whatever they pleased.
Condemning the righteous because of their righteousness; letting the guilty and the wicked go unpunished because of their money; and moreover to be held in office at the head of government, to rule and do according to their wills, that they might get gain and glory of the world, and, moreover, that they might the more easily commit adultery, and steal, and kill, and do according to their own wills—
This great wickedness had come upon the Nephites in just a few years. When Nephi saw it, his heart was filled with sorrow, and he cried out in agony.
Now this great iniquity had come upon the Nephites, in the space of not many years; and when Nephi saw it, his heart was swollen with sorrow within his breast; and he did exclaim in the agony of his soul:
I wish I could have lived in the days when my father Nephi first left Jerusalem, so I could have rejoiced with him in the promised land. Back then, his people were willing to listen, committed to keeping God's commandments, slow to do wrong, and quick to obey the words of the Lord.
Oh, that I could have had my days in the days when my father Nephi first came out of the land of Jerusalem, that I could have joyed with him in the promised land; then were his people easy to be entreated, firm to keep the commandments of God, and slow to be led to do iniquity; and they were quick to hearken unto the words of the Lord—
If I had lived in those days, my soul would have found joy in the righteousness of my brothers.
Yea, if my days could have been in those days, then would my soul have had joy in the righteousness of my brethren.
But I accept that these are my days, and my soul will be filled with sorrow because of the wickedness of my brothers.
But behold, I am consigned that these are my days, and that my soul shall be filled with sorrow because of this the wickedness of my brethren.
Nephi was on a tower in his garden, which was by the highway that led to the main market in the city of Zarahemla. He had bowed himself on the tower in his garden, and the tower was also near the garden gate by the highway.
And behold, now it came to pass that it was upon a tower, which was in the garden of Nephi, which was by the highway which led to the chief market, which was in the city of Zarahemla; therefore, Nephi had bowed himself upon the tower which was in his garden, which tower was also near unto the garden gate by which led the highway.
Some men were passing by and saw Nephi as he was pouring out his soul to God on the tower. They ran and told others what they had seen, and people gathered in large numbers to find out why there was such great mourning over the wickedness of the people.
And it came to pass that there were certain men passing by and saw Nephi as he was pouring out his soul unto God upon the tower; and they ran and told the people what they had seen, and the people came together in multitudes that they might know the cause of so great mourning for the wickedness of the people.
Now, when Nephi stood up, he saw the crowds of people who had gathered together.
And now, when Nephi arose he beheld the multitudes of people who had gathered together.
He opened his mouth and said to them, “Why have you gathered together? Is it so I can tell you about your sins? ”
And it came to pass that he opened his mouth and said unto them: Behold, why have ye gathered yourselves together? That I may tell you of your iniquities?
Because I have gone up on my tower to pour out my soul to God, because my heart is filled with sorrow over your sins!
Yea, because I have got upon my tower that I might pour out my soul unto my God, because of the exceeding sorrow of my heart, which is because of your iniquities!
Because of my mourning and lamentation, you have gathered together and are amazed; and you have good reason to be amazed. You should be amazed that you have allowed the devil to gain such a strong hold on your hearts.
And because of my mourning and lamentation ye have gathered yourselves together, and do marvel; yea, and ye have great need to marvel; yea, ye ought to marvel because ye are given away that the devil has got so great hold upon your hearts.
How could you have given in to the temptations of the one who is trying to throw your souls into everlasting misery and endless sorrow?
Yea, how could you have given way to the enticing of him who is seeking to hurl away your souls down to everlasting misery and endless wo?
Repent, repent! Why will you die? Turn to the Lord your God. Why has he forsaken you?
O repent ye, repent ye! Why will ye die? Turn ye, turn ye unto the Lord your God. Why has he forsaken you?
It is because you have hardened your hearts; you will not listen to the voice of the good shepherd; you have provoked him to anger against you.
It is because you have hardened your hearts; yea, ye will not hearken unto the voice of the good shepherd; yea, ye have provoked him to anger against you.
Instead of gathering you, unless you repent, he will scatter you so that you become food for dogs and wild animals.
And behold, instead of gathering you, except ye will repent, behold, he shall scatter you forth that ye shall become meat for dogs and wild beasts.
Oh, how could you have forgotten your God on the very day that he has delivered you?
O, how could you have forgotten your God in the very day that he has delivered you?
It is to gain wealth, to be praised by others, and so you can get gold and silver. You have set your hearts on the riches and empty things of this world, and because of this you murder, plunder, steal, lie about your neighbor, and commit all kinds of wickedness.
But behold, it is to get gain, to be praised of men, yea, and that ye might get gold and silver. And ye have set your hearts upon the riches and the vain things of this world, for the which ye do murder, and plunder, and steal, and bear false witness against your neighbor, and do all manner of iniquity.
Because of this, sorrow will come to you unless you repent. If you do not repent, this great city and all the other great cities around it, which are in our land, will be taken from you so that you will have no place in them. The Lord will not give you strength, as he has before, to stand against your enemies.
And for this cause wo shall come unto you except ye shall repent. For if ye will not repent, behold, this great city, and also all those great cities which are round about, which are in the land of our possession, shall be taken away that ye shall have no place in them; for behold, the Lord will not grant unto you strength, as he has hitherto done, to withstand against your enemies.
This is what the Lord says: I will not show my strength to the wicked, giving more to one than another, except to those who repent of their sins and listen to my words. So, my brothers, I want you to understand that it will be better for the Lamanites than for you unless you repent.
For behold, thus saith the Lord: I will not show unto the wicked of my strength, to one more than the other, save it be unto those that repent of their sins, and hearken unto my words. Now therefore, I would that ye should behold, my brethren, that it shall be better for the Lamanites than for you except ye shall repent.
They are more righteous than you, because they have not sinned against the great knowledge you have received. Therefore, the Lord will be merciful to them; he will extend their days and increase their descendants, even when you will be completely destroyed unless you repent.
For behold, they are more righteous than you, for they have not sinned against that great knowledge which ye have received; therefore the Lord will be merciful unto them; yea, he will lengthen out their days and increase their seed, even when thou shalt be utterly destroyed except thou shalt repent.
You will be cursed because of that great abomination that has come among you, and you have joined yourselves to it—to that secret group established by Gadianton!
Yea, wo be unto you because of that great abomination which has come among you; and ye have united yourselves unto it, yea, to that secret band which was established by Gadianton!
You will face sorrow because of the pride you have allowed into your hearts, which has made you think you are better than you should because of your extremely great riches.
Yea, wo shall come unto you because of that pride which ye have suffered to enter your hearts, which has lifted you up beyond that which is good because of your exceedingly great riches!
How terrible it will be for you because of your wickedness and abominations!
Yea, wo be unto you because of your wickedness and abominations!
If you don’t repent, you will be destroyed; even your lands will be taken from you, and you will be wiped off the face of the earth.
And except ye repent ye shall perish; yea, even your lands shall be taken from you, and ye shall be destroyed from off the face of the earth.
I’m not saying these things on my own, because I don’t know them by myself; but I know they are true because the Lord God has revealed them to me, so I testify that they will happen.
Behold now, I do not say that these things shall be, of myself, because it is not of myself that I know these things; but behold, I know that these things are true because the Lord God has made them known unto me, therefore I testify that they shall be.