דברי מרמן

    WORDS OF M’RAMAN

    THE WORDS OF M’RAMAN

  1. And now I, M’raman, being about to deliver up the record which I have been making into the hands of my son M’roni, behold, I have witnessed almost all the destruction of my people,1 the Nefites. And it is many hundred years after the coming of Mashiach that I deliver these records into the hands of my son. And I suppose that he will witness the entire destruction of my people. But may Elohim grant that he may survive them, that he may write somewhat concerning them, and somewhat concerning Mashiach, that perhaps some day it may profit them.2
  2. And now I speak somewhat concerning that which I have written. For after I had made an abridgment from the plates of Nefi, down to the reign of this king Binyamin, of whom Amaleki spoke, I searched among the records which had been delivered into my hands, and I found these plates,3 which contained this small account of the prophets, from Ya’akov down to the reign of this king Binyamin, and also many of the words of Nefi. And the things which are upon these plates pleasing me because of the prophecies of the coming of Mashiach,4 and my fathers knowing that many of them have been fulfilled — yes, 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 pass5 — wherefore, I chose these things, to finish my record upon them, which remainder of my record I shall take from the plates of Nefi. And I cannot write a hundredth part of the things of my people.
  3. 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 brothers. And I do this for a wise purpose, for thus it is whispered to me, according to the workings of the spirit of yhwh which is in me. And now I do not know all things, but yhwh knows all things which are to come; wherefore, he works in me to do according to his will. And my prayer to Elohim is concerning my brothers, that they may once again come to the knowledge of Elohim — yes, the redemption6 of Mashiach — that they may once again be a delightful people.
  4. And now I, M’raman, proceed to finish out my record, which I take from the plates of Nefi; and I make it according to the knowledge and the understanding which Elohim has given me. Wherefore, it came to pass that after Amaleki had delivered up these plates into the hands of king Binyamin, 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 Binyamin. And they were handed down from king Binyamin, from generation to generation, until they have fallen into my hands. And I, M’raman, pray to Elohim that they may be preserved7 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 brothers shall be judged8 at the great and last day, according to the word of Elohim which is written.
  5. And now concerning this king Binyamin, he had a number of contentions among his own people. And it came to pass also that the armies of the Lamanites came down out of the land of Nefi to battle against his people. But behold, king Binyamin 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 Lavan; and in the strength of yhwh 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.
  6. And it came to pass that after there had been false mashiachs — and their mouths had been shut, and they punished according to 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 had been many contentions and many defections away unto the Lamanites, behold, it came to pass that king Binyamin, with the assistance of the holy prophets who were among his people — for behold, king Binyamin 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 Elohim with power and with authority, and they did use much sharpness because of the stiffneckedness of the people — wherefore, with the help of these, king Binyamin, by laboring with all the might of his body and the faculty of his whole soul, and also the prophets, did once more establish shalom in the land.