Words of MormonChapter1

And now I, Mormon, being about to deliver up the record which I have been making into the hands of my son Moroni, behold I have witnessed almost all the destruction of my people, the Nephites.

Now I, Mormon, am about to place the record I have been making into the hands of my son Moroni; and I have witnessed almost the entire destruction of my people, the Nephites.

And it is many hundred years after the coming of Christ that I deliver these records into the hands of my son; and it supposeth me that he will witness the entire destruction of my people. But may God grant that he may survive them, that he may write somewhat concerning them, and somewhat concerning Christ, that perhaps some day it may profit them.

It is many hundreds of years after the coming of Christ that I place these records in the hands of my son; and I believe that he will witness the entire destruction of my people. But may God grant that he survive them, so that he can write something about them, and something about Christ, in the hope that some day it may benefit them.

And now, I speak somewhat concerning that which I have written; for after I had made an abridgment from the plates of Nephi, down to the reign of this king Benjamin, of whom Amaleki spake, I searched among the records which had been delivered into my hands, and I found these plates, which contained this small account of the prophets, from Jacob down to the reign of this king Benjamin, and also many of the words of Nephi.

Now I will say something about what I have written. After I had made a shortened version from the plates of Nephi, down to the reign of this king Benjamin, the one Amaleki spoke of, I searched among the records that had been placed in my hands. And I found these plates, which contained this small account of the prophets, from Jacob down to the reign of this same king Benjamin, and also many of the words of Nephi.

And the things which are upon these plates pleasing me, because of the prophecies of the coming of Christ; and my fathers knowing that many of them have been fulfilled; yea, and I also know that as many things as have been prophesied concerning us down to this day have been fulfilled, and as many as go beyond this day must surely come to pass—

The things on these plates pleased me, because of the prophecies of the coming of Christ. My fathers knew that many of those prophecies had been fulfilled; and I also know that everything prophesied about us down to this day has been fulfilled, and everything that goes beyond this day must surely come to pass.

Wherefore, I chose these things, to finish my record upon them, which remainder of my record I shall take from the plates of Nephi; and I cannot write the hundredth part of the things of my people.

So I chose these things, to finish my record with them; and the rest of my record I will take from the plates of Nephi. And I cannot write the hundredth part of the story of my people.

But behold, I shall take these plates, which contain these prophesyings and revelations, and put them with the remainder of my record, for they are choice unto me; and I know they will be choice unto my brethren.

But I will take these plates, which contain these prophecies and revelations, and put them with the rest of my record, because they are precious to me; and I know they will be precious to my brothers.

And I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in me. And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do according to his will.

And I do this for a wise purpose, because this is what the Spirit whispers to me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord that is in me. Now, I do not know all things, but the Lord knows all things that are to come; so he works in me to do according to his will.

And my prayer to God is concerning my brethren, that they may once again come to the knowledge of God, yea, the redemption of Christ; that they may once again be a delightsome people.

And my prayer to God is for my brothers: that they may once again come to the knowledge of God and the redemption of Christ, and that they may once again be a delightful people.

And now I, Mormon, proceed to finish out my record, which I take from the plates of Nephi; and I make it according to the knowledge and the understanding which God has given me.

Now I, Mormon, proceed to finish my record, which I take from the plates of Nephi; and I write it according to the knowledge and the understanding that God has given me.

Wherefore, it came to pass that after Amaleki had delivered up these plates into the hands of king Benjamin, he took them and put them with the other plates, which contained records which had been handed down by the kings, from generation to generation until the days of king Benjamin.

After Amaleki had handed these plates over to king Benjamin, the king took them and put them with the other plates. Those plates contained records handed down by the kings, from generation to generation, until the days of king Benjamin.

And they were handed down from king Benjamin, from generation to generation until they have fallen into my hands. And I, Mormon, pray to God that they may be preserved from this time henceforth. And I know that they will be preserved; for there are great things written upon them, out of which my people and their brethren shall be judged at the great and last day, according to the word of God which is written.

And from king Benjamin they were handed down, from generation to generation, until they came into my hands. And I, Mormon, pray to God that they will be preserved from this time forward. I know they will be preserved, because great things are written on them. And out of them my people and their brothers will be judged at the great and last day, according to the word of God that is written.

And now, concerning this king Benjamin—he had somewhat of contentions among his own people.

Now, concerning this king Benjamin: he had some contention among his own people.

And it came to pass also that the armies of the Lamanites came down out of the land of Nephi, to battle against his people. But behold, king Benjamin gathered together his armies, and he did stand against them; and he did fight with the strength of his own arm, with the sword of Laban.

The Lamanite armies also came down out of the land of Nephi to battle against his people. But king Benjamin gathered his armies and stood against them, and he fought with the strength of his own arm, with the sword of Laban.

And in the strength of the Lord they did contend against their enemies, until they had slain many thousands of the Lamanites. And it came to pass that they did contend against the Lamanites until they had driven them out of all the lands of their inheritance.

In the Lord's strength they fought their enemies, until they had killed many thousands of the Lamanites. And they went on fighting the Lamanites until they had driven them out of all the lands of their inheritance.

And it came to pass that after there had been false Christs, and their mouths had been shut, and they punished according to their crimes;

There had been false Christs, but their mouths had been shut, and they had been punished for their crimes.

And after there had been false prophets, and false preachers and teachers among the people, and all these having been punished according to their crimes; and after there having been much contention and many dissensions away unto the Lamanites, behold, it came to pass that king Benjamin, with the assistance of the holy prophets who were among his people—

There had also been false prophets, and false preachers and teachers among the people, and all of these had been punished for their crimes. And after much contention, and many who broke away to join the Lamanites, king Benjamin acted, with the assistance of the holy prophets who were among his people.

For behold, king Benjamin was a holy man, and he did reign over his people in righteousness; and there were many holy men in the land, and they did speak the word of God with power and with authority; and they did use much sharpness because of the stiffneckedness of the people—

King Benjamin himself was a holy man, and he reigned over his people in righteousness. And there were many holy men in the land, and they spoke the word of God with power and with authority; and they used much sharpness, because the people were stubborn.

Wherefore, with the help of these, king Benjamin, by laboring with all the might of his body and the faculty of his whole soul, and also the prophets, did once more establish peace in the land.

So with the help of these holy men, king Benjamin labored with all the might of his body and the faculty of his whole soul, and the prophets did the same. And once more he established peace in the land.