Although some LDS scholars insist that Joseph didn't really translate the plates, but instead read words that appeared on the stone-in-the-hat (SITH), in my view there is good evidence to support Joseph's claim that he translated the plates.
Joseph said he translated the plates by means of the Urim and Thummim that came with the plates several times. He never once said or implied that he used anything other than the Urim and Thummim that came with the plates. Joseph Smith-History explains that "I commenced copying the characters off the plates. I copied a considerable number of them, and by means of the Urim and Thummim I translated some of them." (Joseph Smith—History 1:62)
Oliver Cowdery corroborated Joseph's account. "Day after day I continued, uninterrupted, to write from his mouth, as he translated with the Urim and Thummim, or, as the Nephites would have said, ‘Interpreters,’ the history or record called ‘The Book of Mormon.’" (Joseph Smith—History, Note, 1)
Nevertheless, LDS scholars such as Royal Skousen and his followers, such as the Interpreters (those who write for and publish the Interpreter journal) teach that Joseph and Oliver intentionally misled everyone about the translation. We've discussed that on this blog several times, such as here:
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As evidence to corroborate the testimonies of Joseph and Oliver, I've been annotating the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants to show the apparently influence of Jonathan Edwards, whose works were on sale in the Palmyra bookstore in Palmyra that Joseph visited weekly.
Recently I posted the annotation for Mosiah 4, which you can see here:
Additional annotations are available here:
Mosiah 4 is interesting because among the non-biblical Book of Mormon terms/phrases that Edwards used in his works are these:
peace of conscience
attention
a sense of
nothingness
worthless
fallen state
come to a knowledge
matchless
towards the children of men
prepared
in keeping
end of his life
for all mankind
which ever were
fall of Adam
any conditions
man can be saved
both in heaven and in earth
can comprehend
sincerity of heart
greatness of God
unworthy creatures
grow in the knowledge
have a mind
injure one another
suffer your children
go hungry
fight and quarrel
serve the devil
brought upon himself
great cause
same Being
calling on his name
poured out his Spirit
exceedingly great
your condemnation
things of this world
for the sake of
not requisite
should be diligent
win the prize
divers ways
end of your lives
must perish
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