James 4:9

Be sorrowful and weep/mourn [DOU] because of the wrong things that you have done. Do not laugh [DOU], ◄ enjoying only what you selfishly/enjoying only what you yourselves► desire. Instead, be sad because you have done what is wrong.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

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

In Context

8Come near spiritually to God, and as a result he will come near to you. You who are sinners, stop doing what is wrong, and do only what is good [SYN, MET]. You who cannot decide whether you will ◄ commit yourselves to God/obey God completely►, stop thinking wrong thoughts, and think only pure thoughts [MTY].

10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and as a result he will honor you.

Read all of James 4

Cross References

Job 30:31Previously, I played joyful music on my harp and with my flute, but now I play only the sad music of those who mourn.”

Psalms 119:71It was good for me that you afflicted/punished me, because the result was that I learned ◄your statutes/what you have decreed that we should do►.

Psalms 126:5We cried when we planted seeds because it was hard work preparing the soil that had not been plowed for many years; now we want to shout joyfully because we are gathering a big harvest.

Ecclesiastes 2:2So I said to myself, “It is foolish to laugh all the time, and continually doing what I enjoy does not seem to bring any lasting benefit.”

Isaiah 22:12The Commander of the armies of angels told you to weep and mourn; he told you to shave your heads and to wear rough sackcloth to show that you were sorry for the sins that you had committed.

Jeremiah 31:13The young women will dance joyfully, and all the men, young ones and old ones, will join with them. I will cause them to rejoice instead of mourning; I will comfort them and cause them to be happy instead of being sad.

Matthew Henry on James 4:2-11

Origin of War and Contention; Against Pride; Submission to God. ( a. d. 61.) 1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever… Read the whole commentary →

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