AlmaChapter58

And behold, now it came to pass that our next object was to obtain the city of Manti; but behold, there was no way that we could lead them out of the city by our small bands. For behold, they remembered that which we had hitherto done; therefore we could not decoy them away from their strongholds.

Our next objective was to take the city of Manti. But there was no way our small companies could draw them out of the city, because they remembered what we had done before, so we could not lure them away from their strongholds.

And they were so much more numerous than was our army that we durst not go forth and attack them in their strongholds.

They far outnumbered our army, so we did not dare go out and attack them where they were fortified.

Yea, and it became expedient that we should employ our men to the maintaining those parts of the land which we had regained of our possessions; therefore it became expedient that we should wait, that we might receive more strength from the land of Zarahemla and also a new supply of provisions.

We also had to use our men to hold the parts of the land we had regained, so we had to wait until we could receive more troops from the land of Zarahemla, along with a new supply of food.

And it came to pass that I thus did send an embassy to the governor of our land, to acquaint him concerning the affairs of our people. And it came to pass that we did wait to receive provisions and strength from the land of Zarahemla.

So I sent a delegation to the governor of our land to inform him about the state of our people, and we waited to receive supplies and reinforcements from the land of Zarahemla.

But behold, this did profit us but little; for the Lamanites were also receiving great strength from day to day, and also many provisions; and thus were our circumstances at this period of time.

But this did us little good, because the Lamanites were also receiving strong reinforcements day after day, and plenty of supplies as well. That was our situation at this time.

And the Lamanites were sallying forth against us from time to time, resolving by stratagem to destroy us; nevertheless we could not come to battle with them, because of their retreats and their strongholds.

The Lamanites kept making raids against us from time to time, determined to destroy us by some trick. Still, we could not bring them to battle, because of their lines of retreat and their strongholds.

And it came to pass that we did wait in these difficult circumstances for the space of many months, even until we were about to perish for the want of food.

We waited in these hard conditions for many months, until we were about to starve for lack of food.

But it came to pass that we did receive food, which was guarded to us by an army of two thousand men to our assistance; and this is all the assistance which we did receive, to defend ourselves and our country from falling into the hands of our enemies, yea, to contend with an enemy which was innumerable.

Then we did receive food, escorted to us by an army of two thousand men sent to help us. And that was all the help we received, to defend ourselves and our country from falling into the hands of our enemies, and to fight an enemy beyond counting.

And now the cause of these our embarrassments, or the cause why they did not send more strength unto us, we knew not; therefore we were grieved and also filled with fear, lest by any means the judgments of God should come upon our land, to our overthrow and utter destruction.

Now we did not know the reason for these difficulties, or why they did not send us more troops. So we grieved, and we were filled with fear that somehow the judgments of God might come on our land, to our defeat and utter destruction.

Therefore we did pour out our souls in prayer to God, that he would strengthen us and deliver us out of the hands of our enemies, yea, and also give us strength that we might retain our cities, and our lands, and our possessions, for the support of our people.

So we poured out our souls in prayer to God, asking him to strengthen us and deliver us out of the hands of our enemies, and to give us strength to hold our cities and our lands and our possessions, for the support of our people.

Yea, and it came to pass that the Lord our God did visit us with assurances that he would deliver us; yea, insomuch that he did speak peace to our souls, and did grant unto us great faith, and did cause us that we should hope for our deliverance in him.

And the Lord our God visited us with assurances that he would deliver us. He spoke peace to our souls, and granted us great faith, and caused us to hope for our deliverance in him.

And we did take courage with our small force which we had received, and were fixed with a determination to conquer our enemies, and to maintain our lands, and our possessions, and our wives, and our children, and the cause of our liberty.

So we took courage with the small force we had received, and we were fixed in a determination to conquer our enemies, and to hold on to our lands, and our possessions, and our wives, and our children, and the cause of our liberty.

And thus we did go forth with all our might against the Lamanites, who were in the city of Manti; and we did pitch our tents by the wilderness side, which was near to the city.

So we marched with all our might against the Lamanites who were in the city of Manti, and we pitched our tents at the edge of the wilderness, near the city.

And it came to pass that on the morrow, that when the Lamanites saw that we were in the borders by the wilderness which was near the city, that they sent out their spies round about us that they might discover the number and the strength of our army.

The next day, when the Lamanites saw that we were on the border by the wilderness near the city, they sent their spies out around us to find out the number and the strength of our army.

And it came to pass that when they saw that we were not strong, according to our numbers, and fearing that we should cut them off from their support except they should come out to battle against us and kill us, and also supposing that they could easily destroy us with their numerous hosts, therefore they began to make preparations to come out against us to battle.

When they saw that we were not strong in numbers, and feared that we would cut them off from their supplies unless they came out to battle and killed us, and thought besides that they could easily destroy us with their huge army, they began to prepare to come out against us to battle.

And when we saw that they were making preparations to come out against us, behold, I caused that Gid, with a small number of men, should secrete himself in the wilderness, and also that Teomner and a small number of men should secrete themselves also in the wilderness.

When we saw that they were preparing to come out against us, I had Gid hide himself in the wilderness with a small number of men, and Teomner hide himself in the wilderness with a small number of men as well.

Now Gid and his men were on the right and the others on the left; and when they had thus secreted themselves, behold, I remained, with the remainder of my army, in that same place where we had first pitched our tents against the time that the Lamanites should come out to battle.

Gid and his men were on the right, and the others on the left. Once they were hidden, I stayed with the rest of my army in the same place where we had first pitched our tents, waiting for the Lamanites to come out to battle.

And it came to pass that the Lamanites did come out with their numerous army against us. And when they had come and were about to fall upon us with the sword, I caused that my men, those who were with me, should retreat into the wilderness.

The Lamanites came out against us with their huge army. And when they had come up and were about to fall on us with the sword, I ordered the men who were with me to retreat into the wilderness.

And it came to pass that the Lamanites did follow after us with great speed, for they were exceedingly desirous to overtake us that they might slay us; therefore they did follow us into the wilderness; and we did pass by in the midst of Gid and Teomner, insomuch that they were not discovered by the Lamanites.

The Lamanites came after us at great speed, because they badly wanted to catch us and kill us. So they followed us into the wilderness, and we passed right between Gid and Teomner, and the Lamanites never discovered them.

And it came to pass that when the Lamanites had passed by, or when the army had passed by, Gid and Teomner did rise up from their secret places, and did cut off the spies of the Lamanites that they should not return to the city.

When the Lamanites had gone past, or rather when their army had gone past, Gid and Teomner rose up out of their hiding places and cut off the Lamanite spies so that they could not return to the city.

And it came to pass that when they had cut them off, they ran to the city and fell upon the guards who were left to guard the city, insomuch that they did destroy them and did take possession of the city. Alma

After they had cut them off, they ran to the city and fell on the guards who had been left to guard it, and they destroyed them and took possession of the city.

Now this was done because the Lamanites did suffer their whole army, save a few guards only, to be led away into the wilderness.

Now this happened because the Lamanites had allowed their whole army, except for a few guards, to be led away into the wilderness.

And it came to pass that Gid and Teomner by this means had obtained possession of their strongholds. And it came to pass that we took our course, after having traveled much in the wilderness towards the land of Zarahemla.

That was how Gid and Teomner gained possession of their strongholds. And after traveling a long way in the wilderness, we set our course toward the land of Zarahemla.

And when the Lamanites saw that they were marching towards the land of Zarahemla, they were exceedingly afraid, lest there was a plan laid to lead them on to destruction; therefore they began to retreat into the wilderness again, yea, even back by the same way which they had come.

When the Lamanites saw that we were marching toward the land of Zarahemla, they were terrified that a plan had been laid to lead them on to destruction. So they began to retreat into the wilderness again, back along the same way they had come.

And behold, it was night and they did pitch their tents, for the chief captains of the Lamanites had supposed that the Nephites were weary because of their march; and supposing that they had driven their whole army therefore they took no thought concerning the city of Manti.

It was night, and they pitched their tents, because the Lamanite chief captains thought the Nephites were worn out from their march. And since they thought they had driven off our whole army, they gave no thought to the city of Manti.

Now it came to pass that when it was night, I caused that my men should not sleep, but that they should march forward by another way towards the land of Manti.

Now when night came, I ordered my men not to sleep, but to march forward by another route toward the land of Manti.

And because of this our march in the night-time, behold, on the morrow we were beyond the Lamanites, insomuch that we did arrive before them at the city of Manti.

Because of this night march, by the next day we were past the Lamanites, and we arrived at the city of Manti ahead of them.

And thus it came to pass, that by this stratagem we did take possession of the city of Manti without the shedding of blood.

And so, by this strategy, we took possession of the city of Manti without the shedding of blood.

And it came to pass that when the armies of the Lamanites did arrive near the city, and saw that we were prepared to meet them, they were astonished exceedingly and struck with great fear, insomuch that they did flee into the wilderness.

When the Lamanite armies arrived near the city and saw that we were ready to meet them, they were utterly astonished and struck with great fear, and they fled into the wilderness.

Yea, and it came to pass that the armies of the Lamanites did flee out of all this quarter of the land. But behold, they have carried with them many women and children out of the land.

The armies of the Lamanites fled out of this whole part of the land. But they have carried many women and children away with them.

And those cities which had been taken by the Lamanites, all of them are at this period of time in our possession; and our fathers and our women and our children are returning to their homes, all save it be those who have been taken prisoners and carried off by the Lamanites.

And all the cities that had been taken by the Lamanites are at this time in our possession. Our fathers and our wives and our children are returning to their homes, all except those who have been taken prisoner and carried off by the Lamanites.

But behold, our armies are small to maintain so great a number of cities and so great possessions.

But our armies are small to hold so many cities and such large possessions.

But behold, we trust in our God who has given us victory over those lands, insomuch that we have obtained those cities and those lands, which were our own.

Still, we trust in our God, who has given us the victory in those lands, so that we have regained the cities and the lands that were our own.

Now we do not know the cause that the government does not grant us more strength; neither do those men who came up unto us know why we have not received greater strength.

Now we do not know why the government does not grant us more troops, and neither do the men who came up to us know why we have not received greater reinforcements.

Behold, we do not know but what ye are unsuccessful, and ye have drawn away the forces into that quarter of the land; if so, we do not desire to murmur.

For all we know, you may be having no success, and you have drawn the forces away into that part of the land. If that is the case, we do not want to complain.

And if it is not so, behold, we fear that there is some faction in the government, that they do not send more men to our assistance; for we know that they are more numerous than that which they have sent.

And if that is not the case, we fear that there is some faction in the government keeping them from sending more men to help us, because we know that they are more numerous than the men they have sent.

But, behold, it mattereth not—we trust God will deliver us, notwithstanding the weakness of our armies, yea, and deliver us out of the hands of our enemies.

But it does not matter. We trust that God will deliver us in spite of the weakness of our armies, and deliver us out of the hands of our enemies.

Behold, this is the twenty and ninth year, in the latter end, and we are in the possession of our lands; and the Lamanites have fled to the land of Nephi.

This is the latter end of the twenty-ninth year, and we are in possession of our lands, and the Lamanites have fled to the land of Nephi.

And those sons of the people of Ammon, of whom I have so highly spoken, are with me in the city of Manti; and the Lord had supported them, yea, and kept them from falling by the sword, insomuch that even one soul has not been slain.

And those sons of the people of Ammon, of whom I have spoken so highly, are with me in the city of Manti. The Lord has supported them and kept them from falling by the sword, so that not even one of them has been killed.

But behold, they have received many wounds; nevertheless they stand fast in that liberty wherewith God has made them free; and they are strict to remember the Lord their God from day to day; yea, they do observe to keep his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments continually; and their faith is strong in the prophecies concerning that which is to come.

But they have received many wounds. Even so, they stand fast in that liberty in which God has made them free, and they are careful to remember the Lord their God every day. They keep his statutes and his judgments and his commandments continually, and their faith is strong in the prophecies about what is to come.

And now, my beloved brother, Moroni, may the Lord our God, who has redeemed us and made us free, keep you continually in his presence; yea, and may he favor this people, even that ye may have success in obtaining the possession of all that which the Lamanites have taken from us, which was for our support. And now, behold, I close mine epistle. I am Helaman, the son of Alma.

And now, my beloved brother Moroni, may the Lord our God, who has redeemed us and made us free, keep you continually in his presence. And may he favor this people, so that you may have success in regaining possession of everything the Lamanites have taken from us, which was for our support. And now I close my letter. I am Helaman, the son of Alma.