New International Version Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. New Living Translation Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. English Standard Version Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Berean Standard Bible Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning, and your joy to gloom. Berean Literal Bible Be miserable and mourn and weep. Let your⁺ laughter be turned to mourning and the joy to gloom. King James Bible Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. New King James Version Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. New American Standard Bible Be miserable, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into gloom. NASB 1995 Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. NASB 1977 Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy to gloom. Legacy Standard Bible Be miserable and mourn and cry. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Amplified Bible Be miserable and grieve and weep [over your sin]. Let your [foolish] laughter be turned to mourning and your [reckless] joy to gloom. Berean Annotated Bible Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your⁺ laughter to mourning, and your joy to gloom. Christian Standard Bible Be miserable and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Holman Christian Standard Bible Be miserable and mourn and weep. Your laughter must change to mourning and your joy to sorrow. American Standard Version Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Contemporary English Version Be sad and sorry and weep. Stop laughing and start crying. Be gloomy instead of glad. English Revised Version Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. GOD'S WORD® Translation Be miserable, mourn, and cry. Turn your laughter into mourning and your joy into gloom. Good News Translation Be sorrowful, cry, and weep; change your laughter into crying, your joy into gloom! International Standard Version Be miserable, mourn, and cry. Let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into gloom. NET Bible Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter into mourning and your joy into despair. New Heart English Bible Lament, mourn, and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to gloom. Webster's Bible Translation Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Weymouth New Testament Afflict yourselves and mourn and weep aloud; let your laughter be turned into grief, and your gladness into shame. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleGrieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning, and your joy to gloom. World English Bible Lament, mourn, and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionBe exceedingly afflicted, and mourn, and weep, let your laughter be turned to mourning, and the joy to heaviness; Berean Literal Bible Be miserable and mourn and weep. Let your⁺ laughter be turned to mourning and the joy to gloom. Young's Literal Translation be exceeding afflicted, and mourn, and weep, let your laughter to mourning be turned, and the joy to heaviness; Smith's Literal Translation Toil, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and joy to dejection. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleBe afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into sorrow. Catholic Public Domain Version Be afflicted: mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your gladness into sorrow. New American Bible Begin to lament, to mourn, to weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection. New Revised Standard Version Lament and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleHumble yourselves, and mourn; let your laughter be turned to weeping, and your joy to sorrow. Aramaic Bible in Plain English Be humble and make lamentation and let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to grief. NT Translations Anderson New TestamentBe afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to sorrow. Godbey New Testament Weep, and mourn, lament: let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into sorrow. Haweis New Testament Be bitterly afflicted and lament, and let your tears run down; let your laughter be converted into mourning, and your joy into dejection. Mace New Testament be afflicted, be mournful, and weep: let your mirth be converted to sadness, and your joy to vexation. Weymouth New Testament Afflict yourselves and mourn and weep aloud; let your laughter be turned into grief, and your gladness into shame. Worrell New Testament Be wretched, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness! Worsley New Testament Be grieved, and mourn, and weep: let your mirth be turned into mourning, and your joy to sadness. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context Drawing Near to God…8Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning, and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.… Cross References Grieve, mourn, and weep. 2 Corinthians 7:10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. Matthew 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Luke 6:21 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Turn your laughter to mourning, Luke 6:25 Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Amos 8:10 I will turn your feasts into mourning and all your songs into lamentation. I will cause everyone to wear sackcloth and every head to be shaved. I will make it like a time of mourning for an only son, and its outcome like a bitter day. Ecclesiastes 7:2-4 It is better to enter a house of mourning than a house of feasting, since death is the end of every man, and the living should take this to heart. / Sorrow is better than laughter, for a sad countenance is good for the heart. / The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure. and your joy to gloom. Lamentations 5:15 Joy has left our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning. Isaiah 24:11 In the streets they cry out for wine. All joy turns to gloom; rejoicing is exiled from the land. Jeremiah 7:34 I will remove from the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem the sounds of joy and gladness and the voices of the bride and bridegroom, for the land will become a wasteland.” Joel 2:12-13 “Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.” / So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. And He relents from sending disaster. Ecclesiastes 7:3 Sorrow is better than laughter, for a sad countenance is good for the heart. Isaiah 22:12 On that day the Lord GOD of Hosts called for weeping and wailing, for shaven heads and the wearing of sackcloth. Psalm 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. Ezekiel 7:16 The survivors will escape and live in the mountains, moaning like doves of the valley, each for his own iniquity. Jeremiah 31:18-19 I have surely heard Ephraim’s moaning: ‘You disciplined me severely, like an untrained calf. Restore me, that I may return, for You are the LORD my God. / After I returned, I repented; and after I was instructed, I struck my thigh in grief. I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’ Romans 12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. Treasury of Scripture Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. afflicted. James 5:1,2 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you… Psalm 119:67,71,136 Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word… Psalm 126:5,6 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy… let. Job 30:31 My harp also is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of them that weep. Proverbs 14:13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness. Ecclesiastes 2:2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? Jump to Previous Afflict Afflicted Aloud Change Exceeding Gladness Gloom Grief Grieve Heaviness Joy Lament Miserable Mourn Mourning Shame Sorrow Troubled Turned Wail Weep Weeping Wretched YourselvesJump to Next Afflict Afflicted Aloud Change Exceeding Gladness Gloom Grief Grieve Heaviness Joy Lament Miserable Mourn Mourning Shame Sorrow Troubled Turned Wail Weep Weeping Wretched YourselvesJames 4 1. We are to strive against covetousness;4. intemperance; 5. pride; 11. detraction and rash judgment of others; 13. and not to be boastful of our future plans. Grieve, mourn, and weep. Sin before a holy God calls for genuine sorrow, not outward display alone. James addresses believers who had become compromised by worldly desires and needed to recognize the seriousness of their condition. Such mourning reflects repentance and dependence on God’s mercy. 2Co 7:10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation… Turn your laughter to mourning, Careless confidence and enjoyment of sin, symbolized by carefree laughter, must give way to sober self-examination and meaningful sorrow leading to repentance. Those treating spiritual compromise lightly were to abandon complacency and face their need for restoration. Luk 6:25 Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will hunger.… and your joy to gloom. False security in worldly pleasures cannot produce lasting joy. The temporary grief of repentance leads to reconciliation with God and the true joy that comes from humility before Him. Lam 5:15 Joy has left our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning. Persons / Places / Events 1. JamesThe author of the epistle, traditionally identified as James, the brother of Jesus and a leader in the early Jerusalem church. He writes with authority and pastoral concern for the spiritual well-being of his readers. 2. Early Christian Communities The recipients of the letter, likely Jewish Christians scattered outside of Palestine, facing trials and temptations that challenge their faith and conduct. 3. The Call to Repentance This verse is part of a larger call to repentance, urging believers to recognize their sinfulness and turn back to God with sincere contrition. Teaching Points The Seriousness of SinSin is not to be taken lightly. James calls for a deep emotional response to sin, recognizing its gravity and the separation it causes between us and God. True Repentance Repentance involves more than just feeling sorry; it requires a transformation of heart and mind, turning away from sin and towards God. The Role of Emotions in Spiritual Life Emotions like grief and mourning are appropriate responses to sin and can lead to spiritual growth and renewal when directed towards God. Contrast with Worldly Joy The world often promotes a superficial joy that ignores the reality of sin. True joy comes from reconciliation with God, which may first require a period of mourning. Community and Accountability The call to grieve and mourn is not just individual but communal, encouraging believers to support one another in the journey of repentance and spiritual growth. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of James 4:9?2. How can we practice "grieve, mourn, and weep" in our daily repentance? 3. What does "laughter to mourning" teach about the seriousness of sin? 4. How does James 4:9 connect with Jesus' teachings on repentance? 5. Why is humility important in transforming "joy to gloom" in spiritual growth? 6. How can we encourage others to embrace the call to repentance in James 4:9? 7. What does James 4:9 mean by "grieve, mourn, and weep" in a Christian context? 8. How does James 4:9 relate to the concept of repentance in Christianity? 9. Why does James 4:9 emphasize turning laughter to mourning and joy to gloom? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from James 4? (9) Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep.--For wretchedness, sorrow, and tears are the three steps of the homeward way to peace and God. And in proof of real conversion there must be the outward lamentation, as well as the inward contrition. Grieve, therefore, with a "godly sorrow not to be repented of" (2Corinthians 7:10)--the remorseful anguish of a Peter, and not a Judas. Let the foolish laughter at sin, which was "as the crackling of thorns" before the avenging fire (Ecclesiastes 7:6), be turned to mourning; banish the joyous smile for the face cast down to heaviness, and so await the blessedness of those that mourn (Matt. v, 4), even the promised comfort of God.Verse 9. - St. James's version of "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted" (Matthew 5:4). Be afflicted. Ταλαιπωρήσατε: only here in the New Testament, occasionally in the LXX. Heaviness. Κατήφεια: another ἄπαξ λεγόμενον, apparently never found in the LXX. or in the apostolic Fathers; it is, however, used by Josephus and Philo. It is equivalent to "dejection," and "exactly describes the attitude of the publican, who would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, Luke 18:13 (Plumptre)." James 4:9 commands believers to move from casual, self-satisfied living to wholehearted repentance. Grief, mourning, and weeping describe an escalating heart response to sin, while the reversal of laughter and joy underscores the need to take God’s holiness seriously. When we let Scripture break our hearts, God meets us with forgiveness, purifies our desires, and restores true joy. Parallel Commentaries ... Greek Grieve,ταλαιπωρήσατε (talaipōrēsate) Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural Strong's 5003: To endure severe hardship, be harassed, complain. From talaiporos; to be wretched, i.e. Realize one's own misery. mourn, πενθήσατε (penthēsate) Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural Strong's 3996: To mourn, lament, feel guilt. From penthos; to grieve. and καὶ (kai) Conjunction Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely. weep. κλαύσατε (klausate) Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural Strong's 2799: To weep, weep for, mourn, lament. Of uncertain affinity; to sob, i.e. Wail aloud. Turn μετατραπήτω (metatrapētō) Verb - Aorist Imperative Passive - 3rd Person Singular Strong's 3344: To turn, change, corrupt, pervert. From meta and strepho; to turn across, i.e. Transmute or corrupt. your ὑμῶν (hymōn) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou. laughter γέλως (gelōs) Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular Strong's 1071: Laughter. From gelao; laughter. to εἰς (eis) Preposition Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases. mourning, πένθος (penthos) Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular Strong's 3997: Mourning, sorrow, sadness, grief. Strengthened from the alternate of pascho; grief. and καὶ (kai) Conjunction Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely. [your] ἡ (hē) Article - Nominative Feminine Singular Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. joy χαρὰ (chara) Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular Strong's 5479: Joy, gladness, a source of joy. From chairo; cheerfulness, i.e. Calm delight. to εἰς (eis) Preposition Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases. gloom. κατήφειαν (katēpheian) Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular Strong's 2726: From a compound of kata and perhaps a derivative of the base of phaino; demureness, i.e. sadness. Additonal Resources James 4:9 Blue Letter BibleJames 4:9 Bible Gateway James 4:9 Bible.com James 4:9 NIV |
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