Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY

James 4:9

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures
- 9 Give way to misery and mourn and weep.+ Let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into despair.

James 4:9

The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures
- 9 ταλαιπωρήσατε Be YOU affected with misery καὶ and πενθήσατε mourn YOU καὶ and κλαύσατε· weep YOU; ὁ the γέλως laughter ὑμῶν of YOU εἰς into πένθος mourning μετατραπήτω let it be turned across καὶ and ἡ the χαρὰ joy εἰς into κατήφειαν· looking downcast;

James 4:9

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures—With References
- 9 Give way to misery and mourn and weep.+ Let YOUR laughter be turned into mourning, and [YOUR] joy into dejection.+

James 4:9

The Bible in Living English
- 9 be miserable, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned to mourning and your gladness to abasement.

James 4:9

American Standard Version
- 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

James 4:9

The Emphasized Bible
- 9 Be miserable and lament and weep, Let your laughter into lamentation be turned And your joy into dejection;

James 4:9

King James Version
- 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

James Study Notes—Chapter 4

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)
- 4:9
  
  Give way to misery: James addresses Christians who are sinning or who are indecisive and urges them to feel deep sorrow before God over their conduct and attitude. (See study notes on Jas 4:8.) One reference work explains that the Greek verb rendered “give way to misery” refers to “the inner sorrow” a person feels when he realizes how serious his sins are. (Compare Ro 7:24.) The next verbs, mourn and weep, refer to the outward expressions of that inner sorrow. (Mt 5:4 and study note; Mr 14:72) A person who feels “sadness in a godly way” gives evidence of sincere repentance.—2Co 7:10 and study notes.
  
  Let your laughter be turned into mourning: James encourages his readers to change their attitude completely. (Compare Ec 7:3.) Those who do so will accept discipline and gain God’s favor.—Heb 12:11; compare Lu 18:13.