Mosiah 2

And it came to pass that after Mosiah had done as his father had commanded him, and had made a proclamation throughout all the land, that the people gathered themselves together throughout all the land, that they might go up to the temple to hear the words which king Benjamin should speak unto them.

After Mosiah had done as his father commanded him and had sent a proclamation throughout all the land, the people gathered together from all over the land to go up to the temple and hear the words that King Benjamin would speak to them.

And there were a great number, even so many that they did not number them; for they had multiplied exceedingly and waxed great in the land.

There were so many of them that they did not count them, for they had multiplied greatly and become very numerous in the land.

And they also took of the firstlings of their flocks, that they might offer sacrifice and burnt offerings according to the law of Moses;

They also took some of the firstborn of their flocks, so that they might offer sacrifices and burnt offerings according to the law of Moses;

And also that they might give thanks to the Lord their God, who had brought them out of the land of Jerusalem, and who had delivered them out of the hands of their enemies, and had appointed just men to be their teachers, and also a just man to be their king, who had established peace in the land of Zarahemla, and who had taught them to keep the commandments of God, that they might rejoice and be filled with love towards God and all men.

and also to give thanks to the Lord their God, who had brought them out of the land of Jerusalem, who had delivered them from the hands of their enemies, and who had appointed just men to be their teachers, and a just man to be their king, one who had established peace in the land of Zarahemla and had taught them to keep the commandments of God, so that they might rejoice and be filled with love toward God and all people.

And it came to pass that when they came up to the temple, they pitched their tents round about, every man according to his family, consisting of his wife, and his sons, and his daughters, and their sons, and their daughters, from the eldest down to the youngest, every family being separate one from another.

When they came up to the temple, they pitched their tents around it, every man with his family: his wife, his sons and his daughters, and their sons and their daughters, from the oldest down to the youngest, every family separate from the others.

And they pitched their tents round about the temple, every man having his tent with the door thereof towards the temple, that thereby they might remain in their tents and hear the words which king Benjamin should speak unto them;

They pitched their tents around the temple, every man with his tent door facing the temple, so that they could stay in their tents and hear the words King Benjamin would speak to them;

For the multitude being so great that king Benjamin could not teach them all within the walls of the temple, therefore he caused a tower to be erected, that thereby his people might hear the words which he should speak unto them.

for the crowd was so large that King Benjamin could not teach them all inside the temple walls. So he had a tower built, so that his people could hear the words he would speak to them.

And it came to pass that he began to speak to his people from the tower; and they could not all hear his words because of the greatness of the multitude; therefore he caused that the words which he spake should be written and sent forth among those that were not under the sound of his voice, that they might also receive his words.

He began to speak to his people from the tower, but they still could not all hear his words, because the crowd was so large. So he had the words that he spoke written down and sent out among those who were beyond the sound of his voice, so that they might also receive his words.

And these are the words which he spake and caused to be written, saying: My brethren, all ye that have assembled yourselves together, you that can hear my words which I shall speak unto you this day; for I have not commanded you to come up hither to trifle with the words which I shall speak, but that you should hearken unto me, and open your ears that ye may hear, and your hearts that ye may understand, and your minds that the mysteries of God may be unfolded to your view.

And these are the words that he spoke and had written down: "My brothers, all of you who have gathered here together, all of you who can hear the words I will speak to you this day: I have not commanded you to come up here to take my words lightly, but to listen to me, and to open your ears so that you may hear, and your hearts so that you may understand, and your minds so that the mysteries of God may be unfolded to your view.

I have not commanded you to come up hither that ye should fear me, or that ye should think that I of myself am more than a mortal man.

I have not commanded you to come up here to fear me, or to think that I of myself am more than a mortal man.

But I am like as yourselves, subject to all manner of infirmities in body and mind; yet I have been chosen by this people, and consecrated by my father, and was suffered by the hand of the Lord that I should be a ruler and a king over this people; and have been kept and preserved by his matchless power, to serve you with all the might, mind and strength which the Lord hath granted unto me.

But I am like yourselves, subject to all kinds of weakness in body and mind. Yet I have been chosen by this people, consecrated by my father, and allowed by the hand of the Lord to be a ruler and a king over this people; and I have been kept and preserved by his matchless power, to serve you with all the might, mind, and strength that the Lord has granted me.

I say unto you that as I have been suffered to spend my days in your service, even up to this time, and have not sought gold nor silver nor any manner of riches of you;

"I say to you that I have been allowed to spend my days in your service, even up to this time, and I have not sought gold or silver or any other kind of riches from you.

Neither have I suffered that ye should be confined in dungeons, nor that ye should make slaves one of another, nor that ye should murder, or plunder, or steal, or commit adultery; nor even have I suffered that ye should commit any manner of wickedness, and have taught you that ye should keep the commandments of the Lord, in all things which he hath commanded you—

I have not allowed you to be confined in dungeons, or to make slaves of one another, or to murder, or plunder, or steal, or commit adultery. I have not allowed you to commit any kind of wickedness, and I have taught you to keep the commandments of the Lord in all the things he has commanded you.

And even I, myself, have labored with mine own hands that I might serve you, and that ye should not be laden with taxes, and that there should nothing come upon you which was grievous to be borne—and of all these things which I have spoken, ye yourselves are witnesses this day.

And I myself have labored with my own hands to serve you, so that you would not be burdened with taxes, and so that nothing would come upon you that was too hard to bear. Of all these things I have spoken, you yourselves are witnesses this day.

Yet, my brethren, I have not done these things that I might boast, neither do I tell these things that thereby I might accuse you; but I tell you these things that ye may know that I can answer a clear conscience before God this day.

"Yet, my brothers, I have not done these things to boast, and I do not tell you these things to accuse you; I tell you these things so that you may know that I can answer with a clear conscience before God this day.

Behold, I say unto you that because I said unto you that I had spent my days in your service, I do not desire to boast, for I have only been in the service of God.

I say to you that because I said I have spent my days in your service, I do not want to boast, for I have only been in the service of God.

And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

And I tell you these things so that you may learn wisdom; so that you may learn that when you are in the service of your fellow beings, you are only in the service of your God.

Behold, ye have called me your king; and if I, whom ye call your king, do labor to serve you, then ought not ye to labor to serve one another?

"You have called me your king. And if I, whom you call your king, labor to serve you, then should you not labor to serve one another?

And behold also, if I, whom ye call your king, who has spent his days in your service, and yet has been in the service of God, do merit any thanks from you, O how you ought to thank your heavenly King!

And if I, whom you call your king, who has spent his days in your service and yet has been in the service of God, deserve any thanks from you, O how you ought to thank your heavenly King!

I say unto you, my brethren, that if you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you, and has caused that ye should rejoice, and has granted that ye should live in peace one with another—

"I say to you, my brothers, that if you should render all the thanks and praise that your whole soul has power to possess to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you, and has caused you to rejoice, and has granted that you should live in peace with one another —

I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.

I say to you that if you should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and who is preserving you from day to day by lending you breath so that you may live and move and act according to your own will, and who is even supporting you from one moment to the next — I say, if you should serve him with your whole souls, you would still be unprofitable servants.

And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.

"And all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments. He has promised you that if you keep his commandments you will prosper in the land; and he never varies from what he has said. So if you keep his commandments, he blesses you and prospers you.

And now, in the first place, he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him.

Now, in the first place: he has created you and granted you your lives, for which you are indebted to him.

And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast?

And second, he requires that you do as he has commanded you; and if you do, he immediately blesses you, and so he has paid you. And you are still indebted to him, and are, and will be, forever and ever. So what do you have to boast about?

And now I ask, can ye say aught of yourselves? I answer you, Nay. Ye cannot say that ye are even as much as the dust of the earth; yet ye were created of the dust of the earth; but behold, it belongeth to him who created you.

And now I ask: can you say anything of yourselves? I answer you, No. You cannot say that you are even as much as the dust of the earth; yet you were created from the dust of the earth. But even the dust belongs to him who created you.

And I, even I, whom ye call your king, am no better than ye yourselves are; for I am also of the dust. And ye behold that I am old, and am about to yield up this mortal frame to its mother earth.

"And I, even I, whom you call your king, am no better than you are; for I am also of the dust. And you see that I am old and about to yield up this mortal frame to its mother earth.

Therefore, as I said unto you that I had served you, walking with a clear conscience before God, even so I at this time have caused that ye should assemble yourselves together, that I might be found blameless, and that your blood should not come upon me, when I shall stand to be judged of God of the things whereof he hath commanded me concerning you.

"Therefore, just as I said that I have served you, walking with a clear conscience before God, so I have now caused you to gather together, so that I might be found blameless, and so that your blood would not come upon me when I stand to be judged by God for the things he has commanded me concerning you.

I say unto you that I have caused that ye should assemble yourselves together that I might rid my garments of your blood, at this period of time when I am about to go down to my grave, that I might go down in peace, and my immortal spirit may join the choirs above in singing the praises of a just God.

I say to you that I have caused you to gather together so that I might rid my garments of your blood at this time when I am about to go down to my grave, so that I might go down in peace, and my immortal spirit may join the choirs above in singing the praises of a just God.

And moreover, I say unto you that I have caused that ye should assemble yourselves together, that I might declare unto you that I can no longer be your teacher, nor your king;

"And moreover, I say to you that I have caused you to gather together so that I might declare to you that I can no longer be your teacher, or your king;

For even at this time, my whole frame doth tremble exceedingly while attempting to speak unto you; but the Lord God doth support me, and hath suffered me that I should speak unto you, and hath commanded me that I should declare unto you this day, that my son Mosiah is a king and a ruler over you.

for even now my whole frame trembles greatly while I try to speak to you; but the Lord God supports me, and he has allowed me to speak to you, and has commanded me to declare to you this day that my son Mosiah is a king and a ruler over you.

And now, my brethren, I would that ye should do as ye have hitherto done. As ye have kept my commandments, and also the commandments of my father, and have prospered, and have been kept from falling into the hands of your enemies, even so if ye shall keep the commandments of my son, or the commandments of God which shall be delivered unto you by him, ye shall prosper in the land, and your enemies shall have no power over you.

"And now, my brothers, I want you to keep doing as you have done until now. As you have kept my commandments, and also the commandments of my father, and have prospered, and have been kept from falling into the hands of your enemies, so if you keep the commandments of my son, or the commandments of God that will be delivered to you by him, you will prosper in the land, and your enemies will have no power over you.

But, O my people, beware lest there shall arise contentions among you, and ye list to obey the evil spirit, which was spoken of by my father Mosiah.

"But, O my people, beware of letting contention arise among you, and of choosing to obey the evil spirit that my father Mosiah spoke of.

For behold, there is a wo pronounced upon him who listeth to obey that spirit; for if he listeth to obey him, and remaineth and dieth in his sins, the same drinketh damnation to his own soul; for he receiveth for his wages an everlasting punishment, having transgressed the law of God contrary to his own knowledge.

For woe to the one who chooses to obey that spirit! For if he chooses to obey him, and remains and dies in his sins, he drinks damnation to his own soul; he receives an everlasting punishment as his wages, because he has transgressed the law of God contrary to his own knowledge.

I say unto you, that there are not any among you, except it be your little children that have not been taught concerning these things, but what knoweth that ye are eternally indebted to your heavenly Father, to render to him all that you have and are; and also have been taught concerning the records which contain the prophecies which have been spoken by the holy prophets, even down to the time our father, Lehi, left Jerusalem;

"I say to you that there is no one among you, except your little children who have not yet been taught these things, who does not know that you are eternally indebted to your heavenly Father, to render to him all that you have and are. You have also been taught about the records that contain the prophecies spoken by the holy prophets, down to the time our father Lehi left Jerusalem,

And also, all that has been spoken by our fathers until now. And behold, also, they spake that which was commanded them of the Lord; therefore, they are just and true.

and about everything our fathers have spoken until now. They spoke what the Lord commanded them; therefore their words are just and true.

And now, I say unto you, my brethren, that after ye have known and have been taught all these things, if ye should transgress and go contrary to that which has been spoken, that ye do withdraw yourselves from the Spirit of the Lord, that it may have no place in you to guide you in wisdom’s paths that ye may be blessed, prospered, and preserved—

"And now, my brothers, I say to you that after you have known and been taught all these things, if you transgress and go contrary to what has been spoken, you withdraw yourselves from the Spirit of the Lord, so that it can have no place in you to guide you in wisdom's paths, so that you may be blessed, prospered, and preserved —

I say unto you, that the man that doeth this, the same cometh out in open rebellion against God; therefore he listeth to obey the evil spirit, and becometh an enemy to all righteousness; therefore, the Lord has no place in him, for he dwelleth not in unholy temples.

I say to you that the one who does this comes out in open rebellion against God. He chooses to obey the evil spirit and becomes an enemy to all righteousness; and the Lord has no place in him, for the Lord does not dwell in unholy temples.

Therefore if that man repenteth not, and remaineth and dieth an enemy to God, the demands of divine justice do awaken his immortal soul to a lively sense of his own guilt, which doth cause him to shrink from the presence of the Lord, and doth fill his breast with guilt, and pain, and anguish, which is like an unquenchable fire, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever.

"Therefore, if that man does not repent, and remains and dies an enemy to God, the demands of divine justice awaken his immortal soul to a lively sense of his own guilt, which makes him shrink from the presence of the Lord and fills him with guilt and pain and anguish, like an unquenchable fire whose flame rises up forever and ever.

And now I say unto you, that mercy hath no claim on that man; therefore his final doom is to endure a never-ending torment.

And now I say to you that mercy has no claim on that man; so his final doom is to endure a never-ending torment.

O, all ye old men, and also ye young men, and you little children who can understand my words, for I have spoken plainly unto you that ye might understand, I pray that ye should awake to a remembrance of the awful situation of those that have fallen into transgression.

"O all you old men, and you young men, and you little children who can understand my words: I have spoken plainly to you so that you might understand. I pray that you will awake to a remembrance of the awful situation of those who have fallen into transgression.

And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

And moreover, I want you to consider the blessed and happy state of those who keep the commandments of God. For they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end, they are received into heaven, so that they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God has spoken it."