Enos 1

Behold, it came to pass that I, Enos, knowing my father that he was a just man—for he taught me in his language, and also in the nurture and admonition of the Lord—and blessed be the name of my God for it—

I, Enos, knew my father to be a just man, because he taught me in his own language and raised me in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. And blessed be the name of my God for it!

And I will tell you of the wrestle which I had before God, before I received a remission of my sins.

And I will tell you about the wrestle I had before God, before I received forgiveness of my sins.

Behold, I went to hunt beasts in the forests; and the words which I had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints, sunk deep into my heart.

I went out to hunt wild animals in the forests, and the words I had often heard my father speak about eternal life and the joy of the saints sank deep into my heart.

And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens.

My soul hungered, and I knelt down before my Maker and cried out to him in mighty prayer and supplication for my own soul. All day long I cried out to him, and when night came I still raised my voice high, until it reached the heavens.

And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.

Then a voice came to me, saying, "Enos, your sins are forgiven, and you will be blessed."

And I, Enos, knew that God could not lie; wherefore, my guilt was swept away.

And I, Enos, knew that God could not lie, so my guilt was swept away.

And I said: Lord, how is it done?

And I said, "Lord, how is it done?"

And he said unto me: Because of thy faith in Christ, whom thou hast never before heard nor seen. And many years pass away before he shall manifest himself in the flesh; wherefore, go to, thy faith hath made thee whole.

And he said to me, "It is because of your faith in Christ, whom you have never before heard or seen. And many years will pass before he manifests himself in the flesh. So then, your faith has made you whole."

Now, it came to pass that when I had heard these words I began to feel a desire for the welfare of my brethren, the Nephites; wherefore, I did pour out my whole soul unto God for them.

Now, when I had heard these words, I began to long for the welfare of my brothers, the Nephites, and I poured out my whole soul to God for them.

And while I was thus struggling in the spirit, behold, the voice of the Lord came into my mind again, saying: I will visit thy brethren according to their diligence in keeping my commandments. I have given unto them this land, and it is a holy land; and I curse it not save it be for the cause of iniquity; wherefore, I will visit thy brethren according as I have said; and their transgressions will I bring down with sorrow upon their own heads.

And while I was struggling like this in the spirit, the voice of the Lord came into my mind again, saying, "I will visit your brothers according to their diligence in keeping my commandments. I have given them this land, and it is a holy land, and I do not curse it except for the cause of wickedness. So I will visit your brothers just as I have said, and I will bring their transgressions down with sorrow on their own heads."

And after I, Enos, had heard these words, my faith began to be unshaken in the Lord; and I prayed unto him with many long strugglings for my brethren, the Lamanites.

And after I, Enos, had heard these words, my faith in the Lord began to be unshaken, and I prayed to him with many long struggles for my brothers, the Lamanites.

And it came to pass that after I had prayed and labored with all diligence, the Lord said unto me: I will grant unto thee according to thy desires, because of thy faith.

And after I had prayed and labored with all diligence, the Lord said to me, "I will grant you what you desire, because of your faith."

And now behold, this was the desire which I desired of him—that if it should so be, that my people, the Nephites, should fall into transgression, and by any means be destroyed, and the Lamanites should not be destroyed, that the Lord God would preserve a record of my people, the Nephites; even if it so be by the power of his holy arm, that it might be brought forth at some future day unto the Lamanites, that, perhaps, they might be brought unto salvation—

Now, this was the desire I asked of him: that if my people, the Nephites, should ever fall into transgression and by any means be destroyed, while the Lamanites were not destroyed, the Lord God would preserve a record of my people, the Nephites, even if he had to preserve it by the power of his holy arm. Then it could be brought forth at some future day to the Lamanites, so that, perhaps, they might be brought to salvation.

For at the present our strugglings were vain in restoring them to the true faith. And they swore in their wrath that, if it were possible, they would destroy our records and us, and also all the traditions of our fathers.

At that time our struggles to restore them to the true faith were in vain. They had sworn in their fury that, if it were possible, they would destroy our records and us, along with all the traditions of our fathers.

Wherefore, I knowing that the Lord God was able to preserve our records, I cried unto him continually, for he had said unto me: Whatsoever thing ye shall ask in faith, believing that ye shall receive in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it.

So, knowing that the Lord God was able to preserve our records, I cried out to him continually, because he had said to me, "Whatever you ask in faith, believing that you will receive it in the name of Christ, you will receive it."

And I had faith, and I did cry unto God that he would preserve the records; and he covenanted with me that he would bring them forth unto the Lamanites in his own due time.

And I had faith, and I cried out to God to preserve the records. And he covenanted with me that he would bring them forth to the Lamanites in his own due time.

And I, Enos, knew it would be according to the covenant which he had made; wherefore my soul did rest.

And I, Enos, knew it would be according to the covenant he had made, so my soul rested.

And the Lord said unto me: Thy fathers have also required of me this thing; and it shall be done unto them according to their faith; for their faith was like unto thine.

And the Lord said to me, "Your fathers have also asked this of me, and it will be done for them according to their faith, because their faith was like yours."

And now it came to pass that I, Enos, went about among the people of Nephi, prophesying of things to come, and testifying of the things which I had heard and seen.

Now I, Enos, went about among the people of Nephi, prophesying of things to come and testifying of what I had heard and seen.

And I bear record that the people of Nephi did seek diligently to restore the Lamanites unto the true faith in God. But our labors were vain; their hatred was fixed, and they were led by their evil nature that they became wild, and ferocious, and a bloodthirsty people, full of idolatry and filthiness; feeding upon beasts of prey; dwelling in tents, and wandering about in the wilderness with a short skin girdle about their loins and their heads shaven; and their skill was in the bow, and in the cimeter, and the ax. And many of them did eat nothing save it was raw meat; and they were continually seeking to destroy us.

And I testify that the people of Nephi diligently tried to restore the Lamanites to the true faith in God. But our labors were in vain. Their hatred was fixed, and they were led by their evil nature until they became a wild, ferocious, and bloodthirsty people, full of idolatry and filthiness, feeding on beasts of prey, dwelling in tents, and wandering the wilderness with a short skin garment around their waists and their heads shaved. Their skill was with the bow, the scimitar, and the ax. And many of them ate nothing but raw meat, and they were continually trying to destroy us.

And it came to pass that the people of Nephi did till the land, and raise all manner of grain, and of fruit, and flocks of herds, and flocks of all manner of cattle of every kind, and goats, and wild goats, and also many horses.

And the people of Nephi tilled the land and raised all kinds of grain and fruit. They kept herds and flocks, all kinds of cattle of every kind, goats and wild goats, and also many horses.

And there were exceedingly many prophets among us. And the people were a stiffnecked people, hard to understand.

And there were very many prophets among us. But the people were a stubborn people, hard to understand.

And there was nothing save it was exceeding harshness, preaching and prophesying of wars, and contentions, and destructions, and continually reminding them of death, and the duration of eternity, and the judgments and the power of God, and all these things—stirring them up continually to keep them in the fear of the Lord. I say there was nothing short of these things, and exceedingly great plainness of speech, would keep them from going down speedily to destruction. And after this manner do I write concerning them.

And nothing would keep them from going down quickly to destruction except extreme harshness: preaching and prophesying of wars and contentions and destructions, continually reminding them of death and the duration of eternity and the judgments and the power of God, stirring them up continually to keep them in the fear of the Lord. I say that nothing short of these things, and very great plainness of speech, would keep them from it. And this is how I write about them.

And I saw wars between the Nephites and Lamanites in the course of my days.

And I saw wars between the Nephites and the Lamanites in the course of my days.

And it came to pass that I began to be old, and an hundred and seventy and nine years had passed away from the time that our father Lehi left Jerusalem.

And I began to grow old, and a hundred and seventy-nine years had passed from the time our father Lehi left Jerusalem.

And I saw that I must soon go down to my grave, having been wrought upon by the power of God that I must preach and prophesy unto this people, and declare the word according to the truth which is in Christ. And I have declared it in all my days, and have rejoiced in it above that of the world.

And I saw that I must soon go down to my grave. I had felt the power of God working on me: I must preach and prophesy to this people and declare the word according to the truth that is in Christ. And I have declared it all my days, and I have rejoiced in it more than in the things of the world.

And I soon go to the place of my rest, which is with my Redeemer; for I know that in him I shall rest. And I rejoice in the day when my mortal shall put on immortality, and shall stand before him; then shall I see his face with pleasure, and he will say unto me: Come unto me, ye blessed, there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of my Father. Amen.

And soon I will go to the place of my rest, which is with my Redeemer, because I know that in him I will rest. And I rejoice in the day when my mortal body will put on immortality and will stand before him. Then I will see his face with pleasure, and he will say to me, "Come to me, you blessed ones; there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of my Father." Amen.