Translation of the Book of Mormon

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The exact process by which the Book of Mormon was translated is known only to Joseph Smith. He described it only as through the "gift and power of God." He once said that "it was not intended to tell the world all the particulars of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon" (HC 1:220) and those particulars are unknown. However, from the accounts of others, including his wife, Emma Hale Smith, Oliver Cowdery, and Martin Harris, all whom acted as scribe during the translation, it is possible to piece together some idea of the process.

Joseph Smith first learned about the existence of The Golden Plates from the angel Moroni in 1823. For the next four years he was not allowed to obtain the plates although he visited the spot where they were buried yearly and met the angel. In 1827 he was sufficiently prepared to be entrusted with the golden plates. Buried with the plates were other artifacts, including the Urim and Thummim, the device by which he began the translation. Joseph also possessed a seer stone and both these instruments were used to translate.

There are differing accounts of the method by which the translation took place, each of which may be correct, having used different methods at different times. One account describes Joseph attaching the breastplate of the Urim and Thummim and looking directly at the plates through the two stones set in a silver bow. The other widely recorded method tells of Joseph placing his seer stone in a hat and placing his face in the hat to block out all light. The plates were left covered when using this method. What Joseph saw through the interpreters or his seer stone is the speculation of his scribes and other acquaintances based on their conversations with him. Each scribe reported Joseph dictating one sentence at a time, spelling out words or names he did not know the pronunciation, then having them read back the sentence to confirm. This has led to the belief that Joseph actually saw English words, but whether they physically appeared or were visible only in his mind's eye is not known.

Subsequent study of the Book of Mormon since its publishing and worldwide distribution has further piqued the curiosity of those who want to know those particulars of translation that Joseph Smith was not willing to divulge. The language of the Book of Mormon is one of the main points. It is written in the language of the King James Version of the Bible; the one Joseph read and was familiar with. This introduces the issue of how involved Joseph was in formulating the language. Were there only impressions that Joseph had to interpret, or did he merely repeat the specific words revealed to him, already in English? Mormon Church leaders and scholars have often stated that the Book of Mormon translation was not a mechanical process; it involved great mental and spiritual concentration on the part of Joseph Smith.

At the completion of the translation, the golden plates were returned to the angel Moroni, in whose care they remain to this day. The resulting translation was published as the Book of Mormon in 1830. Since then it has been translated by linguists into 72 other languages and over 120 million copies have been distributed worldwide.

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