One wonders here if the singular work at the end of verse 20 might not be an error for the plural works. 𝓞 is extant here and reads in the singular. Yet elsewhere in the text we get only the plural phrase “according to one’s works” (20 times), never “according to one’s work” (most of these specifically refer to being judged “according to one’s works”):
In each of these, the text is referring to one’s acts or deeds in this life. The expression “it shall be unto every man according to his work(s)” appears to be dealing with the judgment of mankind by the Lord, especially given the earlier references in verse 19 to being cursed if one knowingly refuses to do the will of God. This same expression “it shall be unto X” is used in two other passages to refer to the Lord’s judgment:
Besides the possible case of error here in Alma 32:20, there are a couple of other cases where the earliest text has the singular work but apparently as an error for works. In the first case, it appears that scribe 2 of 𝓞 accidentally wrote an original works as work, which Oliver Cowdery copied as such into 𝓟, but then the 1830 typesetter emended the singular to the plural:
For that case, the critical text has accepted the 1830 emendation since elsewhere the text consistently refers to people being judged “of their works”, not “of their work”. In addition, there is specific evidence that scribe 2 of 𝓞 frequently omitted the plural s (as discussed under 1 Nephi 13:23).
A second case, more complicated, involves a mix-up between works and words:
As argued under Alma 12:12–14, the original text here actually read works in both instances: “for our works will condemn us / yea all our works will condemn us”.
There is independent evidence that Oliver Cowdery tended to write work in place of works, including the following examples of momentary errors:
For some general discussion regarding mix-ups of work and works in the text, see under 2 Nephi 30:17. For a third case where work could be an error for works (but probably is not), see under Helaman 6:29.
The consistency elsewhere in the text of the expression “according to one’s works” argues that here in Alma 32:20 the one exceptional case of “according to his work” is an error for “according to his works”, especially since the context can be interpreted as dealing with the judgment of the Lord. Nevertheless, as Don Brugger points out (personal communication), the singular work is possible in Alma 32:20. Note that work is frequently used as a mass noun rather than as a count noun in the text, as in Alma 8:6: “when he had finished his work at Melek / he departed thence”. But more significantly, Brugger notes that in a revelation given to Joseph Smith dating from November 1831 the phrase “according to one’s work(s)” occurs in the singular:
Here the text is referring to the day of judgment, thus showing that in such a context the singular work is possible for the expression “according to one’s work(s)”. We also note the parallelism between the singular work and the singular measure in this sentence: “unto every man according to his work … to every man according to the measure which he has measured”. Brugger also notes that this same kind of expression occurs in the singular in the King James Bible:
Thus the occurrence of “according to his work” here in Alma 32:20 is possible, despite its uniqueness in the Book of Mormon text. The critical text will therefore retain the singular work in this passage since it is possible. Moreover, it is the reading of all the textual sources, including 𝓞; nor has there ever been any attempt to emend work here to works.
Summary: Maintain the singular work in Alma 32:20; usage from the Doctrine and Covenants and the King James Bible support the singular work in the expression “according to one’s work(s)”; the possibility remains that work is an error for works here in Alma 32:20, but the critical text will follow the unique use of work in this passage, especially since it is the reading of all the textual sources, including 𝓞.
The ye in this line is an error for he; the line should read “that he may not overpower you”. Note that the surrounding lines in this citation from Alma 34:39 begin with “that ye”, but this one does not.