Mormon
29 verses
In that same year, a war started again between the Nephites and the Lamanites. Even though I was young, I was large in stature, so the people of Nephi chose me to be their leader, the leader of their armies.
And it came to pass in that same year there began to be a war again between the Nephites and the Lamanites. And notwithstanding I being young, was large in stature; therefore the people of Nephi appointed me that I should be their leader, or the leader of their armies.
When I was sixteen years old, I led an army of the Nephites against the Lamanites; by this time, three hundred twenty-six years had passed.
Therefore it came to pass that in my sixteenth year I did go forth at the head of an army of the Nephites, against the Lamanites; therefore three hundred and twenty and six years had passed away.
In the three hundred and twenty-seventh year, the Lamanites attacked us with such great power that they frightened my armies. Because of this, my armies would not fight and began to retreat toward the northern regions.
And it came to pass that in the three hundred and twenty and seventh year the Lamanites did come upon us with exceedingly great power, insomuch that they did frighten my armies; therefore they would not fight, and they began to retreat towards the north countries.
We went to the city of Angola, took possession of it, and prepared to defend ourselves against the Lamanites. We fortified the city with all our strength, but even with all our defenses, the Lamanites attacked us and drove us out of the city.
And it came to pass that we did come to the city of Angola, and we did take possession of the city, and make preparations to defend ourselves against the Lamanites. And it came to pass that we did fortify the city with our might; but notwithstanding all our fortifications the Lamanites did come upon us and did drive us out of the city.
They also forced us out of the land of David.
And they did also drive us forth out of the land of David.
We marched forward and came to the land of Joshua, which was on the western borders by the seashore.
And we marched forth and came to the land of Joshua, which was in the borders west by the seashore.
We gathered our people as quickly as possible so we could bring them together in one group.
And it came to pass that we did gather in our people as fast as it were possible, that we might get them together in one body.
The land was filled with robbers and Lamanites, and even though my people faced great destruction, they didn’t repent of their evil actions. Because of this, there was bloodshed and carnage everywhere, caused by both the Nephites and the Lamanites, and the whole land was in complete turmoil.
But behold, the land was filled with robbers and with Lamanites; and notwithstanding the great destruction which hung over my people, they did not repent of their evil doings; therefore there was blood and carnage spread throughout all the face of the land, both on the part of the Nephites and also on the part of the Lamanites; and it was one complete revolution throughout all the face of the land.
The Lamanites had a king named Aaron, and he came against us with an army of forty-four thousand. I resisted him with forty-two thousand. I defeated him with my army, and he fled from me. All this happened after three hundred and thirty years had passed.
And now, the Lamanites had a king, and his name was Aaron; and he came against us with an army of forty and four thousand. And behold, I withstood him with forty and two thousand. And it came to pass that I beat him with my army that he fled before me. And behold, all this was done, and three hundred and thirty years had passed away.
The Nephites started to repent of their sins and began to cry out, just as Samuel the prophet had prophesied, because no one could keep what belonged to them due to the thieves, robbers, murderers, magic arts, and witchcraft in the land.
And it came to pass that the Nephites began to repent of their iniquity, and began to cry even as had been prophesied by Samuel the prophet; for behold no man could keep that which was his own, for the thieves, and the robbers, and the murderers, and the magic art, and the witchcraft which was in the land.
So there was mourning and lamentation throughout the land because of these things, especially among the people of Nephi.
Thus there began to be a mourning and a lamentation in all the land because of these things, and more especially among the people of Nephi.
When I, Mormon, saw their lamentation, mourning, and sorrow before the Lord, my heart began to rejoice within me because I knew the Lord’s mercy and patience. I supposed that he would be merciful to them and that they would become a righteous people again.
And it came to pass that when I, Mormon, saw their lamentation and their mourning and their sorrow before the Lord, my heart did begin to rejoice within me, knowing the mercies and the long-suffering of the Lord, therefore supposing that he would be merciful unto them that they would again become a righteous people.
But my joy was empty, because their sorrow didn’t lead them to repent or recognize God’s goodness. Instead, it was the sorrow of the damned, because the Lord would not always allow them to find happiness in sin.
But behold this my joy was vain, for their sorrowing was not unto repentance, because of the goodness of God; but it was rather the sorrowing of the damned, because the Lord would not always suffer them to take happiness in sin.
They didn’t come to Jesus with broken hearts and humble spirits. Instead, they cursed God and wished for death, but still fought for their lives with the sword.
And they did not come unto Jesus with broken hearts and contrite spirits, but they did curse God, and wish to die. Nevertheless they would struggle with the sword for their lives.
My sorrow returned to me again, and I saw that their day of grace had passed, both physically and spiritually; I saw thousands of them killed in open rebellion against their God and their bodies piled up like dung on the land. Three hundred and forty-four years had passed.
And it came to pass that my sorrow did return unto me again, and I saw that the day of grace was passed with them, both temporally and spiritually; for I saw thousands of them hewn down in open rebellion against their God, and heaped up as dung upon the face of the land. And thus three hundred and forty and four years had passed away.
In the three hundred and forty-fifth year, the Nephites began to flee from the Lamanites, and they were chased until they reached the land of Jashon, before they were able to stop their retreat.
And it came to pass that in the three hundred and forty and fifth year the Nephites did begin to flee before the Lamanites; and they were pursued until they came even to the land of Jashon, before it was possible to stop them in their retreat.
The city of Jashon was near the land where Ammaron had placed the records for the Lord so they wouldn’t be destroyed. I followed Ammaron’s instructions, took the plates of Nephi, and made a record as Ammaron had directed.
And now, the city of Jashon was near the land where Ammaron had deposited the records unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed. And behold I had gone according to the word of Ammaron, and taken the plates of Nephi, and did make a record according to the words of Ammaron.
On the plates of Nephi, I made a complete record of all the wickedness and abominations, but on these plates I chose not to give a full account of their wickedness and abominations, because I have constantly witnessed wickedness and abominations ever since I was old enough to understand the ways of people.
And upon the plates of Nephi I did make a full account of all the wickedness and abominations; but upon these plates I did forbear to make a full account of their wickedness and abominations, for behold, a continual scene of wickedness and abominations has been before mine eyes ever since I have been sufficient to behold the ways of man.
I am sorrowful because of their wickedness; my heart has been filled with sorrow because of their wickedness all my life. Still, I know that I will be lifted up at the last day.
And wo is me because of their wickedness; for my heart has been filled with sorrow because of their wickedness, all my days; nevertheless, I know that I shall be lifted up at the last day.
That year, the people of Nephi were once again hunted and driven out. We were forced to flee until we reached the land called Shem in the north.
And it came to pass that in this year the people of Nephi again were hunted and driven. And it came to pass that we were driven forth until we had come northward to the land which was called Shem.
We fortified the city of Shem and gathered our people as much as possible, hoping we might save them from destruction.
And it came to pass that we did fortify the city of Shem, and we did gather in our people as much as it were possible, that perhaps we might save them from destruction.
In the three hundred and forty-sixth year, they began to attack us again.
And it came to pass in the three hundred and forty and sixth year they began to come upon us again.
I spoke to my people and urged them with great energy to stand boldly against the Lamanites and fight for their wives, their children, their houses, and their homes.
And it came to pass that I did speak unto my people, and did urge them with great energy, that they would stand boldly before the Lamanites and fight for their wives, and their children, and their houses, and their homes.
My words motivated them somewhat, so they didn’t run away from the Lamanites, but stood boldly against them.
And my words did arouse them somewhat to vigor, insomuch that they did not flee from before the Lamanites, but did stand with boldness against them.
We fought with an army of thirty thousand against an army of fifty thousand. We stood so firmly against them that they fled from us.
And it came to pass that we did contend with an army of thirty thousand against an army of fifty thousand. And it came to pass that we did stand before them with such firmness that they did flee from before us.
When they fled, we pursued them with our armies, met them again, and defeated them. However, the strength of the Lord was not with us; we were left on our own, and the Spirit of the Lord was not with us. Because of this, we had become as weak as our brothers.
And it came to pass that when they had fled we did pursue them with our armies, and did meet them again, and did beat them; nevertheless the strength of the Lord was not with us; yea, we were left to ourselves, that the Spirit of the Lord did not abide in us; therefore we had become weak like unto our brethren.
My heart was filled with sorrow because of the great calamity that had come upon my people, because of their wickedness and their abominations. But we went out against the Lamanites and the Gadianton robbers until we had taken back possession of the lands of our inheritance.
And my heart did sorrow because of this the great calamity of my people, because of their wickedness and their abominations. But behold, we did go forth against the Lamanites and the robbers of Gadianton, until we had again taken possession of the lands of our inheritance.
The three hundred and forty-ninth year passed. In the three hundred and fiftieth year, we made a treaty with the Lamanites and the Gadianton robbers, in which our lands of inheritance were divided.
And the three hundred and forty and ninth year had passed away. And in the three hundred and fiftieth year we made a treaty with the Lamanites and the robbers of Gadianton, in which we did get the lands of our inheritance divided.
The Lamanites gave us the land to the north, even up to the narrow passage that leads into the southern land. We gave the Lamanites all the land to the south.
And the Lamanites did give unto us the land northward, yea, even to the narrow passage which led into the land southward. And we did give unto the Lamanites all the land southward.