ספר אמני

AMENI

THE BOOK OF AMENI

Behold, it came to pass that I, Ameni, being commanded by my father Yahram¹ that I should write somewhat upon these plates to preserve our genealogy; wherefore, in my days, I would that you should know that I fought much with the sword to preserve my people, the Nefites, from falling into the hands of their enemies, the Lamanites. But behold, I, of myself, am a wicked man,² and I have not kept the statutes and the mitzvot³ of yhwh as I ought to have done.
And it came to pass that two hundred and seventy and six years had passed away; and we had many seasons of shalom, and we had many seasons of serious war and bloodshed. Yes, and in short, two hundred and eighty and two years had passed away; and I had kept these plates according to the commandments of my fathers, and I conferred them upon my son Amaron. And I make an end.
And now I, Amaron, write the things whatsoever I write, which are few, in the book of my father. Behold, it came to pass that three hundred and twenty years had passed away; and the more wicked part of the Nefites were destroyed. For yhwh would not allow, after he had led them out of the land of Yerushalayim, and kept and preserved them from falling into the hands of their enemies, yes, he would not allow that the words should not be verified⁴ which he spoke unto our fathers, saying that inasmuch as you will not keep⁵ my mitzvot, you shall not prosper in the land. Wherefore, yhwh did visit them in great judgment; nevertheless, he did spare the righteous, that they should not perish, but did deliver them out of the hands of their enemies. And it came to pass that I did deliver the plates unto my brother Chamesh.
Now I, Chamesh,⁶ write what few things I write in the same book with my brother. For behold, I saw the last which he wrote, that he wrote it with his own hand; and he wrote it in the day that he delivered them unto me. And after this manner we keep the record, for it is according to the commandments of our fathers. And I make an end.
Behold, I, Avinodam, am the son of Chamesh. Behold, it came to pass that I saw much war and contention between my people, the Nefites, and the Lamanites; and I, with my own sword, have taken the lives of many of the Lamanites in the defense of my brothers. And behold, the record of this people is engraved upon plates which is had by the kings, according to the generations. And I know of no revelation,⁷ except that which has been written, neither prophecy. Wherefore, that which is sufficient is written. And I make an end.
Behold, I am Amaleki, the son of Avinodam. Behold, I will speak unto you somewhat concerning Moshiyah, who was made king over the land of Zerach’mla.⁸ For behold, he was warned of yhwh that he should flee out of the land of Nefi — and as many as would hearken unto the voice of yhwh should also depart out of the land with him into the wilderness — and it came to pass that he did according as yhwh had commanded him. And they departed out of the land into the wilderness, as many as would hearken unto the voice of yhwh. And they were led by many preachings and prophesyings, and they were admonished continually by the word of Elohim. And they were led by the power of his arm through the wilderness until they came down into the land which is called the land of Zerach’mla. And they discovered a people who were called the people of Zerach’mla. Now, there was great rejoicing among the people of Zerach’mla, and also, Zerach’mla did rejoice exceedingly because yhwh had sent the people of Moshiyah with the plates of brass, which contained the record of the Y’hudim.
Behold, it came to pass that Moshiyah discovered that the people of Zerach’mla came out from Yerushalayim at the time⁹ that Tzidkiyahu king of Y’hudah was carried away captive into Babylon. And they journeyed in the wilderness and were brought by the hand of yhwh across the great waters, into the land where Moshiyah discovered them; and they had dwelt there from that time forth. And at the time that Moshiyah discovered them, they had become exceedingly numerous. Nevertheless, they had had many wars and serious contentions, and had fallen by the sword from time to time. And their language had become corrupted; and they had brought no records with them; and they denied the being of their Creator. And neither Moshiyah, nor the people of Moshiyah, could understand them.¹⁰ But it came to pass that Moshiyah caused that they should be taught in his language.¹¹ And it came to pass that after they were taught in the language of Moshiyah, Zerach’mla gave a genealogy of his fathers, according to his memory. And they are written, but not in these plates.
And it came to pass that the people of Zerach’mla and of Moshiyah did unite together, and Moshiyah was appointed to be their king. And it came to pass in the days of Moshiyah, there was a large stone brought unto him with engravings on it, and he did interpret the engravings by the gift and power of Elohim. And they gave an account of one Coriantumr and the slain of his people. And Coriantumr was discovered by the people of Zerach’mla, and he dwelt with them for the space of nine moons. It also spoke a few words concerning his fathers. And his first parents who came out from the tower at the time yhwh confounded the language of the people; and the severity of yhwh fell upon them according to his judgments, which are just. And their bones lay scattered in the land northward.
Behold, I, Amaleki, was born in the days of Moshiyah, and I have lived to see his death; and Binyamin, his son, reigns in his place. And behold, I have seen in the days of king Binyamin a serious war, and much bloodshed, between the Nefites and the Lamanites. But behold, the Nefites did obtain much advantage over them; yes, insomuch that king Binyamin did drive them out of the land of Zerach’mla.
And it came to pass that I began to be old; and having no seed, and knowing king Binyamin¹² to be a just man before yhwh; wherefore, I shall deliver up these plates unto him, exhorting all men to come unto Elohim, HaKodesh of Isra’el,¹³ and believe in prophesying, and in revelations, and in the ministering of angels, and in the gift of speaking with tongues, and in the gift of interpreting languages, and in all things which are good. For there is nothing which is good, except it comes from yhwh, and that which is evil comes from HaSatan. And now my beloved brothers, I would that you should come¹⁴ unto Mashiach, who is HaKodesh of Isra’el, and partake of his salvation and the power of his redemption. Yes, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end, and as yhwh lives, you will be saved.
And now I would speak somewhat concerning a certain number who went up into the wilderness to return to the land of Nefi, for there was a large number who were desirous to possess the land of their inheritance; wherefore, they went up into the wilderness. And their leader, being a strong and a mighty man, and a stiffnecked man; wherefore, he caused a contention among them. And they were all slain, except fifty, in the wilderness; and they returned again to the land of Zerach’mla. And it came to pass that they also took others, to a considerable number, and took their journey again into the wilderness. And I, Amaleki, had a brother who also went with them; and I have not since known concerning them. And I am about to lie down in my grave; and these plates are full. And I make an end of my speaking.