1 And now it came to pass that the people of the Nephites did all return to their own lands in the twenty and sixth year, every man, with his family, his flocks and his herds, his horses and his cattle, and all things whatsoever did belong unto them.

1  Y sucedió que en el año veintiséis los nefitas volvieron todos a sus propias tierras, todo hombre con su familia, sus rebaños y hatos, sus caballos y su ganado, y cuantas cosas le pertenecían.

2 And it came to pass that they had not eaten up all their provisions; therefore they did take with them all that they had not devoured, of all their grain of every kind, and their gold, and their silver, and all their precious things, and they did return to their own lands and their possessions, both on the north and on the south, both on the land northward and on the land southward.

2  Y aconteció que no habían consumido todas sus provisiones; por tanto, llevaron consigo todo cuanto no habían comido, de todo su grano de todas clases, y su oro, y su plata y todas sus cosas preciosas, y volvieron a sus propias tierras y posesiones, tanto hacia el norte como hacia el sur, así en la tierra del norte como en la tierra del sur.

3 And they granted unto those robbers who had entered into a covenant to keep the peace of the land, who were desirous to remain Lamanites, lands, according to their numbers, that they might have, with their labors, wherewith to subsist upon; and thus they did establish peace in all the land.

3  Y a los ladrones que habían hecho convenio de observar la paz de la tierra, que deseaban seguir siendo lamanitas, les concedieron terrenos, según su número, a fin de que mediante su trabajo tuvieran de qué vivir; y así establecieron la paz en toda la tierra.

4 And they began again to prosper and to wax great; and the twenty and sixth and seventh years passed away, and there was great order in the land; and they had formed their laws according to equity and justice.

4  Y de nuevo empezaron a prosperar y a hacerse grandes; y pasaron los años veintiséis y veintisiete, y hubo gran orden en la tierra; y habían formulado sus leyes de acuerdo con la equidad y la justicia.

5 And now there was nothing in all the land to hinder the people from prospering continually, except they should fall into transgression.

5  Y no había nada en toda la tierra que impidiera que el pueblo prosperase continuamente, a no ser que cayeran en transgresión.

6 And now it was Gidgiddoni, and the judge, Lachoneus, and those who had been appointed leaders, who had established this great peace in the land.

6  Y fueron Gidgiddoni y el juez Laconeo y los que habían sido nombrados jefes, los que establecieron esta paz tan grande en la tierra.

7 And it came to pass that there were many cities built anew, and there were many old cities repaired.

7  Y sucedió que hubo muchas ciudades que se construyeron de nuevo, y se repararon muchas ciudades antiguas.

8 And there were many highways cast up, and many roads made, which led from city to city, and from land to land, and from place to place.

8  Y se construyeron muchas calzadas, y se abrieron muchos caminos que conducían de ciudad a ciudad, de tierra a tierra y de un sitio a otro.

9 And thus passed away the twenty and eighth year, and the people had continual peace.

9  Y así se pasó el año veintiocho, y la gente tuvo paz continua.

10 But it came to pass in the twenty and ninth year there began to be some disputings among the people; and some were lifted up unto pride and boastings because of their exceedingly great riches, yea, even unto great persecutions;

10  Pero aconteció que en el año veintinueve empezaron a surgir algunas disputas entre los del pueblo; y algunos se ensalzaron hasta el orgullo y la jactancia, por razón de sus sumamente grandes riquezas, sí, al grado de causar grandes persecuciones;

11 For there were many merchants in the land, and also many lawyers, and many officers.

11  porque había muchos comerciantes en la tierra, y también muchos abogados y muchos oficiales.

12 And the people began to be distinguished by ranks, according to their riches and their chances for learning; yea, some were ignorant because of their poverty, and others did receive great learning because of their riches.

12  Y empezó el pueblo a distinguirse por clases, según sus riquezas y sus oportunidades para instruirse; sí, algunos eran ignorantes a causa de su pobreza, y otros recibían abundante instrucción por motivo de sus riquezas.

13 Some were lifted up in pride, and others were exceedingly humble; some did return railing for railing, while others would receive railing and persecution and all manner of afflictions, and would not turn and revile again, but were humble and penitent before God.

13  Algunos se ensalzaban en el orgullo, y otros eran sumamente humildes; unos devolvían injuria por injuria, mientras que otros sufrían injuria y persecución y toda clase de aflicciones, y no se volvían e injuriaban a su vez, sino que eran humildes y contritos delante de Dios.

14 And thus there became a great inequality in all the land, insomuch that the church began to be broken up; yea, insomuch that in the thirtieth year the church was broken up in all the land save it were among a few of the Lamanites who were converted unto the true faith; and they would not depart from it, for they were firm, and steadfast, and immovable, willing with all diligence to keep the commandments of the Lord.

14  Y así surgió una gran desigualdad en toda la tierra, de tal modo que empezó a deshacerse la iglesia; sí, a tal grado que en el año treinta se deshizo la iglesia en toda la tierra, con excepción de entre unos pocos lamanitas que se habían convertido a la verdadera fe; y no quisieron separarse de ella, porque eran firmes, inquebrantables e inmutables; y estaban dispuestos a guardar los mandamientos del Señor con toda diligencia.

15 Now the cause of this iniquity of the people was this—Satan had great power, unto the stirring up of the people to do all manner of iniquity, and to the puffing them up with pride, tempting them to seek for power, and authority, and riches, and the vain things of the world.

15  Ahora bien, la causa de esta iniquidad del pueblo era ésta: Satanás tenía gran poder, al grado de incitar a los del pueblo a cometer toda clase de iniquidades y a inflarlos de orgullo, tentándolos a que procuraran poder, y autoridad, y riquezas, y las cosas vanas del mundo.

16 And thus Satan did lead away the hearts of the people to do all manner of iniquity; therefore they had enjoyed peace but a few years.

16  Y así desvió Satanás el corazón del pueblo para que cometiera todo género de iniquidades; de modo que no había gozado de paz sino pocos años.

17 And thus, in the commencement of the thirtieth year—the people having been delivered up for the space of a long time to be carried about by the temptations of the devil whithersoever he desired to carry them, and to do whatsoever iniquity he desired they should—and thus in the commencement of this, the thirtieth year, they were in a state of awful wickedness.

17  Y así, al principiar el año treinta —habiendo sido entregados los del pueblo, durante mucho tiempo, a ser llevados por las tentaciones del diablo doquier que él quería llevarlos, y a cometer cualquier iniquidad que él deseaba— a principios de este año, el año treinta, se hallaban en un estado de terrible iniquidad.

18 Now they did not sin ignorantly, for they knew the will of God concerning them, for it had been taught unto them; therefore they did wilfully rebel against God.

18 Y no pecaban en la ignorancia, porque conocían la voluntad de Dios tocante a ellos, pues se la habían enseñado; de modo que se rebelaban intencionalmente contra Dios.

19 And now it was in the days of Lachoneus, the son of Lachoneus, for Lachoneus did fill the seat of his father and did govern the people that year.

19  Y fue en los días de Laconeo, hijo de Laconeo, porque ocupaba Laconeo el asiento de su padre y gobernaba al pueblo ese año.

20 And there began to be men inspired from heaven and sent forth, standing among the people in all the land, preaching and testifying boldly of the sins and iniquities of the people, and testifying unto them concerning the redemption which the Lord would make for his people, or in other words, the resurrection of Christ; and they did testify boldly of his death and sufferings.

20  Y empezó a haber hombres inspirados del cielo y enviados, que anduvieron entre el pueblo en toda la tierra, predicando y testificando intrépidamente de los pecados e iniquidades del pueblo, y testificándoles concerniente a la redención que el Señor haría por su pueblo, o en otros términos, la resurrección de Cristo; y testificaron intrépidamente acerca de su muerte y sus padecimientos.

21 Now there were many of the people who were exceedingly angry because of those who testified of these things; and those who were angry were chiefly the chief judges, and they who had been high priests and lawyers; yea, all those who were lawyers were angry with those who testified of these things.

21  Y hubo muchos de los del pueblo que se enojaron en extremo a causa de aquellos que testificaban de estas cosas; y los que se enojaban eran principalmente los jueces superiores y aquellos que habían sido sumos sacerdotes y abogados; sí, todos aquellos que eran abogados se irritaron contra los que daban testimonio de estas cosas.

22 Now there was no lawyer nor judge nor high priest that could have power to condemn any one to death save their condemnation was signed by the governor of the land.

22  Y no había abogado, ni juez, ni sumo sacerdote, que tuviera el poder para condenar a muerte a una persona, a menos que el gobernador de la tierra firmara la sentencia.

23 Now there were many of those who testified of the things pertaining to Christ who testified boldly, who were taken and put to death secretly by the judges, that the knowledge of their death came not unto the governor of the land until after their death.

23  Y hubo muchos de aquellos que testificaron de las cosas concernientes a Cristo, y que testificaron intrépidamente, a quienes los jueces prendieron y ejecutaron secretamente, de modo que el conocimiento de su muerte no llegó al gobernador de la tierra sino hasta después de estar muertos.

24 Now behold, this was contrary to the laws of the land, that any man should be put to death except they had power from the governor of the land—

24  Y ahora bien, he aquí, esto era contrario a las leyes de la tierra, que se le quitara la vida a un hombre a menos que se tuviera autorización del gobernador de la tierra.

25 Therefore a complaint came up unto the land of Zarahemla, to the governor of the land, against these judges who had condemned the prophets of the Lord unto death, not according to the law.

25  Por tanto, se presentó una queja en la tierra de Zarahemla, ante el gobernador de la tierra, contra esos jueces que habían condenado a muerte a los profetas del Señor en contravención de la ley.

26 Now it came to pass that they were taken and brought up before the judge, to be judged of the crime which they had done, according to the law which had been given by the people.

26  Y sucedió que los tomaron y los llevaron ante el juez para ser juzgados del crimen que habían cometido, según la ley que había sido dada por el pueblo.

27 Now it came to pass that those judges had many friends and kindreds; and the remainder, yea, even almost all the lawyers and the high priests, did gather themselves together, and unite with the kindreds of those judges who were to be tried according to the law.

27  Y aconteció que aquellos jueces tenían muchos amigos y parientes; y el resto, sí, casi todos los abogados y sumos sacerdotes se juntaron y se unieron a los parientes de aquellos jueces que iban a ser juzgados según la ley.

28 And they did enter into a covenant one with another, yea, even into that covenant which was given by them of old, which covenant was given and administered by the devil, to combine against all righteousness.

28  E hicieron convenio unos con otros, sí, ese convenio que imponían los de la antigüedad, convenio que el diablo dio y administró para combinarse contra toda rectitud.

29 Therefore they did combine against the people of the Lord, and enter into a covenant to destroy them, and to deliver those who were guilty of murder from the grasp of justice, which was about to be administered according to the law.

29  De modo que se combinaron contra el pueblo del Señor, e hicieron convenio de destruirlo y de librar del poder de la justicia, que estaba a punto de administrarse de acuerdo con la ley, a aquellos que eran culpables de asesinato.

30 And they did set at defiance the law and the rights of their country; and they did covenant one with another to destroy the governor, and to establish a king over the land, that the land should no more be at liberty but should be subject unto kings.

30  Y desafiaron la ley y los derechos de su patria; e hicieron convenio uno con otro de destruir al gobernador y de establecer un rey sobre la tierra, a fin de que ya no fuese libre, sino que estuviera sujeta a reyes.