Helaman 7
1 Behold, now it came to pass in the sixty and ninth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of the Nephites, that Nephi, the son of Helaman,
returned to the land of Zarahemla from the land northward.
2 For he had been forth among the people who were in the land northward,
and did preach the word of God unto them, and did prophesy many things
unto them;
3 And they did reject all his words, insomuch that he could not stay among
them, but returned again unto the land of his nativity.
4 And seeing the people in a state of such awful wickedness, and those
Gadianton robbers filling the judgment-seats — having usurped the power
and authority of the land; laying aside the commandments of God, and not in
the least aright before him; doing no justice unto the children of men;
5 Condemning the righteous because of their righteousness; letting the guilty
and the wicked go unpunished because of their money; and moreover to be
held in office at the head of government, to rule and do according to their
wills, that they might get gain and glory of the world, and, moreover, that
they might the more easily commit adultery, and steal, and kill, and do
according to their own wills —
6 Now this great iniquity had come upon the Nephites, in the space of not
many years; and when Nephi saw it, his heart was swollen with sorrow
within his breast; and he did exclaim in the agony of his soul:
7 Oh, that I could have had my days in the days when my father Nephi first
came out of the land of Jerusalem, that I could have joyed with him in the
promised land; then were his people easy to be entreated, firm to keep the
commandments of God, and slow to be led to do iniquity; and they were
quick to hearken unto the words of the Lord —
8 Yea, if my days could have been in those days, then would my soul have
had joy in the righteousness of my brethren.
9 But behold, I am consigned that these are my days, and that my soul shall
be filled with sorrow because of this the wickedness of my brethren.
10 And behold, now it came to pass that it was upon a tower, which was in
the garden of Nephi, which was by the highway which led to the chief
market, which was in the city of Zarahemla; therefore, Nephi had bowed
himself upon the tower which was in his garden, which tower was also near
unto the garden gate by which led the highway.
11 And it came to pass that there were certain men passing by and saw
Nephi as he was pouring out his soul unto God upon the tower; and they ran
and told the people what they had seen, and the people came together in
multitudes that they might know the cause of so great mourning for the
wickedness of the people.
12 And now, when Nephi arose he beheld the multitudes of people who had
gathered together.
13 And it came to pass that he opened his mouth and said unto them:
Behold, why have ye gathered yourselves together? That I may tell you of
your iniquities?
14 Yea, because I have got upon my tower that I might pour out my soul
unto my God, because of the exceeding sorrow of my heart, which is because
of your iniquities!
15 And because of my mourning and lamentation ye have gathered
yourselves together, and do marvel; yea, and ye have great need to marvel;
yea, ye ought to marvel because ye are given away that the devil has got so
great hold upon your hearts.
16 Yea, how could you have given way to the enticing of him who is
seeking to hurl away your souls down to everlasting misery and endless wo?
17 O repent ye, repent ye! Why will ye die? Turn ye, turn ye unto the Lord
your God. Why has he forsaken you?
18 It is because you have hardened your hearts; yea, ye will not hearken
unto the voice of the good shepherd; yea, ye have provoked him to anger
against you.
19 And behold, instead of gathering you, except ye will repent, behold, he
shall scatter you forth that ye shall become meat for dogs and wild beasts.
20 O, how could you have forgotten you God in the very day that he has
delivered you?
21 But behold, it is to get gain, to be praised of men, yea, and that ye might
get gold and silver. And ye have set your hearts upon the riches and the vain
things of this world, for the which ye do murder, and plunder, and steal, and
bear false witness against your neighbor, and do all manner of iniquity.
22 And for this cause wo shall come unto you except ye shall repent. For if
ye will not repent, behold, this great city, and also all those great cities which
are round about, which are in the land of our possession, shall be taken away
that ye shall have no place in them; for behold, the Lord will not grant unto
you strength, as he has hitherto done, to withstand against your enemies.
23 For behold, thus saith the Lord: I will not show unto the wicked of my
strength, to one more than the other, save it be unto those that repent of their
sins, and hearken unto my words. Now therefore, I would that ye should
behold, my brethren, that it shall be better for the Lamanites than for you
except ye shall repent.
24 For behold, they are more righteous than you, for they have not sinned
against that great knowledge which ye have received; therefore the Lord will
be merciful unto them; yea, he will lengthen out their days and increase their
seed, even when thou shalt be utterly destroyed except thou shalt repent.
25 Yea, wo be unto you because of that great abomination which has come
among you; and ye have united yourselves unto it, yea, to that secret band
which was established by Gadianton!
26 Yea, wo shall come unto you because of that pride which ye have
suffered to enter your hearts, which has lifted you up beyond that which is
good because of your exceedingly great riches!
27 Yea, wo be unto you because of your wickedness and abominations!
28 And except ye repent ye shall perish; yea, even your lands shall be taken
from you, and ye shall be destroyed from off the face of the earth.
29 Behold now, I do not say that these things shall be, of myself, because it
is not of myself that I know these things; but behold, I know that these things
are true because the Lord God has made them known unto me, therefore I
testify that they shall be.
