1 And now it came to pass that in the three hundred and sixty and third year the Nephites did go up with their armies to battle against the Lamanites, out of the land Desolation.
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They [the Lamanites] were once a delightsome people ... but now, behold, they are led about by Satan. Mormon 5:17 5:17
1 And now it came to pass that in the three hundred and sixty and third year the Nephites did go up with their armies to battle against the Lamanites, out of the land Desolation.
In 363 CE, the Nephites left the land of Desolation to attack the Lamanites.
2 And it came to pass that the armies of the Nephites were driven back again to the land of Desolation. And while they were yet weary, a fresh army of the Lamanites did come upon them; and they had a sore battle, insomuch that the Lamanites did take possession of the city Desolation, and did slay many of the Nephites, and did take many prisoners.
The Lamanites drove them back to Desolation, where there was a sore battle.
The Lamanites took the city Desolation, killed many Nephites and took many prisoners.
3 And the remainder did flee and join the inhabitants of the city Teancum. Now the city Teancum lay in the borders by the seashore; and it was also near the city Desolation.
To escape from the Lamanites, the remaining Nephites went to the city Teancum.
4 And it was because the armies of the Nephites went up unto the Lamanites that they began to be smitten; for were it not for that, the Lamanites could have had no power over them.
But it didn't work. God sent the Lamanites to attack them again to punish them for leaving Desolation to attack the Lamanites.
5 But, behold, the judgments of God will overtake the wicked; and it is by the wicked that the wicked are punished; for it is the wicked that stir up the hearts of the children of men unto bloodshed.
God overtakes the wicked by sending the wicked to attack the wicked when the wicked have their hearts stirred up unto bloodshed.
6 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did make preparations to come against the city Teancum.
7 And it came to pass in the three hundred and sixty and fourth year the Lamanites did come against the city Teancum, that they might take possession of the city Teancum also.
The Lamanites attacked the Nephites in city Teancum the next year.
8 And it came to pass that they were repulsed and driven back by the Nephites. And when the Nephites saw that they had driven the Lamanites they did again boast of their own strength; and they went forth in their own might, and took possession again of the city Desolation.
But the Nephites drove them back, and then boasted about it.
9 And now all these things had been done, and there had been thousands slain on both sides, both the Nephites and the Lamanites.
Thousands died in the battle on both sides.
10 And it came to pass that the three hundred and sixty and sixth year had passed away, and the Lamanites came again upon the Nephites to battle; and yet the Nephites repented not of the evil they had done, but persisted in their wickedness continually.
A couple years later, the Lamanites attacked again, and this time they were victorious and took possession of the city Teancum.
11 And it is impossible for the tongue to describe, or for man to write a perfect description of the horrible scene of the blood and carnage which was among the people, both of the Nephites and of the Lamanites; and every heart was hardened, so that they delighted in the shedding of blood continually.
12 And there never had been so great wickedness among all the children of Lehi, nor even among all the house of Israel, according to the words of the Lord, as was among this people.
There was a horrible scene of blood and carnage,
where every heart was hardened,
and delighted in the constant shedding of blood.
13 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did take possession of the city Desolation, and this because their number did exceed the number of the Nephites.
The Lamanites took the city of Desolation,
14 And they did also march forward against the city Teancum, and did drive the inhabitants forth out of her, and did take many prisoners both women and children, and did offer them up as sacrifices unto their idol gods.
and attacked the city of Teancum, and sacrificed the women and children to their gods.
15 And it came to pass that in the three hundred and sixty and seventh year, the Nephites being angry because the Lamanites had sacrificed their women and their children, that they did go against the Lamanites with exceedingly great anger, insomuch that they did beat again the Lamanites, and drive them out of their lands.
The next year, the Nephites became exceedingly angry at the Lamanites for sacrificing their women and children, insomuch they did beat the Lamanites and drive them out of their lands.
16 And the Lamanites did not come again against the Nephites until the three hundred and seventy and fifth year.
17 And in this year they did come down against the Nephites with all their powers; and they were not numbered because of the greatness of their number.
18 And from this time forth did the Nephites gain no power over the Lamanites, but began to be swept off by them even as a dew before the sun.
The Lamanites didn't attack again for another eight years or so, but when they did they came with so many soldiers they couldn't be numbered.
19 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did come down against the city Desolation; and there was an exceedingly sore battle fought in the land Desolation, in the which they did beat the Nephites.
There was an exceedingly sore battle in the land of Desolation, where the Lamanites defeated the Nephites.
20 And they fled again from before them, and they came to the city Boaz; and there they did stand against the Lamanites with exceeding boldness, insomuch that the Lamanites did not beat them until they had come again the second time.
The Nephites fled from the land of desolation to the city Boaz.
But the Lamanites attacked them there twice, defeating them the second time.
21 And when they had come the second time, the Nephites were driven and slaughtered with an exceedingly great slaughter; their women and their children were again sacrificed unto idols.
Once again there was an exceedingly great slaughter, and their women and children were sacrificed to the Lamanite gods.
22 And it came to pass that the Nephites did again flee from before them, taking all the inhabitants with them, both in towns and villages.
The surviving Nephites left the city Boaz,
23 And now I, Mormon, seeing that the Lamanites were about to overthrow the land, therefore I did go to the hill Shim, and did take up all the records which Ammaron had hid up unto the Lord.
while Mormon when to hill Shim to find the plates that Ammaron had hid. [1]
Notes
Didn't he already find them a couple chapters ago. See Mormon 2:17