The Book Of Helaman (Chap. 7)

Helaman 7:1
Behold, now it came to pass in the sixty and ninth year of the
reign of the judges over the people of the Nephites, that Nephi,
the son of Helaman, returned to the land of Zarahemla from the
land northward.

Helaman 7:2
For he had been forth among the people who were in the land
northward, and did preach the word of God unto them, and did
prophesy many things unto them;

Helaman 7:3
And they did reject all his words, insomuch that he could not
stay among them, but returned again unto the land of his
nativity.

Helaman 7:4
And seeing the people in a state of such awful wickedness, and
those Gadianton robbers filling the judgment-seats—having
usurped the power and authority of the land; laying aside the
commandments of God, and not in the least aright before him;
doing no justice unto the children of men;

Helaman 7:5
Condemning the righteous because of their righteousness;
letting the guilty and the wicked go unpunished because of their
money; and moreover to be held in office at the head of
government, to rule and do according to their wills, that they
might get gain and glory of the world, and, moreover, that they
might the more easily commit adultery, and steal, and kill, and
do according to their own wills—

Helaman 7:6
Now this great iniquity had come upon the Nephites, in the
space of not many years; and when Nephi saw it, his heart was
swollen with sorrow within his breast; and he did exclaim in the
agony of his soul:

Helaman 7:7
Oh, that I could have had my days in the days when my father
Nephi first came out of the land of Jerusalem, that I could have
joyed with him in the promised land; then were his people easy to
be entreated, firm to keep the commandments of God, and slow to
be led to do iniquity; and they were quick to hearken unto the
words of the Lord—

Helaman 7:8
Yea, if my days could have been in those days, then would my
soul have had joy in the righteousness of my brethren.

Helaman 7:9
But behold, I am consigned that these are my days, and that my
soul shall be filled with sorrow because of this the wickedness
of my brethren.

Helaman 7:10
And behold, now it came to pass that it was upon a tower,
which was in the garden of Nephi, which was by the highway which
led to the chief market, which was in the city of Zarahemla;
therefore, Nephi had bowed himself upon the tower which was in
his garden, which tower was also near unto the garden gate by
which led the highway.

Helaman 7:11
And it came to pass that there were certain men passing by
and saw Nephi as he was pouring out his soul unto God upon the
tower; and they ran and told the people what they had seen, and
the people came together in multitudes that they might know the
cause of so great mourning for the wickedness of the people.

Helaman 7:12
And now, when Nephi arose he beheld the multitudes of people
who had gathered together.

Helaman 7:13
And it came to pass that he opened his mouth and said unto
them: Behold, why have ye gathered yourselves together? That I
may tell you of your iniquities?

Helaman 7:14
Yea, because I have got upon my tower that I might pour out
my soul unto my God, because of the exceeding sorrow of my heart,
which is because of your iniquities!

Helaman 7:15
And because of my mourning and lamentation ye have gathered
yourselves together, and do marvel; yea, and ye have great need
to marvel; yea, ye ought to marvel because ye are given away that
the devil has got so great hold upon your hearts.

Helaman 7:16
Yea, how could you have given way to the enticing of him who
is seeking to hurl away your souls down to everlasting misery and
endless wo?

Helaman 7:17
O repent ye, repent ye! Why will ye die? Turn ye, turn ye
unto the Lord your God. Why has he forsaken you?

Helaman 7:18
It is because you have hardened your hearts; yea, ye will not
hearken unto the voice of the good shepherd; yea, ye have
provoked him to anger against you.

Helaman 7:19
And behold, instead of gathering you, except ye will repent,
behold, he shall scatter you forth that ye shall become meat for
dogs and wild beasts.

Helaman 7:20
O, how could you have forgotten your God in the very day that
he has delivered you?

Helaman 7:21
But behold, it is to get gain, to be praised of men, yea, and
that ye might get gold and silver. And ye have set your hearts
upon the riches and the vain things of this world, for the which
ye do murder, and plunder, and steal, and bear false witness
against your neighbor, and do all manner of iniquity.

Helaman 7:22
And for this cause wo shall come unto you except ye shall
repent. For if ye will not repent, behold, this great city, and
also all those great cities which are round about, which are in
the land of our possession, shall be taken away that ye shall
have no place in them; for behold, the Lord will not grant unto
you strength, as he has hitherto done, to withstand against your
enemies.

Helaman 7:23
For behold, thus saith the Lord: I will not show unto the
wicked of my strength, to one more than the other, save it be
unto those that repent of their sins, and hearken unto my words.
Now therefore, I would that ye should behold, my brethren, that
it shall be better for the Lamanites than for you except ye shall
repent.

Helaman 7:24
For behold, they are more righteous than you, for they have
not sinned against that great knowledge which ye have received;
therefore the Lord will be merciful unto them; yea, he will
lengthen out their days and increase their seed, even when thou
shalt be utterly destroyed except thou shalt repent.

Helaman 7:25
Yea, wo be unto you because of that great abomination which
has come among you; and ye have united yourselves unto it, yea,
to that secret band which was established by Gadianton!

Helaman 7:26
Yea, wo shall come unto you because of that pride which ye
have suffered to enter your hearts, which has lifted you up
beyond that which is good because of your exceedingly great
riches!

Helaman 7:27
Yea, wo be unto you because of your wickedness and
abominations!

Helaman 7:28
And except ye repent ye shall perish; yea, even your lands
shall be taken from you, and ye shall be destroyed from off the
face of the earth.

Helaman 7:29
Behold now, I do not say that these things shall be, of
myself, because it is not of myself that I know these things; but
behold, I know that these things are true because the Lord God
has made them known unto me, therefore I testify that they shall
be.