1 Now it came to pass that when Moroni had received this epistle he was more angry, because he knew that Ammoron had a perfect knowledge of his fraud; yea, he knew that Ammoron knew that it was not a just cause that had caused him to wage a war against the people of Nephi.

1  Y sucedió que cuando Moroni hubo recibido esta epístola, se enojó aún más, porque sabía que Ammorón tenía un conocimiento perfecto de su fraude; sí, sabía que Ammorón sabía que no era una causa justa la que lo había llevado a emprender la guerra contra el pueblo de Nefi.

2 And he said: Behold, I will not exchange prisoners with Ammoron save he will withdraw his purpose, as I have stated in my epistle; for I will not grant unto him that he shall have any more power than what he hath got.

 2  Y dijo: He aquí, no canjearé prisioneros con Ammorón, a menos que renuncie a su propósito, como le he expresado en mi epístola; porque no le permitiré que adquiera más poder del que ha conseguido.

3 Behold, I know the place where the Lamanites do guard my people whom they have taken prisoners; and as Ammoron would not grant unto me mine epistle, behold, I will give unto him according to my words; yea, I will seek death among them until they shall sue for peace.

3  He aquí, conozco el lugar donde guardan los lamanitas a los de mi pueblo que han tomado prisioneros; y ya que Ammorón no ha aceptado lo de mi epístola, he aquí, le haré según mis palabras; sí, sembraré muerte entre ellos hasta que pidan la paz.

4 And now it came to pass that when Moroni had said these words, he caused that a search should be made among his men, that perhaps he might find a man who was a descendant of Laman among them.

4  Y ocurrió que cuando Moroni hubo dicho estas palabras, hizo que se buscara entre sus hombres, por si acaso hallaba entre ellos a uno que fuera descendiente de Lamán.

5 And it came to pass that they found one, whose name was Laman; and he was one of the servants of the king who was murdered by Amalickiah.

5  Y sucedió que encontraron a uno, cuyo nombre era Lamán; y era uno de los siervos del rey que Amalickíah había asesinado.

6 Now Moroni caused that Laman and a small number of his men should go forth unto the guards who were over the Nephites.

6 Y Moroni hizo que Lamán y un pequeño número de sus hombres fueran a los guardias que vigilaban a los nefitas.

7 Now the Nephites were guarded in the city of Gid; therefore Moroni appointed Laman and caused that a small number of men should go with him.

7  Y los nefitas estaban bajo custodia en la ciudad de Gid; por lo tanto, Moroni designó a Lamán, e hizo que lo acompañara un reducido número de hombres.

8 And when it was evening Laman went to the guards who were over the Nephites, and behold, they saw him coming and they hailed him; but he saith unto them: Fear not; behold, I am a Lamanite. Behold, we have escaped from the Nephites, and they sleep; and behold we have taken of their wine and brought with us.

8  Y cuando anocheció, Lamán fue a los guardias que estaban vigilando a los nefitas, y he aquí, lo vieron venir y le gritaron; pero él les dijo: No temáis; he aquí, soy lamanita. Nos hemos escapado de los nefitas, y están dormidos; y he aquí, hemos traído de su vino con nosotros.

9 Now when the Lamanites heard these words they received him with joy; and they said unto him: Give us of your wine, that we may drink; we are glad that ye have thus taken wine with you for we are weary.

9  Y cuando los lamanitas oyeron estas palabras, lo recibieron con gozo, y le dijeron: Danos de tu vino para que bebamos; nos alegramos de que hayas traído vino contigo, porque estamos cansados.

10 But Laman said unto them: Let us keep of our wine till we go against the Nephites to battle. But this saying only made them more desirous to drink of the wine;

10  Pero Lamán les dijo: Guardemos nuestro vino hasta que salgamos a la batalla contra los nefitas. Pero estas palabras sólo les estimularon sus deseos de beber del vino;

11 For, said they: We are weary, therefore let us take of the wine, and by and by we shall receive wine for our rations, which will strengthen us to go against the Nephites.

11  porque, dijeron ellos, estamos cansados; por tanto, bebamos del vino, y dentro de poco recibiremos nuestra ración de vino, la cual nos fortalecerá para salir contra los nefitas.

12 And Laman said unto them: You may do according to your desires.

12  Y Lamán les dijo: Podéis hacer lo que bien os parezca.

13 And it came to pass that they did take of the wine freely; and it was pleasant to their taste, therefore they took of it more freely; and it was strong, having been prepared in its strength.

13  Y sucedió que bebieron del vino liberalmente; y les fue agradable al gusto; por lo tanto, bebieron más abundantemente; y era fuerte, pues se había preparado para que tuviera fuerza.

14 And it came to pass they did drink and were merry, and by and by they were all drunken.

14 Y aconteció que bebieron y se alegraron; y dentro de poco todos estaban ebrios.

15 And now when Laman and his men saw that they were all drunken, and were in a deep sleep, they returned to Moroni and told him all the things that had happened.

15  Y cuando Lamán y sus hombres vieron que todos estaban borrachos y durmiendo profundamente, se volvieron a Moroni, y le refirieron todas las cosas que habían acontecido.

16 And now this was according to the design of Moroni. And Moroni had prepared his men with weapons of war; and he went to the city Gid, while the Lamanites were in a deep sleep and drunken, and cast in weapons of war unto the prisoners, insomuch that they were all armed;

16  Ahora bien, esto resultó de acuerdo con el proyecto de Moroni, y él había preparado a sus hombres con armas de guerra; y fue a la ciudad de Gid, mientras los lamanitas se hallaban profundamente dormidos y ebrios, y echaron armas de guerra a los prisioneros, de modo que todos quedaron armados

17 Yea, even to their women, and all those of their children, as many as were able to use a weapon of war, when Moroni had armed all those prisoners; and all those things were done in a profound silence.

17  —sí, hasta sus mujeres, y cuantos de sus niños eran capaces de manejar armas de guerra— cuando Moroni hubo armado a todos aquellos prisioneros; y se hizo todo esto en profundo silencio.

18 But had they awakened the Lamanites, behold they were drunken and the Nephites could have slain them.

18  Sin embargo, si hubieran despertado a los lamanitas, he aquí estaban borrachos, y los nefitas los habrían podido matar.

19 But behold, this was not the desire of Moroni; he did not delight in murder or bloodshed, but he delighted in the saving of his people from destruction; and for this cause he might not bring upon him injustice, he would not fall upon the Lamanites and destroy them in their drunkenness.

19  Mas he aquí, éste no era el deseo de Moroni; pues no se deleitaba en el asesinato ni en el derramamiento de sangre, antes bien se deleitaba en salvar a su pueblo de la destrucción; y por esta razón, para no incurrir en una injusticia, no quiso caer sobre los lamanitas en su borrachera y destruirlos.

20 But he had obtained his desires; for he had armed those prisoners of the Nephites who were within the wall of the city, and had given them power to gain possession of those parts which were within the walls.

20  Pero había logrado sus deseos; pues había armado a los prisioneros nefitas que estaban dentro de las murallas de la ciudad, y los había habilitado para que tomaran posesión de aquellos sitios que estaban dentro de las murallas.

21 And then he caused the men who were with him to withdraw a pace from them, and surround the armies of the Lamanites.

21  Y entonces hizo que los hombres que estaban con él se apartaran a un paso de ellos y cercaran a los ejércitos lamanitas.

22 Now behold this was done in the night-time, so that when the Lamanites awoke in the morning they beheld that they were surrounded by the Nephites without, and that their prisoners were armed within.

22  Y he aquí, esto se hizo de noche, de modo que al despertar los lamanitas a la mañana siguiente, vieron que estaban cercados por los nefitas por fuera, y que por dentro sus prisioneros estaban armados.

23 And thus they saw that the Nephites had power over them; and in these circumstances they found that it was not expedient that they should fight with the Nephites; therefore their chief captains demanded their weapons of war, and they brought them forth and cast them at the feet of the Nephites, pleading for mercy.

23  Y así vieron que los nefitas los tenían en su poder; y en estas circunstancias comprendieron que no era conveniente que pelearan contra los nefitas; de modo que sus capitanes en jefe les pidieron sus armas de guerra, y las llevaron y las echaron a los pies de los nefitas, pidiendo misericordia.

24 Now behold, this was the desire of Moroni. He took them prisoners of war, and took possession of the city, and caused that all the prisoners should be liberated, who were Nephites; and they did join the army of Moroni, and were a great strength to his army.

24  Y he aquí, esto era lo que Moroni deseaba. Los hizo prisioneros de guerra y tomó posesión de la ciudad, e hizo libertar a todos los prisioneros nefitas; y se unieron al ejército de Moroni, y lo reforzaron en gran manera.

25 And it came to pass that he did cause the Lamanites, whom he had taken prisoners, that they should commence a labor in strengthening the fortifications round about the city Gid.

25  Y aconteció que hizo que los lamanitas, a quienes había hecho prisioneros, emprendieran la obra de reforzar las fortificaciones alrededor de la ciudad de Gid.

26 And it came to pass that when he had fortified the city Gid, according to his desires, he caused that his prisoners should be taken to the city Bountiful; and he also guarded that city with an exceedingly strong force.

26  Y sucedió que cuando hubo fortificado la ciudad de Gid conforme a sus deseos, hizo que sus prisioneros fuesen conducidos a la ciudad de Abundancia; y también resguardó esa ciudad con una fuerza sumamente poderosa.

27 And it came to pass that they did, notwithstanding all the intrigues of the Lamanites, keep and protect all the prisoners whom they had taken, and also maintain all the ground and the advantage which they had retaken.

27  Y ocurrió que a pesar de todas las intrigas de los lamanitas, los nefitas retuvieron y protegieron a todos los prisioneros que habían tomado, y también conservaron todo el terreno y la ventaja que habían reconquistado.

28 And it came to pass that the Nephites began again to be victorious, and to reclaim their rights and their privileges.

28  Y ocurrió que así empezaron otra vez los nefitas a triunfar y a recuperar sus derechos y sus privilegios.

29 Many times did the Lamanites attempt to encircle them about by night, but in these attempts they did lose many prisoners.

29  Muchas veces intentaron los lamanitas rodearlos de noche, pero en estas tentativas perdieron muchos prisioneros.

30 And many times did they attempt to administer of their wine to the Nephites, that they might destroy them with poison or with drunkenness.

30  Y muchas veces intentaron hacer beber de su vino a los nefitas, a fin de matarlos con veneno o por embriaguez.

31 But behold, the Nephites were not slow to remember the Lord their God in this their time of affliction. They could not be taken in their snares; yea, they would not partake of their wine, save they had first given to some of the Lamanite prisoners.

31  Pero he aquí, los nefitas no fueron lentos en acordarse del Señor su Dios en su hora de aflicción. No podían hacerlos caer en sus trampas; sí, no bebían de su vino sin que primero dieran de él a algunos de los prisioneros lamanitas.

32 And they were thus cautious that no poison should be administered among them; for if their wine would poison a Lamanite it would also poison a Nephite; and thus they did try all their liquors.

32  Y así tuvieron cuidado de no dejarse administrar veneno; porque si el vino envenenaba a un lamanita, también envenenaría a un nefita; y así hacían con todos sus licores.

33 And now it came to pass that it was expedient for Moroni to make preparations to attack the city Morianton; for behold, the Lamanites had, by their labors, fortified the city Morianton until it had become an exceeding stronghold.

33  Y aconteció que llegó a ser preciso que Moroni hiciera preparativos para atacar la ciudad de Moriantón, pues he aquí, los lamanitas, con su trabajo, habían fortificado la ciudad de Moriantón, de tal manera que se había convertido en una plaza sumamente fuerte.

34 And they were continually bringing new forces into that city, and also new supplies of provisions.

34 Y continuamente estaban trayendo nuevas fuerzas a esa ciudad, y también nuevos abastecimientos de provisiones.

35 And thus ended the twenty and ninth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.

35  Y así concluyó el año veintinueve del gobierno de los jueces sobre el pueblo de Nefi.