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.