6:1 And now I finish my record concerning the destruction of my people,
the Nephites. And it came to pass that we did march forth before the
Lamanites.
6:2 And I, Mormon, wrote an epistle unto the king of the Lamanites, and
desired of him that he would grant unto us that we might gather
together our people unto the land of Cumorah, by a hill which was
called Cumorah, and there we could give them battle.
6:3 And it came to pass that the king of the Lamanites did grant unto
me the thing which I desired.
6:4 And it came to pass that we did march forth to the land of Cumorah,
and we did pitch our tents around about the hill Cumorah; and it was in
a land of many waters, rivers, and fountains; and here we had hope to
gain advantage over the Lamanites.
6:5 And when three hundred and eighty and four years had passed away,
we had gathered in all the remainder of our people unto the land of
Cumorah.
6:6 And it came to pass that when we had gathered in all our people in
one to the land of Cumorah, behold I, Mormon, began to be old; and
knowing it to be the last struggle of my people, and having been
commanded of the Lord that I should not suffer the records which had
been handed down by our fathers, which were sacred, to fall into the
hands of the Lamanites, (for the Lamanites would destroy them)
therefore I made this record out of the plates of Nephi, and hid up in
the hill Cumorah all the records which had been entrusted to me by the
hand of the Lord, save it were these few plates which I gave unto my
son Moroni.
6:7 And it came to pass that my people, with their wives and their
children, did now behold the armies of the Lamanites marching towards
them; and with that awful fear of death which fills the breasts of all
the wicked, did they await to receive them.
6:8 And it came to pass that they came to battle against us, and every
soul was filled with terror because of the greatness of their numbers.
6:9 And it came to pass that they did fall upon my people with the
sword, and with the bow, and with the arrow, and with the ax, and with
all manner of weapons of war.
6:10 And it came to pass that my men were hewn down, yea, even my ten
thousand who were with me, and I fell wounded in the midst; and they
passed by me that they did not put an end to my life.
6:11 And when they had gone through and hewn down all my people save it
were twenty and four of us, (among whom was my son Moroni) and we
having survived the dead of our people, did behold on the morrow, when
the Lamanites had returned unto their camps, from the top of the hill
Cumorah, the ten thousand of my people who were hewn down, being led in
the front by me.
6:12 And we also beheld the ten thousand of my people who were led by
my son Moroni.
6:13 And behold, the ten thousand of Gidgiddonah had fallen, and he
also in the midst.
6:14 And Lamah had fallen with his ten thousand; and Gilgal had fallen
with his ten thousand; and Limhah had fallen with his ten thousand; and
Jeneum had fallen with his ten thousand; and Cumenihah, and Moronihah,
and Antionum, and Shiblom, and Shem, and Josh, had fallen with their
ten thousand each.
6:15 And it came to pass that there were ten more who did fall by the
sword, with their ten thousand each; yea, even all my people, save it
were those twenty and four who were with me, and also a few who had
escaped into the south countries, and a few who had deserted over unto
the Lamanites, had fallen; and their flesh, and bones, and blood lay
upon the face of the earth, being left by the hands of those who slew
them to molder upon the land, and to crumble and to return to their
mother earth.
6:16 And my soul was rent with anguish, because of the slain of my
people, and I cried:
6:17 O ye fair ones, how could ye have departed from the ways of the
Lord! O ye fair ones, how could ye have rejected that Jesus, who stood
with open arms to receive you!
6:18 Behold, if ye had not done this, ye would not have fallen. But
behold, ye are fallen, and I mourn your loss.
6:19 O ye fair sons and daughters, ye fathers and mothers, ye husbands
and wives, ye fair ones, how is it that ye could have fallen!
6:20 But behold, ye are gone, and my sorrows cannot bring your return.
6:21 And the day soon cometh that your mortal must put on immortality,
and these bodies which are now moldering in corruption must soon become
incorruptible bodies; and then ye must stand before the judgment-seat
of Christ to be judged according to your works and if it so be that ye
are righteous, then are ye blessed with your fathers who have gone
before you.
6:22 O that ye had repented before this great destruction had come upon
you. But behold, ye are gone, and the Father, yea, the Eternal Father
of heaven, knoweth your state; and he doeth with you according to his
justice and mercy.