MosiahChapter9

I, Zeniff, having been taught in all the language of the Nephites, and having had a knowledge of the land of Nephi, or of the land of our fathers’ first inheritance, and having been sent as a spy among the Lamanites that I might spy out their forces, that our army might come upon them and destroy them—but when I saw that which was good among them I was desirous that they should not be destroyed.

I, Zeniff, was taught in all the language of the Nephites, and I knew the land of Nephi, our fathers' first homeland. And I was sent as a spy among the Lamanites, to scout out their forces so that our army could come against them and destroy them. But when I saw what was good among them, I did not want them to be destroyed.

Therefore, I contended with my brethren in the wilderness for I would that our ruler should make a treaty with them; but he being an austere and a bloodthirsty man commanded that I should be slain; but I was rescued by the shedding of much blood; for father fought against father, and brother against brother, until the greater number of our army was destroyed in the wilderness; and we returned, those of us that were spared, to the land of Zarahemla, to relate that tale to their wives and their children.

So I argued with my brothers in the wilderness, because I wanted our ruler to make a treaty with them. But he was a harsh and bloodthirsty man, and he ordered me to be killed. I was rescued only by the shedding of much blood: father fought against father, and brother against brother, until most of our army was destroyed in the wilderness. And those of us who were spared returned to the land of Zarahemla to tell that tale to their wives and their children.

And yet, I being over-zealous to inherit the land of our fathers, collected as many as were desirous to go up to possess the land, and started again on our journey into the wilderness to go up to the land; but we were smitten with famine and sore afflictions; for we were slow to remember the Lord our God.

Yet I was over-zealous to inherit the land of our fathers, so I gathered everyone who wanted to go up and take possession of the land, and we started out again on our journey into the wilderness. But we were struck with famine and severe hardships, because we were slow to remember the Lord our God.

Nevertheless, after many days’ wandering in the wilderness we pitched our tents in the place where our brethren were slain, which was near to the land of our fathers.

Still, after many days of wandering in the wilderness, we pitched our tents in the place where our brothers had been killed, near the land of our fathers.

And it came to pass that I went again with four of my men into the city, in unto the king, that I might know of the disposition of the king, and that I might know if I might go in with my people and possess the land in peace.

Then I went again with four of my men into the city, in to the king, to learn how the king felt toward us, and to find out whether I could bring my people in and possess the land in peace.

And I went in unto the king, and he covenanted with me that I might possess the land of Lehi-Nephi, and the land of Shilom.

And I went in to the king, and he made a covenant with me that I could possess the land of Lehi-Nephi and the land of Shilom.

And he also commanded that his people should depart out of the land, and I and my people went into the land that we might possess it.

He also commanded his people to leave the land, and my people and I went in to take possession of it.

And we began to build buildings, and to repair the walls of the city, yea, even the walls of the city of Lehi-Nephi, and the city of Shilom.

We began to put up buildings and to repair the walls of the city, the walls of the city of Lehi-Nephi and of the city of Shilom.

And we began to till the ground, yea, even with all manner of seeds, with seeds of corn, and of wheat, and of barley, and with neas, and with sheum, and with seeds of all manner of fruits; and we did begin to multiply and prosper in the land.

And we began to till the ground and to plant all kinds of seeds: seeds of corn, and wheat, and barley, and neas, and sheum, and seeds of all kinds of fruit. And we began to multiply and prosper in the land.

Now it was the cunning and the craftiness of king Laman, to bring my people into bondage, that he yielded up the land that we might possess it.

Now, it was cunning and craftiness on king Laman's part to give up the land so that we could possess it: his aim was to bring my people into slavery.

Therefore it came to pass, that after we had dwelt in the land for the space of twelve years that king Laman began to grow uneasy, lest by any means my people should wax strong in the land, and that they could not overpower them and bring them into bondage.

So after we had lived in the land for twelve years, king Laman began to grow uneasy, afraid that somehow my people would grow strong in the land and the Lamanites would not be able to overpower them and enslave them.

Now they were a lazy and an idolatrous people; therefore they were desirous to bring us into bondage, that they might glut themselves with the labors of our hands; yea, that they might feast themselves upon the flocks of our fields.

Now, the Lamanites were a lazy and idolatrous people, and they wanted to make slaves of us so that they could gorge themselves on the labor of our hands and feast on the flocks of our fields.

Therefore it came to pass that king Laman began to stir up his people that they should contend with my people; therefore there began to be wars and contentions in the land.

So king Laman began to stir up his people against my people, and wars and conflicts broke out in the land.

For, in the thirteenth year of my reign in the land of Nephi, away on the south of the land of Shilom, when my people were watering and feeding their flocks, and tilling their lands, a numerous host of Lamanites came upon them and began to slay them, and to take off their flocks, and the corn of their fields.

In the thirteenth year of my reign in the land of Nephi, far to the south of the land of Shilom, while my people were watering and feeding their flocks and tilling their lands, a huge force of Lamanites came down on them and began killing them and taking their flocks and the corn from their fields.

Yea, and it came to pass that they fled, all that were not overtaken, even into the city of Nephi, and did call upon me for protection.

All who were not overtaken fled into the city of Nephi and called on me for protection.

And it came to pass that I did arm them with bows, and with arrows, with swords, and with cimeters, and with clubs, and with slings, and with all manner of weapons which we could invent, and I and my people did go forth against the Lamanites to battle.

And I armed them with bows and arrows, with swords and scimitars, with clubs and slings, and with every kind of weapon we could invent, and then my people and I went out against the Lamanites to battle.

Yea, in the strength of the Lord did we go forth to battle against the Lamanites; for I and my people did cry mightily to the Lord that he would deliver us out of the hands of our enemies, for we were awakened to a remembrance of the deliverance of our fathers.

In the Lord's strength we went to battle against the Lamanites, because my people and I had cried mightily to the Lord, pleading with him to deliver us out of the hands of our enemies. We had been awakened to remember the deliverance of our fathers.

And God did hear our cries and did answer our prayers; and we did go forth in his might; yea, we did go forth against the Lamanites, and in one day and a night we did slay three thousand and forty-three; we did slay them even until we had driven them out of our land.

And God heard our cries and answered our prayers, and we went out in his might. We went against the Lamanites, and in one day and a night we killed three thousand and forty-three of them. We kept killing them until we had driven them out of our land.

And I, myself, with mine own hands, did help to bury their dead. And behold, to our great sorrow and lamentation, two hundred and seventy-nine of our brethren were slain.

And I myself, with my own hands, helped to bury their dead. And to our great sorrow and grief, two hundred and seventy-nine of our brothers were killed.