AlmaChapter10

Now these are the words which Amulek preached unto the people who were in the land of Ammonihah, saying:

These are the words Amulek preached to the people in the land of Ammonihah:

I am Amulek; I am the son of Giddonah, who was the son of Ishmael, who was a descendant of Aminadi; and it was the same Aminadi who interpreted the writing which was upon the wall of the temple, which was written by the finger of God.

I am Amulek. I am the son of Giddonah, who was the son of Ishmael, who was a descendant of Aminadi. It was this same Aminadi who interpreted the writing on the temple wall, which was written by the finger of God.

And Aminadi was a descendant of Nephi, who was the son of Lehi, who came out of the land of Jerusalem, who was a descendant of Manasseh, who was the son of Joseph who was sold into Egypt by the hands of his brethren.

And Aminadi was a descendant of Nephi, who was the son of Lehi, who came out of the land of Jerusalem, who was a descendant of Manasseh, the son of Joseph who was sold into Egypt by his brothers.

And behold, I am also a man of no small reputation among all those who know me; yea, and behold, I have many kindreds and friends, and I have also acquired much riches by the hand of my industry.

I am also a man of no small reputation among all who know me. I have many relatives and friends, and I have gained much wealth by my own hard work.

Nevertheless, after all this, I never have known much of the ways of the Lord, and his mysteries and marvelous power. I said I never had known much of these things; but behold, I mistake, for I have seen much of his mysteries and his marvelous power; yea, even in the preservation of the lives of this people.

Even so, after all this, I never knew much about the ways of the Lord, or his mysteries and marvelous power. I said I never had known much about these things. But I am mistaken, for I have seen much of his mysteries and his marvelous power, even in preserving the lives of this nation.

Nevertheless, I did harden my heart, for I was called many times and I would not hear; therefore I knew concerning these things, yet I would not know; therefore I went on rebelling against God, in the wickedness of my heart, even until the fourth day of this seventh month, which is in the tenth year of the reign of the judges.

Still, I hardened my heart, for I was called many times and would not listen. So I knew about these things, and yet I would not know. And so I went on rebelling against God in the wickedness of my heart, until the fourth day of this seventh month, in the tenth year of the reign of the judges.

As I was journeying to see a very near kindred, behold an angel of the Lord appeared unto me and said: Amulek, return to thine own house, for thou shalt feed a prophet of the Lord; yea, a holy man, who is a chosen man of God; for he has fasted many days because of the sins of this people, and he is an hungered, and thou shalt receive him into thy house and feed him, and he shall bless thee and thy house; and the blessing of the Lord shall rest upon thee and thy house.

As I was traveling to see a very close relative, an angel of the Lord appeared to me and said, "Amulek, return to your own house, for you will feed a prophet of the Lord — a holy man, a chosen man of God. He has fasted many days because of the sins of this nation, and he is hungry. You are to welcome him into your house and feed him, and he will bless you and your house; and the blessing of the Lord will rest on you and your house."

And it came to pass that I obeyed the voice of the angel, and returned towards my house. And as I was going thither I found the man whom the angel said unto me: Thou shalt receive into thy house—and behold it was this same man who has been speaking unto you concerning the things of God.

So I obeyed the voice of the angel and returned toward my house. And as I was going there, I found the man the angel had told me to welcome into my house — and it was this same man who has been speaking to you about the things of God.

And the angel said unto me he is a holy man; wherefore I know he is a holy man because it was said by an angel of God.

And the angel told me he is a holy man. So I know he is a holy man because an angel of God said it.

And again, I know that the things whereof he hath testified are true; for behold I say unto you, that as the Lord liveth, even so has he sent his angel to make these things manifest unto me; and this he has done while this Alma hath dwelt at my house.

And again, I know that the things he has testified of are true. For I say to you, as the Lord lives, he has sent his angel to make these things known to me, and he has done it while this Alma has been staying at my house.

For behold, he hath blessed mine house, he hath blessed me, and my women, and my children, and my father and my kinsfolk; yea, even all my kindred hath he blessed, and the blessing of the Lord hath rested upon us according to the words which he spake.

For he has blessed my house. He has blessed me, my wife, my children, my father, and my relatives; indeed, he has blessed my whole family, and the blessing of the Lord has rested on us according to the words he spoke.

And now, when Amulek had spoken these words the people began to be astonished, seeing there was more than one witness who testified of the things whereof they were accused, and also of the things which were to come, according to the spirit of prophecy which was in them.

When Amulek said this, the people were astonished, seeing that there was more than one witness who testified of the things they were accused of, and also of the things that were to come, according to the spirit of prophecy that was in them.

Nevertheless, there were some among them who thought to question them, that by their cunning devices they might catch them in their words, that they might find witness against them, that they might deliver them to their judges that they might be judged according to the law, and that they might be slain or cast into prison, according to the crime which they could make appear or witness against them.

Even so, there were some among them who meant to question them, hoping that by their cunning tricks they could catch them in their words, find grounds to testify against them, and hand them over to their judges to be judged according to the law. Then Alma and Amulek could be killed or thrown into prison, depending on the crime the lawyers could prove or testify against them.

Now it was those men who sought to destroy them, who were lawyers, who were hired or appointed by the people to administer the law at their times of trials, or at the trials of the crimes of the people before the judges.

Now the men who tried to destroy them were lawyers, hired or appointed by the people to administer the law at their times of trial, or at the trials of the people's crimes before the judges.

Now these lawyers were learned in all the arts and cunning of the people; and this was to enable them that they might be skilful in their profession.

These lawyers were trained in all the arts and cunning of the people, which was what made them skillful in their profession.

And it came to pass that they began to question Amulek, that thereby they might make him cross his words, or contradict the words which he should speak.

So they began questioning Amulek, hoping to trip him up in his words, or to make him contradict what he said.

Now they knew not that Amulek could know of their designs. But it came to pass as they began to question him, he perceived their thoughts, and he said unto them: O ye wicked and perverse generation, ye lawyers and hypocrites, for ye are laying the foundation of the devil; for ye are laying traps and snares to catch the holy ones of God.

Now they didn't know that Amulek could know their plans. But as they questioned him, he perceived their thoughts, and he said to them: O you wicked and perverse generation, you lawyers and hypocrites, you are laying the foundation of the devil; for you are laying traps and snares to catch the holy ones of God.

Ye are laying plans to pervert the ways of the righteous, and to bring down the wrath of God upon your heads, even to the utter destruction of this people.

You are laying plans to pervert the ways of the righteous and to bring down the wrath of God on your heads, even to the utter destruction of this nation.

Yea, well did Mosiah say, who was our last king, when he was about to deliver up the kingdom, having no one to confer it upon, causing that this people should be governed by their own voices—yea, well did he say that if the time should come that the voice of this people should choose iniquity, that is, if the time should come that this people should fall into transgression, they would be ripe for destruction.

Well did Mosiah say — our last king, when he was about to give up the kingdom and had no one to confer it on, and so arranged for this nation to be governed by the voice of the people — well did he say that if the time came when the voice of the people chose wickedness, that is, if this nation fell into transgression, it would be ripe for destruction.

And now I say unto you that well doth the Lord judge of your iniquities; well doth he cry unto this people, by the voice of his angels: Repent ye, repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

And I say to you: well does the Lord judge your sins; well does he call out to this nation by the voice of his angels, "Repent, repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"

Yea, well doth he cry, by the voice of his angels that: I will come down among my people, with equity and justice in my hands.

Well does he call out by the voice of his angels, "I will come down among my people, with equity and justice in my hands."

Yea, and I say unto you that if it were not for the prayers of the righteous, who are now in the land, that ye would even now be visited with utter destruction; yet it would not be by flood, as were the people in the days of Noah, but it would be by famine, and by pestilence, and the sword.

And I say to you that if it were not for the prayers of the righteous who are now in the land, you would be visited with utter destruction even now. It would not be by flood, as it was for the people in the days of Noah, but by famine, pestilence, and the sword.

But it is by the prayers of the righteous that ye are spared; now therefore, if ye will cast out the righteous from among you then will not the Lord stay his hand; but in his fierce anger he will come out against you; then ye shall be smitten by famine, and by pestilence, and by the sword; and the time is soon at hand except ye repent.

But it is by the prayers of the righteous that you are spared. So if you drive the righteous out from among you, the Lord will not hold back his hand; in his fierce anger he will come out against you, and you will be struck by famine, pestilence, and the sword. And that time is soon at hand unless you repent.

And now it came to pass that the people were more angry with Amulek, and they cried out, saying: This man doth revile against our laws which are just, and our wise lawyers whom we have selected.

Now the people grew even more angry with Amulek, and they shouted, "This man is reviling our laws, which are just, and our wise lawyers, whom we ourselves chose!"

But Amulek stretched forth his hand, and cried the mightier unto them, saying: O ye wicked and perverse generation, why hath Satan got such great hold upon your hearts? Why will ye yield yourselves unto him that he may have power over you, to blind your eyes, that ye will not understand the words which are spoken, according to their truth?

But Amulek stretched out his hand and called out to them all the more powerfully: O you wicked and perverse generation, why has Satan taken such a strong hold on your hearts? Why will you give yourselves over to him, so that he has power over you to blind your eyes, so that you do not understand the words that are spoken as they truly are?

For behold, have I testified against your law? Ye do not understand; ye say that I have spoken against your law; but I have not, but I have spoken in favor of your law, to your condemnation.

Have I testified against your law? You do not understand. You say that I have spoken against your law, but I have not. I have spoken in favor of your law — to your own condemnation.

And now behold, I say unto you, that the foundation of the destruction of this people is beginning to be laid by the unrighteousness of your lawyers and your judges.

And I say to you that by the unrighteousness of your lawyers and judges, the foundation for the destruction of this nation is beginning to be laid.

And now it came to pass that when Amulek had spoken these words the people cried out against him, saying: Now we know that this man is a child of the devil, for he hath lied unto us; for he hath spoken against our law. And now he says that he has not spoken against it.

Now when Amulek said this, the people shouted against him, "Now we know that this man is a child of the devil, because he has lied to us. He has spoken against our law, and now he says he hasn't spoken against it.

And again, he has reviled against our lawyers, and our judges.

And he has reviled our lawyers and judges!"

And it came to pass that the lawyers put it into their hearts that they should remember these things against him.

So the lawyers made up their minds to hold these things against him.

And there was one among them whose name was Zeezrom. Now he was the foremost to accuse Amulek and Alma, he being one of the most expert among them, having much business to do among the people.

And there was one among them named Zeezrom. He was the chief accuser of Amulek and Alma, being one of the most skilled among them, with a great deal of business among the people.

Now the object of these lawyers was to get gain; and they got gain according to their employ.

Now the object of these lawyers was to get rich, and they got rich in proportion to how much they were employed.