Alma
24 versículos
Resumen
Moroni y Ammoron intercambian cartas acaloradas sobre el intercambio de prisioneros y las causas de la guerra, acusándose mutuamente de actuar mal; acuerdan intercambiar prisioneros, pero las hostilidades continúan.
Al comienzo del año veintinueve de los jueces, Ammoron envió un mensaje a Moroni, pidiéndole intercambiar prisioneros.
And now it came to pass in the commencement of the twenty and ninth year of the judges, that Ammoron sent unto Moroni desiring that he would exchange prisoners.
Moroni se alegró muchísimo por esta petición, porque quería usar los víveres destinados a los prisioneros lamanitas para sostener a su propio pueblo; y también deseaba recuperar a su gente para fortalecer su ejército.
And it came to pass that Moroni felt to rejoice exceedingly at this request, for he desired the provisions which were imparted for the support of the Lamanite prisoners for the support of his own people; and he also desired his own people for the strengthening of his army.
Los lamanitas habían capturado a muchas mujeres y niños, y no había mujeres ni niños entre todos los prisioneros que Moroni tenía, ni entre los que él había tomado. Así que Moroni decidió usar una estrategia para recuperar la mayor cantidad posible de prisioneros nefitas de manos de los lamanitas.
Now the Lamanites had taken many women and children, and there was not a woman nor a child among all the prisoners of Moroni, or the prisoners whom Moroni had taken; therefore Moroni resolved upon a stratagem to obtain as many prisoners of the Nephites from the Lamanites as it were possible.
Entonces escribió una carta y la envió con el siervo de Ammoron, el mismo que había entregado una carta a Moroni. Estas son las palabras que escribió a Ammoron:
Therefore he wrote an epistle, and sent it by the servant of Ammoron, the same who had brought an epistle to Moroni. Now these are the words which he wrote unto Ammoron, saying:
Ammoron, te he escrito acerca de esta guerra que has comenzado contra mi pueblo, o más bien, que tu hermano empezó contra ellos, y que tú aún estás decidido a continuar después de su muerte.
Behold, Ammoron, I have written unto you somewhat concerning this war which ye have waged against my people, or rather which thy brother hath waged against them, and which ye are still determined to carry on after his death.
Quiero hablarte acerca de la justicia de Dios y la espada de su ira todopoderosa, que pende sobre ti a menos que te arrepientas y retires tus ejércitos a tus propias tierras, o a la tierra de tus posesiones, que es la tierra de Nephi.
Behold, I would tell you somewhat concerning the justice of God, and the sword of his almighty wrath, which doth hang over you except ye repent and withdraw your armies into your own lands, or the land of your possessions, which is the land of Nephi.
Te diría estas cosas si pudieras escuchar; te hablaría del terrible infierno que espera recibir a asesinos como tú y tu hermano, a menos que te arrepientas, abandones tus intenciones asesinas y regreses con tus ejércitos a tus propias tierras.
Yea, I would tell you these things if ye were capable of hearkening unto them; yea, I would tell you concerning that awful hell that awaits to receive such murderers as thou and thy brother have been, except ye repent and withdraw your murderous purposes, and return with your armies to your own lands.
Pero como ya has rechazado estas cosas y has luchado contra el pueblo del Señor, puedo esperar que lo vuelvas a hacer.
But as ye have once rejected these things, and have fought against the people of the Lord, even so I may expect you will do it again.
Estamos preparados para enfrentarte, y a menos que abandones tus intenciones, atraerás sobre ti la ira del Dios que has rechazado, hasta tu completa destrucción.
And now behold, we are prepared to receive you; yea, and except you withdraw your purposes, behold, ye will pull down the wrath of that God whom you have rejected upon you, even to your utter destruction.
Tan cierto como que el Señor vive, nuestros ejércitos vendrán contra ti a menos que te retires, y pronto enfrentarás la muerte, porque vamos a mantener nuestras ciudades y nuestras tierras, y vamos a defender nuestra religión y la causa de nuestro Dios.
But, as the Lord liveth, our armies shall come upon you except ye withdraw, and ye shall soon be visited with death, for we will retain our cities and our lands; yea, and we will maintain our religion and the cause of our God.
Me parece que hablarte de estas cosas es inútil, o que eres un hijo del infierno. Así que terminaré mi carta diciéndote que no intercambiaré prisioneros a menos que aceptes entregar a un hombre, su esposa y sus hijos por cada prisionero. Si estás dispuesto a hacer esto, haré el intercambio.
But behold, it supposeth me that I talk to you concerning these things in vain; or it supposeth me that thou art a child of hell; therefore I will close my epistle by telling you that I will not exchange prisoners, save it be on conditions that ye will deliver up a man and his wife and his children, for one prisoner; if this be the case that ye will do it, I will exchange.
Si no haces esto, vendré contra ti con mis ejércitos. Incluso armaré a mis mujeres y niños y vendré contra ti, siguiéndote hasta tu propia tierra, que es la tierra de nuestra primera herencia. Será sangre por sangre, vida por vida, y pelearé contra ti hasta que seas destruido de sobre la faz de la tierra.
And behold, if you do not this, I will come against you with my armies; yea, even I will arm my women and my children, and I will come against you, and I will follow you even into your own land, which is the land of our first inheritance; yea, and it shall be blood for blood, yea, life for life; and I will give you battle even until you are destroyed from off the face of the earth.
Estoy enojado, y mi pueblo también lo está. Has intentado matarnos, y nosotros solo hemos tratado de defendernos. Pero si sigues intentando destruirnos, nosotros intentaremos destruirte, y buscaremos recuperar nuestra tierra, la tierra de nuestra primera herencia.
Behold, I am in my anger, and also my people; ye have sought to murder us, and we have only sought to defend ourselves. But behold, if ye seek to destroy us more we will seek to destroy you; yea, and we will seek our land, the land of our first inheritance.
Estoy terminando mi carta. Soy Moroni, el líder del pueblo nefi.
Now I close my epistle. I am Moroni; I am a leader of the people of the Nephites.
Cuando Ammoron recibió esta carta, se enojó. Escribió otra carta a Moroni, y estas son las palabras que escribió:
Now it came to pass that Ammoron, when he had received this epistle, was angry; and he wrote another epistle unto Moroni, and these are the words which he wrote, saying:
Yo soy Ammoron, el rey de los lamanitas; soy el hermano de Amalickiah, a quien tú has asesinado. Yo vengaré su sangre sobre ti, y vendré contra ti con mis ejércitos, porque no temo tus amenazas.
I am Ammoron, the king of the Lamanites; I am the brother of Amalickiah whom ye have murdered. Behold, I will avenge his blood upon you, yea, and I will come upon you with my armies for I fear not your threatenings.
Tus antepasados hicieron mal a sus hermanos al quitarles su derecho al gobierno, aunque ese derecho les pertenecía legítimamente.
For behold, your fathers did wrong their brethren, insomuch that they did rob them of their right to the government when it rightly belonged unto them.
Si tú depusieras tus armas y te sometieras a ser gobernado por aquellos a quienes legítimamente pertenece el gobierno, haré que mi pueblo deponga sus armas y ya no estaremos en guerra.
And now behold, if ye will lay down your arms, and subject yourselves to be governed by those to whom the government doth rightly belong, then will I cause that my people shall lay down their weapons and shall be at war no more.
Has hecho muchas amenazas contra mí y mi pueblo, pero no tenemos miedo de tus amenazas.
Behold, ye have breathed out many threatenings against me and my people; but behold, we fear not your threatenings.
Sin embargo, aceptaré intercambiar prisioneros como lo pediste, con gusto, para poder ahorrar alimento para mis soldados; y continuaremos esta guerra sin fin, hasta que los nefitas estén bajo nuestro control o sean completamente destruidos.
Nevertheless, I will grant to exchange prisoners according to your request, gladly, that I may preserve my food for my men of war; and we will wage a war which shall be eternal, either to the subjecting the Nephites to our authority or to their eternal extinction.
En cuanto al Dios que dices que hemos rechazado, no conocemos a tal ser, y tú tampoco. Pero si existe tal ser, no sabemos si acaso nos ha creado a nosotros tanto como a ti.
And as concerning that God whom ye say we have rejected, behold, we know not such a being; neither do ye; but if it so be that there is such a thing, we know not but that he hath made us as well as you.
Y si hay un diablo y un infierno, ¿no te enviará él allí para vivir con mi hermano, a quien has matado y de quien has sugerido que ha ido a ese lugar? Pero estas cosas no importan.
And if it so be that there is a devil and a hell, behold will he not send you there to dwell with my brother whom ye have murdered, whom ye have hinted that he hath gone to such a place? But behold these things matter not.
Yo soy Ammoron, descendiente de Zoram, a quien tus antepasados obligaron y sacaron de Jerusalén.
I am Ammoron, and a descendant of Zoram, whom your fathers pressed and brought out of Jerusalem.
Soy un lamanita valiente; esta guerra se ha llevado a cabo para vengar sus agravios y para mantener y obtener sus derechos al gobierno; y así concluyo mi carta a Moroni.
And behold now, I am a bold Lamanite; behold, this war hath been waged to avenge their wrongs, and to maintain and to obtain their rights to the government; and I close my epistle to Moroni.