Mosiah
26 verses
There was a place in Shemlon where the daughters of the Lamanites gathered to sing, dance, and enjoy themselves.
Now there was a place in Shemlon where the daughters of the Lamanites did gather themselves together to sing, and to dance, and to make themselves merry.
One day, a small group of them gathered together to sing and dance.
And it came to pass that there was one day a small number of them gathered together to sing and to dance.
The priests of King Noah were ashamed to return to the city of Nephi and were also afraid that the people would kill them, so they didn’t dare go back to their wives and children.
And now the priests of king Noah, being ashamed to return to the city of Nephi, yea, and also fearing that the people would slay them, therefore they durst not return to their wives and their children.
After staying in the wilderness and finding the daughters of the Lamanites, they hid and watched them.
And having tarried in the wilderness, and having discovered the daughters of the Lamanites, they laid and watched them;
When only a few of them had gathered to dance, the men came out of their hiding places, took them, and carried them into the wilderness—twenty-four of the daughters of the Lamanites were taken into the wilderness.
And when there were but few of them gathered together to dance, they came forth out of their secret places and took them and carried them into the wilderness; yea, twenty and four of the daughters of the Lamanites they carried into the wilderness.
When the Lamanites discovered that their daughters were missing, they became angry with the people of Limhi, because they thought the people of Limhi were responsible.
And it came to pass that when the Lamanites found that their daughters had been missing, they were angry with the people of Limhi, for they thought it was the people of Limhi.
They sent their armies out, and even the king himself led his people. They went up to the land of Nephi to destroy the people of Limhi.
Therefore they sent their armies forth; yea, even the king himself went before his people; and they went up to the land of Nephi to destroy the people of Limhi.
Limhi saw them from the tower and noticed all their preparations for war, so he gathered his people and set an ambush for them in the fields and forests.
And now Limhi had discovered them from the tower, even all their preparations for war did he discover; therefore he gathered his people together, and laid wait for them in the fields and in the forests.
When the Lamanites arrived, the people of Limhi attacked them from their hiding places and began to kill them.
And it came to pass that when the Lamanites had come up, that the people of Limhi began to fall upon them from their waiting places, and began to slay them.
The battle became extremely intense, for they fought like lions for their prey.
And it came to pass that the battle became exceedingly sore, for they fought like lions for their prey.
The people of Limhi began to drive the Lamanites back, even though they were less than half as many as the Lamanites. But they fought for their lives, their wives, and their children, so they gave everything they had and fought fiercely, like dragons.
And it came to pass that the people of Limhi began to drive the Lamanites before them; yet they were not half so numerous as the Lamanites. But they fought for their lives, and for their wives, and for their children; therefore they exerted themselves and like dragons did they fight.
They found the king of the Lamanites among their dead, but he was not dead. He had been wounded and left on the ground because his people fled so quickly.
And it came to pass that they found the king of the Lamanites among the number of their dead; yet he was not dead, having been wounded and left upon the ground, so speedy was the flight of his people.
They took him, bandaged his wounds, brought him before Limhi, and said, "Here is the king of the Lamanites. He was wounded and found among their dead, and they left him. We have brought him to you; now let’s kill him.
And they took him and bound up his wounds, and brought him before Limhi, and said: Behold, here is the king of the Lamanites; he having received a wound has fallen among their dead, and they have left him; and behold, we have brought him before you; and now let us slay him.
But Limhi said to them, "You must not kill him. Bring him here so I can see him. " So they brought him. Limhi asked him, "Why have you come to fight against my people? My people have not broken the oath I made to you, so why have you broken the oath you made to my people?
But Limhi said unto them: Ye shall not slay him, but bring him hither that I may see him. And they brought him. And Limhi said unto him: What cause have ye to come up to war against my people? Behold, my people have not broken the oath that I made unto you; therefore, why should ye break the oath which ye made unto my people?
The king said, "I broke the oath because your people took the daughters of my people. So, in my anger, I led my people to go to war against yours.
And now the king said: I have broken the oath because thy people did carry away the daughters of my people; therefore, in my anger I did cause my people to come up to war against thy people.
Limhi hadn’t heard anything about this, so he said, “I will search among my people, and whoever has done this will be put to death. ” He ordered a search to be made among his people.
And now Limhi had heard nothing concerning this matter; therefore he said: I will search among my people and whosoever has done this thing shall perish. Therefore he caused a search to be made among his people.
When Gideon heard this—he was the king’s captain—he went to the king and said, “Please stop, don’t search these people, and don’t blame them for this. ”
Now when Gideon had heard these things, he being the king’s captain, he went forth and said unto the king: I pray thee forbear, and do not search this people, and lay not this thing to their charge.
Don’t you remember the priests of your father, the ones this people tried to destroy? Aren’t they in the wilderness? Aren’t they the ones who have stolen the daughters of the Lamanites?
For do ye not remember the priests of thy father, whom this people sought to destroy? And are they not in the wilderness? And are not they the ones who have stolen the daughters of the Lamanites?
Now go and tell the king these things, so he can tell his people and calm them down toward us, because they are already getting ready to come against us, and there are only a few of us.
And now, behold, and tell the king of these things, that he may tell his people that they may be pacified towards us; for behold they are already preparing to come against us; and behold also there are but few of us.
They are coming with their large armies, and unless the king calms them toward us, we will be destroyed.
And behold, they come with their numerous hosts; and except the king doth pacify them towards us we must perish.
Aren’t Abinadi’s words coming true, just like he prophesied about us—and all of this is happening because we wouldn’t listen to the Lord’s words or turn away from our sins?
For are not the words of Abinadi fulfilled, which he prophesied against us—and all this because we would not hearken unto the words of the Lord, and turn from our iniquities?
Let’s calm the king down and keep the oath we made to him. It’s better for us to be in bondage than to lose our lives, so let’s stop all this bloodshed.
And now let us pacify the king, and we fulfil the oath which we have made unto him; for it is better that we should be in bondage than that we should lose our lives; therefore, let us put a stop to the shedding of so much blood.
Limhi told the king everything about his father and the priests who had fled into the wilderness, and he said that it was those priests who had taken their daughters.
And now Limhi told the king all the things concerning his father, and the priests that had fled into the wilderness, and attributed the carrying away of their daughters to them.
The king calmed down toward his people and said to them, "Let’s go meet my people without weapons, and I promise you with an oath that my people will not kill your people.
And it came to pass that the king was pacified towards his people; and he said unto them: Let us go forth to meet my people, without arms; and I swear unto you with an oath that my people shall not slay thy people.
They followed the king and went out unarmed to meet the Lamanites. They met the Lamanites, and the king of the Lamanites bowed down before them and pleaded on behalf of the people of Limhi.
And it came to pass that they followed the king, and went forth without arms to meet the Lamanites. And it came to pass that they did meet the Lamanites; and the king of the Lamanites did bow himself down before them, and did plead in behalf of the people of Limhi.
When the Lamanites saw that the people of Limhi were unarmed, they felt compassion for them, calmed down, and returned peacefully with their king to their own land.
And when the Lamanites saw the people of Limhi, that they were without arms, they had compassion on them and were pacified towards them, and returned with their king in peace to their own land.