Omni
30 verses
I, Omni, was commanded by my father, Jarom, to write something on these plates to preserve our genealogy—
Behold, it came to pass that I, Omni, being commanded by my father, Jarom, that I should write somewhat upon these plates, to preserve our genealogy—
During my lifetime, I want you to know that I fought many battles with the sword to protect my people, the Nephites, from being captured by their enemies, the Lamanites. But I am a wicked man, and I have not kept the statutes and commandments of the Lord as I should have.
Wherefore, in my days, I would that ye should know that I fought much with the sword to preserve my people, the Nephites, from falling into the hands of their enemies, the Lamanites. But behold, I of myself am a wicked man, and I have not kept the statutes and the commandments of the Lord as I ought to have done.
Two hundred seventy-six years passed, and we experienced many times of peace as well as many times of serious war and bloodshed. In total, two hundred eighty-two years went by, and I kept these plates as my fathers commanded. I have now given them to my son Amaron. This is the end of my record.
And it came to pass that two hundred and seventy and six years had passed away, and we had many seasons of peace; and we had many seasons of serious war and bloodshed. Yea, and in fine, two hundred and eighty and two years had passed away, and I had kept these plates according to the commandments of my fathers; and I conferred them upon my son Amaron. And I make an end.
Now I, Amaron, write the things I write, which are few, in the book of my father.
And now I, Amaron, write the things whatsoever I write, which are few, in the book of my father.
Three hundred and twenty years had passed, and the more wicked part of the Nephites were destroyed.
Behold, it came to pass that three hundred and twenty years had passed away, and the more wicked part of the Nephites were destroyed.
The Lord would not allow, after he had led them out of Jerusalem and protected them from their enemies, for his words to go unfulfilled, which he spoke to our fathers, saying: If you do not keep my commandments, you will not prosper in the land.
For the Lord would not suffer, after he had led them out of the land of Jerusalem and kept and preserved them from falling into the hands of their enemies, yea, he would not suffer that the words should not be verified, which he spake unto our fathers, saying that: Inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall not prosper in the land.
The Lord visited them with great judgment; however, he spared the righteous so they would not perish, and delivered them from the hands of their enemies.
Wherefore, the Lord did visit them in great judgment; nevertheless, he did spare the righteous that they should not perish, but did deliver them out of the hands of their enemies.
I gave the plates to my brother Chemish.
And it came to pass that I did deliver the plates unto my brother Chemish.
Now I, Chemish, am writing the few things I write in the same book as my brother. I saw the last thing he wrote, and he wrote it with his own hand on the day he gave the records to me. This is how we keep the records, because it is what our fathers commanded us to do. And I am finished.
Now I, Chemish, write what few things I write, in the same book with my brother; for behold, I saw the last which he wrote, that he wrote it with his own hand; and he wrote it in the day that he delivered them unto me. And after this manner we keep the records, for it is according to the commandments of our fathers. And I make an end.
I, Abinadom, am the son of Chemish. I saw much war and conflict between my people, the Nephites, and the Lamanites; and I, with my own sword, have taken the lives of many Lamanites in defense of my brothers.
Behold, I, Abinadom, am the son of Chemish. Behold, it came to pass that I saw much war and contention between my people, the Nephites, and the Lamanites; and I, with my own sword, have taken the lives of many of the Lamanites in the defence of my brethren.
The record of this people is engraved on plates kept by the kings through the generations. I know of no revelation or prophecy except what has been written, and what is written is enough. This is the end.
And behold, the record of this people is engraven upon plates which is had by the kings, according to the generations; and I know of no revelation save that which has been written, neither prophecy; wherefore, that which is sufficient is written. And I make an end.
I am Amaleki, the son of Abinadom. I will tell you a little about Mosiah, who was made king over the land of Zarahemla. He was warned by the Lord to leave the land of Nephi, and everyone who listened to the Lord’s voice also left the land with him and went into the wilderness.
Behold, I am Amaleki, the son of Abinadom. Behold, I will speak unto you somewhat concerning Mosiah, who was made king over the land of Zarahemla; for behold, he being warned of the Lord that he should flee out of the land of Nephi, and as many as would hearken unto the voice of the Lord should also depart out of the land with him, into the wilderness—
He did as the Lord commanded him. They left the land and went into the wilderness, with all who would listen to the voice of the Lord. They were guided by many teachings and prophecies, and were continually reminded by the word of God. They were led by the power of his arm through the wilderness until they reached the land called Zarahemla.
And it came to pass that he did according as the Lord had commanded him. And they departed out of the land into the wilderness, as many as would hearken unto the voice of the Lord; and they were led by many preachings and prophesyings. And they were admonished continually by the word of God; and they were led by the power of his arm, through the wilderness, until they came down into the land which is called the land of Zarahemla.
They found a group of people called the people of Zarahemla. The people of Zarahemla were very happy, and Zarahemla himself rejoiced greatly because the Lord had sent Mosiah’s people with the brass plates that contained the record of the Jews.
And they discovered a people, who were called the people of Zarahemla. Now, there was great rejoicing among the people of Zarahemla; and also Zarahemla did rejoice exceedingly, because the Lord had sent the people of Mosiah with the plates of brass which contained the record of the Jews.
Mosiah discovered that the people of Zarahemla had left Jerusalem when Zedekiah, king of Judah, was taken captive into Babylon.
Behold, it came to pass that Mosiah discovered that the people of Zarahemla came out from Jerusalem at the time that Zedekiah, king of Judah, was carried away captive into Babylon.
They traveled through the wilderness and were led by the Lord across the great waters to the land where Mosiah found them, and they had lived there from that time on.
And they journeyed in the wilderness, and were brought by the hand of the Lord across the great waters, into the land where Mosiah discovered them; and they had dwelt there from that time forth.
When Mosiah found them, they had become very numerous. However, they had experienced many wars and serious conflicts, and many had died in battle over time. Their language had become corrupted, and they had not brought any records with them. They denied the existence of their Creator, and neither Mosiah nor his people could understand them.
And at the time that Mosiah discovered them, they had become exceedingly numerous. Nevertheless, they had had many wars and serious contentions, and had fallen by the sword from time to time; and their language had become corrupted; and they had brought no records with them; and they denied the being of their Creator; and Mosiah, nor the people of Mosiah, could understand them.
Mosiah made sure they were taught his language. After they learned Mosiah’s language, Zarahemla gave a genealogy of his ancestors from memory, and it was written down, but not on these plates.
But it came to pass that Mosiah caused that they should be taught in his language. And it came to pass that after they were taught in the language of Mosiah, Zarahemla gave a genealogy of his fathers, according to his memory; and they are written, but not in these plates.
The people of Zarahemla and Mosiah joined together, and Mosiah was chosen to be their king.
And it came to pass that the people of Zarahemla, and of Mosiah, did unite together; and Mosiah was appointed to be their king.
During the days of Mosiah, a large stone was brought to him with engravings on it, and he interpreted the engravings by the gift and power of God.
And it came to pass in the days of Mosiah, there was a large stone brought unto him with engravings on it; and he did interpret the engravings by the gift and power of God.
They gave an account of a man named Coriantumr and the destruction of his people. Coriantumr was found by the people of Zarahemla, and he lived with them for nine months.
And they gave an account of one Coriantumr, and the slain of his people. And Coriantumr was discovered by the people of Zarahemla; and he dwelt with them for the space of nine moons.
It also said a few words about his ancestors. His first parents came out from the tower when the Lord confused the language of the people, and the Lord’s severe judgments came upon them, which are fair. Their bones were scattered in the land to the north.
It also spake a few words concerning his fathers. And his first parents came out from the tower, at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people; and the severity of the Lord fell upon them according to his judgments, which are just; and their bones lay scattered in the land northward.
I, Amaleki, was born during the days of Mosiah, and I have lived to see his death. Now Benjamin, his son, reigns in his place.
Behold, I, Amaleki, was born in the days of Mosiah; and I have lived to see his death; and Benjamin, his son, reigneth in his stead.
I have seen, during the days of king Benjamin, a serious war and much bloodshed between the Nephites and the Lamanites. But the Nephites gained a great advantage over them, so much that king Benjamin drove them out of the land of Zarahemla.
And behold, I have seen, in the days of king Benjamin, a serious war and much bloodshed between the Nephites and the Lamanites. But behold, the Nephites did obtain much advantage over them; yea, insomuch that king Benjamin did drive them out of the land of Zarahemla.
I began to grow old, and since I have no children, and I know that king Benjamin is a just man before the Lord, I will give these plates to him. I encourage everyone to come to God, the Holy One of Israel, and to believe in prophecy, in revelations, in the ministering of angels, in the gift of speaking in tongues, in the gift of interpreting languages, and in everything that is good, because nothing good comes except from the Lord, and anything that is evil comes from the devil.
And it came to pass that I began to be old; and, having no seed, and knowing king Benjamin to be a just man before the Lord, wherefore, I shall deliver up these plates unto him, exhorting all men to come unto God, the Holy One of Israel, and believe in prophesying, and in revelations, and in the ministering of angels, and in the gift of speaking with tongues, and in the gift of interpreting languages, and in all things which are good; for there is nothing which is good save it comes from the Lord; and that which is evil cometh from the devil.
Now, my beloved brothers and sisters, I want you to come to Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and receive his salvation and the power of his redemption. Come to him and offer your whole souls to him, continue in fasting and prayer, and endure to the end; and as the Lord lives, you will be saved.
And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved.
Now I want to talk a little about a group of people who went into the wilderness to return to the land of Nephi, because there were many who wanted to have the land that was their inheritance.
And now I would speak somewhat concerning a certain number who went up into the wilderness to return to the land of Nephi; for there was a large number who were desirous to possess the land of their inheritance.
So they went into the wilderness. Their leader was a strong and mighty man, but he was stubborn, which caused arguments among them. All of them were killed in the wilderness except for fifty, who returned to the land of Zarahemla.
Wherefore, they went up into the wilderness. And their leader being a strong and mighty man, and a stiffnecked man, wherefore he caused a contention among them; and they were all slain, save fifty, in the wilderness, and they returned again to the land of Zarahemla.
They also took many others with them and set out again into the wilderness.
And it came to pass that they also took others to a considerable number, and took their journey again into the wilderness.
I, Amaleki, had a brother who also went with them, and I haven’t known anything about them since. I am about to die, and these plates are full. This is the end of what I have to say.
And I, Amaleki, had a brother, who also went with them; and I have not since known concerning them. And I am about to lie down in my grave; and these plates are full. And I make an end of my speaking.