Devine Scripture

James 4:9

What does James 4:9 mean?

A plain-English look at James 4:9 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What James 4:9 means

James calls for a serious response to sin: afflict yourselves, mourn, and weep. Laughter and joy that belong to carefree worldliness must give way to sober grief when sin is exposed. This is not an attack on true joy but on frivolity that masks rebellion. Godly sorrow produces turning, not despair. James aims to break the spell of superficial cheer that treats sin lightly. When we feel the weight of our waywardness, we stop excusing it and start seeking mercy. Such mourning opens the door to real comfort, because it aligns our hearts with God’s view of sin and prepares us to receive His lifting hand.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

Be troubled, with sorrow and weeping; let your laughing be turned to sorrow and your joy to grief.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

be exceeding afflicted, and mourn, and weep, let your laughter to mourning be turned, and the joy to heaviness;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

Be afflicted and mourn and weep: let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into sorrow.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

Be wretched, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and [your] joy to heaviness.

Context

This verse deepens the repentance called for in verse 8. After urging nearness to God and inner cleansing, James prescribes the emotional posture appropriate to sin: grief, not giddiness. It combats the world’s trivializing of evil. The next verse will balance this solemnity with promise: those who humble themselves before the Lord will be exalted. The flow moves from conviction to contrition to consolation, all under the banner of God’s more-than-sufficient grace.

v.8Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded.

v.9This passage

v.10Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Isaiah 22:12

    And in that day did the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:

  • Ezekiel 16:63

    that thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more, because of thy shame, when I have forgiven thee all that thou hast done, saith the Lord Jehovah.

  • Psalms 119:136

    Streams of water run down mine eyes, Because they observe not thy law. צ TSADHE.

  • Luke 6:25

    Woe unto you, ye that are full now! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you, ye that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.

  • Ecclesiastes 7:2

    It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.

  • Psalms 119:71

    It is good for me that I have been afflicted; That I may learn thy statutes.

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