1My Son give ear to my words for I swear unto you that inasmuch as ye shall keep the Commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land
1My son, give ear to my words; for I swear unto you, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land.
2I would that ye should do as I have done in remembering the captivity of our fathers for they were in bondage & none could deliver them except it were the God of Abraham & the God of Isaac & the God of Jacob & he surely did deliver them in their afflictions
2I would that ye should do as I have done, in remembering the captivity of our fathers; for they were in bondage, and none could deliver them except it was the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he surely did deliver them in their afflictions.
3& now O my Son Helaman behold thou art in thy youth & therefore I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words & learn of me for I do know that whom soever shall put his trust in God shall be supported in their trials & their troubles & their afflictions & shall be lifted up at the last day
3And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day.
4& I would not that ye think that I know of myself not of the temporal but of the spirit ual not of the carnal mind but of God
4And I would not that ye think that I know of myself— not of the temporal but of the spiritual, not of the carnal mind but of God.
5now behold I say unto you if I had not been born of God I should not have known these things but God hath by the mouth of his holy angel made these things known unto me not of any wor thiness of myself
5Now, behold, I say unto you, if I had not been born of God I should not have known these things; but God has, by the mouth of his holy angel, made these things known unto me, not of any worthiness of myself;
6for I went about with the Sons of Mosiah seeking to destroy the church of God but behold God sent his holy angel to stop us by the way
6For I went about with the sons of Mosiah, seeking to destroy the church of God; but behold, God sent his holy angel to stop us by the way.
7& behold he spake unto us as it were the voice of thunder & the whole earth did tremble beneath our feet & we all fell to the earth for the fear of the Lord came upon us
7And behold, he spake unto us, as it were the voice of thunder, and the whole earth did tremble beneath our feet; and we all fell to the earth, for the fear of the Lord came upon us.
8but behold the voice said unto me arise & I arose & stood up & beheld the angel
8But behold, the voice said unto me: Arise. And I arose and stood up, and beheld the angel.
9& he said unto me if thou wilt of thyself be destroyed seek no more to destroy the church of God
9And he said unto me: If thou wilt of thyself be destroyed, seek no more to destroy the church of God.
10& it came to pass that I fell to the earth & it was for the space of three days & nights that I could not open my mouth neither had I the use of my
10And it came to pass that I fell to the earth; and it was for the space of three days and three nights that I could not open my mouth, neither had I the use of my limbs.
11limbs the angel spake more things unto me which were heard by my brethren but I did not hear them for when I heard the words if thou wilt be destroyed of thyself seek no more to destroy the church of God I was struck with such great fear & amazement lest perhaps th◊ t I should be destroyed that I fell to the earth & I did hear no more
11And the angel spake more things unto me, which were heard by my brethren, but I did not hear them; for when I heard the words— If thou wilt be destroyed of thyself, seek no more to destroy the church of God— I was struck with such great fear and amazement lest perhaps I should be destroyed, that I fell to the earth and I did hear no more.
12but I was rack ed with eternal torment for my soul was harrowed up to the greatest degree & racked with all my sins
12But I was racked with eternal torment, for my soul was harrowed up to the greatest degree and racked with all my sins.
13yea I did remember all my sins & iniquities for which I was tormented with the pains of hell yea I saw that I had rebelled against my God & that I had not kept his holy commandments
13Yea, I did remember all my sins and iniquities, for which I was tormented with the pains of hell; yea, I saw that I had rebelled against my God, and that I had not kept his holy commandments.
14yea & I had murdered many of his children or rather led them away unto destruction yea & in fine so great had been my iniquities that the verry thoughts of coming into the presance of my God did rack my Soul with inexpressible horror
14Yea, and I had murdered many of his children, or rather led them away unto destruction; yea, and in fine so great had been my iniquities, that the very thought of coming into the presence of my God did rack my soul with inexpressible horror.
15O thought I that I could be banished & become extinct both soul & body that I might not be brought to stand in the presance of my God to be judged of my deed[s]
15Oh, thought I, that I could be banished and become extinct both soul and body, that I might not be brought to stand in the presence of my God, to be judged of my deeds.
16& now for three days & for three nights was I racked even with the pains of a damned soul
16And now, for three days and for three nights was I racked, even with the pains of a damned soul.
17& it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins behold I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesu Christ a Son of God to atone for the Sins of the world
17And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.
18now as my mind caught hold upon this thought I cried within my heart O Jesus thou Son of God have mercy on me who art in the gall of bitterness & art insercled about by the everlasting chanes of death
18Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death.
19& now behold when I thought this I could remember my pains no more yea I was harrowed up by the memmory of my sins no more
19And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more.
20& O what joy & what marvelous light I did behold yea my soul was filled with joy as exceding as was my pain
20And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!
21yea I say unto you my Son that there could be nothing so exquisit & so bitter as was my pains yea & again I say unto you my Son that on the other hand there can be nothing so exquisit & sweet as was my joy yea
21Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy.
22& me thought I saw even as our father Lehi saw God sitting upon his throne surrounded with numberless concorses of angels in the attitude of singing & praising their God yea & my soul did long to be there
22Yea, methought I saw, even as our father Lehi saw, God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels, in the attitude of singing and praising their God; yea, and my soul did long to be there.
23but behold my limbs did receive their strength again & I stood upon my feet & did manifest unto the people that I had been born of God
23But behold, my limbs did receive their strength again, and I stood upon my feet, and did manifest unto the people that I had been born of God.
24yea & from that time even until now I have laboured without ceasing that I might bring souls unto repentance that I might bring them to taste of the exceding joy of which I did taste that they mi ght also be born of God & be filled with the holy Ghost
24Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
25yea & now behold O my Son the Lord doth give me exceding great joy in the fruit of my labours
25Yea, and now behold, O my son, the Lord doth give me exceedingly great joy in the fruit of my labors;
26for because of the word which he hath imparted unto me behold many hath been born of God & hath tasted as I have tasted & hath seen eye to eye as I have seen therefore they do know of these things of which I have spoken as I do know & the know ledge which I have is of God
26For because of the word which he has imparted unto me, behold, many have been born of God, and have tasted as I have tasted, and have seen eye to eye as I have seen; therefore they do know of these things of which I have spoken, as I do know; and the knowledge which I have is of God.
27& I have been supported under trials & troubles of every kind yea & in all manner of afflictions yea God hath delivered me from prisons & from bonds & from death yea & I do put my trust in him & he will still deliver me
27And I have been supported under trials and troubles of every kind, yea, and in all manner of afflictions; yea, God has delivered me from prison, and from bonds, and from death; yea, and I do put my trust in him, and he will still deliver me.
28& I know that he will raise me up at the last day to dwell with him in glory yea & I will praise him forever for he hath brought our fathers out of Egypt & he hath swallowed up the Egyptians in the red Sea & he led them by his power into the promised land yea & he hath delivered them out of bondage & captivity from time to time
28And I know that he will raise me up at the last day, to dwell with him in glory; yea, and I will praise him forever, for he has brought our fathers out of Egypt, and he has swallowed up the Egyptians in the Red Sea; and he led them by his power into the promised land; yea, and he has delivered them out of bondage and captivity from time to time.
29yea & he hath also brought our fathers out of the land of Jerusalem & he hath also by his everlasting power delivered them out of bondage & captivity from time to time even down to the presant day & I have always retained in rememberance their captivity yea & ye also h◊ d ought to retain in rememberance as I have done thei[r] captivity
29Yea, and he has also brought our fathers out of the land of Jerusalem; and he has also, by his everlasting power, delivered them out of bondage and captivity, from time to time even down to the present day; and I have always retained in remembrance their captivity; yea, and ye also ought to retain in remembrance, as I have done, their captivity.
30but behold my Son this is not all for ye h◊ d ought to know as I do know that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall pros per in the land & ye had ought to know also that in as much as ye will not keep the commandments of God ye shall be cut off from his presance now this is according to his word
30But behold, my son, this is not all; for ye ought to know as I do know, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land; and ye ought to know also, that inasmuch as ye will not keep the commandments of God ye shall be cut off from his presence. Now this is according to his word.