MormonChapter4

And now it came to pass that in the three hundred and sixty and third year the Nephites did go up with their armies to battle against the Lamanites, out of the land Desolation.

In the three hundred and sixty-third year the Nephites marched out of the land of Desolation with their armies to attack the Lamanites.

And it came to pass that the armies of the Nephites were driven back again to the land of Desolation. And while they were yet weary, a fresh army of the Lamanites did come upon them; and they had a sore battle, insomuch that the Lamanites did take possession of the city Desolation, and did slay many of the Nephites, and did take many prisoners.

But the Nephite armies were driven back again into the land of Desolation, and while they were still worn out a fresh Lamanite army came down on them. The fighting was bitter, and the Lamanites took the city of Desolation, killed many of the Nephites, and took many prisoners.

And the remainder did flee and join the inhabitants of the city Teancum. Now the city Teancum lay in the borders by the seashore; and it was also near the city Desolation.

The rest of them fled and joined the people of the city of Teancum. Now the city of Teancum lay on the borders by the seashore, and it was also close to the city of Desolation.

And it was because the armies of the Nephites went up unto the Lamanites that they began to be smitten; for were it not for that, the Lamanites could have had no power over them.

It was because the Nephite armies went up against the Lamanites that they began to be struck down. If they had not done that, the Lamanites could have had no power over them.

But, behold, the judgments of God will overtake the wicked; and it is by the wicked that the wicked are punished; for it is the wicked that stir up the hearts of the children of men unto bloodshed.

But the judgments of God will overtake the wicked; and it is by the wicked that the wicked are punished, because it is the wicked who stir up the hearts of the people to bloodshed.

And it came to pass that the Lamanites did make preparations to come against the city Teancum.

So the Lamanites made preparations to come against the city of Teancum.

And it came to pass in the three hundred and sixty and fourth year the Lamanites did come against the city Teancum, that they might take possession of the city Teancum also.

In the three hundred and sixty-fourth year the Lamanites came against the city of Teancum, meaning to take that city too.

And it came to pass that they were repulsed and driven back by the Nephites. And when the Nephites saw that they had driven the Lamanites they did again boast of their own strength; and they went forth in their own might, and took possession again of the city Desolation.

But they were beaten back and driven off by the Nephites. And when the Nephites saw that they had driven the Lamanites back, they boasted again about their own strength. They went out in their own might and took the city of Desolation back.

And now all these things had been done, and there had been thousands slain on both sides, both the Nephites and the Lamanites.

All of this had now been done, and thousands had been killed on both sides, Nephite and Lamanite alike.

And it came to pass that the three hundred and sixty and sixth year had passed away, and the Lamanites came again upon the Nephites to battle; and yet the Nephites repented not of the evil they had done, but persisted in their wickedness continually.

Then the three hundred and sixty-sixth year passed, and the Lamanites came against the Nephites in battle again. Still the Nephites did not repent of the evil they had done, but kept on in their wickedness without stopping.

And it is impossible for the tongue to describe, or for man to write a perfect description of the horrible scene of the blood and carnage which was among the people, both of the Nephites and of the Lamanites; and every heart was hardened, so that they delighted in the shedding of blood continually.

No tongue can describe, and no one can write out in full, the horrible scene of blood and carnage that was among the people, both Nephite and Lamanite. Every heart was hardened, so that they took delight in shedding blood, and never stopped.

And there never had been so great wickedness among all the children of Lehi, nor even among all the house of Israel, according to the words of the Lord, as was among this people.

According to the words of the Lord, there had never been wickedness so great among all the descendants of Lehi, or even in all the house of Israel, as there was among this people.

And it came to pass that the Lamanites did take possession of the city Desolation, and this because their number did exceed the number of the Nephites.

Then the Lamanites took the city of Desolation, and they did it because there were more of them than there were Nephites.

And they did also march forward against the city Teancum, and did drive the inhabitants forth out of her, and did take many prisoners both women and children, and did offer them up as sacrifices unto their idol gods.

They also marched against the city of Teancum and drove its people out of it, and they took many prisoners, women and children, and offered them up as sacrifices to their idol gods.

And it came to pass that in the three hundred and sixty and seventh year, the Nephites being angry because the Lamanites had sacrificed their women and their children, that they did go against the Lamanites with exceedingly great anger, insomuch that they did beat again the Lamanites, and drive them out of their lands.

In the three hundred and sixty-seventh year the Nephites, angry that the Lamanites had sacrificed their women and their children, went against the Lamanites in terrible anger, and they beat the Lamanites again and drove them out of their lands.

And the Lamanites did not come again against the Nephites until the three hundred and seventy and fifth year.

And the Lamanites did not come against the Nephites again until the three hundred and seventy-fifth year.

And in this year they did come down against the Nephites with all their powers; and they were not numbered because of the greatness of their number.

In that year they came down against the Nephites with all their forces, and they could not be counted, there were so many of them.

And from this time forth did the Nephites gain no power over the Lamanites, but began to be swept off by them even as a dew before the sun.

From that time on the Nephites gained no power over the Lamanites, but began to be swept away by them like dew before the sun.

And it came to pass that the Lamanites did come down against the city Desolation; and there was an exceedingly sore battle fought in the land Desolation, in the which they did beat the Nephites.

The Lamanites came down against the city of Desolation, and a terrible battle was fought in the land of Desolation, and in it they beat the Nephites.

And they fled again from before them, and they came to the city Boaz; and there they did stand against the Lamanites with exceeding boldness, insomuch that the Lamanites did not beat them until they had come again the second time.

So the Nephites fled from them again and came to the city of Boaz. There they stood against the Lamanites with real boldness, and the Lamanites did not beat them until they had come against them a second time.

And when they had come the second time, the Nephites were driven and slaughtered with an exceedingly great slaughter; their women and their children were again sacrificed unto idols.

When they came the second time, the Nephites were driven back and cut down in a terrible slaughter, and their women and their children were sacrificed to idols again.

And it came to pass that the Nephites did again flee from before them, taking all the inhabitants with them, both in towns and villages.

So the Nephites fled from them again, taking all the people with them, from the towns and from the villages.

And now I, Mormon, seeing that the Lamanites were about to overthrow the land, therefore I did go to the hill Shim, and did take up all the records which Ammaron had hid up unto the Lord.

And now I, Mormon, seeing that the Lamanites were about to overthrow the land, went to the hill Shim and took up all the records that Ammaron had hidden away for the Lord.