3 NephiChapter8

And now it came to pass that according to our record, and we know our record to be true, for behold, it was a just man who did keep the record—for he truly did many miracles in the name of Jesus; and there was not any man who could do a miracle in the name of Jesus save he were cleansed every whit from his iniquity—

Now, this is according to our record, and we know our record is true, because the man who kept it was a righteous man. He truly did many miracles in the name of Jesus, and no one could do a miracle in the name of Jesus unless he had been completely cleansed from his sins.

And now it came to pass, if there was no mistake made by this man in the reckoning of our time, the thirty and third year had passed away;

And if this man made no mistake in reckoning our time, the thirty-third year had passed.

And the people began to look with great earnestness for the sign which had been given by the prophet Samuel, the Lamanite, yea, for the time that there should be darkness for the space of three days over the face of the land.

And the people began to watch intently for the sign the prophet Samuel the Lamanite had given: the time when there would be darkness over the face of the land for three days.

And there began to be great doubtings and disputations among the people, notwithstanding so many signs had been given.

And doubts and arguments began to spread among the people, even though so many signs had been given.

And it came to pass in the thirty and fourth year, in the first month, on the fourth day of the month, there arose a great storm, such an one as never had been known in all the land.

In the thirty-fourth year, in the first month, on the fourth day of the month, a storm arose such as had never been known in all the land.

And there was also a great and terrible tempest; and there was terrible thunder, insomuch that it did shake the whole earth as if it was about to divide asunder.

There was also a great and terrible windstorm, and terrible thunder that shook the whole earth as if it were about to split apart.

And there were exceedingly sharp lightnings, such as never had been known in all the land.

And there was lightning so sharp that nothing like it had ever been known in all the land.

And the city of Zarahemla did take fire.

And the city of Zarahemla caught fire.

And the city of Moroni did sink into the depths of the sea, and the inhabitants thereof were drowned.

And the city of Moroni sank into the depths of the sea, and the people who lived there were drowned.

And the earth was carried up upon the city of Moronihah that in the place of the city there became a great mountain.

And the earth was heaped up over the city of Moronihah, until where the city had stood there was a huge mountain.

And there was a great and terrible destruction in the land southward.

And there was great and terrible destruction in the land southward.

But behold, there was a more great and terrible destruction in the land northward; for behold, the whole face of the land was changed, because of the tempest and the whirlwinds and the thunderings and the lightnings, and the exceedingly great quaking of the whole earth;

But in the land northward the destruction was even greater and more terrible, because the whole face of the land was changed by the windstorm and the whirlwinds and the thunder and the lightning, and by the violent shaking of the whole earth.

And the highways were broken up, and the level roads were spoiled, and many smooth places became rough.

The highways were broken up, the level roads were ruined, and many smooth places became rough.

And many great and notable cities were sunk, and many were burned, and many were shaken till the buildings thereof had fallen to the earth, and the inhabitants thereof were slain, and the places were left desolate.

Many large and well-known cities were sunk, and many were burned, and many were shaken until their buildings fell to the ground and the people who lived in them were killed, and those places were left desolate.

And there were some cities which remained; but the damage thereof was exceedingly great, and there were many of them who were slain.

Some cities were left standing, but the damage to them was very great, and many of their people were killed.

And there were some who were carried away in the whirlwind; and whither they went no man knoweth, save they know that they were carried away.

And some were carried away in the whirlwind. Where they went, no one knows; all anyone knows is that they were carried away.

And thus the face of the whole earth became deformed, because of the tempests, and the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the quaking of the earth.

And so the face of the whole earth was disfigured by the storms, and the thunder, and the lightning, and the shaking of the earth.

And behold, the rocks were rent in twain; they were broken up upon the face of the whole earth, insomuch that they were found in broken fragments, and in seams and in cracks, upon all the face of the land.

The rocks were split in two. They were broken up across the face of the whole earth, so that they were found in broken fragments, in seams and in cracks, over all the face of the land.

And it came to pass that when the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the storm, and the tempest, and the quakings of the earth did cease—for behold, they did last for about the space of three hours; and it was said by some that the time was greater; nevertheless, all these great and terrible things were done in about the space of three hours—and then behold, there was darkness upon the face of the land.

The thunder, and the lightning, and the storm, and the windstorm, and the shaking of the earth lasted about three hours. Some said the time was longer, but all these great and terrible things were done in about three hours. And when they stopped, there was darkness over the face of the land.

And it came to pass that there was thick darkness upon all the face of the land, insomuch that the inhabitants thereof who had not fallen could feel the vapor of darkness;

There was thick darkness over all the face of the land, so that the people who had not fallen could feel the dark vapor.

And there could be no light, because of the darkness, neither candles, neither torches; neither could there be fire kindled with their fine and exceedingly dry wood, so that there could not be any light at all;

And there could be no light because of the darkness: no candles, no torches. They could not even light a fire with their fine, very dry wood. There could be no light at all.

And there was not any light seen, neither fire, nor glimmer, neither the sun, nor the moon, nor the stars, for so great were the mists of darkness which were upon the face of the land.

No light was seen at all, no fire, no glimmer, not the sun, not the moon, not the stars, because the dark mists over the face of the land were so thick.

And it came to pass that it did last for the space of three days that there was no light seen; and there was great mourning and howling and weeping among all the people continually; yea, great were the groanings of the people, because of the darkness and the great destruction which had come upon them.

For three days no light was seen. And there was constant mourning and howling and weeping among all the people; the groaning of the people was terrible, because of the darkness and the great destruction that had come upon them.

And in one place they were heard to cry, saying: O that we had repented before this great and terrible day, and then would our brethren have been spared, and they would not have been burned in that great city Zarahemla.

And in one place they were heard to cry out, "O that we had repented before this great and terrible day! Then our brothers would have been spared, and they would not have been burned in that great city Zarahemla."

And in another place they were heard to cry and mourn, saying: O that we had repented before this great and terrible day, and had not killed and stoned the prophets, and cast them out; then would our mothers and our fair daughters, and our children have been spared, and not have been buried up in that great city Moronihah. And thus were the howlings of the people great and terrible.

And in another place they were heard to cry and mourn, "O that we had repented before this great and terrible day, and had not killed and stoned the prophets and driven them out! Then our mothers and our beautiful daughters and our children would have been spared, and they would not have been buried in that great city Moronihah." And so the howling of the people was great and terrible.