3-nephi
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Resumen
Giddianhi, líder de los ladrones de Gadiantón, amenaza a los nefitas con destruirlos si no se rinden, pero Laconeo une al pueblo, fortalece sus defensas y nombra a Gidgidoni como capitán principal para prepararse para la guerra.
En el año dieciséis después de la venida de Cristo, Lachoneus, el gobernador de la tierra, recibió una carta del líder y gobernador de la banda de ladrones. Estas fueron las palabras escritas en la carta:
And now it came to pass that in the sixteenth year from the coming of Christ, Lachoneus, the governor of the land, received an epistle from the leader and the governor of this band of robbers; and these were the words which were written, saying:
Lachoneus, el más noble y principal gobernador de la tierra, te escribo esta carta y te doy grandes elogios por tu firmeza, y también por la firmeza de tu pueblo, al mantener lo que crees que son tus derechos y tu libertad. Te mantienes fuerte, como si estuvieras sostenido por la mano de un dios, al defender tu libertad, tus bienes y tu país, o lo que tú llamas tu país.
Lachoneus, most noble and chief governor of the land, behold, I write this epistle unto you, and do give unto you exceedingly great praise because of your firmness, and also the firmness of your people, in maintaining that which ye suppose to be your right and liberty; yea, ye do stand well, as if ye were supported by the hand of a god, in the defence of your liberty, and your property, and your country, or that which ye do call so.
Me parece una lástima, noble Lachoneus, que seas tan necio y vanidoso como para pensar que puedes resistir a tantos hombres valientes bajo mi mando, quienes ahora están armados y esperan ansiosos la orden para ir contra los nefitas y destruirlos.
And it seemeth a pity unto me, most noble Lachoneus, that ye should be so foolish and vain as to suppose that ye can stand against so many brave men who are at my command, who do now at this time stand in their arms, and do await with great anxiety for the word—Go down upon the Nephites and destroy them.
Sé que tienen un espíritu indomable, porque lo he visto en la batalla, y sé que sienten un odio duradero hacia ti por todas las injusticias que les has hecho. Así que, si vienen contra ti, te destruirán por completo.
And I, knowing of their unconquerable spirit, having proved them in the field of battle, and knowing of their everlasting hatred towards you because of the many wrongs which ye have done unto them, therefore if they should come down against you they would visit you with utter destruction.
He escrito esta carta y la he sellado con mi propia mano, porque me importa tu bienestar, respeto tu compromiso con lo que crees que es correcto y admiro tu espíritu noble en la batalla.
Therefore I have written this epistle, sealing it with mine own hand, feeling for your welfare, because of your firmness in that which ye believe to be right, and your noble spirit in the field of battle.
Por eso te escribo, pidiéndote que entregues tus ciudades, tus tierras y tus posesiones a mi pueblo, en vez de que ellos te ataquen con la espada y traigan destrucción sobre ti.
Therefore I write unto you, desiring that ye would yield up unto this my people, your cities, your lands, and your possessions, rather than that they should visit you with the sword and that destruction should come upon you.
En otras palabras, entréguense a nosotros, únanse a nosotros, aprendan acerca de nuestras obras secretas y conviértanse en nuestros hermanos para que puedan ser como nosotros—no nuestros esclavos, sino nuestros hermanos y compañeros en todo lo que tenemos.
Or in other words, yield yourselves up unto us, and unite with us and become acquainted with our secret works, and become our brethren that ye may be like unto us—not our slaves, but our brethren and partners of all our substance.
Te juro que, si haces esto, no serás destruido. Pero si no lo haces, te juro que el próximo mes mandaré a mis ejércitos contra ti, y ellos no se detendrán ni tendrán compasión, sino que te matarán y usarán la espada contra ti hasta que seas exterminado.
And behold, I swear unto you, if ye will do this, with an oath, ye shall not be destroyed; but if ye will not do this, I swear unto you with an oath, that on the morrow month I will command that my armies shall come down against you, and they shall not stay their hand and shall spare not, but shall slay you, and shall let fall the sword upon you even until ye shall become extinct.
Yo soy Giddianhi, el gobernador de la sociedad secreta de Gadiantón. Yo sé que esta sociedad y sus obras son buenas. Son antiguas y nos han sido transmitidas.
And behold, I am Giddianhi; and I am the governor of this the secret society of Gadianton; which society and the works thereof I know to be good; and they are of ancient date and they have been handed down unto us.
Estoy escribiendo esta carta para ti, Lachoneus, y espero que entregues tus tierras y posesiones sin derramamiento de sangre, para que mi pueblo pueda recuperar sus derechos y su gobierno. Ellos te abandonaron porque tú, de manera malvada, les quitaste sus derechos de gobierno, y si no haces esto, yo vengaré sus agravios. Yo soy Giddianhi.
And I write this epistle unto you, Lachoneus, and I hope that ye will deliver up your lands and your possessions, without the shedding of blood, that this my people may recover their rights and government, who have dissented away from you because of your wickedness in retaining from them their rights of government, and except ye do this, I will avenge their wrongs. I am Giddianhi.
Cuando Lachoneus recibió esta carta, se asombró muchísimo por la audacia de Giddianhi al exigir la posesión de la tierra de los nefitas, y también por amenazar al pueblo y buscar venganza por aquellos que no habían sido agraviados, excepto que se habían perjudicado a sí mismos al unirse a esos ladrones malvados y perversos.
And now it came to pass when Lachoneus received this epistle he was exceedingly astonished, because of the boldness of Giddianhi demanding the possession of the land of the Nephites, and also of threatening the people and avenging the wrongs of those that had received no wrong, save it were they had wronged themselves by dissenting away unto those wicked and abominable robbers.
Lachoneus, el gobernador, era un hombre justo y no se dejó intimidar por las demandas y amenazas de un ladrón. No prestó atención a la carta de Giddianhi, el líder de los ladrones, sino que hizo que su pueblo orara al Señor para recibir fortaleza cuando los ladrones vinieran contra ellos.
Now behold, this Lachoneus, the governor, was a just man, and could not be frightened by the demands and the threatenings of a robber; therefore he did not hearken to the epistle of Giddianhi, the governor of the robbers, but he did cause that his people should cry unto the Lord for strength against the time that the robbers should come down against them.
Él envió una proclamación a todo el pueblo, diciéndoles que reunieran a sus mujeres, hijos, rebaños, ganados y todas sus posesiones, excepto sus tierras, en un solo lugar.
Yea, he sent a proclamation among all the people, that they should gather together their women, and their children, their flocks and their herds, and all their substance, save it were their land, unto one place.
Mandó que se construyeran fortificaciones fuertes a su alrededor, haciéndolos sumamente seguros. También colocó ejércitos formados por tanto nefitas como lamanitas—todos los que eran contados entre los nefitas—como guardias por todos lados, para vigilarlos y protegerlos de los ladrones día y noche.
And he caused that fortifications should be built round about them, and the strength thereof should be exceedingly great. And he caused that armies, both of the Nephites and of the Lamanites, or of all them who were numbered among the Nephites, should be placed as guards round about to watch them, and to guard them from the robbers day and night.
Él les dijo: "Vive el Señor, que si no te arrepientes de todos tus pecados y oras al Señor, no serás librado de las manos de esos ladrones de Gadiantón."
Yea, he said unto them: As the Lord liveth, except ye repent of all your iniquities, and cry unto the Lord, ye will in no wise be delivered out of the hands of those Gadianton robbers.
Las palabras y profecías de Lachoneus eran tan grandes y asombrosas que causaron temor en todo el pueblo, y todos se esforzaron al máximo por seguir lo que Lachoneus les mandó hacer.
And so great and marvelous were the words and prophecies of Lachoneus that they did cause fear to come upon all the people; and they did exert themselves in their might to do according to the words of Lachoneus.
Lachoneus nombró capitanes principales sobre todos los ejércitos de los nefitas para guiarlos cuando los ladrones bajaran del desierto para atacarlos.
And it came to pass that Lachoneus did appoint chief captains over all the armies of the Nephites, to command them at the time that the robbers should come down out of the wilderness against them.
El líder de más alto rango y comandante principal de los ejércitos nefitas fue nombrado, y su nombre era Gidgiddoni.
Now the chiefest among all the chief captains and the great commander of the armies of the Nephites was appointed, and his name was Gidgiddoni.
Los nefitas normalmente escogían a alguien con el espíritu de revelación y profecía para ser su capitán principal, excepto en tiempos de iniquidad. Así que Gidgidoni era un gran profeta entre ellos, al igual que el juez principal.
Now it was the custom among all the Nephites to appoint for their chief captains, (save it were in their times of wickedness) some one that had the spirit of revelation and also prophecy; therefore, this Gidgiddoni was a great prophet among them, as also was the chief judge.
El pueblo le dijo a Gidgiddoni: "Ora al Señor, y vayamos a los montes y al desierto para atacar a los ladrones y destruirlos en sus propias tierras."
Now the people said unto Gidgiddoni: Pray unto the Lord, and let us go up upon the mountains and into the wilderness, that we may fall upon the robbers and destroy them in their own lands.
Pero Gidgiddoni les dijo: “El Señor no lo permita; si subimos contra ellos, el Señor nos entregará en sus manos. Así que nos prepararemos en el centro de nuestras tierras, reuniremos todos nuestros ejércitos, y no iremos contra ellos. Más bien, esperaremos hasta que vengan contra nosotros. Tan cierto como que el Señor vive, si hacemos esto, él los entregará en nuestras manos.”
But Gidgiddoni saith unto them: The Lord forbid; for if we should go up against them the Lord would deliver us into their hands; therefore we will prepare ourselves in the center of our lands, and we will gather all our armies together, and we will not go against them, but we will wait till they shall come against us; therefore as the Lord liveth, if we do this he will deliver them into our hands.
En el año diecisiete, al final del año, la proclamación de Lachoneus se había difundido por toda la tierra. El pueblo tomó sus caballos, carros, ganado, todos sus rebaños y manadas, su grano y todas sus posesiones, y marcharon en grupos de miles y de decenas de miles hasta que todos se reunieron en el lugar señalado para defenderse de sus enemigos.
And it came to pass in the seventeenth year, in the latter end of the year, the proclamation of Lachoneus had gone forth throughout all the face of the land, and they had taken their horses, and their chariots, and their cattle, and all their flocks, and their herds, and their grain, and all their substance, and did march forth by thousands and by tens of thousands, until they had all gone forth to the place which had been appointed that they should gather themselves together, to defend themselves against their enemies.
La tierra que fue escogida era la tierra de Zarahemla, junto con la tierra entre Zarahemla y Abundancia, hasta la línea que separa Abundancia de Desolación.
And the land which was appointed was the land of Zarahemla, and the land which was between the land Zarahemla and the land Bountiful, yea, to the line which was between the land Bountiful and the land Desolation.
Había muchos miles de personas llamadas nefitas que se reunieron en esta tierra. Lachoneus se aseguró de que se reunieran en la tierra del sur porque había una gran maldición sobre la tierra del norte.
And there were a great many thousand people who were called Nephites, who did gather themselves together in this land. Now Lachoneus did cause that they should gather themselves together in the land southward, because of the great curse which was upon the land northward.
Se fortalecieron contra sus enemigos y vivieron juntos en una sola tierra, unidos como un solo pueblo. Tenían miedo por las palabras que Lachoneus había dicho, así que se arrepintieron de todos sus pecados y oraron al Señor su Dios, pidiéndole que los librara cuando sus enemigos vinieran a pelear contra ellos.
And they did fortify themselves against their enemies; and they did dwell in one land, and in one body, and they did fear the words which had been spoken by Lachoneus, insomuch that they did repent of all their sins; and they did put up their prayers unto the Lord their God, that he would deliver them in the time that their enemies should come down against them to battle.
Ellos estaban sumamente afligidos a causa de sus enemigos. Gidgiddoni les indicó que fabricaran toda clase de armas de guerra y que se equiparan con armaduras, escudos y broqueles, según sus instrucciones.
And they were exceedingly sorrowful because of their enemies. And Gidgiddoni did cause that they should make weapons of war of every kind, and they should be strong with armor, and with shields, and with bucklers, after the manner of his instruction.