Omni 1:2
1830 Edition
wherefore, in my days, I would that ye should know that I fought much with the sword, to preserve my people, the Nephites, from falling into the hands of their enemies, the Lamanites. But behold, I, of myself, am a wicked man; and I have not kept the statutes and the commandments of the Lord, as I ought to have done.
Changes
Simple English
I want you to know that in my life, I fought a lot with my sword to protect my people, the Nephites, from their enemies, the Lamanites. But I am a wicked man. I have not kept God’s laws and commandments as I should have.
Paraphrase
So I want you to know that during my lifetime, I fought hard with the sword to protect my people, the Nephites, from falling into the hands of the Lamanites. But I’m being honest—I’ve been a wicked man. I haven’t kept God’s laws the way I should have.
Notes
The phrase, "would that ye should" can be found in Alma 38:5; Mosiah 1:3; Omni 1:2; D7C 46:7.
Other common phrases include "dwindled in unbelief" (2 Nephi 26:15; Helaman 15:11, Ether 4:3, D&C 3:18), "expedient that" (2 Nephi 9:15; Alma 34:9; Mosiah 13:27; D&C 9:3), "it must needs be" (1 Nephi 15:33; Alma 32:28; 3 Nephi 5:1; D&C 48:3), "save it were" (2 Nephi 11:1; Helaman 3:23; 4 Nephi 1:5; D&C 18:35), "sufficeth me" (2 Nephi 11:1; Jarom 1:2; Ether 3:17).
"After noticing that the same phrases of two or more words appear time after time throughout Joseph Smith's scriptures, we did a computer search to identify these groups of words and feel that they provide evidence that the Book of Mormon, the Inspired Version of the Bible, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price were all the product of one mind.... When we find a number of different Book of Mormon writers-e.g., Nephi, Jacob, Enos, Moroni and Mormon-all using many of the same unusual word combinations, we begin to suspect that all these books were actually written by one person."-Jerald and Sandra Tanner, Joseph Smith's Plagiarism of the Bible in the Book of Mormon, p. 39.